209 posts in the last 30 days

I currently own pdf copies of prep tests 37-67. With test day nearing, I want to purchase prep tests 68-75.

For those of you who have taken the lsat or know how the real test looks like, would I be better served buying the pdf copies and printing them out or buying the booklet paperback form on Amazon?

I am mostly concerned with similarity to the actual test.

Thanks!

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There's probably no hard and fast rule for determining whether it's more beneficial to devote time upfront to splitting a game board into different scenarios, but I am wondering what people consider and what factors really convince top test-takers to split it as such. I haven't gotten into the habit of it and so far, I don't think it has been detrimental. When it comes to really complicated games, such as the notorious dinosaur game (PT 57), JY took the time to flesh the master board into 6 different scenarios. How do I know when to do this? I'm not very good at making this call and one of my biggest fears is ultimately wasting the time I spend on inferences upfront (in the form of extra boards, not just inferences in general).

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Friday, Aug 28, 2015

RC Timing Problem

So Ive been using the BR method strictly on reading comp for the last couple of days and my accuracy has improved tremendously but EVERY time Im incorporating time into the process, my accuracy goes down significantly. Im currently aiming at 3.5 min for reading and the last 4.5-5 doing the questions. Any suggestions? Also, any passage that has 7-8 questions immediately has meant I wont get through all the questions. It freaks me out haha

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Okay so I'm pretty much at my wit's end here with the last 2 or 3 tests I've taken.

As background, I used to be incredibly consistent on the Logical Reasoning section. I would typically miss 1 or 2 per section and would never miss more than 3 overall in both sections combined. This was the case for most of the PTs I took. Then PT50 happened. I thought I was just having a bad day, and ended up missing 5 LRs that test. Then on PT51 I missed 3 (not more than usual) but then today on PT52 I missed 5 again.

Ironically, I'm at the point where I'm getting 180s on nearly every single Blind Review I do. I'm overall pretty accurate at never missing questions that I don't circle, but now I feel like just as I've gotten really good at understanding how to answer nearly any LR question and answering them all accurately and not falling for any of the tricks (untimed) I've also gotten way worse on the actual timed PT. This is hugely frustrating for me since, before this started happening, I was consistently scoring around 174-175 and was weakest in the RC section (with LG nearly always at -0). I spent a week or two and really drilled RC hard and was able to get myself down from nearly -4 or -5 to -2 or -3 each time. But now LR has gone off the rails! I feel like I can't win!

At first I thought it was my strategy for balancing time on LR. Previously, I would skip almost any question I didn't immediately feel comfortable with or thought would take a while (even if they were easy MBTs that I just didn't want to diagram out). Now, I've tried to spend more time just going through the test a bit more linearly so that I don't feel strapped on time having to go back to a bunch of skipped questions at the end of the test. I thought this would be a good strategy but it seems now like I'm missing more questions anyway.

So I'm not sure what to do. On today's test it was hugely disappointing that 2 of the LR questions I missed were incredibly trivial and had more to do with the fact that it seems like I rushed through the question because of time than that I didn't understand it, and, again, I'm able to correct every mistake in Blind Review.

Not exactly sure what to help me improve at this point. I feel too confident to review basic lessons on LR questions (again, I get nearly a perfect score in blind review, so I obviously understand the concepts, its just that something mysterious happens on the timed tests) and I don't really know what else to do other than to look back at questions that I got wrong, but seeing as they're spread pretty evenly across different question types randomly, not sure how good that would do me either. Anyone experience anything like this before?

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http://classic.7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-49-section-1-game-1/

Can someone explain question 7 of this game to me?

I get how there are three possible worlds: _ _ N G I N ; N _ G I N _ ; N _ _ G I N

The question asks "...then a film in Norwegian must be shown on". Why is it JUST day 1 and 3. I mean, it could also be shown on day 5 (per the second option above) or day 6 (per the third option above). Why is option "Day 1 and 3" correct as opposed to "Day 1 and 5", which is incorrect?

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http://classic.7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-22-section-2-question-20/

I got this one correct by POE, but I am having a lot of trouble explicitly understanding why E is correct (I was wishy washy with A, but I get why it's wrong). Here is my analysis:

This is a flaw/weaken question.

If it's music, then it has a temporal element since parts of the song are presented over time. However, a painting has no temporal element since parts of the painting are not presented over time. Thus, the viewer's eye has no one path to follow in order to "read" the painting [the "" on read are kind of weird, I think]. As a result, a key difference between listening to music and viewing a painting is that music has a time element while looking at a painting doesn't.

What I am looking for: This argument seemed (at least to me) pretty decent. Temporal order is a necessary condition for music, but it is not for painting. So that seems like an "essential" [necessary] difference between the two. The only flaw that I could see was relating "path" to time. That didn't seem like very good evidence to me.

Answer A: This was my trap answer. I didn't pick it, but I wasted a lot of time eliminating it. The argument doesn't say that you need to be conscious of the passage of time. The passage of time (in and of itself) is the necessary condition for music and not one for a painting. Also, time is an element of the painting and not of the viewer. It is possible that the viewer is looking at his watch the entire time while looking at a painting; that doesn't change the fact that the medium of art (painting) itself doesn't have a temporal element.

