The July LSAT is upon us.... and despite my satisfactory gains in LG and LR (thanks 7sage), my reading comprehension is still dismal.

So I'm asking my fellow 7sagers.. throw it all out on the table! What last ditch attempts could I try to pick up a few extra points in RC? I don't think there's much that could hurt me in terms of RC at this point so hit me with your best shot lol.

I know there are many long term study strategies to build a more sustainable understanding of RC and I'm committed to retaking and mastering RC the RIGHT way. But as for now, if you have any test taking tips that have helped you to gain a few extra points on RC I would love the hear them!

Good luck to all my fellow July test takers. May the wind be at your back and the odds in your favor!

Why not D? if (D) wasn't true and not all scientific investigators received a grant, then wouldn't that mean serendipity can play a role in scientific discovery? Since they would not have to make clear projections and disregard info not directly related to their research.

Admin note: edited title

I took my first PT Ever after completing the CC a couple days ago and got a 149 ( I didn't take a diagnostic prior to starting the course).. my score was bad mainly because I missed an entire game (printing issue) and I was kind of panicking at first because it's the first time I've gone through a full length PT before. I BRd the PT after and my score went up to a 153. I'm registered for the September LSAT and I can devote as much time as I want (I've been doing around 6-8 hrs everyday 6 days a week) but I don't think I would be comfortable pushing to November because I have to go back to school and I want to keep my GPA up. I'm aiming for a 160 at least, but obviously the higher my score the better. I'm strong in Logic Games but I get some roadblocks with the very difficult RC passages and some LR questions. Also I've been studying since April 15 so I don't necessarily feel like I crammed for time but I am getting close to the test date... Some general advice on how I can improve, how to overall manage my time with regards to studying (taking tests, doing drills) , etc would be much appreciated

Thanks guys

Hey guys,

I’m taking the test in a few days and I am disconcerted by extreme test variation. I took C2 and got a 175 then took test 77 today and got a 167. On tests in the 50s I invariably get in the 170s, but in tests in the 70s and 80s I get mid to upper 160s. I can’t find a pattern in what I’m getting wrong on these tests. Does anyone have ideas about what makes these tests different than I can drill and focus on?

Thanks in advance!

Jessica

I do not understand why b is correct. Can someone help me understand why b is supported. Thank you for the help

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It takes me about 5.5--6.5 minutes to do a set of four PAI questions (without bubbling in the answers). So while I'm not doing terribly on time, I'd definitely like to cut 10-15 seconds on my PIA questions. Are charts a bad way to approach these questions under timed conditions? Any suggestions?

As for strengthening.. just... help.

Hey guys!

Recently, we've seen many comments with #help go unanswered. We would appreciate it if you could answer some of them (assuming you have access to the course)! :)

https://classic.7sage.com/recent-questions/

"Teaching is the highest form of understanding."

-Aristotle (maybe)

Answering questions can help you revisit fundamental concepts and can help make sure you understand them!

Thank you!

I took my first PT after the curriculum -- my score was one point less than my diagnostic score, and my BR was the same as my BR for my diagnostic. Needless to say, I'm disappointed and beating myself up about it, but really the only choice is to just keep swimming, right?

Anyway, I listened to Josh's webinar on post curriculum study strategies, and in Phase 1 (my BR is below my target), he recommends returning to the curriculum, doing question type drills, and then doing untimed section drills. The webinar was really helpful, but I'm still a bit unclear as to how to use these suggestions to try to improve LR, since the questions I'm having trouble with are kind of all over the place (though of course some are higher priority than others).

Is it better to just re-do the entire curriculum, (since it's clear I don't have all the fundamentals down), or structure my studying to pertain to the specific question types that are of highest priority to the lowest?

The study schedule post curriculum is essentially full PTs, but at this point, I'm not sure if they'll help me much with regard to where I currently am with my score. Is it ok to lay off taking PTs until after I re-do the curriculum, or should I still be taking full PTs even while I'm still in Phase 1? I recall the recommendation to be a PT every 2 weeks or so, but I'm not sure if this is once someone gets to Phase 2? I don't want to risk burning through all the material and psyching myself out by taking PTs before I'm ready, but I also don't want to end up psyching myself out if the next time I see a PT is after the curriculum.

