The Future: Take #4

[Gino_J]

Hey all!

Thanks for checking out my story here. I'll try to keep it short.

So, my primary question is when should I reengage with my One-on-One tutor again after having taken the October 2015 LSAT and... well, failing miserably at it. (Score was at 146) My plan was to go back into tutoring around late-July, but I'm not so sure.

I've taken this test 3 times in a two year cycle already, so I am unable to retake my LSAT for a 4th time until this December 2016. My whole life got pushed back a year because of how terrible I did back in October 2015. Can't apply to the schools I'd like to get into (SMU, Texas Tech, Case Western).

My scores were a 142 (December 2014), 147 (February 2015), and 146 (October 2015), in chronological order with one absence that in retrospect was very wise to have taken. My LSAC GPA is at a 2.72, so I really need a *fantastic* LSAT score to find a way into a decent Tier 2 law school.

I tend to be strongest on Reading Comprehension and am surprisingly gaining strength on Logic Games, but am only getting a consistent 50/50 on Logical Reasoning...

My issue that I finally learned after the last October 2015 test was that while I did study all the concepts and methods Powerscore has to offer, I never put ANY of them into practice. I never really did any practice test outside of my tutoring hours and never applied any of the lessons learned into any sort of practice questions at home. I just read and highlighted, nothing else.

That, I have found, to be my biggest fault and probably the biggest reason why I haven't been able to break into the 150s on the LSAT, let alone the ideal "160" needed to get into a school without a given admissions committee having second doubts about my ability to perform well in a law school environment.

So, overall, what should I be doing right now going into April this year? Should I start getting back into the groove or should I take it easy, not burn myself out, and hang on until summer to start all again?

What is my path to success?

Thank you for your time to any and all who have read my story!

[Adam Tyson]

My two cents - get back to work. Slowly, methodically, work your way through your materials from the beginning. Take your time, don't burn out. Try a few untimed sections from some older tests and really force yourself to do the work the way you've been taught - prephrasing, sorting into losers and contenders, looking for key language, diagramming where appropriate, etc. You need to develop good habits, and sooner is better than later.

It's good that you have identified what you've been doing wrong, so now make a concerted effort to change that. No practice tests for a while, I think - this is about working the strategies at half speed until they begin to feel natural.

Taking a break and taking it easy is a good way to backslide even more, and you'll be that much further behind when you start up again. A little here, a little there, once thing at a time, and you'll be in better shape when you are ready to move back to full speed again.

Best of luck!

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hi Gino_J,

Thanks for your question. Let me second Adam's excellent advice here: the time to start prepping for December is now. As you clearly understand yourself, studying the Bibles alone - even with the tutor - will not fully prepare you to get the score you need. The Bibles aren't really meant to be an end-all, be-all solution to LSAT test prep: what they do best is to provide a methodological framework for how to approach the various question types and games on the test. To get the maximum benefit from your studies, however, you need to apply this knowledge frequently, and repeatedly, over the course of several months, using real LSAT questions and taking real practice tests.

Although you're familiar with the methods outlined in the Bibles, it sounds like it's been awhile since you last cracked them open. This is fine, but I wouldn't rush into practice test mode just yet. Take a new "diagnostic" if you will, but focus on revisiting the concepts first. It is absolutely imperative to also start applying them using real LSAT questions from older exams. Check out this 6-month study plan, which I think is ideal for someone in your position:

6-Month LSAT Study Plan

Don't neglect the Type Training volumes and workbooks, as they will be essential to fixing the main problem you identified in your email. When it comes to tutoring, it will be especially useful once you start taking practice tests, which is not something I would delay for too long.

Good luck!