jrkovals-1,

Did you get in touch with Graeme? I am super close to mastering RC; I could use some help with a couple of obstacles I am facing. Please let me know. Thanks!

Abinandeh,

I have not been able to find a study buddy in South OC. Would like to see if maybe we can travel and meet half way, assuming that you are still looking for a study buddy. Please email me if you are interested in looking at the possibility of meeting up (pitrufquen5@.com). Thank you!

Anne2Hoang,

Can you email me your contact info at pitrufquen5@.com so we can connect? Thanks!

I am in the OC! Can you email me at pitrufquen5@.com with contact info., please? Thank you!

Completely agree with zwoerner. Trainer is great, particularly for LR and RC.

Dukeag,

If you would like an excellent resource that puts all of these issues into real context, I recommend reading "How to Lie with Statistics". It is a very short read (will take you an afternoon to complete it, if that). It was written in 1954 but it is very relevant to the LSAT ( and current news reporting). Some of the examples the author presents are exactly what you see in LR. I downloaded it to my tablet for $7.99. Not all chapters are relevant (there is one about graphs) but some are right on: built-in bias, how an average is chosen but does not mean anything or is misused, how data stating that driving during off-peak hours do not really point to safer driving conditions, etc, etc. Easy read, cool old-fashioned illustrations, and it makes you a lot more confident about those stats-related LSAT questions!

Thy Name is Al,

I read the LSAT trainer from cover to cover. In my opinion, it is the best book out there and it is a nice compliment to 7Sage's material. I particularly appreciate the RC chapters: categorizations of questions and how to approach/decipher all the questions they throw at you. Take a look at those chapters and let me know what you think. Also, I read but have not incorporated the LSAT Trainer's LG portions. I think JY's explanations in the area of LG are superior.

I live in the OC. Could you email me your contact info. at pitrufquen5@.com so I can connect with you? Thanks!

Cool! Did you go to the web site where the charts came from?(http://www.tylervigen.com/). The creator of the charts discusses the importance of correlation. Thank you Al for sharing!

I am like you sururfatema. Scoring 162-165 at the moment. I have created a list of "tricks" (they are not really tricks, they are things I have learned as I watch JY or Jonathan answer questions/go through problems). I have such (ever expanding) lists for LR, RC and LG. For instance, for LR, regarding conclusions, if the conclusion is categorial (should, ought, must, etc.), then the correct answer will have categorical language. Some "tricks" are question-type specific, and others apply to all question types. In parallel, I am creating a list of best practices: for instance, for RC, my main objective is reduce the time I spend on a passage. So, my list is: #1. Do whatever it takes to read a passage in 4 minutes or less by #2. skim over the first question because it is usually a MP question so just glance at it and immediately go to the answers; #3. "translate" (long) questions in your mind. The author states blah, blah, blah" ---> translates to "author thinks x because", etc.

Additionally, I think a key element is to identify your weaknesses and work on them systematically. This is easier said than done because it is very difficult to be introspective without and outsider pointing out your areas for growth. I personally, at the end of each study day, review my notecards and assess every area: for example, today in LG I learned that the rule /P2-->P5 means P is in 2 or 5. Also, I learned how to diagram a game that has 6 variables and 2 people reviewing each of the variables (J & R) [both lessons from PT 24]. Based on my assessment, I add to my list of "tricks" and/or "best practices".

I am probably rambling...the trouble is that this is so personal because every student is different, at a different stage of the learning process, and with different potential. Hope this helps. You can contact me directly if you think it would be beneficial for you. The best of luck and I truly hope you reach 170+!

Yes, that is correct. The first question directs to work from the stimulus to the answers that is, use the information in the stimulus to prove that one of the answers is MSS (the relationship is from stimulus to answers), while the second question asks you to use the correct answer to support, justify, strengthen the argument (the relationship is from question to answer).

Like it!

I am with Al and TackyTrackSuit. Upgrade to 7Sage as David Michael-1 suggests.

Hi Jon,

I eliminated B because it talks about "establishment of animal refuges". I realize that the establishment of such refuges weakens the "wasted" part, but when you look at the entire argument, the argument speaks about "natural" habitats. Answer B does not specify "natural" refuges so I would have to make an assumption that these refuges are the equivalent of natural habitats (which may or may not be true). I went with A because it points to the fact that the preservation of "habitats" is better now than ever before therefore indicating that the efforts are not wasted and thus weakening the conclusion. Yes, I do have to make an assumption these "habitats" are "natural habitats" but it seems to me that the "jump" I have to make is smaller in A than in B. Where am I going wrong with my analysis because obviously B was credited as the right answer. Thank you!

