PT 31, Game 2: the legally blonde game! It has lots of bi/multi-conditional statements and a lot of moving parts.

LG - RC - LR. @ I was getting worried when I didn't see anyone else have the same sections as me! I thought the RC black hole passage was rough...but then again, this is usually my worst section. I second the games part: I didn't have a ton of time left at the end, but I didn't have to rush through any portion. The last question I knew I wouldn't have time to really flesh out so I guessed, but besides that I only flagged 2 questions so I'm hopeful!

I felt good after taking the test, and now I've talked myself into feeling like I may have done terrible...anyone else?? lol

How amazing!! Congrats!!

I feel these days it's hard to sort through the mess of the media. I try to read a articles online (I can't do CNN/Fox news on tv...too much yelling) from a variance of political leanings. I do this for two reasons: I like to hear opinions other than my own and I feel it's important to hear all sides of the problem to get a better perspective. Second, I find that you can sort through the opinions and find commonalities when you read about the same issue in multiple publications. For more moderate/less left or right leaning media, I use the Associated Press. BBC, Bloomberg, and Financial times can also provide some interesting perspectives.

I'v also received info about University of Maryland, private Southern California schools (they're doing a combined one), and University of San Diego.

I definitely have a more laid back approach to waking up my brain, but I think it's a really solid idea. I work out and meditate before I study because I feel that it wakes me up in a similar way to studying and so the transition feels less abrupt. I plan on doing light review (reviewing RC tips and maybe doing 1 or 2 LR questions prior). If I do too much, I tend to get a in a place where, if I don't do my best, I start to think of worst-case scenarios that are possible. For me, this is why my "warm up" is more focused around "waking up" through physical exercise and meditation.

@ I don't believe you're allowed to leave the room once you've started your room check, so I would just bring a mirror if you can.

Hey! I have felt a lot of similar anxiety leading up to the test (I'm taking it Sunday), and I've found that walking my dog has been a form of meditation. I've found that when I'm walking, I very easily forget about the LSAT because I'm paying attention to my surroundings instead of my anxious thoughts. Best of luck!

Congrats on Cornell, and thanks for the great advice!

Hey! I'm not a high scorer by any means, but I've been able to get my LG to around -2 most of the time. I did this simply by doing games over and over again. I think the repetition really helps you see patterns and recognize when you've maybe missed something. I think the repetition also helps with speed. I've used foolproofing as well as just doing a ton of different types of games untimed to allow myself time to work through difficult games and figure out the logic on my own. Best of luck!

Also, I can tell you from personal experience, sometimes you just have a tough day. It may be hard to focus, or there's some super loud buzzing noise in the background, or it's been a tough week at work and your down. It's just one score and you can recover from it.

Yes, I have experienced fluctuations. When I have a major fluctuation (up or down) I usually take a look at how hard each section was rated in the analytics section. 9 out of 10 times in my case it was related to having a super hard or super easy section.

Interested! Especially in how to improve in RC.

I am interested!

Hey! I'm a recruiter and I see both things happen all the time. While I personally understand your career goals (and can relate when someone brings this up when I interview them), it's because I also have that aspiration. However, I've worked with many other recruiters, and this is what I think you should keep in mind: you may talk to someone who's dream job it is to work at that company. It may come across as insensitive or rude if you basically tell them that this is just a stepping stone in your grand plan. However, if you notify them down the road, it's more explainable as a career change because of the great experiences you've gained at that job. I would highly recommend you do not tell them. If they ask about your long-term or 5-year plan, tell them about the financial independence and gaining [insert skills here]. You can always allude to uncertainty in a professional manner by saying that you're "open to new and exciting opportunities." If you have any other questions, feel free to message me!

I've heard midnight as well. I've also read on multiple sites that they close on midnight of the last day they're open.

@ I started out the same place as you! I struggled when I would only tackle one part of the test for too long and would neglect the other sections. I second what @ said: LG is the easiest place to improve on, and repetition is key! I made leaps and bounds at the beginning of COVID when I forced myself to take a lot more tests than I normally would (2-3x week). While I wouldn't recommend that for everyone, I think the reason why I saw so much improvement during that period was for two reasons: first, because of the repetition with LG, and second, because it helped me get rid of the anxiety surrounding taking the test. I also made a 3-month study plan that detailed what I was going to do each study session to keep myself on the right track. Good luck! You've got this!!

@ I totally understand. I'm looking at SoCal schools because my husband and I are trying to settle down there and he has orders to be stationed there for the next 4 years. Cost of living is definitely high! As for Boston and Chicago: they're both such great cities! Might the job prospects outweigh cost of living in the long run?

This is awesome, thanks!

I do the same thing sometimes, so I've just recently started keeping a wrong answer journal and forcing myself to answer why I'm getting them wrong, not just saying "I misread it/read it wrong." I've heard that this helps!

I've never heard of what you're describing--that sounds insane! The highest I heard for a starting score were 1) a friend of mine who started with a 162, but this was after he had taken the GMAT , and had been studying for the GMAT for 4 months, and 2) on the Thinking LSAT podcast, Nathan (the co-host) once referenced a friend of his who I believe was a logistician and got a 164 without studying. Whoever, those people are (if they exist), they probably won't be on 7Sage!!

p.s. my friend who scored the 162 the first time ended up with a final score of 173 after 3 months of studying and is now at Harvard. You don't have to be one of those people who immediately scores in the 170s to get into a crazy good law school!

Maybe try meditation? That's really help me get my mind right before taking a test. It also helps me focus when I start to feel the mental fatigue.

Are there any splitters here that have received admission to SoCal schools??

@ we have very similar stats! It's good to hear that you are in at some great schools. Being a splitter is so scary! I had to take a bunch of non-major calculus-based courses for my scholarship and it tanked my undergrad GPA to a 2.86. I did a bunch of other things like received departmental honors and I've been serving for 6 yrs now, so I'm hoping that will counterbalance the GPA. Did you write a GPA addendum, and do you feel that it helped you? I have one written and was really careful to state facts and not complain or do the "oh woe is me" trope, but I'm still very nervous. Any tips for splitter applications are appreciated!

@ thanks for the specific advice! I've held seven positions in six years (I'm military, and we have "collateral" duties (aka side projects/jobs) in addition to main jobs, which add up to be a lot. Plus, some of these things take some explanation since their unique to the military and I think most people would not understand what a job entailed unless I explained it. All of my jobs have 3-4 bullet points. Thanks everyone, for all of the advice: looks like it'll be two pages!