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Hi all,

I'm really new to this, just started the Ult+ class on Monday. I'm a little bit confused about the best way to use the curriculum. Should I be completing all of the problem sets during each lesson, or saving some material for later? I am also especially asking about the Intro to Logic section; did people do all the quizzes right away, or save some to circle back to for practicing and studying down the line?

Sorry, I know some variations of this have been asked elsewhere, but I couldn't seem to find an active thread to ask in. I just don't want to miss out on any good techniques!

Thanks!

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Last comment monday, apr 10 2017

Three Months

After browsing several LSAT forums and websites, there seems to some sort of unofficial consensus (though not everywhere) that three months is adequate time to study and prep for the LSAT? The LSAT is a beast of a test and I could not imagine leaning the foundation, taking enough PTs all in three months (without severe burnout), and expecting to do reasonably well. I understand that people can learn at different rates but if the 7sage core curriculum and the 7sage discussion board has taught me is that slow and steady really does win the race. Just wanted to get peoples thoughts on this, I just found it interesting!

2
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Last comment monday, apr 10 2017

Drilling LR from old PTs

I have been thinking about drilling from old PTs. I know it will help, but I was wondering how difficult are the LR questions in the new PTs vs. the old PTs? Should I drill from the new ones instead (60+)? Or should I stick with the old ones (18-)? I want to save the new PTs for full timed tests.

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Last comment monday, apr 10 2017

RC advice?

Hey everyone. So I've been going at it with this test for more than a year now. I used to solely rely on the memory method and no notations, but now for the past few months I've been doing Nicole's notation strategy with a small kick of just writing like 1 or 2 words next to each paragraph (e.g. background info, evidence, and so on).

I haven't seen improvement the way I would like to, and RC is the only section holding me back from getting into the 170's. I'm like a machine on LR and LG, but RC just doesn't seem to want to work with me. I miss mostly detail and inference questions, and I usually can always get the bigger picture questions right such as MP and function of a paragraph ones.

I'm starting to get frustrated as even when I do passage untimed, I still cannot go perfect on them and sometimes miss an embarrassing amount. I read for structure, tone, etc. and all of that good stuff but nothing!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

0

Hello, all! I've been agonizing over this decision the past few weeks and would like some help deciding which school to attend. My narrowed-down options are:

  • Half-tution at Vanderbilt
  • 1/3 tuition at Cornell
  • Columbia, likely with only a little need-based aid
  • My family is unable to make any contribution, I don't have a spouse, and my savings are minimal (only a few years out of undergrad). I'll be financing law school on my own. I'm a Texan, but I'm not set on practicing law in the south. I see myself working in the private sector. I haven't explored PI much, but I would like to have that as an option as well.

    My heart is set on Columbia, but is it truly worth the crippling debt? I attended their ASD, and it seems the most common path is big law for 2-5 years to pay the loans down.

    4

    https://classic.7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-17-section-2-question-14/

    I answered this question correctly under timed conditions but switched my answer during BR. Then I noticed lots of others experienced the same difficulty. Neither AC, B nor C, seems better than the other. JY describes B by saying that it independently explains each phenomena in the stimulus but doesn't resolve the tension between the two. I agree that B doesn't resolve the tension without the help of assumptions, but I don't think the assumptions required for B to be correct are any more egregious than that of C.

    Here are my BR notes. There are two sets, one for B as the correct AC and one for C.

    C correct

    "B: I can see why this AC may be tempting to some people. It's by no mistake that it is placed just before (what I believe in BR) is the correct answer. This is tempting because it says demand increased. That part is pretty relevant to the stimulus, but it doesn't resolve the paradox because it doesn't address how the industry could meet this higher demand with 15% less workforce. Eliminate.

    C: I breezed passed this the first time, but it does seem to do the best job of explaining this paradox. The stimulus says that Ravonia laid off jobs in logging and WOOD PROCESSING. So why is the amount of wood being taken at Ravonia increasing? Because their not playing around with processing -- just cut it and ship it raw. This isn't a great AC because we need to assume that the increase in exports is enough to drive the 10% increase in wood harvesting mentioned in the stimulus. We also need to assume that there are enough loggers to supply this 10% increase. Least bad AC. Correct POE."

