Would anyone like to group BR tests starting in the 40s? I would be on track to BR test 40 starting on the evening of 4/29.

I did a group BR with #LSATurday, which was great!, but that BR group is moving on to PTs in the 60s, and because this is my second time around with the test I am really just taking tests in the 40s and early 50s (I have already taken the 60s).

If you're interested and want to do BRs in the 40s let me know, and we ccan set something up over skype.

Thanks!

Ben

I wanted to put my "LSAT Journey" up here as I think it might help other members of the 7sage community. If you want my perspective on this process and some tips for those just starting, read on!

I started prepping for the LSAT in June of 2014, using Barrons and Kaplan, planning to test in September 2014. This was an ineffective way to prep because of the quality of the materials I was using and I quickly switched to Powerscore, using both the bible books and an online prep course (live classes). I went into the Dec 2014 test feeling OK, but bombed logic games in an early section of the test and literally didn't have the mental stamina to finish. Read: I may have had a breakdown.

In retrospect, my 2014 test prep was insufficient. I hadnt done enough prep, specifically fresh prep tests, and I hadnt mastered Logical Reasoning and Logic Games methods. I started studying with 7sage around February 2015. 7sage definitely helped. However, I took the June 2015 test but was disappointed with my score, a 162. I had been PTing in the mid to high 160s and my original goal had been to break 170.

I buckled down after the June test and kept studying. It was really painful. I worked with a tutor outside of 7sage to keep me focused and committed to a study plan. I kept consistent PTs in the high 160s and low 170s, although at this point repeated content was a problem. This past LSAT, October 2015, I scored a 167. I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't happy either, pretty much neutral to the outcome and relieved I didn't bomb the test. It capped off a study process of ~16 months.

In sum, this process is a beast. I spent thousands of hours (and let's be honest: dollars) doing prep and didn't achieve the original results I set out for. That said, I did get through it. I did break 165, and I did improve my score between the administrations. If I had to boil down my advice in the long-run it would be something along these lines:

1. Don't skimp on prep materials - go straight for the best material and prep available for you. Put the work in to figure out what type of prep you need at the beginning of this process and stick to that prep. If that means working with a tutor or taking a class, start doing that as soon as you can.

2. Make an overly-detailed study plan and stick to it. Working full time, traveling, being in school, etc. whiles studying for this test is hard. As someone working in consulting who travels (on an airplane) every week, I struggled to stick to a study schedule. Ultimately I recommend getting out an excel sheet and make a day by day plan to get you through the next 3, 6, or 12 months to your test administration. Show the schedule to your peers, study buddies, etc. and get feedback on whether your goals are realistic. Include things like exercising, napping or "free time" in your schedule if that is what you need to make sure you can take a break and not get burnout.

3. Play the mental game. Don't let this (awful) test get the best of you. There were definitely times when I was mad, when I thought I was going to go to a dumpster-fire/non-LSAT required law school, or when I wanted to give up on this whole process entirely. None of those thoughts werre helpful or productive. Being good at the LSAT means, well, you are good at the LSAT. That's it. There's poor correlation at best between L1 performance and the exam. When you get mad, try to repeat that yourself and take deep breaths.

In summary, I'm not glad we go through this awful experience to get into law school. But there are some ways you can make it less painful, and knowing these tips and tricks from the start will help you out.

Best,

Lorax

So I've been at this LSAT thing for a while. One aspect of test-taking I am really struggling with is consistency. On my last round of testing leading up to June 2015 my PTs regularly fluctuated between 162 and 171. This round of prep honestly hasn't been much better, with scores ranging between 165 and 178. I've controlled for repeated content as well as testing conditions like location, noise level, etc.

What I am coming down to is that most of my issues are around focus and consistency. I'm trying a few new things to address this, and I was wondering if anyone with similar problems with test taking can weigh in here - what have you done to "get in the zone" and perform consistently on your PTs?

