I rarely post on here, but I've got a problem and would really appreciate some feedback.

I took the October 2011 LSAT and received a score of 169 after about 4 months of prep (started at a 157). My average score was about 172 for preptests 30-40 but 169/170 for the newer tests (50's). I had made the mistake of saving the newer tests until only 2 or 3 weeks before my test date and thus I wasn't accustomed to the change in test style/difficulty. I want to attend NYU very badly and so I reasoned that I needed about a 172 with my GPA (3.8 ) to have a strong chance of admission. I took about 5 months off and resumed my studying at the end of February to give myself over 3 months of studying for the retake.

I am now taking preptests and had the following scores since restarting:

PT 45 175 (-0 LG, -6 LR, -1RC)
PT 46 175 (-0 LG, -1 LR, -4RC)
PT 47 167 (-0 LG, -5 LR, -8RC)
Free PT 169 (-1 LG, -2LR, -6RC)
PT 48 172 (-0 LG, -2 LR, -4RC)
PT 61 166 (-4 LG, -5 LR, -8RC)

The 166 was the score I received today and I was quite distressed by it. Because it was the most recent PT I have taken, I put more weight on it being indicative of my possible score. My study schedule is currently taking one new pt a week and reviewing it, retaking an old PT I took the first time around and reviewing it, and I'm working through the LR bible (I've done the LG bible and Manhattan RC guides already).

Any advice? Is a retake even worth it if I may do worse than the first time around? Any input would be helpful!

Most schools will only look at your highest score these days. Please note that this is from anecdotal evidence, and all T-14 scores claim to look at all scores.

It really depends how much you want NYU v. being happy with, say, P/V/M/B. With your stats should get into P/V/M/B, (at least one of them), but its highly unlikely you will get into NYU. If you desperately want NYU, I would say study hard till June and re-take.

Best of luck!

If you really get down on yourself after one below average PT than good luck with anything in life... seriously. Are you gonna pout or are you gonna get off your fucking ass and realize what you did wrong and adjust accordingly? Come on now, its just one PT. Look, you got -4 on LG, that's not acceptable if you want a 170+. That alone shows me that you need some more work on LG. Now go work on some shit, don't come back until you realize how foolish this thread is!

Thanks, you're right. Appreciate the reality check.

Wow. For what its worth I agree that one test cant be indicative of your overall ability but it does show you where you need to work. I don't think it was unreasonable to ask haha. Good luck with the studying nyremy!

Hey, he needed a little slap back to sanity. I understand this test can make you get down on yourself but in the end that's only going to hurt you, so why not just skip the self-loathing and get back to work and make sure that it doesn't happen again.