Richard went from the mid-150s to a 169

Student story

• Starting score: Mid-150s (154 or 155, pre-pandemic)
• First official LSAT: 166 (October 2020)
• Retake: 169 (November 2020)
• Timeline: About a year, with a plateau in the middle
• Program: A Princeton Review class, then the LSAT Unplugged community: the Facebook group, a study partner from it, and the group coaching calls

In his words

My brain actually really is like a muscle.

Richard

The LSAT is like an instrument, like learning to play an instrument.

Richard

I got a 163, what does that mean? I got a 150, what does that mean?

Richard

What actually moved his score

I've been coaching the LSAT since 2005. Richard wasn't a coaching client. He took a Princeton Review class, hit a wall, and found his way into our community and the group calls. I'm including him because the last stretch, 166 to 169, came from 3 things any self-studier can copy.

He took real breaks. He'd bombed a practice test the day after a 170 plus score and figured out the problem was fatigue, not skill.

He stopped drilling everything evenly and went after his weak spots, the identify-the-flaw and match-the-flaw questions.

He found a study partner who was strong where he was weak, through the group, and they reviewed out loud. Explaining an answer to someone else is the fastest way to find out you don't understand it.

Individual results vary. Score increases depend on starting point, study time, and effort.

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Full interview transcript

Recorded December 2020, after his November score. An earlier coaching call with Richard is on the channel: "What Separates 160s from 170+ LSAT Scores" (August 2020). Logic Games references are from the old format; that section was removed in August 2024.

Steve: Good to see you again. I hope your weekend was good. I'm excited for our conversation today.

Richard: Yes, same, it was good, thanks.

Steve: And congrats on your fantastic score, 169. It's amazing.

Richard: Thank you, thank you, thank you. A lot of hard work, a lot of effort, but I'm really excited for my application prospects.

Steve: Yeah, definitely. What would you say is the biggest thing that led to that breakthrough and that score in the end?

Richard: In our last video I was in the 160 to 170 range, and even though I was a point shy, I think what really helped me was knowing when to take breaks. I was studying hard and consistently, using my resources, but there was a particular point in my journey where I went from my highest score ever on a retake exam to the very next score, where I plummeted from 170 plus down into the 150s, back to back. I thought, what just happened? It taught me that my brain really is like a muscle. I'd heard that said before, but when that happened I realized I was pushing myself too hard. Knowing when to take breaks, and giving yourself room to digest what you've been drilling subconsciously, is really important.

On top of that, don't just study everything. Tailor your studying to your weakest areas. I've mentioned before that identify the flaw and match the flaw questions toward the end of Logical Reasoning were intimidating for me. I got a bit lucky because my exam didn't have too many of those questions, but during my studying I was consistent about challenging myself with the hardest question types instead of running away from them. I made my studying tailored and precise: looking at my scores, seeing which questions I was doing better on and which ones I needed to focus on more. Khan Academy has a pretty good program for that. You do a diagnostic and it rates how you're doing, beginner, intermediate, advanced, for different question types. You don't have to use Khan Academy, but that's the kind of thinking that's conducive to success.

I saw online that the LSAT is like an instrument, like learning to play an instrument, because it's testing a certain kind of logic. I think that analogy is apt. If you're learning an instrument and your breathing technique is good, maybe you work on hand positioning next. You have to think through what specific thing is the obstacle, or the next hill to climb, and know how to block out everything else and be efficient. That's the thing I really wanted to express at the top of our conversation.

Steve: Thanks for sharing that, Richard, and for having this conversation. It's important to highlight these score increases, especially for people who've had obstacles along the way. You said you were pushing yourself hard, came to understand that the brain is like a muscle, and learned to give yourself a break. I also love the instrument analogy. There are a lot of different skills involved in learning to play well and then translating that practice into performance.

Richard: Right, definitely, the parallels continue. I love that.