I get that the writers want me to figure out that "unchanged" means no decrease. But, doesn't it also mean (imply) no increase? I was stuck pondering that especially because the first conditional statement does speak about "increasing" ----> R. I would appreciate your comments. Thank you

Reviewing logic games here!

JY, I just finished reviewing the game with the 3 shelves and the monographs and the novels, etc. and you say "Oh, I love Vonnegut" and then you say, "Don't get distracted during the game" ... very funny! Ok, back to studying!

Hey Jake,

I am still working on deciding what is important/primary and what is secondary. This is what has helped me:

1. Focus on when the AUTHOR "speaks/has an opinion". This usually leads to a main point....seems obvious, ah? but it is not if one is not used to this type of test.

2. Also pay attention to opposing ideas.

3. Keep the STRUCTURE of the passage in your mind i.e. 1st paragraph intro of thesis-author states her view; second paragraph, author expands on her view, etc. etc. This is critical because it will help you when you need to get back to look for a detail and/or to confirm an answer.

Try this and see if you can get the main idea, support and opposing views. Summarize them in your head in less than 30 seconds and go to the questions. Come back to the text only when there is a detail and you need confirmation. I would do the questions under un-timed conditions at first until you feel comfortable with the system.

Two more things that may be useful:

A. Always work from WRONG to RIGHT: this means, ATTACK ( and by that I mean be aggressive) a question looking to eliminate answer choices (i.e. A-wrong because it is about one theory and not most theories, C- wrong because author never mentioned international writers, D-wrong because it is the other way around, X influenced writers not the writers influenced X.) Once you do this, the clutter disappears and you can focus on the two finalists or the finalist. If you have 2 finalists, DO NOT compare them against each other (I do this all the time! :( ). Rather, take the first one and compare it against the text and eliminate if it does not match. You are left with the other. You can quickly confirm it by re-reading it again.

B. Do not answer the most wordy question in each passage: the analogy one, or the weaken one, you know the one I am talking about. These type of questions take a lot of time which can better spent in answering 2 or 3 30-second questions on the next passage. Remember, this is about points (In the past I always felt I "needed" to answer every question .. I needed to prove I am smart :) - this is about how to get the most points in a limited amount of time, and for that you need a good strategy, whatever that is, just have a good strategy). As you get better, even these questions will become easier.

I hope this helps. Finally, I can offer this. I started by barely being able to read 2 passages to now being able to read 4 passages and going through 1/2 of the questions on the last passage. So I still need to improve...but I guess what I want to say is that there is hope. You CAN get there. If you have more questions or would like to discuss via phone, feel free to email me at pitrufquen5@.com. I will be glad to help however I can.

All the best!

Hi,

I struggled with the 4 RC passages not because I could not understand them but because of timing issues. In my quest to improve, I have come up with certain items that have proven helpful to me. The points below reflect my learning from 7Sage, of course, and also the book LSAT Trainer (chapters on RC). I hope these points resonate with some of you and help you master this section. Please add/modify/correct my ideas. Also, If you have questions, let me know. We can all benefit from the discussion. Best of luck to you all!

I. It is absolutely critical that you identify the main point of the passage and main points of each paragraph. If you identify the main point, this alone will help you answer 3-4 of the questions in a passage.

II. Rather than focusing on reading faster, I have focused on reading better i.e. identify without a doubt the main point (s). The focus is on what is primary vs. secondary (details).

III. I do not try to remember details. This is impossible. I remember where the details are so I can go back to verify the final answer or to confirm a decision between two finalists.

IV. I note the voice/tone of the author. I circle any word that provides a clue. Also, I keep track of the internal structure of the passage. I do this mentally at the end of my read. It is fairly obvious because the passages are versions of a combo of the following: presentation of a problem, thesis, idea, etc.; main point; for- against, application and/or information, and background information.

