Ask the Sherpa: LSAT Edition

Interesting questions our Sherpas have answered lately:

What is a reasonable expectation for improvement in my LSAT score? I took a practice test without ever seeing the LSAT before and scored a 154. How high can my score go?

There are a lot of factors to ask, such as where your strengths and weaknesses are. For example, many students find it easier to improve in the games section, so if you’re weak there, studying could raise your score pretty quickly. Not knowing the details of your diagnostic, here are some factors to consider:

1) With careful study and practice, a typcial score jump is 8-12 points.

2) You’re currently getting about 30+ raw question wrong out of 101. Not a bad start for a test you’ve never seen. Do you see any patterns in the type of questions you’ve missed? Study those. There is no guessing penalty on the LSAT, so if you can just learn enough about the test to eliminate three wrong answers and make a guess between the right answer and the next most tempting wrong answer, you just picked up 15 more raw points. That would take you to roughly a 161+.

3) Don’t just take tests. Learn how and why the test is put together.

Can I get in to Law School with an LSAT Score of 130 and a GPA of 3.6? I just took the lsat and scored 130. I have a gpa of 3.6. Is there a law school that will take me?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the chances are really slim. There might be a non-ABA law school you could go to, but the degree wouldn’t be worth the time and money you would spend. you’d be a lot better off retaking the LSAT after studying for it. I’ve known students who studied and went from 120, the lowest you can score, to 155 or more. You’d be better off waiting a year and applying to a good school.

You’re going to spend $250k on tuition, books, living expenses, etc., you should spend it at the best school you can get into.

I took a prep class and have seen 6 released tests. My goal is to score between 165-180. What else can I do?

1) Get all of the prep test you can get your hands on, but don’t just take them blindly. Study them to see how the questions, arguments and wrong answers are created. When you start to understand the patterns, your score will suddenly jump.

2) Review the tests and questions you’ve already taken with friends. You may find an interesting approach you didn’t consider.

3) Don’t shoot for perfection. You don’t need a 180 to get into a top tier school, so be strategic about your approach to the test. It would be better to aim for a 172+ and hit it than to aim for a 180 and not have time to improve in any specific areas.

4) Consider a private tutor.