Hi all,

I'm really interested in crowd sourcing some best practices for improving reading comp, especially from those of you who have seen significant gains in that section. It's a weak spot for many students and it seems perhaps to call for a more individualized approach depending on if you tend to over focus on details, or miss the tone of the passage, etc. As I work with more students to improve this section, I want to be able to give tailored advice that might not come from my own experience.

So, what has helped you improve? Does the memory method work for you? Have you tried any other methods with success? Have you picked up tips for pacing that made you a faster reader? How do you retain the passage? Do you use a notation strategy, and if so, how do you do it?

Go!!

Can some of you awesome people weigh in on statistical reasoning as it's used in the LSAT? For example, PT 18 S2 Q4. Specifically, things like probability or likelihood trip me up. Any resources or explanations would be appreciated! Thanks!

So today, for what might be the first time, I could not even guess what the answer to a question was on BR. It's PT 60, S1, Q21. I've gone over the question every different way I can think of, diagramming and rediagramming the stimulus and all the answer choices. And. Still. Nothing. Is it acceptable for me to write this one off and just look at the explanation? I get that the whole point of blind review is to give yourself unlimited time to figure a question out, but I genuinely cannot envision how else I would attack this question if you gave me another year.

Hi guys,

I currently work full time 9-5 as a legal assistant, but wake up as early as 5:30-6 because my commute is pretty far (DC traffic is terrible!!!). I usually get home around 6:30-7 and I'm exhausted. For those who work full time, what are your study schedules like? How many hours do you devote to studying when you get home? I'm planning on taking the LSAT in September or December, so any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Are there any videos of students actually doing any RC passages?

I have watched videos of students doing games, and they were very helpful.

When you skip questions do you still circle an answer choice and come back to it, or leave it blank untill you come back to it at the end?

And are there different skipping strategies for LR/LG/RC?

Just set up a schedule and would appreciate some feedback. Made sure to take 2-3 tests per week, and on the weeks I take 3 to include one retake to help with burnout:

April 3- PT 70

April 6- PT 40

April 10- PT 55

April 12- PT 71(retake)

April 14- PT 45

April 17- PT 73

April 20- PT 41

April 25- PT 50

April 27- PT 68

May 1- PT 60

May 3- PT 57

May 5- PT 72 (retake)

May 8- PT 62

May 10- PT 65

May 12- PT 61 (retake)

May 15- PT 76

May 17- SPB

May 22- PT 77

May 24- PT 63 (retake)

May 29- SPC

May 31- PT 47 (retake)

I plan to review all questions I had trouble with from the 70s the week before the exam. 3 days before test day I will take PT 56 (a retake) to stay sharp and hopefully remain confident.

Hoping also that some people use this schedule so that we can BR some tests together. Please PM me if you'd be interested. I think this schedule is pretty good since it mixes up the PTs while also giving you enough time to get acclimated to the most recent (70s) exams.

Lastly, I also left 8 fresh practice tests from 38+ to save for a potential retake. I know some may disagree but I find fresh tests to be so important, and I don't want to be in the position of having seen every test if I am forced to retake.

With roughly 10 weeks until the June test, I would like to take a prep test every week leading up to the test itself. I want to take LSAT 77 the week before, 76 2 weeks before etc. I would like to take the tests as true to test day as possible, so I want hard copies and to fill in the bubble sheets etc. Does anyone have any recommendations for obtaining these tests other than buying them off Amazon? I know the pdf's were recently taken down :( Thanks!

Typically, it takes me 5/6 minutes to read an entire passage without ignoring anything.

How in the world can one read some of these lengthy and boring passages in 3 minutes or less without skipping any of the information?

I really need some help with this!

Hi,

I started studying in October with the hopes of taking the February test. My initial plan was to go through my books (MLR, MRC, PSLG, PSLR, and LSAT Trainer), drill untimed all of the Cambridge LG packets (1-38), drill untimed some of the Cambridge LR (1-38), practice full sections RC timed and blind review, then move on to timed sections with BR, starting with tests 39-44, and then full PTs with BR for the rest of my study period. I took too long, however, going through my books, which pushed back my Cambridge LG packets, which pushed back everything else, etc. I decided mid-way through December to take a break and start up at the beginning of January in hopes of taking the June test.

It is now the end of March and I have gone through each LG type in the Cambridge packets (I left a game or two in each type for later practice) and a good chunk of the Cambridge LR packets (I didn't want to go through it all in order to save some for later practice). For the LG Cambridge packets I timed myself using a count up timer just to take note of my progress. I definitely feel more confident with LGs but not where I would like to be. Some games take me from 5min on the first try to 20min on the first try. Some games I go through quickly and get (-0) or (-1) , some take longer with worse results. I have not timed myself for the LR Cambridge packets, as I was going for accuracy and not time, but I did take the two LR sections of PT 39 untimed the other day and got a (-2), so I feel confident transitioning to timed sections.

