It's a Saturday, my wife's working, I'm relatively free. What do I want to do? Coffee shop and study for the LSAT as I have been doing all week. Does anyone else, in a weird sort of way, enjoy the challenge of speeding through LG or drilling through LR questions? I've just found myself more and more over the last month desiring to hole up and pore over LSAT material, partially for the good score, partially for the fun of it. Am I maniacal?! lol
Taking the LSAT in Sept - just finished LSAT trainer/my 3rd prep test (65) and the one section I'm not feeling even alright in is RC. I scored a 162 on the above test and missed 12 in RC. For those who have seen improvement - how do you train yourself to synthesize the information quickly and accurately so as to be able to answer the questions that follow? Unless the content is fairly simple, I have a hard time doing the above.
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How do you approach LR?
I mean, I'm assuming you just go through the section and literally just DO what the question stems says? (you weaken an argument, strengthen one, find a flaw in one, etc.). Learning certain strategies for each question type can definitely help you improve, I think. I know someone who never learned strategies for each question type and is doing amazing on this test. But learning Q type strategies can be really helpful, so go for it!
That is exactly what I'm doing right now. I'm simply answering the question based on what it asks me to do. Perhaps learning how to tackle each question type will help me.
And you are still doing the same thing - it's not like it totally changes your approach, what it does is help you know what function you are going to perform while you read the stimulus. It basically better directs how you read the stimulus, which helps.
Hmm.. I hear you with school not giving you optimal study time. At the very least I'd suggest maybe getting a 7Sage starter package which includes the full core curriculum. I think that will help a great deal.
Any chance of maybe taking next year sometime? I know it sucks to push it back that far, but depending on what score you're aiming for it might be best.
I'll think about it.. In general, my plan has been to go to UMKC - close to my wife and I's family/father's law firm/reserve unit. I never planned on studying much for the lsat til I took a diagnostic and realized how much a bit of work can improve scores, plus the loads of scholarship money one can get from a good score! But then there's a part of me that wants to go to Uchicago. Haha so I'm a bit of a weird case.. and I've got some thinking to do over the next week or so for sure.
I would agree with Alex. Reading the stem first gives you the direction, and having the background to know what each type of question will present is critical to speed and proper selection in my opinion.
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No way have you come close to your ceiling. You just started in June? And you're only using the LSAT Trainer?
A lot of people study for YEARS and keep improving. Sure, progress is non-linear, but I am certain you can get way better. How much you can improve by September is another issue, I would recommend taking again in December. I think if you fully committed you could get to 175+.
If you foolproof games you should be able to go -0 except for on the rare occasion. That should get you to 170.
For LR, I recommend doing untimed drilling by question type. For LR, you've got to really master the fundamentals. Break down every aspect of the question and learn the deepest levels of each type. Also, implement a skipping strategy. There is a 7sage webinar about skipping, watch that.
For RC, I do untimed deep dives into passages where I write out an analysis of the passage. I think that doing this helps to subconsciously train my brain to focus on the right things while reading timed.
Also, 3 tests isn't really enough to conclude anything. You need a larger sample size.
Yeah I've taken probly 12 total timed tests now - from my diagnostic to today.
Also, somewhere in the last few weeks I've figured out skipping, normally finish LR at 25 minutes with 2 to 3 skipped and one or two starred. It really does help!
Basically what I'm getting is to improve much more, I'd need a good amount time behind me. Life isn't really giving me that right now - thanks for the thoughts though! I appreciate them.
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Hey!
LR can be tough because there's a whole bunch of different question types and each calls for a bit of a different strategy. I think the lSAT Trainer is a great LSAT book, but I will say one of its biggest weaknesses is that is doesn't focus on conditional logic as much as it should. I am a true believer that conditional logic is super important on LR and I feel like the Trainer lacks a sufficient explanation of how to use conditional logic on many of the LR questions. I would recommend 7Sage or some other books to supplement your study.
I also agree with the above that you likely haven't hit your ceiling yet. Although I think you're off to a good start, I would think about pushing your test date back so you have more time to focus on hitting your actual ceiling!
Good luck!
I would agree that the trainer minimally discusses conditional logic.. It could have been better, but really what has shown improvement for me is buying old tests and drilling through them. I guess a sort of self study with the trainer complementing the process.
Agh if only I could, the way my life is right now though I have to take Sept. The last one I could take is Dec., and that would be tough because I am full time in school so prep time would be tough to come by.
Skipping questions really does help - just know in your mind that you'll have time to get to them at the end and it's less stressful. Wish I could help you with RC, in the same boat..
Drill drill drill. Methodical drilling - I found it helped to buy the books of old tests, go to a coffee shop, and work through it making sure I understood EVERYTHING. You've got this!
Hey all - last four prep tests (67-69,76) I've sat on a 168. It's always been different range, LR -3 to -7 total, games -1 to -3, and RC -4 to -8 (definitely my worst section). I am taking the Sept. test, and I'm wondering what those of you in a similar boat as me plan to do to continue getting better. Background: I started studying in June using the LSAT trainer, haven't used anything else except prep tests 40-60 or so.
Thanks all!
Side note, thank you 7sage for this forum! Makes me feel like there are others maniacally trying the kill this test like me!
Did you actually come to Jesus though? That's make this whole process a lot less stressful! :)
Anyone else just ready to take the dang test already?? At the place where lucks just about the only thing that could bump my score up, and I'm ready to take it!!! But I have 4 more weeks to study!
Also, anyone else starting classes Monday? What's your plan in terms of mixing coursework/lsat?
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Ugh! Should it have been GQ or G----Q??
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Don't know if I should cancel. The second LG game just didn't click for me bc of the GQ rule...I seriously thought there was a typo there bc it just didn't work out after I tried setting it up....don't know if that game will screw my section score
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Don't know if I should cancel. The second LG game just didn't click for me bc of the GQ rule...I seriously thought there was a typo there bc it just didn't work out after I tried setting it up....don't know if that game will screw my section score
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Don't know if I should cancel. The second LG game just didn't click for me bc of the GQ rule...I seriously thought there was a typo there bc it just didn't work out after I tried setting it up....don't know if that game will screw my section score
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Don't know if I should cancel. The second LG game just didn't click for me bc of the GQ rule...I seriously thought there was a typo there bc it just didn't work out after I tried setting it up....don't know if that game will screw my section score
It was definitely GQ in my opinion, there was one question that required you to understand that you didn't necessarily have to see a Q after every G though.
RC SUCKED!!! But LG was uber easy. Ugh now to wait a month...
Eeeek - guys - wait for the email or check LSAT account? Thoughts?
Grey alert!!!!!!
https://www.reddit.com/r/LSAT/comments/7427o4/test_forms_from_the_september_16th_2017_lsat_at/
Succkks..... this waiting game does too though. Ugh.
It's all relative! Study hard and see where you are when decision time comes. It took me just the last two months of studying to jump into the low 170s! You can do it, and it doesn't take forever!