Is it ok to use some of the 50+ PTs for section drills, or would this be wasting new material? What material do you use to drill?

If anyone can please share and elaborate a bit more on what your approach was post curriculum, I'd really appreciate it! Thanks so much!

So basically I followed the guidelines on LSAC's page where you upload your admission ticket photo. This is the photo on my admission ticket.

I just read the instructions on the extra pages printed when you print your admission ticket and it says that "The photo must have been taken within the last six months." I did not see that requirement on the page where I uploaded the photo. The photo meets all other requirements, looks like me, etc. But now I'm freaking out.

I know what you're thinking--- how will they know that I didn't take it within the last six months? Well because I've used the same photo for other LSATs before. I guess I was just stupid and didn't realize one of the requirements until now. So now I'm like freaking out. Anyways, I was let in the other times like normal. I also wear glasses to the exam and in my photo I don't wear glasses but I am recognizable otherwise. I think I'll be okay lol but I'm still scared. I think worse comes to worst, there will just be a delay in reporting my score if LSAC realizes it's an old photo. But I don't think proctors will have any other materials to distinguish us from besides their roster with our LSAC photos next to our name. Like I'm saying I don't think they will get to see how old the photo was or if it had been used for another administration. But what do I know?

I'm so scared lol.

Hi friends! I'm looking for advice/suggestions from those of you with backgrounds in liberal arts, law, humanities, art, and social sciences.

My background is in science/tech, which makes the science passages in RC a relief, but has left me struggling with the passages focused on specific artists, art history, social science etc.

I see people posting about reading The Economist and other tech/science journals to increase their understanding and stamina with those subjects, but haven't seen a consensus on reading material for the humanities. I've been reading the New Yorker and more prose-heavy books, but am lost otherwise. What are your suggestions? Thanks!

Hey all. I’ve been studying for this test since Feb 2017. It’s been nearly 15 months. I started at 142, and worked my way up to 167-171.

At first, my RC and LR were right where I wanted them to be: -2/-4 for RC and -6/-8 for LR. My LG were bad, so I brought them up to -0 consistently.

But now, for the last month, I’ve seen scores ranging from 160-164 with huge score hits in RC (-7/-10) and LR (-10/-12). I haven’t neglected them whilst improving the LG though! I look back at my weak areas and drill question types. But when I take the test, I go blank. The only thing that stays consistently -0 is games.

I even practice my PTs at my test center since it’s a public campus! I freak out. I panic. I run out of time. It doesn’t seem to click. I’m beginning to feel so nervous for Monday. I’m not sure what happened.

I have my last PT scheduled for tomorrow. I’m going to try to work backwards in LR because I need a new method and I tend to lose all my points in LR in bundles (#20-#25 wrong in a row)

I’m feeling so sad and confused. :( I worked so hard and came so far, to randomly be choking like this would crush me considering how much time I put into this thing.

I have been studying for the LSAT a month now (10 hours + per day) and I am going to take the test Sep 8th.

I already build the fundamentals for all sections (with practice questions for each of course) but I only took one full PT for diagnostic. I still feel I need more practice on assumption type questions and RC. I was thinking to start hitting PT after I am done with building the skills and the fundamentals (which will be July 22). Do you think that's a good idea? and will i have enough time to practice more questions until Sep 8?

I have been studying to take the November 2018 LSAT and I have some concerns regarding my chances of admission to Canadian schools.

First off, I graduated from the University of Oregon with a cumulative GPA of 2.93. Yes, I am painfully aware of how low my grades compare to every median. I do not have a high GPA because I suffered from clinical depression as a freshman and it tanked my average. It reached the point where the UO actually kicked me out of school and I had to petition to get back in after a year of community college.

I went to a psychologist and psychiatrist, received the help I needed and got myself enrolled in classes at Lane. After a year, I managed to get back into the University where I performed great and received A's and B's. I earned a 3.8 in my last year, a 4.13 in my last term and wrote a kickass undergraduate thesis.