Essentially I feel confident starting timed sections with LR and will start using PT 40-44 for timed sections. For LG games, however, I plan to hold off using the sections of the tests I have not seen (39-77) and just going through LG sections of PT 1-38 timed in order to keep practicing, but now with time added. Yes, I know I have seen them and my score won't be representative of my actual ability, but I need to keep drilling LG as I am not where I would like to be. I am doing it less for seeing my score and more for practice.

As for RC, I plan to start going through PTs 1-38 RC sections timed and then BR-ing.

Does this sound like a good plan? Should I have approached my studying differently? I'm debating delaying to September. Should I delay? What should I change in my approach? I typically study 2-3 hours a day with 4 hours on Saturday.

Thank you.

P.S.: If it's of any help, I scored a 152 on my first and only PT way back in October.

-11 RC

-14 LR

-18 LG (I only attempted the first game in this section, as I only knew how to do basic linear games at the time. I Christmas treed the rest.)

Hey folks,

For which question types in LR am I supposed to write out a logical equations (translating the stimulus)? And, for those question types, when am I to employ intuition vs. writing out logical equations?

I'm really struggling with translating convoluted/complex stimulus into logical equations and then back into English again to find the answer choice. Any help would greatly be appreciated!

Hello all, I was wondering what type of questions we’ll see that require us to pick an answer choice where we are negating the conditional idea or where negating a conditional idea (vice versa with existential) is blended with the existential idea? Weakening maybe? How does negating a conditional idea tie into the type of question we’d expect to see on the LSAT? Does that make sense or am I’m confusing myself? 7SAGE did a great job explaining how negating existential / conditional ideas was accomplished, but having trouble understanding where either apply in Logical Reasoning. Thanks!

Hi there,

So I know the core says the important thing about "few," as opposed to "some," is what you can conclude about what few is not.

Few X have polka dots, so most X's don't have polka dots.

But I've heard on a couple other courses that you can't conclude the "most aren't...."

Thoughts?

Specifically, I recall some question (which I wrote it down) that talked about lightbulbs dying b4 the warmth expired and it said something like "few die b4 warranty expires" and the answer choice explanation contained something about how you can't conclude that most "don't die b4 warranty expires."

Does anyone have a rule of thumb for this?

I have a question about when to use the chart versus the regular grouping game set up.

I’ve come up with a few indicators, please clarify the 3rd.

1) the items (variables) are mentioned as having to go “at least” once

2) you don’t know how many times each variable can go OR if each group or variable even needs to go at all

3) if each variable can only go ONCE in the group (which will have to be denoted in the rules or set up)

In the first video of this lesson (fruit cup, hot dog, sheeshkabob, etc) you explain how the first rule is basically saying that you can’t put double Fruit cup’s in any one particular cell. However, in the second game in the lesson (patients, fever, headache, sneezing) I can’t seem to find a similar rule… I understand intuitively that you can’t have double fever, or double headaches, lol, but in the lsat world, we’re never suppose to use an intuitive, common sense approach to anything, it seems.

ALSO, is this last indicator (i.e. the only 1 variable PER CELL rule) the reason WHY we did NOT use a chart on the october 2012 game (subzones, retail, housing, industrial)? If we did use a chart, then we would have HH or RRR in one cell, and that would not be correct?

Also, that OCTOBER 2012 GAME 4 IS RIDICULOUSLY TOUGH.

I started training for the LSAT a year ago, and after that time, my score has increased from an abysmal 137 to 160. I initially completed the BluePrint course, and after studying meticulously all of their material and hiring several of their tutors, my score wasn't moving beyond 159/160. One of the BluePrint tutors told me to watch the 7-Sage YouTube videos on LGs to increase my score. I took the advice, and it worked (well). Deciding not to remain in ignorance, I decided to re-take all the basics through the 7-Sage course, and guess what happened. 7-Sage has explained more than BluePrint entire corpus, and I'm not done with 7-Sage's core curriculum, yet.

Hello, just wanted to notify someone on 7Sage that the sound quality for the linked video (see below) is really quite terrible and hard to understand the person talking. I was wondering if you would be able to re-do the explanation on a better recording device or somehow re-work the sound on the video so it isn't as ear-shattering?

Thanks a bunch.

https://classic.7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-25-section-4-question-03

I know lots of us joke about the LSAT turning us into dorks who are obsessed with the minutiae of pencils, but I'd like to stress a seriously important lesson I learned recently: don't use mechanical pencils to take your practice tests. As you might know, mechanical pencils aren't allowed when you take the real thing, and regular wooden pencils do behave differently in an important sense. Specifically, they get more dull more quickly than mechanical pencils do.

This is actually extremely important for logic games, which require you to write and diagram clearly and precisely. I found that my pencils were getting dull by the end of my LG sections, resulting in lighter and thicker marks that actually took appreciably more effort to read and understand. Whereas I could quickly tap a mechanical pencil on the table to draw more lead, I either had to make due with my wooden pencil or switch to another one. This would have been a real, although obviously surmountable, problem had I only started using wooden pencils on test day.