Answer B: Who cares about the definition of music/differences between styles.

Answer C: Who cares about their commonalities? Our conclusion is about differences.

Answer D: Is "reading" a metaphor? Maybe. However, the substance of this answer choice is to say that the flaw is circular reasoning. The argument is not. The "reading" analogy is evidence in support of the conclusion, not a restatement of it.

Answer E: This is it by POE. However, I still am having trouble seeing how this actually attacks the relationship between the premise and conclusion. This answer to me juts flat out contradicts the "path" premise and not the substance of the argument.

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Hi there,

I was wondering if anybody could clarify (please) why the Substitution and Equivalence section was placed at the end of the PTs ( i have the 2nd package). Is this because these types of questions only appear on later LSATs?

I just started PT-ing so i'm at 37.

Please let me know what you guys think.

Thanks :)

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Is there a particular strategy that is recommended for these two types of questions? I feel with MBT questions, it's easier to come up with a more concrete prephase that will resemble an AC closely, whereas this is a lot less likely with MSS. Either way, what's a good mindset to get into in order to consistently answer these types? Is it just absorbing and analyzing the stimulus, trying to prephase, and POE? Are there any tips or insights beyond that?

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http://classic.7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-20-section-1-question-04/

I got this one wrong... even after blind review -___- but now I think I know why it's actually B and not C

The explanation I'm giving myself is that the experiments performed take THC on its own and not Marijuana as a whole? Then the conclusion states that all of Marijuana contains THC, thus Marijuana causes cancer. While completely disregarding any other properties Marijuana may have?

Can this be considered a "some" statement? (Some of marijuana --> then cancer)

I hope I'm making sense.

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I was wondering if anyone is familiar w/ any subtle differences between the two? (I did my LR through the Trainer, where the 'justify reasoning' questions are known as 'sufficient assumption', while the 'justify conclusion' ones are known 'supporting principle -- they're in the same chapter, and for both types, you're supposed to "fill in the logical gap").

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Hi,

I have been studying for the Oct. 2015 LSAT since (essentially) July 1. I work a full-time job, and have recently moved to a new city, and have been adjusting to that.

I had a very high GPA in college, which is why I am putting a lot of pressure on myself to do well this October. I feel like a score under 167 is unrepresentative of myself as a student.

That being said, I have taken 5 practice tests (I realize this is few, I plan to take 30 in total), and have scored two points lower each time I take them (162 down to a 158 yesterday). This have been PT 52-56.

I have been studying on my own, using resources given to me by friends who have scored in the 170s. I just recently found 7Sage, and have done only one BR.

I can't afford to sign up for the entire 7Sage program, and feel at this point, it is too late. I am a month out of the test.

I would really, really appreciate any feedback/reality checks. Because I work a full time job, I would REALLY like to be finished with this test after October, and get my applications in for this year. If December is necessary, so be it. I already feel burned out on studying... which is probably absurd giving how little I've.

Thanks for such a helpful community!

RW

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Hey all,

I've been doing pretty well on my PTs, but I'm finding that on the logic games, I'm consistently making 1-2 silly mistakes on the section. I know that test taking anxiety and feeling rushed are causing me to misread questions or answers, and it's painful to see these mistakes when I correct the section. I'm wondering how frequently others are making these kinds of mistakes and what they are doing to fix it. I've been getting better - taking more time reading the questions and answers, but it's still a problem. I'm wondering what your experience has been.

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Hello 7Sage!

I have run into a problem. Between Feb 2015 and June 2015 I did every preptest, except for 72, 73, and 74. Since June, in preparation for October, I have already done 72 and 73, and have only 74 left. My problem is that I think that RC is the least-repeatable section on the test, and now I am left with nothing else to practice my RC skills with.

Any advice on anything else that I can use to practice? Is there another test that has similar RC passages? Any nonfiction material? Part of the problem is how distinctively logical LSAT materials are. Even things like The Economist don't feel similar to me.

Thanks!

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For all of those taking the Dec. LSAT on Sat. evening we will BR PT 43.

Note on all groups

  • For the newbies: Please send a PM with your Skype handle.

  • For the regulars: Please let me know if you plan to join tonight's session and have not yet been added to the conversation.
  • For everyone: take the PT under timed conditions; BR as you are able; join us for all or part of the call—everyone is welcome.
  • Note: For the purposes of the call, we like to check our group blind review score together at the very end of the call :) So please do not check your answers beforehand :-) Or if you do, just try not to say things like "No, guys, I checked, it's D."
  • These groups work best when folks from ALL stages of prep and with all different goals join in! Not just for "super-preppers" and definitely not just for the casual LSATer (does such a person exist?).
  • PLEASE ... Ask questions !!!! In so doing you are giving others the opportunity to uncover weaknesses in their own understanding, review fundamentals, and ultimately improve their own score. And you're giving yourself the opportunity to do the same. Wow, such harmonious learning experience.
  • The only expectation anyone has for these calls is for you to have fun and ask questions as you desire. We are just a bunch of LSAT lovers who gather via Skype and intellectually slaughter each test.
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    Annoyingly (worryingly???) I have the most trouble on the law passages in RC. I'm not great with the law vocab and pretty terrible with the history of law. Especially those ones with things like the history the medieval British legal system. I'm like...what? I heard a great recommendation for law podcasts, but I really need something I can read and carry with me. Digital is fine too! Thanks in advance!

