hoping for 170 ---> scored in 150s, anyone else?

[akaspongebob]

I scored a 156 on my first practice test, and a 173 this past Dec.  Just another vote for "it can be done."  I'm a nervous test-taker too, so I worked just as hard as approaching the test positively as possible.  If you know you're prone to freak out, I'd say start thinking about that aspect about a month before the test by testing under all kinds of imaginable circumstances.  Minimizing surprises = increasing confidence, at least for me.

[Go_Blue26]

I think significant improvement is possible, particularly if you did not prepare thoroughly for the test the first time you took it, OR, if you had problems with nervousness.

I took the test in December, having never cracked a single LSAT book or prep-test.  My fault.  I'm busy, I work a ton of hours each week, and I honestly though I'd be fine.  I never intended to score a 175, but I thought I'd do fairly well. 

What killed me?  Not logic games.  Logical reasoning.  I got a 159.

I'm retaking in February.  Between now and then, I'm going to take 3 practice tests each week.  I also have the Logical Reasoning Bible. 

Is this a wise move?  I don't really know.  Yes, I'm a minority, and could probably still get into a top school given that I have very high grades from an excellent UG school, and other strong soft factors.  Wise or foolish, I'm retaking in February.  Now watch the scale get even worse.  Come March, we'll all know whether my move was a good one. 

 

[Anne Shirley]

My very first diagnostic was a 146 and I scored a 170 in December.  I took a Testmasters course and about 15 practice tests. I rescheduled in October because my highest score at that time was a 166.  The week of the December test I scored my first and only practice 170.  Once I did it once, I knew I could do it again.  You can improve your score if that is your goal. 

[worstapplicantever]

"Northwestern, Cornell, and Georgetown are all schools who take the top score instead of averaging."

i knew this was true for NW, but are you sure it's the case for the other two?

[spud1987]

According to LSN NW and Cornell do and Georgetown does if the increase is 5 points or higher.

[Ramrod]

I'm going to chime in on this one.

I got similarly crushed on the December exam.  My last five practice scores were a 168,169, 171,171,172 and I dropped a nice 156 on the real bad boy.  Am I dissappointed, yes extremely.   But I realize my score was not the result of not knowing the material, but rather of extreme anxiety in the days leading up to and during the test ( i slept only 4 hrs of the 72 leading up to the test, and driving home wwas so disoriented it took me over 1 1/2 hrs to complete a 15 minute trip.)   

And I've learned, i think, finally how to fail (okay so it's not failing, but it sure felt like it)  My life goes on, I'll delay applying for a year, and it wasn't this cataclysmic event that I thought it would be.  In any case, I just sucked it up and signed up for the February exam.  So here's so cheers, and good luck to you in the future lsats.

And ohh yeah, for those of you whom will say thats part of the test and I need to do that as a lawyer,,, thanks,,,, I've been in super high pressured jobs for a long time and handle it well,  perhaps even better than most others.

[Jontor]

According to LSN NW and Cornell do and Georgetown does if the increase is 5 points or higher.

Cornell will look at only your higher score if it is 7 points higher heard it from their admissions office

[thescreed]

My last five practice scores were a 168,169, 171,171,172 and I dropped a nice 156 on the real bad boy.  Am I dissappointed, yes extremely.   But I realize my score was not the result of not knowing the material, but rather of extreme anxiety in the days leading up to and during the test ( i slept only 4 hrs of the 72 leading up to the test, and driving home wwas so disoriented it took me over 1 1/2 hrs to complete a 15 minute trip.)   

<snip>

And ohh yeah, for those of you whom will say thats part of the test and I need to do that as a lawyer,,, thanks,,,, I've been in super high pressured jobs for a long time and handle it well,  perhaps even better than most others.

Two words:

PUH. LEEZE.