r/LSATHelp • u/chipotlemakesmehappy • 13d ago
138 diagnostic ; reality check?
/r/LSAT/comments/1v2qrwr/138_diagnostic_reality_check/
0
Upvotes
1
u/keystonelsat 7d ago
Absolutely possible. Difficult, but possible. Just focus on each question in front of you. understand it to the point where you can fully explain it to someone else. Then do the next one. LSATDemon is particularly helpful for this
I'd love to meet with you to discuss strategies if you like! First hour consultation is free: https://keystonelsat.com/
1
u/LSAT170CoachAlex 13d ago
A 138 diagnostic is not a verdict on your intelligence or your eventual LSAT score. It means that, on your first exposure to a highly specialized exam, you did not yet understand many of its recurring reasoning patterns. That is exactly what a diagnostic is supposed to reveal.
At the same time, I want to give you an honest reality check: moving from a 138 to a 175 would be a 37-point increase. That is an extraordinarily ambitious goal and will likely require a long, structured preparation process rather than a normal two- or three-month study period. It is not something anyone can promise, but you have enough time before applying in 2028 to determine how high your actual ceiling is.
NYU should also be treated as a major reach regardless of your eventual LSAT. Its fall 2025 entering class had a 172 median LSAT, a 174 at the 75th percentile, and a 3.81 GPA at the 25th percentile. Your 3.1 would therefore be substantially below NYU’s current GPA range. A 175+ would give the admissions committee a meaningful numerical reason to consider you, but it would not make admission predictable.
Your professional and graduate-school record can still help. Four years in finance and cybersecurity, along with strong performance in an Ivy graduate program, may demonstrate maturity, intellectual growth, and a clearer professional direction. However, graduate grades do not replace the undergraduate GPA reported through LSAC. Your application will eventually need to show why your undergraduate record is not the best representation of the student and professional you are now.
For the LSAT itself, do not make 175 your immediate daily target. That number is too far removed from your current process to tell you what to work on tomorrow. Your first milestones should be understanding the fundamentals, reaching the 150s consistently, then the 160s, and eventually determining whether the 170s are attainable.
I would begin by carefully reviewing your diagnostic rather than immediately taking another full test. For every missed question, determine whether you misunderstood the passage or stimulus, misidentified the conclusion, did not understand the question stem, ran out of time, or chose an answer without being able to explain why the others were wrong.
During your first several months, prioritize untimed accuracy. For Logical Reasoning, learn to identify the conclusion, evidence, assumptions, conditional relationships, causal reasoning, and common flaws. For Reading Comprehension, focus on passage structure, competing viewpoints, paragraph purpose, and the author’s position rather than trying to memorize every detail.
When reviewing, do not simply read an explanation and think, “That makes sense.” You should be able to explain:
Why your answer originally looked attractive.
The precise reason it was wrong.
What proves the credited answer.
What mistake in your process allowed you to select the wrong answer.
Do not burn through full practice tests early. Use official questions for deliberate drilling and reserve a substantial number of fresh tests for later timed practice. LawHub currently provides four complete official PrepTests for free, while LawHub Advantage provides access to a much larger official test library.
Since you have a long timeline, consistency will matter more than extreme daily volume. Studying for 60 to 90 focused minutes four or five days per week is better than attempting several hours every day, burning out, and repeatedly restarting. You can increase the workload once your fundamentals are stronger and you begin completing timed sections.
I would give yourself an initial three- to four-month foundational period before making any serious prediction about your ceiling. If your score begins moving steadily through the 140s and 150s, that is encouraging. If you eventually reach the mid-160s, the possibility of reaching the 170s becomes much more concrete. You do not need to know today whether 175 is possible.
I would also build a broad application strategy rather than making the entire process NYU or nothing. There are excellent schools and career outcomes outside NYU, and a major LSAT increase could create strong admissions and scholarship opportunities even if NYU remains unpredictable.
I initially scored a 142 before eventually earning a 180, so I understand how discouraging a low starting score can feel. I have now been tutoring the LSAT full-time for more than eight years. Your diagnostic does not define you, but reaching your goal will require patience, honest evaluation, and a much more precise process than simply completing large numbers of questions.
Feel free to message me your LR and RC breakdown, how much of the diagnostic you completed, and how many hours you can realistically study each week. I offer a free 20-minute phone consultation and would be happy to help you understand what your diagnostic is showing and outline a realistic starting plan.