Sudden death of my LSAT scores. RC getting harder? Forum

[mcpng]

When I first took a LSAT test of 4 sections timed I got a 162. I was pleased.
Now after studying over a period of 2 months, the highest I've gotten is only 167. The last 3 or 4 that I've done before yesterday were between 165 and 167. Yet I always feel so confident during my last few tests. When i finish, I'm so eager to check the results and expect getting a very max of 10 wrong. I end up with ridiculously worse scores. Yesterday I took one and BOOM i got 21 wrong, 13 from RC !!!! 163. And yes during the RC i suddenly couldn't cope for some reason. Perhaps stress...burnout? hope not.

today I tried a new one. Finished and thought "ah! now i'll get my first 170 for sure". Got 23 wrong. 161! (My second worst timed score)

I have many LR sections of -2/3 which I consider my "average". But there are times when it goes crazy wrong. Like today with -8 and -5. Sometimes on those scores of 165 or so, I get 6 wrong in a LR section. It seems to just pop out once in a while.

LG I find relatively consistent. On any that I don't struggle with, I can get -0 no problem. When a hard one comes out, I feel panicked and either get a flash of insight on returning to the hard game, getting maybe -2 because of carelessness or insufficient time, or if I "just don't fully get it", I get -5s. In that sense, my score is not consistent but it is roughly predictable once i finish the section and gauge myself.

Reading Comprehension is the killer. Before I started studying, I took about 5 LSAT timed tests. My RCs would average around -5. I used to just read and answer. 35 minutes was a problem. Now, 35 minutes is a massive problem. i just can't understand what I read. I tried to just relax and read (it's hard to keep relaxed sometimes when the passage frustrates me). I tried without making note/markings...or just minimal. It's a disaster. I might be able to answer "main point" questions more easily, but all the other detailed questions like "which of the statements is NOT supported in the passage" makes me crazy. I go crazy scanning the passage for the keywords in the answer options. Sometimes I re-read a part fast, sometimes slow. And I have to find 4 supported points to single out the correct answer! They aren't always easy to find or interpret. And that's just one question. When I try to make markings in the passage, it seems to help, but not always. There are times when it's dense, and I make markings while remember to actually understand the passage. Until the first question asks me "main point?". And maybe 3 out of 5 of the options look feasible. I wonder if I understood the passage. And it makes me crazy solving that first question.


Can you give me tips on what to do? I'm taking the LSAT in 7 days time. I feel like things are getting worse although technically my average is higher than before. It's just not improved enough and my recent 163 and 161 are killing my spirits. I thought I might be burnt out so I took it easy today apart from the test. I felt calm throughout the test.

How much study did I do? I studied Powerscore LG and LR. I have done and reviewed every LG from 9 to 45 and maybe 1 more. RC and LR, apart from timed tests, I did about 5 tests worth. Am I just simply not built to dramatically improve my LSAT capabilities from what I had before study? Is there any hope I can get a 170 on Sunday?

[dynamic180]

you just need more practice to get more feelings what the test realy wants you to do. You don't need to "understand" what you read. Find out what are the opinions supported by different groups/people, and what evidence they used to support it. Mark all the opinions and evidence, then you are ready to attack the questions.

Keep your chin up. Improvement of even 1 point in LSAT is precious but it needs hard work.

[Alf14997]

Deleted.

[watts]

For me, the first step to improving my RC scores was to slow down a bit. I'm something of a slow reader, so in the beginning i was so worried about running out of time that i would just whip through the passage, retaining little to nothing. I had to tell my self to slow down...if you really give yourself 3-4 mins with the passage, you will spend a lot less time going back to it when answering questions (at least that worked for me).

Secondly, and this is what they teach in a lot of the classes, you should always try to take notice of (1) the authors opinions, (2) structured arguments (cause and effect, chain reactions, s/n conditions, and the overall structure of the passage), and (usually most importantly) (3) the distinctions (and to a lesser extent the similarities) mentioned in the passage. Many of the questions will draw on these distinctions, and if you take the time to notice and make note of them before you begin the Q's you can almost guess what is going to be asked.

Also, i've found it's helpful to put a box around the subject who's opinion is being annunciated. Often times RC passage will switch subjects quickly, trying to trip you up over who said what. If you take the time to highlight who is speaking (or who's opinion is being given) where, not only is it easier to remember later but but going back to brush up on what "some critics" or a particular scholar thinks is much less time consuming.