V. Just as critical as understanding the passage, it is absolutely critical to understand what the questions are asking. This is where I was wasting most of my time; since I did not have a precise idea of the question, many answers seemed plausible and I wasted my time reading and re-reading finalists. I am still trying to perfect this area but this is what I have learned thus far:

1. Pay attention to the scope of the question: i.e. specific or general

2. Pay attention to the type of question & learn to decipher what they are asking:

a. If the question says: Main point of the passage= what the passage is all about according to THE AUTHOR.

b. A question like “which one of the following most accurately characterizes the author’s attitude toward Tutuola’s position in world literature” blah, blah, blah = this simply means What AUTHOR thinks of Tutola’s position in world of lit In other words, learn to summarize the question. Most importantly, this question is completely connected to the Author’s main point or at the very least, it will not go against the Author’s main point. As obvious as this main seem, at first, I just did not make the connection.

c. Other “translations” that may be useful: “According to the passage some critics have criticized T’s work on the grounds that” blah, blah, blah = this means why is T criticized according to the Author.; The primary purpose of the passage is = WHY the Author wrote it; “which one of the following most accurately describes the function of the last sentence of the 2nd paragraph?” = this simply means “purpose of the last sentence of the 2nd paragraph”, why this sentence is there? And so on. If you can crisply identify what the question is all about, then, the wrong answers do not seem as tempting any more.

VI. Once you identify the 1 or two finalists, scrutinize each word. Treat it/them like a MBT question: look at “all,” “some”, “most” “should” etc.. For instance, a wrong answer that I picked read: “The author shows ardent approval of most aspects of the theory”. This was wrong on 2 counts: “ardent” was too strong of a word (although the Author was completely committed to the idea) but also because the passage discussed only ONE aspect of the theory so I could not conclude “MOST aspects of the theory”. Some very tempting wrong answers will have a part that is completely aligned with the passage but the second part will be out of scope, not mentioned at all in the passage, or will conflate.

Would love to be included: pitrufquen5@.com-

Thank you!

I started with the bibles and I regret it (particularly for LG). I believe they complicated things with labels and categorizations that are not necessary. 7Sage materials are FAR superior. JY's curriculum is solid; his knowledge of "lawgic" is fantastic and his teaching method is outstanding. If you have to supplement, I recommend you study with the LSAT Trainer. It is superior to other written materials out there, and I believe, it complements nicely with 7Sage's curriculum. I read it from cover to cover. BTW, I am not associated with 7Sage or LSAT Trainer. I am just a student in CA prepping hard for the June exam.

Don't ever give up! I am a foreigner who always dreamed of studying law. I am now in my 40s and I have for the first time encountered logic games and arguments. I have basically started from scratch...literally. I work at it EVERY DAY for MANY hours at a time and I have seen tremendous improvement...it does not happen overnight but it does happen. I am taking the exam in February and if I do not get my score, I will take it again in June. Going to law school is my goal and I will accomplish it...there is no better country than this one to do so and there are no better materials than 7Sage's. (I have tried them all). If I can do it with English as my second language, YOU CAN. Don't ever give up.

I have tried almost all the programs out there (and wasted a lot of money in the process). 7 Sage is without doubt the best. I highly recommend it. I also bought the book "LSAT Trainer" to supplement. They are both excellent and compliment each other very well. You will not regret completing the 7Sage program. I finished the program and I am getting ready for the Feb exam. I keep coming back to 7Sage for insight. It is just packed with solid knowledge that really matters and works. No gimmicks here. The best of luck in your studies!

I agree with the comments above. Lewis, I have been BRing the entire test as well. It takes F.O.R.E.V.E.R at the beginning but as you learn and improve, the BR gets easier, faster and also you learn to identify those questions that you will need to BR. So keep at it! Good luck!

I went ahead with a 1-hour tutoring session with Graeme Blake and it was super useful. He is certainly an expert and explains things very well. He provided some practical tips that I can apply right away but also gave me insight specific to my "RC situation" that I am trying to digest and implement on the RC passages. I would definitely recommend him as a tutor if you have RC questions/issues, or any other LSAT sections for that matter. He is extremely knowledgeable. BTW, prior to my meeting, I emailed him my specific questions and provided examples including PT# as well as question(s) #s. I would recommend you do the same if you contact him. This is how you can make the most of the tutoring session. An hour flies by! I hope this is helpful to you guys. If you have specific questions, or would like further details, feel free to contact me.

Cool! Thank you so much for quick your response!