Despite all of that, I am feeling discouraged that even with a solid explanation for my low overall GPA and a strong trend line upon my return, I will be unable to attend school. I am going to hit this test as hard as I can, but I am not sure how rigid schools will be regarding GPAs.

I am curious if any of you have a similar predicament to mine or know how strict Canadian schools are with their medians. I know UBC has a discretionary category and most other schools only take certain portions of an applicant's overall GPA.

Any help or information would be greatly appreciated! Also, good luck to you all!

Hi everyone,

Just thought I'd share some things I've learned in the course of studying for LR and that I'm really excited about!

I would like to say that I did go -1 on both LRs on my diagnostic and since then have only fluctuated in the -4 to 0 range. But I REALLY, REALLY want to emphasize that it didn't mean that I necessarily understood what I was doing or that I was any kind of master. I have no doubt that some of these good scores, especially on my diagnostic, had a lot more to do with luck.

I know this because I realize that my mindframe taking an LR section now is so, so different than before. 42 sections of LR later, and I can FEEL the way my brain has changed. 905 of the time now, I can already guess what the correct answer is going to be before I even start reading the multiple choice options. Whereas before, I used to run out of time, I finish with minutes to go... sometimes even 10 minutes left. Now, the only questions I get wrong are the really hard ones -- like 5-circle-difficulty scale hard. I want to emphasize that it's not because I'm any kind of genius, but because of tips, a lot of which I've learned from all of you.

Things that have helped:

Anyway, I'm making this post because I want to emphasize that I really feel like my brain has changed. I feel so much more confident in my LR skills, not like I'm blundering my way through and hoping. For those of us who aren't happy with your scores, it's completely possible to improve! And for those of us who did well at first, there's still probably room for improvement. Thanks everyone!

I'm looking at this (https://classic.7sage.com/admissions/lesson/when-to-write-a-non-required-addendum/?ss_completed_lesson=14725) lesson in the admissions course and I feel like I might be in a gray area. I think I'm pretty bad on standardized tests and, like everyone else who considers writing an addendum for a low LSAT score, I feel my score isn't representative of my intelligence or my ability to excel in law school. The lesson says the following and I think I might fall in this camp and would like your opinions on this:

If you have a history of scoring low on standardized tests but performing very well in school—for example, you scored a 14 on the ACT, but got straight As in difficult classes—you have legitimate grounds for writing an addendum.

My earlier standardized test scores have been all over the place but they have never been exceptional. While I didn't get a 14 on my ACT, I got a 24 and 25 on my first and second takes, respectively. My SATs went from as low as 1690 to as high as 1850. While an 1850 isn't horrible, there's still some room for improvement. I got into a top school and took some pretty hard classes and finished with an LSDAS GPA of 4.0+. What do you guys think about writing a low LSAT score addendum on these grounds?

Hey everyone, Across my studies, one thing that I have tried to do with LR is to look at arguments as repetitions of older forms of arguments. Trying to distill the argument in front of us down to something we are familiar with for me has been a real key to building my competence in LR. Competence leads to confidence, which shaves off time. Some of these forms are form that appear on nearly every exam: a sufficient/necessary confusion, the valid argument forms etc. Some are bit more rare.

My test dates are coming up (I’m scheduled to take both the July and the September exams) and I wanted to make a few posts about some specific (albeit rare) argument forms I have come across in my studies. This post will be dedicated to an argument form I have tentatively called the “tether” form. I am unaware of any other effort to specifically isolate and categorize this form or the others I have planned to post on in the coming weeks: although it is certainly possible that others closely studying the exam have indeed done so, maybe others have even named the form.

The basic analogy I want to build on here for the “tether” argument is this:

Imagine I have presented you with the following argument:

The New York Jets football team had an amazing record last year, after all, they finished with the same record as the Chicago Bears last year.

