Great Advice on How to Get 160+ on the LSAT...(180Splitter)

1) What score did you get?

180.

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

I started with Kaplan Complete (very incomplete, but simple and a decent introduction to the lsat) and the Kaplan logic games book (an OK book). I then studied the Kaplan 180 book (the logical reasoning section is a total waste but the games are good practice and the reading comp is OK). After that, I took ~25 practice tests and reviewed every problem I missed at *great* length but my score was fluctuating wildly all over the 170's so I buckled down and took Blueprint. Blueprint helped me by giving me methods to more quickly answer questions I was already getting right so I had lots of time for hard questions. It also helped me focus and kept me doing a lot of practice problems.

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

Blueprint full length.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)

I studied during the summer on my own and then took blueprint full time, doing most of the homework.

5) How many preptests did you do?

Around 30 total, ~25 on my own and ~5 with Blueprint.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?

I would have taken blueprint from the beginning and added a fake experimental section before every practice test to replicate real conditions. I only did that occasionally. On some practice tests, I checked my answers after every section (giving myself a small break). Not surprisingly, I did better than average on those! Practice tests really ought to resemble the real thing in every way.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.

Preparing for the LSAT tests not just your intelligence, but your character. Do you have the integrity to never, ever stop reviewing every question you missed until you understand why you missed it and will never miss a similar question again? Will you be honest with yourself and take practice tests under realistic conditions, with three sections in a row, followed by a short break and two sections? Do you take the time to bubble in the answers as part of your 35 minutes per section? You aren't giving yourself extra time, right? Right!

The week before the test, I got up at the same time I would on test day and ate breakfast.

The day before the test, I drove the route to the testing center as if it were the day of the test. I went to a room at the center and sat down in a chair, and thought about coming in the next day and getting a 180.

I don't drink caffeine and didn't before the test. I did pack a survival kit with many pencils, sharpeners, Powerade, and Snickers marathon bars.

You too can do well on the LSAT. Take it seriously, as your best score will get you into a better school than your mediocre score or get you scholarships where you were already planning on going.