Hey ’Sagers.

Here's my situation: I’m 12 PTs in, and I’m scoring generally between high 160s and low 170s (BR usually 178-179). I was hoping to take the exam in December, and my target score is 175+. I am not there, most of all because of LG.

I’m all over the place with LG, and generally way, way under where I want to be, which is starting to unnerve me because I was planning to sit for the exam in six weeks. I’m missing -0 to -8 (last PTs: -4, -2, -0, -8, -7, -7), generally riding these sections out as a pencil-gripping emotional mess, usually not getting to every question and missing others. I’m headed back to review in/out games, lessons I guess I rushed through initially, which is probably why these games in particular are a challenge. I foolproof every game and then go back and do the entire LG section at once to get a feel for proper timing. (Also I should say that I did the foolproof method for every game so far, including those in the core curriculum.) I 'get' the games eventually, it’s the first time around (the, um, one that matters) that I seem to fall apart.

I feel any remaining gains in RC and LR will happen largely through PTing, but also that I should hold off on burning through LG sections until I am more confident on games. So my plan as of right now is to continue to take PTs, skipping the LG sections for now, subbing in a section or two from an older test so I can still get a feel for the full length of the exam. That way I can still work on RC and LR and overall strategy. Then, when I feel more confident on LG, I'll catch up on those sections, adding them as a fifth section to my PTs.

I’m also thinking about going through the LSAT Trainer for just games and wondering if it’s too late to start that. Or maybe getting a tutor in NYC. I’m six weeks out from my desired test date. If I postpone until Feb that means waiting another year to apply, or applying very late, both of which I REALLY do not want to do.

I also realize that at this point that if completing 2 PTs/week on average means I will do only about 24 total PTs before 12/3. I want to get the best possible score (like, obvi), so I’m wondering if I should just plan on moving things to February, maybe applying extremely late or just the next cycle. (Again, I do not want to do this.)

So the questions:

1) How does that 6-week strategy sound? ~2 PTs a week, plus LG ‘bootcamp,’ maybe with The Trainer, waiting to do LG sections until I’m more confident [2 weeks, hopefully, which would give me a month to practice on the actual PTs.])

2) Does anyone recommend adding the LSAT Trainer for LG? Could I get through the games chapters in 2 weeks? Or am I just going to add an unnecessary cook into the kitchen?

3) Would the difference between taking roughly 25 PTs vs 40 PTs warrant postponing applying until February or the next cycle?

4) Has anyone worked with a tutor for LG in NYC and had a positive experience? Again, I’m game-proficient, just not within the time constraints of the exam. Ideally I'd want someone to look at what I've done in past exams, maybe watch me do a section, give me feedback.

Thanks!