Possible Improvement for June LSAT?

[giantscraft]

Hi everyone! I’m currently an undergrad freshman at Penn State, and I’m looking to take the LSAT sometime in June. My diagnostic score isn’t the typical take a prep test cold score though— I got a 163 after finishing the logic games bible. It was one of the LSATs with 2 LR sections, so I ended up with -5 on RC, -7&-9 on LR, and -3 on LG. How realistic is it to improve to a 175+ score by June?

I’m currently halfway through the logical reasoning bible, and I try to do some drills of specific question types every couple chapters. Right now, I think I want to start taking a prep test a week after I get through the LR bible. I’m thinking I can work through the RC bible in between tests.

My other main concern with logic games is the grouping games— I almost always miss one question with these games. With the other types of games I can get perfect games when I do drills with some level of frequency. The complicated grouping games always trip be up though. Should I expect improvement if I just keep drilling that?

Other than those concerns, I think I’m in fairly good shape. Is there anything else I haven’t considered?

[Luke Haqq]

Hi giantscraft!

It's likely achievable to move from a 163 to a 175+ by June. It's certainly essential that you understand the core concepts and strategies, so it's important that you get through the PowerScore books (if you didn't have those, I'd recommend taking one of PowerScore's courses). In addition to drilling yourself on particular question types or game types, taking as many full, timed tests as possible would also be helpful toward achieving your goal.

You mention taking a test a week. If you are taking tests at that frequency and find that you're consistently scoring 175+, then you may not need to add more tests. If you aren't consistently scoring 175+, then I'd consider taking more tests per week--e.g., depending on your schedule, as many as 5 a week. You don't want to do that many a week now, as you might run out of tests before June, but it's especially important to be studying at something like that intensity in the month or two prior to the test.

Regarding grouping games, yes, you should see improvements if you keep drilling yourself. Hopefully doing several of these games in a row will make you more comfortable with them. Note that in taking practice LSATs and drilling yourself, actually answering the questions is only part of what is important. It's also essential that you then go through and review to understand why you selected incorrect answer choices and understand why the correct ones are right.