Steve: I wanted to ask, what was your schedule like before that score drop? What were you doing that you later realized was too much?

Richard: I definitely didn't do a practice exam every day, I knew that wasn't going to help. But I was taking a class, and I had class homework plus my own studying on top of it. Because of COVID, my employment situation had taken a bit of a breather, so I had more time, but there was always something I was doing. I also started working with a study partner, who was great. Talking through the material was a good strategy, but between Khan Academy, LawHub, and my homework, it was a lot. I wasn't giving myself enough time to pump the brakes, digest, and breathe.

One thing I want viewers to anticipate: I studied hard, and I know a lot of people study hard, but when you actually sit down and take the exam there's an adrenaline rush. It's good to mimic test taking situations, but I really felt almost like a switch turned on in my brain when I was actually taking it. I felt prepared, but there was definitely a rush. In the week leading up to it, do your best to slow down and not try to do too much. Calm yourself, breathing exercises, meditation, whatever you need, so that when you open the exam and your brain realizes this is the real deal, you're ready. Even the first time I took it, when I wasn't banking on it because I'd registered for another test in November, my heart was still pounding.

Be kind to yourself, and make sure you're giving yourself enough time to prepare. I'd say 6 months or more if you're trying to get a top score. I've talked to friends in the same boat who are just getting started and registered for January. You've got to give yourself room to build that base of confidence. It's essential.

Steve: You're right, to achieve your fullest potential you want to give it 5 to 6 months. Give yourself a month and a half and you might improve a little, but you're not going to reach anywhere close to what you could. This exam is complex and requires more of you.

Richard: It does. Another thing I want to express, that worked for me: I mentioned taking a class, I took Princeton Review. I had a great experience overall, but here's the thing I learned. I didn't get to choose my teacher, I signed up for a time slot and got the instructor tied to it. Long story short, one day she had a substitute. The substitute was nice, but her handwriting wasn't as good as my regular teacher's. It was only a day or two, but I realized how much luck played into it. If the sub had been my main teacher, I would have been out of luck. So if you're considering a one-on-one tutor, ask about their experience, see their handwriting, see their work, whatever their experience has been.

I'm also grateful I didn't start the class right when I began my LSAT journey. I'd already been studying on my own for probably 4 or 5 months before the class started. If I'd started the class from the beginning, I would have learned a lot, but I wouldn't have known how to ask questions tailored to my strengths. Already doing well and knocking out the homework gave me a bit of a confidence boost and let me use my instructor more efficiently than if everything were brand new. So if you're going the class route, which assumes you're giving yourself more time, which you should, you might study on your own for a bit first, see what's working and what isn't, then start a class for a more tailored experience.

I never had a tutor. I had a study buddy, which was mutual, I didn't pay for it, so I can't speak much to the tutoring side of things.

On the study buddy point: I joined Steve's LSAT Unplugged Facebook group and put out a call for a study partner. I found a great one, we're friends now, it's gone beyond the LSAT. The thing I did was ask for someone who was stronger where I was weaker, and weaker where I was stronger, so it was mutual, not just me extracting from her. It worked out well. I could give her tips on Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning, and she was really good at Logic Games, a mutual thing. A great way to reinforce your understanding of something is to explain it to somebody else, so it's mutual, it's discursive, not passive. That's something I'd suggest for people watching at home.

Steve: Those are great points about the study partner relationship. It's the chance to talk things out, to have that back and forth, and to be challenged. You went in with a nuanced request, somebody strong where you were weak and presumably vice versa, so you could benefit each other and be sounding boards in a safe environment. I'm glad you took advantage of that. I'd encourage anybody to find a partner with specific ideas in mind.

Back to the class though: it's interesting what you said about going in already knowing something, for the confidence boost, and because you can place the new information in context with what you already know. Some things work better the new way, some the old way, but at least you have an idea of where they're going with it. So often courses don't want you to do anything beforehand, in part because they don't want the challenge, and also because they want to claim full credit for any score increase. Like, "oh, you jumped 10 points," when half of that was already you.

