Plan of Action for the Next Few Months (looking for some input)

eshanpatel96

So...

I am currently on spring break, and plan on being 100% done with the curriculum by the weekend. My first week back I have a couple exams so just going to go over a few logic games sections and some reading comp sections to stay fresh. Then I am thinking every Friday (no classes on Friday) I take a practice exam, and during the day Saturday (potentially into the early portions of the following week) Blind Review and then go back over stuff in the curriculum (or other resources) that I feel like I struggled in. Then rinse and repeat until June 12th (possibly upping my practice test number per week as I get closer and when classes end).

Does this seem like a solid plan of action? I have taken two practice exams (scored 154, 160) so far, and went through a whole LSAT book (The LSAT Trainer by Mike Kim). I plan on taking it again in September depending how my score is in June. Any input would be appreciated!

TimLSAT180

This sounds like a solid plan. As a fellow college student, I also know how difficult it is to balance classes and studying for the LSAT, so I have total respect for you. My spring break starts this weekend, so I'm planning on going full LSAT mode starting Saturday. I think it's good to start off slow by taking 1PT a week and doing an intensive BR review. I know Sage Josh has the best advice when it comes to people who are seeking help and have just gotten through the CC. But really, I think if you go slowly and really try to absorb everything and keep re-evaluating your knowledge of the fundamentals then you'll be in good shape. Don't forget that postponing until September is a completely viable plan! Good luck!

eshanpatel96

Thanks for the input. Makes me feel al little less stressed to know that my game plan is solid. Hopefully this Sage Josh guys makes an appearance here, would love to hear his input as well. Good luck in your studies and testing as well!

TimLSAT180

Doing PTs is a way of simulating the real test conditions by taking the "full exam" proctored and timed just like the test day, whereas drilling is the approach to address certain weaknesses after PTs' results have revealed them. Let's say you finished the CC and felt pretty good about it, but the PT's result saying you are actually not that great with MSS questions (got most of them wrong) in comparison to other question types, that's where you would wanna go focus on those particular weaknesses of yours by drilling those specific question types. So here is the distinction. I do believe older materials (below PT38) are more appropriate for the purpose of drilling since you would wanna save newer ones for PTing. A personal recommendation is that I would make sure to get solid on the LG first before jumping into PTs as you you might form bad habits on that section if otherwise. But this is just my personal approach/preference, I'm sure ppl work differently tho.

I would recommend check out Can't get right's 3-phases study plan, below is phase 1 which I believe might serve you well upon the completion of the CC;

"In your first stage of PTing, your BR score is the thing you really want to watch. Your first goal in the PT phase should be to push your BR score to at least around +5 of your target score. Don't worry so much about your timed score, that is testing things you haven't addressed yet. During your timed sections, maximize your avoidance of confidence errors: So that means mark for BR any question you truly are -100% certain on. After each PT/BR, evaluate your test to see what you missed and why. Use that information to identify your weaknesses. Take that knowledge back into the curriculum, back to drills, back to fundamentals. This is really still more an extended curriculum phase than it is PTing, but it's using your PT performance for a much more targeted approach within the curriculum. 1 PT a week for most of us. Any more than that and you're probably failing to adequately address your weaknesses. When you feel confident you've made improvements, take another PT and repeat the process. Once your BR score is above your target score, that means you have sufficient understanding of the material being tested."

This is from another post that I think will help you out.

TimLSAT180

"So maybe the biggest part of what I mean is when, why, and how often we are taking PTs. Think of each PT as a fully contained study cycle. The cycle should go something like:

PT
BR
Analyze Performance
Develop Study Plan
Study

Most folks take a PT, and then if they're really doing well they'll do a solid BR. From there, the vast majority of people will move on to the next PT. But in that PT, there's still a lot of information that is being left behind. It's not enough to correct your mistakes, you now need to identify what the underlying and ongoing problems are that are leading to those mistakes. I've never worked with someone and found that their mistakes are random. There are always very specific things that, if addressed, will correct multiple errors across their body of performance. After each PT, it is vital to analyze our mistakes as a whole and look for the threads running through them. Once we've done that, we need to develop a plan to address them. And then we need to address them. Only take a new PT when you feel confident that you can eliminate old mistakes and improve your score."

This is also from another post that Sage Josh wrote. His advice is gold!

eshanpatel96

Thanks for pulling that out for me! Ill def reference it starting next week. I think my mindset/plan of action about embarking on these PT's resemble what was said in these past posts, so def feeling even better.

Cant Get Right

Hey, Sage Josh here! Thanks for the citations @TimLSAT180 , I'm glad you've found my post CC stuff useful!

So I think most of what I have on the subject is here, and I do think your original plan is actually pretty good @eshanpatel96 . So, what are you hoping to score on test day? Your target score really defines where in all this you fall. If you're aiming for a 160, then you're close and you may actually want to be a little more aggressive with your study plan. If you're aiming for 170+, you're in a very common situation that many, many testers find themselves in.

In that scenario, the truth is that for an overwhelming majority of us, the amount of time between now and June isn't going to be enough. There are a few ways to respond to this fact.

1. What I did for my first and second takes was simply to assume that I was not included in the "overwhelming majority of us." My study schedule was built entirely on ego rather than the data suggesting that I was not, in fact, uniquely special. I don't recommend this path having been down it, but it's a shockingly common one.

2. A lot of people accelerate their schedules by compressing their studies. This is actually counter productive, and this route is destined to end in a plateau long before breaking 170. A 170+ score takes true mastery and can't be achieved by sacrificing depth for speed.

3. Commit to the date: Decide you're taking in June, prepare to the best of your ability within that time (without engaging in either response 1 or 2), and be at peace with whatever score you get below your target score. I'm totally okay with this because it's based in reality and pragmatism.

4. Commit to your score: This is what I did after wasting my first two attempts with strategy number one. I decided I was scoring 170+, and I would take the test when I was prepared to do so. At that point, I slowed down and did the work right. I evaluated my progress and level of ability on cold, hard empirical evidence. Given that your LSAT score can shape the direction of the entire rest of your life, I tend to lean towards suggesting this path unless there are compelling reasons not to.

eshanpatel96

Hey Sage Josh,
Thanks for the reply! Your advise is definitely something I will keep in mind going forward. My aim is 165+ and I think I can nail it in June. If not, I'll just keep studying and hit it in September.

extramedium

@TimLSAT180 said:
really try to absorb everything and keep re-evaluating your knowledge of the fundamentals

What exactly do you mean by the fundamentals and can you recommend any curriculum sections or supplemental material (Trainer, tutorials, etc.)? I think this is really what I need right now. Going back and working on the flaw section in the Trainer atm.