Retaking LSAT test after September score, how to improve LR/RC

youngjediintraining

Hi All,

So I have a bit of a problem. I have some natural ability, but I have a tendency to cram. I did all of the 7sage curriculum in a month and a half before the September test and was scoring in my PTs around 169-172. I then got a 167 on the September LSAT. I ran out of time for LG, which I'm not too surprised about, but am now gearing up for a December (or February/June) retake.

These questions are about LR/RC because in LG when I do something wrong I know exactly what and why but I can not for the life of me figure out the same for RC/LR:
I am wondering if it is useful to go through the curriculum again and if you do, how the many lessons stick in your head and solidify as testing strategies for later use? For example, I was horrible at strengthen questions, did the strengthen part of the curriculum, ended up getting those practice questions right, but then forgetting how to do strengthen questions on a PT because I can't hold all of that info together at once. How do you retain all of it or imbed the skills so you can keep them all in mind for a test? Flashcards? I took notes on each question type and how to solve but it didn't help and reading those notes again was like reading something out of context, and of course I can't just re-do the entire curriculum before every test.

I also found that even if I understood JY's explanations and how to solve for a certain problem, I still get it wrong. Does that mean I'm missing some integral link/understanding? How do I fix this? I will get his explanations perfectly and see exactly why he came to an answer in his sample Q but not be able to mirror that. Conversely, even when something is explained, I can't understand why the correct answer is correct still.

Sorry for the long post, I guess it's an awkward point to proceed when you've done something and now need to re-do it but better?

Also, for all of those with the Trainer, did you do his book before JY's curriculum? After? Or during (and if so, how?)

Thank you so much in advance !!!!

AllezAllez21

I think someone would need to know a lot more specifics to give truly pinpoint advice, but I'll throw in a few thoughts.

First, I did read the Trainer, and I did it before 7Sage. I thought it was best for mindset on LR and RC. I would skip the LG stuff.

Generally, if you simply crammed for a month and scored a 167, then you've obviously got talent. What you need is time and determination. You cannot just waltz your way to a super high score. You've got to really spend a lot of time, over time, to let these concepts sink in.

Concentrate on the lessons, take notes, review the notes. Then do drills of practice questions, and don't just do them to get them done. Painstakingly analyze them. It's more than just getting the right answer on a problem set, it's about learning what the LSAT is doing for a question type. Then go back and review your notes, and then do more drills. Repeat over and over and over.

JY mentions this at some point in the course, but the LSAT really cannot be done in 2-3 months for a vast majority of people. I wholeheartedly agree. There is something about the passage of time and the repetition of material that truly solidifies knowledge.

TL;DR: You've got the talent, now spend tons of time over a long period of time to get to mastery.

TaylorAnn

@AllezAllez21 I saw you got a 177 in the September test thread so congrats!

I was wondering if you could tell me how you got good at games? I read somewhere that you fool proofed 1-35 but when did you do it? While you did the CC, after, or during PT phase? Also, did you do all the problem sets after each lesson?

TY!

AllezAllez21

@TaylorAnn Hey there, thanks!

In my mind, LG is truly about doing massive volume (with the correct processes, of course). I started fool proofing once I was done with the LG part of the curriculum, which I think is near the end of the curriculum.

I was about three weeks into fool proofing before I started taking PTs. I was studying for many hours each day, though, so depending on your schedule it could be a longer gap. I kept fool proofing and it took me almost exactly 3 months to complete fool proofing games from PTs 1-35. After that, I continued to do a large volume of games from 1-35 and from the PTs I had already taken. Continued that throughout my preparation.

TaylorAnn

@AllezAllez21 said:
@TaylorAnn Hey there, thanks!

In my mind, LG is truly about doing massive volume (with the correct processes, of course). I started fool proofing once I was done with the LG part of the curriculum, which I think is near the end of the curriculum.

I was about three weeks into fool proofing before I started taking PTs. I was studying for many hours each day, though, so depending on your schedule it could be a longer gap. I kept fool proofing and it took me almost exactly 3 months to complete fool proofing games from PTs 1-35. After that, I continued to do a large volume of games from 1-35 and from the PTs I had already taken. Continued that throughout my preparation.

TY so much Allez

Can I ask what times each day you would dedicate to studying? I have a free schedule as I prep for the LSAT full time. Additionally, how many games/sections did you do per day while fool proofing?

AllezAllez21

@TaylorAnn

I dedicated a lot of time each day. Usually 7-12 hrs a day in the beginning, and then probably more like 4-7 hrs a day once I was in the PTing phase.

I did 3 sections of LG per day. However, I didn't repeat the game like the conventional fool proof approach calls for. Instead, I just did the game, watched JY's explanation, and then moved on to the next game.

jennybbbbb

@AllezAllez21 said:
@TaylorAnn

I dedicated a lot of time each day. Usually 7-12 hrs a day in the beginning, and then probably more like 4-7 hrs a day once I was in the PTing phase.

I did 3 sections of LG per day. However, I didn't repeat the game like the conventional fool proof approach calls for. Instead, I just did the game, watched JY's explanation, and then moved on to the next game.

I have been studying since early September and plan to write the December test so I need to find the most time effective method to study LG right now.

I was just wondering what you meant by doing three games a day and just watching the video explanation afterwards? Did you repeat the game after watching the video explanation? or did you move on to different games and just hoped that you would learn from watching the video explanation for each game. Clearly it worked out for you if you have received that score by just cramming for one month, which by the way is amazing!

I have the LSAT Trainer but haven't used it yet, but I think I should since I am struggling with RC right now. Still drilling away for LR right now though.

AllezAllez21

@jennybbbbb So I did not cram for one month. I studied super hard for over 7 months. Hundreds and hundreds of hours. I was referencing the OP's post where they said they crammed.

I actually did 12 games per day. I did not repeat the game after watching the video, instead I worked in a cycle of PT 1-18 so I did each game every ~6 days. I found this was better for me because there was a bit more novelty to each game attempt without losing all familiarity. I think doing it the traditional fool proof way is great too. Find a way that works for you. The key is just to make sure you getting enough volume and repetition.

I liked the Trainer for RC. It gets at important underlying mindset for both RC and LR.

youngjediintraining

@AllezAllez21 thank you so much for your advice! I do want to ask, since you did the trainer and then 7sage, did you even bother doing 7sage LR and RC? How did you find it conflicted/helped? Obviously JY and Mike don't write their content together so how did you keep the trainer in your head after doing 7sage? Did you go back and read it? I also did trainer twice over before 7sage but found myself confused mixing both, how did you manage balancing the two? Or did you just then go more into 7sage and forget about the trainer? If you started all over again would you even bother with the trainer or just go straight to the 7sage curriculum? Thanks again in advance!!!! Your advice really helps!