Re-taking the LSAT

[onlyhere4fun]

Hey everyone, I'm new to the powerscore forum but I had a couple of questions. So I just recently took the June LSAT and I got an undesirable score. I took a Kaplan course to prep for the exam and although I improved significantly from my initial diagnostic (I'm uncertain whether my low diagnostic was due to my lack of experience with standardized tests of this fashion-I did not prep on the SAT and did poorly on that as well-or if it just was a baseline of my potential, or maybe both), my final score was still nowhere near where I want to score to get into schools such as NYU Law. I purchased all three powerscore bibles and I have started going through them, and I do find that the methodology to attack the questions is superior, and I've seen improvement in questions I seriously struggled with before (strengthening and weakening), but I'm questioning whether it will make enough of a difference to help me score in the range I need to score (165-170) to have a chance at getting into NYU Law. I've already had people tell me that I shouldn't expect to do much better the second time around because the prep companies are not significantly different. Although I did end up taking roughly 10-14 prep tests I still felt inadequately prepared on test day, but unfortunately I was required to take the exam due to a stipulation I agreed to in my honors program. The private tutoring provided by Kaplan didn't seem to help me improve on the questions I struggled with either. The thing is, the more time I spend with the test and I realize my mistakes, the more it doesn't seem like this is an impossible task. I understand the concepts introduced in most every section, I just make mistakes such as at times misreading by reading too quickly due to the pressure I feel from the time constraint, or forgetting a single rule in a logic game that costs me 2 or more questions and I also struggle to complete the reading comprehension and logic games section, although I am fairly familiar with both sections. However, after hearing people tell me that I shouldn't expect a significant increase (which is what I need from my June score to score in the 165-170 range) I'm feeling discouraged at making another attempt, even if I'm using powerscore. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Adam Tyson]

First, let's deal with the naysayers, the folks telling you that all prep companies are the same and that you shouldn't expect much improvement the second time around. They're wrong, plain and simple.

While it's true that a lot of companies use similar strategies for some aspects of the test, it's also true that some are very different. In my experience, dealing with a lot of students who previously took a non-PowerScore course, I've learned that there are a few companies that just don't do that good a job. No company is perfect for everyone - there are even a very rare few who decide that we aren't all that and a bag of pencils! Even when a student has worked with a high quality competitor, there is still something to be said for taking a new look at old ideas, tweaking them, seeing with fresh eyes and a different way of explaining things. Just look at the progress you have already made - you said yourself that you're finding our methods to be superior!

More important than the difference between companies, though, is the difference in how you approach your studies. For example, from what I can tell it seems you have placed too much emphasis on taking practice tests. Taking test after test is great for building stamina, but it also tends to reinforce old, bad habits - you tend to keep making the same mistakes over and over again (like not reading carefully, as you mentioned). Step away from practice tests and focus instead on some strategies - for instance, focusing on the conclusion in certain questions. Do a lot of untimed work, so you can forget the pressure of the ticking clock and work on improving your use of the various techniques and on recognizing patterns and flaws.

How much you will improve is mainly up to you, and it will depend on a disciplined approach to your studies. You'll need to invest time, and you'll need to be prepared to try new things (don't ever react to a new idea with "that doesn't work for me" - don't knock it until you've tried it, and that means more than once or twice). You can find some good advice on study guides in our LSAT Blog, along with lots of other useful tips and ideas.

I like to think that we have something great to offer you, but in the end it won't be just PowerScore that makes the difference - it's up to you as well. We are here to help, and we have great tools and resources to aid you, but your positive attitude and strong work ethic are what will really matter. Believe you can do it, and you are halfway there!

Keep up the good work!

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Only,

I'd like to add to Adam's excellent comment. I agree with everything he said (especially about the differences between companies and the possibilities for improvement), but I specifically want to comment on the last thing you mentioned, namely that "...after hearing people tell me that I shouldn't expect a significant increase (which is what I need from my June score to score in the 165-170 range) I'm feeling discouraged at making another attempt..."

This reminds me a lot of another student I worked with a while back. He took our course and had started off at a 143, and he was trying to get to 170. People were telling him he couldn't do it, and it was affecting his confidence. This was despite the fact that he'd already increased 20 points through our course. There were people who looked at his 143 and just wrote him off. But that's not how it works. The LSAT is based on logic, and most students don't have a deep background in logic, so they naturally struggle at first. But it is learnable, and with practice you can really improve significantly. Thomas, the student in question here, ultimately scored a 167 (+24 points), and even after the test he was mad at himself for making some mistakes he considered simple. The point is that you can't worry about what other people think. They aren't in your head, and they certainly don't know what you are capable of.

While Thomas was preparing for the test, I ended up speaking to him quite a bit about his confidence, and as a result of those conversations, I ended up writing an article about about test mentality and self-belief. It's over at http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/bid/326 ... d-the-LSAT. It might help you out, so check it out if you have the time. you can also read a section of the correspondence that Thomas and I had on this Forum, at http://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/viewto ... f=2&t=4666.

Anyway, that last comment you made caught my eye, and I wanted to jump in. I'm glad the books are helping so far, and if you have any questions as you go through them, just let me know. We're happy to help. Thanks and good luck!

[onlyhere4fun]

Thank you so much Adam and Dave!!! I really needed this pep talk to reinvigoorate my attitude towards the test. I have the whole month of AugusT and September to prepare for the October test and I plan on working very hard (5 or so hours a day because I will be on break once august starts). I will focus on the techniques and less on timing as you said and I will complete a lot of untimed work and wait until I feel using powerscore's methods becomes second nature before doing timed work. And I really appreciate your anecdote Dave. Seeing that someone could make such a jump in his score is tremendously encouraging. I don't need to make quite as big of a Jun to get into that range but I will still Study as hard as possible to do the absolute best I can and realize the potential I know I'm capable of!!!

Thank you again!!! This meant a lot to me!

[Dave Killoran]

Hey Only,

Thanks very much for the reply! I'm really glad we could help you out, and I love your enthusiasm

As you go through this, if you need anything, just let us know. We're happy to help.

Talk to you soon!