Richard: Right, right.

Steve: Where did you actually start, at the very beginning of your prep? It sounds like you went in with the idea that you were going to give it 6 months.

Richard: I did, actually. I started last year, before COVID. I don't remember the exact number, but I started in the mid-150s, 154 or 155, somewhere in that range. A friend had given me some materials, and I'd go downtown to study, go to the library. I definitely wasn't going in blind.

Also, for the class, as might sound obvious, they're teaching a broad range of students, so they give tips and strategies at least tailored to that. What Princeton Review did was, if you're shooting for 2 passages or 2 logic games, here's what you should do, if you're shooting for 3 or 4, here's what you should do. They break it down based on your specific goals, which has benefits, but if you're someone trying to be high achieving, they might not go for the most challenging content, they'll probably go for whatever's more middling, to accommodate more people. So if you want an experience tailored to your goals, to going far, keep that in mind, a tutor might be a better option, someone on board with your specific goal, maybe shooting for the top 10 or 5%, rather than someone accommodating more people beyond you and your specific goals.

Steve: That's a very reasonable point. If you're looking to do something unique that not a lot of people can or will achieve, then you're going to need a more personalized approach to some extent. One-on-one is probably the best way to do that. There could be some classes that focus on more advanced techniques, I run that sort of class fairly frequently, but the study buddy approach you took could also work well for this, if the person is fairly strong in the area you want to work on, to achieve that next level of understanding.

Richard: Sure, absolutely, I agree with that. I'd also recommend people don't stress, and don't spend so much time on message boards like Reddit, because there's a very frenetic, anxious energy there, and it can pollute your own confidence. Try to block out external stimuli, and find a community of people who understand what you're going through. The LSAT is an interesting exam because a lot of people don't really understand it. Someone says, "I got a 163," and it's like, what does that even mean? "I got a 150," what does that mean? Finding other people who get it matters, because it's kind of a complicated thing to even explain to people, what is a logic game, right? It's kind of like sudoku, kind of like a word puzzle.

Find people you can connect with, who challenge you, push you, encourage you, but also help you feel at ease about this whole journey. Last thing I really want to get across: don't neglect other areas of your application. The LSAT is obviously very important, but whenever I would take a break I'd look at my essays, check in with my recommenders, make sure it wasn't just all LSAT. Finding ways to flesh out the rest of your application is only going to help you moving forward. Give yourself time, and don't neglect the rest of your application, and you'll be okay.

Steve: That's great advice, Richard. Speaking of that, what are you working on now with your application? Have you submitted yet, or are you still pulling things together?

Richard: I submitted a bunch after I took the October LSAT. I got a 166 that first time, and then the second time I went up 3 points. This time I sent off a couple more. I'm kind of just in wait-and-see mode at this point.

Steve: Fantastic. Please keep me posted on how everything turns out for you.

Richard: Absolutely. And subscribe to Steve's channel, he's the man, he knows what he's doing. Good luck to all of you watching at home.

Steve: Thank you again for the conversation. We really appreciate you taking the time.

Richard: No problem, no problem. Great to see you.

Steve: Thanks for tuning in to the show. Please subscribe if you haven't done so already, to be notified of new episodes as I release them. Feel free to reach out if you need anything at all as you move through your prep, I'm happy to help however I can. In the meantime, I wish you all the best. Take care.

Individual results vary. Score increases depend on starting point, study time, and effort.

More student stories: Zach, 151 to 176, Annie, 153 to 170, Stanford Law, Judy, 161 to 171, Columbia Law, James, 157 to 168, Natalie, 147 to 170 All LSAT Unplugged reviews

I've written free explanations for every question in LSAT PrepTest 159, 158, 157, 156, 155 and 154, with the right answer and why each wrong answer fails. All LSAT explanations are here.

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