Just like in the other sections, there are a lot of patterns and commonalities across the RC sections. They just take a while longer to notice. Good Luck

[Alf14997]

If you have only taken up to test 46, you will not be able to improve on RC in a week. It is around test 44 and above that RC gets significantly harder (a known trend).

You can expect a difficult RC section on Sunday. Postpone. Spend the summer getting RC in order. Seriously.

[lawlover829]

wtf. How can you take the LSAT in 7 DAYS?
The last LSAT was last week. The scores are coming out probably around friday.

[bakemono]

wtf. How can you take the LSAT in 7 DAYS?
The last LSAT was last week. The scores are coming out probably around friday.

some of us in asia are taking our june lsat in the 28th

[rondemarino]

For me, the first step to improving my RC scores was to slow down a bit. I'm something of a slow reader, so in the beginning i was so worried about running out of time that i would just whip through the passage, retaining little to nothing. I had to tell my self to slow down...if you really give yourself 3-4 mins with the passage, you will spend a lot less time going back to it when answering questions (at least that worked for me).

Secondly, and this is what they teach in a lot of the classes, you should always try to take notice of (1) the authors opinions, (2) structured arguments (cause and effect, chain reactions, s/n conditions, and the overall structure of the passage), and (usually most importantly) (3) the distinctions (and to a lesser extent the similarities) mentioned in the passage. Many of the questions will draw on these distinctions, and if you take the time to notice and make note of them before you begin the Q's you can almost guess what is going to be asked.

Also, i've found it's helpful to put a box around the subject who's opinion is being annunciated. Often times RC passage will switch subjects quickly, trying to trip you up over who said what. If you take the time to highlight who is speaking (or who's opinion is being given) where, not only is it easier to remember later but but going back to brush up on what "some critics" or a particular scholar thinks is much less time consuming.

Just like in the other sections, there are a lot of patterns and commonalities across the RC sections. They just take a while longer to notice. Good Luck

+1. Fix your accuracy. Then work on time.

[lawlover829]

wtf. How can you take the LSAT in 7 DAYS?
The last LSAT was last week. The scores are coming out probably around friday.

some of us in asia are taking our june lsat in the 28th

Sorry then. Delay. Work on your LSAT score during the summer.

[Shaggier1]

If you have only taken up to test 46, you will not be able to improve on RC in a week. It is around test 44 and above that RC gets significantly harder (a known trend).

You can expect a difficult RC section on Sunday. Postpone. Spend the summer getting RC in order. Seriously.

I agree with Alf. given that you have not yet taken the more recent practice tests--those that have more difficult RC sections and are more indicative of the level of RC difficulty you can expect on next week's LSAT--I would wait until September if I were you.

[irie]

RC gets harder, LG gets easier, none of this matters if you only have one week. don't mess with the lsats, seriously. if you have been getting a certain score range consistently you will get that on the exam, i personally wouldnt take the test unless i was getting at least 2 points above my lowest acceptable score. also, if you have been practicing with 4 sections you should stop that and upgrade to 5, make the 5th one a RC to prep for the worst case scenario.

if you really want a 170 though and you are getting 161s... i'd wait for september. that's a difference of 10-13 questions more right, no test-day anomaly will boost you by that many points.

[Shaggier1]

RC gets harder, LG gets easier, none of this matters if you only have one week

How does it not matter if he only has one week? The section that the OP is most struggling with is likely to be harder on this week's test than he has seen on any LSAT he has taken. It most certainly matters.

[mcpng]

Oh no...seems i'm pretty screwed.

I read somewhere that only the top LSAT scores are taken nowadays. For which schools is this not true? The Umich website says it might average. Do Harvard, Columbia, and NYU average? With my score I definitely can't go to those but they are the only law schools recognized in my country and unless they average, I could take this Sat's without sabotaging my chances.

edit: I looked about the forums in the meantime...okay i should have done a search before asking a question that probably has been asked before...and the answer seems to be "nobody knows or sure, but we all generally believe they take the top. the multiple scores say something about you but that's pretty much it. Although if you get a 170 and next a 165 you might die"

Is there any new info or specific info regarding these schools that can claim otherwise? After all, one thread mentioned "Michigan - highest" as if almost for sure, but the webbie doesn't seem to have the same tone.

I suppose there's no way to take the LSAT and not report either, cos everyone would do that?