<p>everyone talks about how you need a high score on the LSAT for law school....how hard is the actual exam? any thoughts? if you work super hard for a long time, can you say you'll get a high score? or do the scores mostly relate to how good you are innately?</p>
<p>I haven't taken it yet but am studying for it a year early. IMO, it looks like it's definitely a test you can and should study for. Much of the content deals with logical relationships which are not too difficult to grasp but are new to most people. </p>
<p>And yes, I've heard numerous stories of students getting in the 150s on their first practice test and scoring in the high 160s after consistent studying. It's very important for law school admissions; in a sense you can be naturally better depending on how your brain works, but anyone can do decent with enough practice.</p>
<p>I'm already studying for it (taking practice exams and such) and I haven't even began my first year of Undergrad. study yet (I'll start college this fall). But I'm determined to get into UPenn, Columbia, or Harvard for my JD! </p>
<p>From all the practice tests I've seen and taken, it's definitely something to study and prepare for! With enough studying, preparation, and determination, almost anybody can get a good score on the LSAT.</p>
<p>I'm attending Columbia in the fall and decided to randomly sit the Kaplan free practice test at around 8pm (so I was a bit tired and not as awake as in the morning), and I got 165. No previous study, first time I've looked at it.</p>
<p>It can't be that hard.</p>
<p>Ahh, some people are better test takers than others. </p>
<p>I graduated with a really decent GPA...but my SAT/ACT scores weren't exactly what I'd call great. Major tests=big no!</p>
<p>The LSAT is an interesting test. It does seem to be very learnable (I've read about folks that start with 150s that end up scoring in the 170s), but is equally daunting. It forces you to think with a part of your brain most folks not to use. However, for those that do, it can be a very manageable test. In those cases where you are naturally inclined for LSAT questions, the trick is to learn time management and other small strategies to improve accuracy and efficiency.</p>
<p>Aerobyn, for God's sake, get a grip. Starting your studying right now (especially taking full-length practices tests) is completely unnecessary and may be counter-productive in the long run. Why?</p>
<ol>
<li>You haven't started college yet. It's impossible to know 100% for certain that law is what you want to do most.</li>
<li>Though there is a bonanza of LSAT prep material out there, there are obviously only a limited number of full-length practice tests. Taking them on now will leave you with precious little to work on when the time comes to take the actual exam.</li>
<li>Enjoy college! Why pile on additional work when you'll be experiencing college for the first time? And don't forget that the workload at college is considerable; test prep can eat away at your regular studies.</li>
</ol>
<p>I'm not saying that an early start is a bad thing, but what you're doing is excessive. I say wait a year or two.</p>
<p>I agree with crnchycereal. Chill out!</p>
<p>
[quote]
the Kaplan free practice test at around 8pm (so I was a bit tired and not as awake as in the morning), and I got 165.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Unless you sat down for an actual full lenght test under test conditions (~3.5 hours), I would not rest my laurels on this score. However, it is a jumping off point to find your areas of opportunity in order to craft a plan.</p>
<p>Aerobyn,</p>
<p>I agree with the others posters who say take a step back, breath and focus on getting through freshman year of college. 4 years of study is excessive, and to take the LSAT at this time would be counter productive as schools would look for recent scores (especially for one in undergrad). In addition, the "new" exam was just released last month, so I highly doubt if you are taking practice test based on the new test format.</p>
<p>Yes, I sat down alone in my room and did it, full length.</p>
<p>I did the same thing and scored a 162. The logic games killed my score though I did well in the reading passages. I think if you did well in the SAT critical reading section you can do very well in the LSATs.</p>
<p>I did well on the CR on the SAT (40/40), but, my word, the LSAT passages are inane! Give me a test full of logic questions/games please!</p>
<p>I did crap on SAT critical reading. Oops.</p>
<p>I've always heard that the SAT Math is a better harbinger of your actual score...</p>
<p>A cool formula someone told me about that is fairly accurate (+ or - 5, depending on how much you study):</p>
<p>LSAT Score = (0.048)*(SAT Math+Verbal) + 100</p>
<p>Say you had a 1430 on the SAT (old):</p>
<p>.048*1430+100= 168.64</p>
<p>Thus, you could score anywhere in the range of 164 to 174, depending on the intensity of your studying, your ability, how you feel on the test day, etc...</p>
<p>That's a really poor indicator; +/- 5 is the difference between Chicago (median 169 ranked 6th) and Temple (median 164 ranked 60th). So don't put much faith in predictive formulae.</p>