<p>Hey folks,</p>
<p>As my subject line suggests, I am seeking advice on how to prepare for the LSAT independently. I simply can't afford a $1,000+ prep course, but I want to prepare sufficiently before my first try. I am entering my junior year of undergrad this fall (journalism major, philosophy minor).</p>
<p>What study plans/prep books worked for you? When do you suggest I take the test for the first time?</p>
<p>I appreciate your help.</p>
<p>1.) Only take the LSAT once. Several schools don’t just take your highest score.</p>
<p>2.) Start by taking the free LSAT available on the LSAC website. Sit down in a quiet room, no preparation, set the time limits as given on the test, and take it. See where your score starts off.</p>
<p>From there, we can start forming a better plan, but that information will help first.</p>
<p>Thank you for your suggestions. I will check out the practice test on the LSAC website.</p>
<p>If I only take it once, should I still take it at the end of my junior year as I intended? I have heard that some schools average the scores if you take it more than once. Should I just settle with the first score if it meets my goal?</p>
<p>Also, to bluedevilmike and others, what should be my target LSAT score/range if I’m seeking acceptance to top California schools like USC, UCLA, Cal — but not so elite as Stanford. 3.5+ GPA.</p>
<p>Anytime prior to your senior year is fine. Evaluations about a target score need to wait until after we get a good sense for how that first score goes. Evaluations about a retake should certainly wait until after you get a score back, but you certainly should plan right now on just taking it once.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. I’ll keep you posted.</p>
<p>LSAT study courses are super important, if you are a self starter and really motivated however you can do it on your own. I personally am very fond of the Powerscore bibles and took their online classes.</p>
<p>One thing that i personally would find out is what you need help on, i personally am weakest at specific types of logic games, I am able to spot them right away and just skip these problems when taking the test.</p>
<p>I think that hiring a private tutor once you work your way through the powerscore bibles and doing every logic games problems that you can find is important. Remember to always do them timed, after all anyone can make a 180 if there is no time limit.</p>
<p>One thing that you might look at saving your money for is a private admissions counselor, they can run less than $1000 and saved me tons of time and money.</p>
<p>Wow, badvegan, you certainly had someone very generous bankrolling your LSAT prep efforts. Most people don’t have nearly the amount of financial resources that you must have. </p>
<p>That said, everyone is different. By the time one is getting ready for the LSAT, they have taken at least one and likely several standardized tests (SAT, ACT, SAT IIs, etc.) and have a sense of how they do on those kinds of tests. In addition, they should have a sense of their study and preparation habits and strengths/weaknesses. </p>
<p>After taking a practice LSAT and determining strengths/weaknesses particular to the LSAT, one can best determine what approach to studying for the LSAT will work well for them. There is no “one size fits all” approach that will optimize LSAT score for everyone.</p>
<p>Actually sallyawp i financed all of it through a credit card (not the wisest thing to do btw)</p>
<p>I guess what i really am trying to get across is that one does not need to take the full courses, when they could study the bibles on their own, and contract out things that they need help with from private tutors. My tutor only charged $30 an hour with 1 hour minimum, and i would go every week and we would go over something, then i would go home and study, i think this is far more effective than the online powerscore school, or the kaplan type courses that my rommates took, and it is far cheaper.</p>
<p>Also i really do recommend the private admissions counselor, when you think of your return on investment vs. the cost of borrowing $200,000 for law school, it definitely is worth it in the long run if you end up going somewhere that will offer you a generous scholarship package.</p>
<p>I agree with taking the free online test. Also, most public libraries have an LSAT book or two, or you can order them used off the internet. The more recent the book, the better, and make sure it’s real LSAT questions, not ones Kaplan or someone made up. If logic games are hard for you, I suggest the Logic Games Bible.</p>
<p>The most important thing, in my opinion, is to really go over your wrong answers so you know what you did wrong. Books with explanations in the back are especially helpful.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your suggestions!</p>
<p>how do u find a private admissions counselor&how much does that cost.</p>
<p>gwu_girl I just sent you a pm with some test prep info, but in answer to your question about shooting for a score this page might help you. </p>
<p>[University</a> of Southern California | Law School Numbers](<a href=“Recently Updated J.D. Profiles | Law School Numbers”>http://usc.lawschoolnumbers.com/) </p>
<p>of course that is just for usc, there is a page for every other school there too. </p>
<p>You should only plan on taking the test once. Many schools average scores, or at least consider the fact that your score was a second or third attempt. You can do several practice tests and only sit for the actual test once you are consistently testing at the numbers you need for your target schools.</p>
<p>Law schools are very numbers driven. Keep you gpa up as high as you can and get your LSAT score where it needs to be the first time around and you will be in good shape!</p>
<p>oops just realized how old this was…oh well</p>
<p>MY son took the Kaplan prep class which we paid for. He scored a 169 and recently placed an ad on Craig list saying, I’m an average kid who prepped and did well. His original scores before the prep were 151 and 154. He only took the LSAT once. He is currently tutoring someone in his area for 40 dollars an hour a couple of times a week. He is using his prep materials and books others had given him. You might check craigslist in your area. Note, he is tutoring an undergraduate female. they always meet at her campus library in a public place with others around. If you do go this route follow basic craigslist safety precautions.</p>
<p>Badvegan: What did the admissions counselor do for you? Just curious.</p>
<p>No we are not looking for one as son is already in law school (self prep with a little book I bought him!) Fortunately, he’s a good test taker and knows how to prepare.</p>
<p>There is a website with applicants stats, acceptances, rejections and merit money awarded. They were pretty much on target.</p>