What I'm doing:

-Big Picture: Trying to be aware of how my week is going at work and in life in general, and proactively preventing any issues or concerns from creeping into my prep by getting really proactive about keeping work and life separate from test prep

-Routine: For my weekly practice tests, making sure I get a good night's rest on Friday night, wake up on saturday and go biking, then eating and get ready in my workspace for test. Usually start testing around 11am each time I test.

-Mindset: try to do a mini-meditation where I completely clear my mind before I actually start the test - this is usually only a 2-3 "quick meditation" exercise where I try to get absolutely clear in my head, then snap into test-taking mode

-Logic Games: Creating a template for how I will lay out every game, its game pieces, rules, etc. and stick to that setup for every game

-Logical Reasoning: Forcing myself to focus and spend adequate time on every question by instituting a mandatory "1 free skip" rule

-Critical Reading: Focusing more on text and less on marking my passages, although working on how to make this a consistency thing I can bring to my test taking

-Also crushing my flashcards to make sure I don't slack on fundamentals

7sagers - what are you doing to get in the zone and ready for your tests? How do you deal with, uh, absurd fluctuations in your score that you are pretty sure are not due to repeated content or bad test taking conditions?

Hi 7sagers,

I have a question about test taking. At the end of the section the test proctor says "please put your pencils down."

While the proctor is saying this, can we bubble in our last answer(s)? Unfortunately as I am often considering 1 or 2 questions at the end of time on a section, this is a real concern for me. I want to be able to at least fill out a bubble for each question. And there is a second or two between when the proctor starts saying this and stops saying this which (if you are hovering on a last question) can allow you to jot down your best (or automatic) guess.

What are the experiences of those who have taken the test with this issue?

Thanks

I'm having trouble with the following question from Superprep, A:

L: People's intentions cannot be, on the whole, more bad than good. Were we to believe otherwise, we would inevitably cease to trust each other, and no society can survive without mutual trust among its members.

Stem: Most vulnerable to which of the following criticisms?

A (correct) - It fails to rule out the possibility that a true belief can have deleterious (harmful) conseuqences

My analysis:

The author claims that if we believe that intentions are more good than bad, we would cease to trust one another and as a result without this mutual trust we would not survive. We are surviving, so we must not have the belief that that intentions are more good than bad.

There is clearly a gap between believing and the truth of a statement, but I cant put my finger on the flaw. I would normally say that the flaw is that just because a belief can't be true, doesn't mean that the underlying element can't be true. This, however, doesn't line up with the flaw stated in A.

http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2012/08/22/intense-prep-for-law-school-admissions-test-alters-brain-structure/

As someone who feels like they are "stuck in test prep limbo" and can't manage to raise their score through additional study, it was reassuring to read this article. There is a science to LSAT study and at least some researchers have found evidence it improves brain activity in lasting ways for the better.

I'd be interested to know other peoples' experience, have you plateaued or even gone backwards in your scores, and how have you gotten your scores back up and/or reached your target?

I have been studying for the LSAT for roughly 1 year, and I recently re-took the June administration of the LSAT (canceled first exam). For June, I scored 5 points below my monthly PT average leading up to the exam. This definitely put my numbers off target for the group of schools I was hoping to apply to.

I have taken, all told, 43 fresh practice exams, complete with BR (all but 4 exams taken after PT 36). I have also gone through the entire 7sage curriculum, plus powerscore curriculum I started with. I simulate conditions on practice PTs (usually take tests after hours in my office with timed proctor), and deliberately go through every question on my BRs. One frustrating aspect of my practice was consistency. I saw wild 10 point fluctuations in score on fresh PT exams, even adjusting for relative difficulty of exams over time.

I am wondering if there is value in further study and a retake. Given the amount of material I have covered, is more study going to amount to banging my head against the wall? Are there new ways I can try to study that, at this point, make further study a good idea?

I value your opinions, 7sagers, thanks in advance if you have any advice!