    B correct

    "B: Oh man. This is definitely right but I totally missed it and nearly missed it under BR. The acres are lower, so they need fewer workers. The demand is up, so they're cutting more trees. Correct.

    C: I was pretty sure this AC was correct until I started analyzing it in BR. "A growing number" could mean anything. Maybe the amount of unprocessed wood only increased by 1 tree per year. In fact, this says "proportion" which could mean that the total number has remained constant. I latched onto it because I didn't catch the "proportion" error I was making and felt that the reduction in wood processors explained why raw wood exports were increasing. Eliminate."

    0
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    Last comment monday, apr 10 2017

    Crash Course Workshop #6

    Hey 7Sagers, I'm leading another twelve-hour long LR workshop (#6) over four nights (three hours per night) for seven students to provide an intensive and comprehensive overview of all foundational concepts and their application to all types of LR questions.

    Schedule

    Session 1 - May 5, Friday, 7-10pm PST (10pm-1am EST)

    Session 2 - May 6, Saturday, 7-10pm PST (10pm-1am EST)

    Session 3 - May 7, Sunday, 7-10pm PST (10pm-1am EST)

    Session 4 - May 8, Monday, 7-10pm PST (10pm-1am EST)

    Cost

    Free. But! There's a $150 deposit to reserve your spot. If you show up on time and participate for the entire duration of all sessions, your deposit will automatically be refunded fully at the end of the workshop. Otherwise, it is forfeit. Please make sure you can attend the entire 12 hour long workshop.

    #Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: How will you select which five students will participate?

    A: Lottery. If you are interested, please comment below in this thread within 48 hours. If selected for the lottery, you'll have another 48 hours to place the deposit to reserve your spot.

    Q: Who should take this workshop and what will be covered?

    A: Beginners. This means you haven't finished the Core Curriculum yet and you're not starting to take PrepTests yet. Imagine the workshop as a fast paced overview of the entire Core Curriculum that pertains to LR. We'll cover theory and we'll apply that theory to actual LSAT questions. It will be highly interactive and hence the limit of four students. Wherever you are in the Core Curriculum, this a great way to solidify the concepts covered.

    Q: Can I sign up even if I'm not a beginner?

    A: Yes, you can. I'm certain that it'll benefit you to return to concepts covered in the Core Curriculum. I'm also certain that you will find it very slow at times since I will be speaking to students on the assumption that they are beginners.

    Q: Do I need to have a paid 7Sage account to sign up?

    A: Yes, you do. If you have an expired account, message Dillon and see if he's willing to reactivate it for you.

    Q: What materials are used in this workshop?

    A: The workbook that you will be provided with will contain LR questions from PrepTests 54, 55, and 56. Yes, we will be "burning" those PrepTests in order to get a closer look at the modern LSAT.

    Q: What do I need to do to prepare for the workshop if I get in?

    A: You should print the above mentioned workbook. You should be in a quiet space where you can talk freely. You should have a fast internet connection. You should have headphones or earphones ready.

    Q: How do I attend the workshop?

    A: The workshop will be hosted on Amazon's Chime. Instructions and meeting location will be sent to you once you've successfully registered.

    Q: Will there be more workshops in LR / LG / RC in the future?

    A: Yes. This session accommodates east coasters who work during the day. Future sessions will accommodate others.

    2
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    Last comment monday, apr 10 2017

    Biconditionals

    Perhaps I missed something as I do not remember a lesson on biconditionals (double arrows).

    My understanding is that each term is both sufficient and necessary for the other.

    Here are some indicators that I've noted:

    A or B, but not both

    A if, but only if B

    A if and only if B

    A when, only when B

    If A, then B, vice versa

    If A, then B, otherwise not

    Except A, B

    I have seen J.Y. mention "except" and "otherwise" in a video, but I am confused in regards to their usage as a biconditional indicator. In the past I've categorized "except" as a group 3 indicator, so that is causing issues in my thought processes.

    Would someone elucidate these?

    Also, list any other biconditions indicators/ tips that you've encountered.