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    Question, while you're BRing with Step 2, after initially timing your work in a section, is there a more effective method of writing out the answer choices? Separate colored pen? Directly on the test versus on a separate sheet of paper? Gradually work to just doing them in your head? I understand the process clearly. I would just like to know if theres a methodology you would recommend for the implementation of Step 2. Thanks!

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    So I've been studying the LSAT for a little over a year now, and I've got LR and LG down (-0 to -2 on each section)

    My real worry is RC. I've been getting -7 to -13 per RC section for PT 56 and above. But when I BR the RC section, I can usually get -0 to -3

    When I did the RC for PT 40-56, I finished the RC in time and stayed within -3 to -7/8. Somehow for the new tests, this is a real problem and it's gone downhill. I'm currently working on doing RC from older tests for practice while I work my way up doing full length tests (I'm currently on PT 62... RC-13,LR-3,LG-1,LR-0 ). My time for reading passages varies from 3-5 mins and my timing for the questions also varies quite a bit; overall timing seems to be my real problem where I sometimes spend way too much time especially on the questions and don't even get to answer some of the questions at the end.

    The RC section seems to be the main one stopping me from breaking the 170 bound so any advice would be highly appreciated!

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    Can we start a page within our LR discussion category similar to Manhattan's LR explanations page, or do you guys think it's redundant because of the videos? I only have the starter pkg, which doens't include all the LR questions and explanations, so if I still have questions I normally go to Manhattan's page or ask here in our forum. We could follow the same format as Manhattan: Questions listed in chronological order as they are posted; 32-4-17 (ex. Idk if that's actually an LR section). Thoughts? Of course, if this requires too much for the Admins then I think we're fine just how we are. @"Dillon A. Wright"

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    http://classic.7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-64-section-1-question-22/

    The following is my reasoning for why the answer to PT64S1Q22 is D, and is not B. The answer-sheet states that the answer is B, while online explanations for why the answer is B seem to me to be confusing, non sequitor, flawed, and specious. That being said, im likely wrong, and the LSAT writers and expert teachers are likely right, and I simply currently cant see why. PLEASE someone explain to me how my reasoning is flawed, and why B is correct. THANKS!!

    ....

    Summary: The arguments conclusion incorrectly points to a cause (using the word "promoted"), based on a correlation. B indicates a correlation, not a cause, so B doesn't strengthen the argument. D, however, points to a cause (an indirect cause), helping to justify, and thus strengthen, the argument. D is therfore the correct answer.

    Argument in Question Stem, presented in syllogistic format:

    Sewage sludge concentrated with heavy metals = C

    Surviving bacteria of C are resistant to heavy metal poisoning = Rh

    Surviving bacteria of C are resistant to antibiotics = Ra

    • C

    • Rh

    • (C --> Rh) (relationship is causal)

    • Ra

    ☆ therfor, (C --> Ra) (relationship causal)

    Flaw: The correlation of Ra, C, and (C --> Rh) does not mean there is a causation from C to Ra. The answer which strengthens this argument will show that (Rh --> Ra) (C causes Ra because it causes Rh which causes Ra) or directly that (C --> Ra) (C causes Ra) or some contrapositive to that effect (~Ra --> ~C) or (~Ra --> ~Rh)

    Answer choices, presented in syllogistic format:

    A) (~Ra --> ~Rh) with a correlative relationship, not causal. Also uses the word "most" further discrediting a potentially causal relationship. Wrong answer.

    B) [(~C --> ~Rh) & (~C --> ~Ra)] with correlative relationships. Even if they were causal, it at most only proves the latter relationships contrapositive that (Ra --> C, relationship causal) which in no way strengthens the claim that (C --> Ra) for the existence of a causal relationship in one direction in no way indicates that such a relationship exists in the opposite direction. Wrong answer.

    C) (Ra --> Rh), relationship causal. This doesn't tell us that (Rh --> Ra) for the existence of a causal relationship in one direction in no way indicates that such a relationship exists in the opposite direction. Wrong answer.

    D) (C --> A), whereas the relationship is correlative and A = the presence of significant concentrations of antibiotics. This isn't the ideal answer, clearly. However, it introduces a new player (A), which in turn offers a prospective causal link. If (C --> A) then it's possible that (A --> Ra) which would obviously mean that (C --> A). Though we don't know to what degree it's possible that (A --> Ra), the existence of this new possibility is real; indeed, it makes sense from outside knowledge that higher levels of antibiotics in a medium likely means that the only bacteria who will survive are those that are resistant to antibiotics (duh). This renders the reasoning in the argument much stronger. Correct answer.

    E) [(~Bs --> Rhp) & (~Bs --> Ra)] definitely wrong because it's completely changing the subject matter.

    So what's my Achilles heal here?

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