At bottom, I have tethered the claim in my conclusion to an unstated/unknown dock in the premise. A necessary assumption here would be that the Chicago Bears had an amazing record. Because the Jet and the Bears are both equal, if this assumption were not true, we would be tethering the Jets to a non-amazing record, which would defeat the argument. *_Note here to NFL fans, I am aware that in the real world this isn't exactly a necessary assumption because The Jets and Bears are in different divisions and the same record could be worth more in the AFC East etc, nice catch if you were thinking this, but: play along with the general gist of the argument for me please ;-) _

Going further: around this unstated assumption we can construct: weakening answer choices and strengthening answer choices. So in short, before we get into some examples: If I tell you that something is popular or great because it is similar to something else, I better have told you that that other things is popular or great, because by virtue of how a premise functions, I am “tethering” the subject of my conclusion to that in the premise.

Take a look at the structure of PT 56-3-10, where we have this very same outline slightly obscured by the usual LSAT tricks:

-Premise: because we have the same income from sales of t-shirts as these other series

-Conclusion: Our concert has popular appeal

With this knowledge in hand, we can see that what the argument has assumed is that the subject in which we have tethered the subject of our conclusion to in the premise, does indeed possess the property that we discussed in our conclusion.

Remember: because the Jets had the same record as the Bears, therefore the Jets had am amazing record.

We might also be asked to weaken this argument structure.

Pt 51-1-8

Here we conclude: sugar does not cause hyperactivity in population x

On the basis of: the behavior of sugar is tethered to the behavior of sugar substitutes.

Here, the credited response is simply a denial of the tethered assumption. In short: sugar is like a sugar substitute, therefore sugar does not do Y.

There is an infamous example that is slightly more complicated than the others on PT 37-1-19:

Here we have essentially “tethered” hatha yoga to traditional self help groups. And on the basis of that tethering, we conclude that hatha yoga is “powerful.”

There are other arguments that fit this form. These are just a few memorable examples.

In conclusion, my recommendation here would be to take the examples of this form of the argument and study them. Committing this form to memory takes only a few minutes of focused study and paid me dividends on PT 82, where I was able to spot a “tether” argument, answer it quickly and efficiently and move on to other questions that demanded more time from me. If you are able to do the same, please comment below with the question on PT 82 where the tether assumption is located: this is how you will know that you have successfully committed this form to memory. Carrying an understanding of a argument form forward is an important tool on the road to competence on LR.

David

Hi guys. I am scheduled to take the July and September test and I have been studying since January. My biggest current problem seems to be that I can't focus to save my life. Practice test are harder just cause my mind wanders consistently .I will read a question stem and then I'll have to read the premise multiple times for it to stick and I'm wasting valuable time .recently I've had the urge to just skip to the LG section just cause it's easier to focus on and work .I have like a month and a half left and I really want to pick up the pace and focus on improving.

Are there any study groups on the Charlotte and lake Norman area?

Hi all - So I've been studying my butt off since January and will be taking the test on Monday and also am registered in September.

My greatest fear, which is something I have been worried about since the beginning, is getting absolutely stuck on a logic game and thus ruining my overall score. It does occasionally happen (e.g. last night on PT 79 when I missed a quarter of the questions), and I end up with like a -8 or -9. Yet, I have gotten plenty of great scores on LR sections during PT including a -0, -1, -2, etc.

So I am seeking strategies if something like this occurs. Usually, when it does, it's because I can't figure out how to properly split a game board (or if I even should split), and/or I am just paralyzed in determining a proper approach to the questions. Furthermore the game just feels like it is beyond my ability to solve.

Overall I have probably spent more time working on Logic Games than anything else, so I would hate to crumble on this section! Especially because I am feeling more or less confident with my abilities on the other 2 sections.

Thanks all would love to hear your thoughts!

Hey everyone. I'd greatly appreciate it if I could get your advice on my situation regarding whether it's worth seeking accommodations.