    Thanks,

    JD

    1
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    Last comment sunday, apr 09 2017

    Decision made

    After much deliberation, I have decided to attend the University Chicago Law School. I came really close to picking Notre Dame because they offered me a near full ride but as others have mentioned before, the doors that Chicago opens are just unmatched by most schools. The debt was a hard thing for me to move beyond but at the end of the day, I think it will all be worth it. I have heard people tell me that I am a dreamer but today that dream becomes a reality.

    23
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    Last comment saturday, apr 08 2017

    PT Suggestions

    I'm planning to take the June LSAT and have started taking PTs. I have the Premium course, which includes up to PT 58. I was curious how many of the newer PTs one would recommend taking to better simulate what the more current test is like. Also, do I need to upgrade my account in order to hear explanations on the newer PTs (59+)? Thanks!

    0

    Are we going to crush PT 72?

    come review the test with us!

    PT 72 Review on Saturday, April 8th at 5PM ET

    Try this first---- https://www.gotomeeting.com/ and then enter the code 617-377-325

    Click here to join this conversation: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/617377325

    Please click the link and comment if you plan on participating.

    You can also dial in to the BR call by using your phone.

    United States: +1 (872) 240-3212

    Access Code: 617-377-325

    The Full Schedule

    And if you’d like to see the full schedule for upcoming sessions, here it is:

    https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=aWw1aWEzYTRkbWdoaDZsa3U3YjBsaDBlZDBAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ

    Note:

  • For everyone: take the PT under timed conditions; BR as you are able on your own; then join us for all or part of the call—everyone is welcome.
  • Note: For the purposes of the call, we like to check our group blind review score together at the very end of the call :) So at least don't say ... "No guys, really, it's D, I checked it.” KEEP THE CORRECT ANSWER TO YOURSELF. Win the argument with your reasoning.
  • These groups work best when folks from ALL stages of prep and with all different goals join in! Not just for "super-preppers" and definitely not just for the casual LSATer (does such a person exist?).
  • The only expectation anyone has for these calls is for you to have fun and ask questions as you desire. We are just a bunch of LSAT lovers who gather via GoToMeeting and intellectually slaughter each test.
  • 0

    When taking a timed Logic Game, it's so easy to just write out the rules, look for quick inferences, and dive into the questions with what, at the time, seems like a good understanding of the rules and how they relate to each other. Unfortunately, it often turns out that I forget about a rule or don't catch some key inferences that were deeper than simply chaining rules together (e.g., seeing the deeper J->(F and R) inference in PT23/Section 1/Game 3). Although it's nice to, due to familiarity, remember more rules and see more inferences when re-doing the game in Blind Review, I'd much rather be able to remember and see them the first time.

    What best practices do you use to internalize the rules during game board setup to help you remember them?

    What best practices do you use for gaining a deeper understanding of the relationships between rules during game board setup?

    0
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    Last comment saturday, apr 08 2017

    I need some advice

    I've been studying seriously since February and am worried about my progress. I started with a 134 cold diagnostic and the highest PT ive gotten is a 156. My score has been stagnant for a while. LR was my weakest section so I focused on that for 2 months and haven't gotten much better (still averaging -12 to -8). I'm not sure what to do since Im registered for the June test. A 160 is all i really want. Should I focus on all sections of the test again or stay focused on LR for now?

    Thanks

    0

    I am nearing the end of the games portion in the CC [total progress %77] and I was wondering if I should have been fool proofing every single problem set or not. I have been studying 55 hour weeks for the past month now and I am still "35 hours" (according to the syllabus) behind in the CC. I think fool proofing the enormous amount of games would take a few weeks.

    I am fully open and willing to take the time and fool proof the hell out of these games, but I was wondering if taking two weeks to get all of them done is worth it if it sets me back two weeks on my study schedule.

    I do realize that the ultimate goal here is it do well on the LSAT and that this method will enable me to do so. But I just feel a bit overwhelmed as I am always behind in the CC, no matter how rigorous I set my my own study schedule.

    Any thoughts?

    0

    I'm working on translations to help with my SA understanding and am using the "find the missing link" exercises by taking the logic and translating them into English before I solve.

    One of them uses:

    /G most W

    W some U

    My question pertains to the premise. My initial thought was to translate it as: "Most things that are not green are wet." Would this be correct? I tried using "unless" but I'm not confident on that one either. I know that "not" is a group 3 negate sufficient but when I use it, it doesn't seem right. Any thoughts?

