158 to 174: Milena’s LSAT Success Story

Milena’s journey to a 174 was anything but straightforward. What began with a 158 diagnostic turned into months of hard work and growth. 

Along the way, she faced common obstacles—score plateaus, rushing through sections, and bad study habits. She found her stride with a combination of persistence, strategic pivots, and a sharp focus on one question at a time.

A 158 Diagnostic

Milena had never taken a standardized test—COVID scrapped her SAT and ACT. Her LSAT diagnostic in summer 2024 came in at 158. Despite an early affinity for logic—thanks to a homeschooling curriculum steeped in puzzle solving—Milena knew she had work to do.

Recovering from a Score Dip

After early gains, Milena hit a wall. Past prep tools pushed her into overthinking and diagram-heavy strategies that tanked her scores back into the 150s. In mid-September, she found LSAT Demon. She started with a Demon Free account, then upgraded quickly. Simple changes—like reading the passage before the question and ditching rigid frameworks—got her back on track.

Sharpening Logical Reasoning

Milena’s analytical background gave her a strong start in Logical Reasoning, but she stumbled on Necessary Assumption and Parallel questions. The breakthrough came when she stopped chasing a score and started learning from each question.

She began reading passages first and predicting answers before looking at the options. Her critical question became, “What’s wrong with this answer choice?”—a mindset shift that helped her avoid tempting wrong answers.

Tackling Reading Comprehension 

Reading Comp was her weak link. While she hit 95% accuracy in LR, RC dragged at 83%. Demon Live classes pushed her to engage actively—treating passages like long LR arguments. She kept asking, “What’s the author’s point? Why did they waste my time?” That shift sharpened her focus, boosted comprehension, and even made RC enjoyable. Three days before the test, she scored a perfect -0 on RC—a breakthrough that sent her into test day with confidence.

From 167 to 174

Milena jumped to a 167 in October—but she wasn’t done. For the November test, she made two key changes. Milena explained questions to others—her roommate, even her mom—to reinforce her understanding, and she stopped rushing. On her 174, she didn’t finish every section, but she made every question count. Accuracy beats speed.

Key Takeaways

Milena’s 174 wasn’t magic—it was true understanding, adaptability, and a refusal to settle. She didn’t chase perfection or speed—she chose comprehension. Milena treated every mistake as a lesson and ditched bad habits when she recognized them. Her story is a reminder that the LSAT is learnable. If you're stuck, do one question, and don't move on until you understand it completely. 

For more LSAT guidance or to ask questions, reach out to daily@lsatdemon.com.