First "Cold" test was only 140. Can I get to 165+?

[dneuman]

Looking for information I guess on what other people scored on their first diagnostic test (I took it the morning after my first online class with Powerscore). While I knew it would be low, 140 was a little disheartening, although I only actually submitted a few answers (about 8) on the logic games section.

I have a good GPA and consider myself pretty smart, so I'm ambitious and looking for an Lsat score of somewhere around 165+. I'm hoping with the proper study dedication I can reach that goal, but is that ridiculous? What do I need to do to get myself up to that score?

Looking for help, thanks!


Daniel

P.S Also, I scored an 8/25 on the LR for the experimental section, which was much better than any of the other sections. Was that me just "really getting into it?", or is the experimental section usually a little easier? (This is the powerscore practice test 1, october 2012)

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hey Daniel,

Congrats on taking your first practice test! One down, 20+ to go. Trust me when I tell you this: your score on the first test has absolutely no predictive value. While a 25-point jump is certainly a challenge, I've worked with plenty of students who have surpassed that. Of course it is possible. Easy? No. It will take a lot of work (20-25 hrs/week), and your practice test scores - at least for the time being - won't always reflect that. The fact that your worst section was Logic Games is actually good news, as students tend to improve more on LG than on any other section on the test.

Your job for the next month or so will be to focus on the lessons and homework, and not worry too much about taking more practice tests. You just need to be patient and let the method do its magic, so to speak. Focus on applying the techniques properly; your speed will improve naturally as a result of your becoming more accurate. Come August, I'd encourage you to re-take the practice test you just did (you'll have forgotten pretty much everything on it by then).

We're here to help every step of the way, so feel free to bug your Second Chair instructor for advice, ask him/her to review your practice test scores, and make sure you stay actively engaged in class. It goes without saying, you're also welcome to post any questions you have on this forum.

Good luck!

[dneuman]

Thanks so much for the reply. Good to know that if I apply the methods, study hard, I can still achieve my goal.
Thanks!