    Thanks!

    0

    A friend and I were discussing PT68, Section4, Game 3. I was trying to articulate why a chart was needed in that particular game and when to use charts in general. And I discovered that I couldn't explain it clearly. And I think that's a problem. In my mind, it indicates a lack of mastery.

    So, if someone asked you when it's necessary to use a chart and when not to, how would you respond?

    (for those of you who don't know what I mean by "chart", check out the game I mentioned earlier.)

    0

    Hey guys. About to do my first timed LSAT as a diagnostic as per the syllabus. Since this will be the first test I take as well as being the first time I go through actual questions, is blind reviewing worth it? Since I don’t know the tactics to take on LG and RC (etc) , will blind reviewing be worth the time even if I don’t fully understand how to answer the questions?

    0

    Hey looking for a study buddy or to make a study group once a week/every other week or on the weekends.

    I am studying full time 6-7 hours a day including weekends.

    I study at Loyola Marymount University, USC, and Santa Monica College.

    I think it would be good to talk about LR or RC questions/ passages through BR Review with someone.

    If you are determined as I am and interested let me know.

    0
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    Last comment friday, apr 07 2017

    New Student

    Howdy 7 Sagers

    So I signed up for this curriculum about a month ago, and am a little under half way through the core curriculum. Thus far when I take take the problem sets I feel fairly good about them, but some days still feel discouraged. Does this test ever get simpler? Also if anyone is still in their Undergrad, or took this test while in their undergrad, and has tips I would greatly appreciate that. I'm taking the September LSAT and would like to score 165+. Thanks friends!

    1

    Can someone please confirm that I have this chain correct? I became confused with the "cannot" in the first premise. Now I'm presuming "cannot" is modifying the sufficient clause since this premise includes "unless." Please correct me if I'm wrong. I was initially under the impression that cannot was modifying the necessary clause since it is a group 4 indicator.

    AV (Aesthetic Value)

    WM (Whatever Meaning Reader Assigns)

    OE (Objectively Evaluated)

    Premise:

    AV--->~WM

    I was very unclear on the wording in the necessary clause. After looking at this for a while, I determined that at least two readers agreeing on the "correct" interpretation appears to be the logical opposite of a poem having whatever meaning a reader assigns. Still a bit shaky on this though.

    Conclusion:

    EO--->~WM

    Answer Choice D

    EO--->AV

    Chain:

    EO--->AV--->~WM

    https://classic.7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-55-section-3-question-24/

    0

    Know what you know & Be confident!!

    https://media.giphy.com/media/dETbYVzlx8ttm/giphy.gif

    Rely on the strength of your fundamentals and practice to make it happen!!

    Thursday, April 6th, 7PM ET: PT 72

    Hey, Vanessa & I will be covering all sections of the PTs on both Thurs & Sat Study Group sessions! The calls will start with "priority" LR questions for BR requested by anyone attending and then open it up for group dialogue to BR and/or discuss strategy for the RC & LG sections :)

    Click here to join this conversation: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/794287189

    Please comment if you plan on participating.

    You can also dial in to the BR call by using your phone.

    United States +1 (571) 317-3112

    Access Code: 794-287-189

    The Full Schedule

    And if you’d like to see the full schedule for upcoming reviews, here it is:

    https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=aWw1aWEzYTRkbWdoaDZsa3U3YjBsaDBlZDBAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ

    Note:

  • For everyone: take the PT under timed conditions; BR as you are able on your own; then join us for all or part of the call—everyone is welcome.
  • Note: For the purposes of the call, we like to check our group blind review score together at the very end of the call :) So at least don't say ... "No guys, really, it's D, I checked it.” KEEP THE CORRECT ANSWER TO YOURSELF. Win the argument with your reasoning.
  • These groups work best when folks from ALL stages of prep and with all different goals join in! Not just for "super-preppers" and definitely not just for the casual LSATer (does such a person exist?).
  • The only expectation anyone has for these calls is for you to have fun and ask questions as you desire. We are just a bunch of LSAT lovers who gather via GoToMeeting and intellectually slaughter each test.
  • 2

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