I was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety disorder in the summer of 2015, and was put on anti-depressants; and eventually beta blockers and lorazepam (a benzo). The first time I studied for the LSAT was from Jan-May 2016 and used the LSAT trainer, with hopes of writing the exam in June. My highest PT was 156, and so I postponed the exam. I then studied from June to December, and used 7Sage. I sought a fresh start, while also focusing on my weaknesses. I just couldn't seem to break the 150's barrier. I eventually wrote the LSAT in June, and this time I tried Kaplan (which I learnt was a big mistake) from Feb to May because i felt an in-person class with homework would keep me further on my toes. However, i cancelled because i knew i bombed it. I won't blame my performance entirely on my diagnosed mental disability, but it definitely does not help. I was determined to get into the 160's, and used Powerscore from July to August, and registered for the September exam. I cancelled, because i just could not break into the 160's. At the time, I put down my failure to get a high score on the fact that i was on medication. I know that it's supposed to level the playing field, but I was having trouble connecting logical chains, and I eventually learnt that SSRI's and other anti-depressants can in fact impair or inhibit your ability to perform at your best cognitively. My doctor suggested that i taper off the medication. I did, and studied without them. Here's where it gets tricky: without the medication, i think more clearly if even just a bit, but my depressive and anxious symptoms increase a bit as well. It's a cycle. I get depressed because I can't get the score I want, and if I take anti-depressants to combat those feelings, my brain feels fuzzy and I feel mentally jaded, lethargic and foggy. The best analogy I can give is to imagine driving in your car on a clear night with the lights on full beam, but you only can only see fog everywhere. That's how I felt. I wasn't even overly stressed, maybe the same as any other student studying for the LSAT. My brain just felt heavy and my mental clarity seemed to be fading every time I studied. Perhaps other people with depression/anxiety can relate?

I tried different study methods, different courses/prep courses, and for two years I did meditation, yoga, healthy eating. and exercising. Unfortunately nothing helped, and I eventually wrote the LSAT in December while using Powerscore. During the exam, I experienced the same emotions i did while writing PT's and the September exam: trouble concentrating and retaining information, reading sentences various times to understand it, misreading words, reading words but not actually grasping what they mean. I expected the worst, and unsurprisingly, I got a 153. I feel like I've exhausted all my options now, and that it would be pointless to take another prep course or keep studying. No matter how many hours I put in, how many different methods I try, how many times I change my lifestyle/habits, nothing works. I didn't seek accommodations before because I didn't think I needed them or that anything was wrong with me. I just kept thinking that I wasn't trying my best or focusing enough. However, I learnt that mental illness and its treatments can definitely have an impact on the way you think, react to and grasp information. Another analogy I can give is to imagine a big square with a small circle placed in the center. The circle is my brain power when I'm studying/taking PT's, and the surrounding area is the fog/haziness I experience.

Now, do you think its worth seeking accommodations? I was only diagnosed in my 3rd year of university, so I don't have any prior history or proof of receiving previous accommodations. I only have notes from my psychiatrist and family doctor. I majored in History, and so I didn't really need accommodations during exams, because I was mostly assessed on essays and group work. Also, the fact that I got 153 definitely does not help. Do you guys think its worth paying $1800 for an upcoming psychoeducational assessment and seeking accommodations, or does the fact that I scored just a bit above average hinder my chances now?

My apologies for such a long read, but I do not know who else to ask.

I recently got aproval for time accommodations for the September lsat. Problem is I’m taking the July lsat with out the accommodations. Do you think if I get a good mark on the July they will relinquish my accommodations?

Hey everyone. I'm in the RC section of the CC currently and was wondering if anyone has access to the "template" that @"Accounts Playable" references in his webinar? I can't seem to locate where it is. Thanks a lot!

So if you print PTs from 7Sage, in the LG section, you have a giant margin at the bottom of at least one, usually both, pages to do all your scratch work. In the prep test books supplied by LSAC, there's hardly any room. Which one reflects how much space you get on the actual test?

What’s your schedule from today to test day on Monday? I did my last PT (84) today and scored what i typically score. No ugly or sexy surprises. Tomorrow, i have plans to go to my doctor appointment, read the economist, drill one section for confidence and meditate.

On Thursday, I’m getting a facial, meditating, watching movies. Then Friday-Saturday i will be reading the economist and meditating and doing 1-2 confidence sections as well as preparing my zip loc bag with test day stuff. Sunday night — nothing — will probably binge watch a show or something.

What are y’all doing?

I was just rewatching suits and when rachel got her rejection letter from Harvard I realized that Sheila really must have held it against loius even though she claimed she didnt. Rachel had a 172 , I'm assuming a stellar GPA from a top undergrad and she is a URM.

I'm no conspiracy theorist but.....