So, as neurotic as this may sound, do yourself a favor and get a feel for the performance of your pencil of choice. The last thing you want to be worrying about are your writing instruments.

Come with your LSAT, coffee, and empanada-related questions tonight to Corey's (176) Office Hours!

To join, please use the following:

Office Hours with Corey (8-10 PM ET Tuesdays)

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/171161573

You can also dial in using your phone.

United States +1 (872) 240-3212

Access Code: 171-161-573

Once the webinars are completed, where do members find them?

Hi 7Sagers,

I'm taking the June 2016 LSAT. I'm currently PT'ing in the high 160s, and BR'ing in the mid-high 170s. Any additional study tips on how I can push into the 170s (preferably mid 170s)?

A little more background:

I started studying for the LSAT in June 2015 with 151 diagnostic using only the LSAT Trainer and LG Bible. Took the Oct 2015 LSAT even though I didn't feel ready and got 162. After the Oct LSAT, I went through the 7sage curriculum and just started PT'ing again this week.

My plan is to do 2 PT's and blind reviews a week until the June LSAT. Unlike most test-takers, I'm stronger on Reading Comp than Logic Games. I've fool-proofed LG from PT 1-26 but don't feel like I have attained mastery of the games. I get anywhere between 3-6 questions wrong on a LG section (I think I get nervous on LG because I know I need a -0 to get to 170+). I plan on fool-proofing every game that I struggle on as I keep taking PT's. I took PT 36 and 37 this week and I averaged about -2 on RC and -3 on LR. The questions I get wrong on LR are the most difficult ones.

Also, I've used up almost all the PT's in the 60s and early 70s from studying for the Oct 2015 LSAT (bad, I know; but, remember, this was before I was on 7sage). But I should have enough PT's to compensate.

Any advice/tips is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Hello,

I am not sure as to whether I should take the June or the Sep exam. I am aiming for 165+(canadian) . My recent PTs have been in the 166-168 range. With only 13 fresh PTs left, I am alternating between retakes and fresh exams.

Should I take the exam when I am well above my target score,in order to be safe, or do you think I should still aim for June??

Thank you in advance for your advice

Hi guys and gals,

I thought I'd poll the collective wisdom of 7Sagers for advice.

I'm taking a week-long unavoidable trip to Europe at the end of May (coming back June 02). I'm not thrilled about it, as a 7 hour jet lag is not exactly optimal preparation for the LSAT, but I hope 4 days would be enough to get over most of it. Because my little girl will be with me and I'll be busy with all kinds of errands, it will be very difficult to find time to do full length PT's, although I have been toying with the idea of doing one on the flight out and one on the flight back.

I'm planning to keep up the LG drilling, because my scores drop when I slack off.

What would you do for PT's if you were in my shoes? Finish all the fresh ones before going and maybe do a repeat on the flight and another after coming back? Save a fresh one for after coming back? Something else?

I've been taking 2 PT's a week religiously for what seems like an eternity and I got into a really nice groove with them. Seems like the best balance for me personally between a small enough load to avoid burnout and allow for drilling and BR, but large enough to keep those skills nice and sharp. I'm a bit worried to let go of my "safety blanket" routine, even though my rational mind tells me all of that work won't magically evaporate in a week.

How are you guys planning to "taper"? For those that already took the LSAT with pleasing results, what did you do during the last couple of weeks?

Many thanks!

Hey guys, I want to make a special introduction: David Brown, @"Accounts Playable", who is a current 7sage student and Mentor.

David is offering LSAT tutoring at a rate of $60/hour ($50/hour if you book him for 5 or more hours).

David is an active member of our community - have you seen his answers in the comments section below the lessons? - and currently scoring in the low-mid 170’s on PT’s.

I’ve worked with David for many months now and I can speak to his excellent grasp of both our Core Curriculum and the LSAT in general. I've asked that he make himself available for tutoring so he can increase his mastery of the test leading up to the June exam, which he's planning to take. If you're PT-ing around the 150's - low 160's and looking for someone to guide you, consider reaching out.

If you’d like to get in touch with David for a 30 minute free consultation, please message him here on the 7sage boards at @"Accounts Playable".

[Edited]

We can do this!!!

So, I’m wanting to participate in the September BR group, but I’m in a good place with the curriculum and eager to start; so thought I’d lay out my ideas of how to balance that and get some input.

I’ve begun fool proofing the games and have developed what I think is a really good system for me based off of 7Sage’s recommendations with some modifications of my own. I feel great there, so it’s more LR and RC I’m unsure of how to study in the meantime. I guess I’ll just drill sections, alternating between using a timer and a stopwatch to develop my pace, followed of course by thorough Blind Review. I will return to the curriculum to address any BR misses and over confidence errors.

Does that seem like a productive use of a month? Or should I not worry so much about the group and just go ahead with PTs?