Mid 170+ scorers... closing the BR gap? Update: the trend continues... tutor recommendations?

canihazJD

Those of you who were able to close a consistent 10+ point gap in your actual/BR score to break to the mid 170s, what would you recommend focusing on?

Sample of recent PT/BR scores: 170/178, 167/178, 170/180, 165/179, 166/176, 168/180. Edit: since posting 169/180, 166/177

My range on all sections is -0 to -3ish except games which I can swing a -1 on a solo timed section about 60% of the time. On a PT I'll usually do -5 to -7.

Current areas of focus based on analytics:

Timing/skipping strategies.
More exposure to difficult questions under time.
Conditional logic under time.
Grouping games
Games under time.

I think the primary issue is an insufficient volume of timed work as my actual test scores have been consistently lower at 162 for may and 163 for june. While games is obviously the biggest killer for me and there's not a lot of detail here, I was just looking for any general considerations I may have blatantly overlooked as I work to close this gap. I do see a few threads on closing BR gaps... am reading through this one: https://7sage.com/discussion/#/discussion/2520. But also looking for any considerations which might be specific to my score range.

Edit 8/8: still working on this. Trend has continued with a 169/180, 166/177. I've continued to work games, now having done everything from PT 14 up at least once with a -0. Redoing a lot of the timed mini sets in the CC. Haven't been able to increase volume of timed PTs due to family all being cooped up in the house.

Still looking at the same areas of focus, and more broadly, just applying known strategies under time i.e. sticking to the plan after getting punched in the face. I'm exploring video of PT takes, but haven't settled on a way to record both the digital interface what I write on paper.

Does anyone have experience with a tutor that can help address these issues? I've used a couple brilliant tutors here (Josh and Ben... both of whom I recommended very highly) that I've since had to discontinue due to finances... just wondering of there are any recommendations for my specific purposes before reaching out again. I'm thinking if I can get a good recording setup, I'd like someone to review video of me and work on both game-day strategies as well as fine tuning the actual question work.

danielbrowning208

If I were you, I would only take PTs sporadically while you foolproof games again, assuming you have foolproofed games 1-40ish (ignore this suggestion if you need to take the test soon). I did something similar in my prep, where I devoted a few weeks to really getting a feel for games, and I am very glad I did. Eventually, something will probably click in games for you, but you have to put in that leg-work.

You obviously understand the content of the LSAT given your BR score. Outside of games, certainly hone your section timing and your skipping strategy. I think that, outside of general test-taking aptitude, timing is what separates the mid/high 170 scorers from the low 170 scorers.

canihazJD

Thanks. Coincidentally, right after posting this, I finally made the jump from -1 to -0 on my first timed games section! Am almost done getting eyes on everything from 60 and below with at least one perfect run each, then will either work back up or redo the ones that gave me trouble.

canihazJD

Added to post... tutor recommendations?

Edit 8/8: still working on this. Trend has continued with a 169/180, 166/177. I've continued to work games, now having done everything from PT 14 up at least once with a -0. Redoing a lot of the timed mini sets in the CC. Haven't been able to increase volume of timed PTs due to family all being cooped up in the house.

Still looking at the same areas of focus, and more broadly, just applying known strategies under time i.e. sticking to the plan after getting punched in the face. I'm exploring video of PT takes, but haven't settled on a way to record both the digital interface what I write on paper.

Does anyone have experience with a tutor that can help address these issues? I've used a couple brilliant tutors here (Josh and Ben... both of whom I recommended very highly) that I've since had to discontinue due to finances... just wondering of there are any recommendations for my specific purposes before reaching out again. I'm thinking if I can get a good recording setup, I'd like someone to review video of me and work on both game-day strategies as well as fine tuning the actual question work.

lexxx745

Honestly, I stopped BRING after I hit 170 consistently because I felt like at that point the difference in knowledge was so small since each question was like a point. At that point I just honed my skipping strategies

canihazJD

@lexxx745 said:
Honestly, I stopped BRING after I hit 170 consistently because I felt like at that point the difference in knowledge was so small since each question was like a point. At that point I just honed my skipping strategies

Clarification: hit 170 consistently in BR or timed score?

Thanks!

lexxx745

@canihazJD said:

@lexxx745 said:
Honestly, I stopped BRING after I hit 170 consistently because I felt like at that point the difference in knowledge was so small since each question was like a point. At that point I just honed my skipping strategies

Clarification: hit 170 consistently in BR or timed score?

Thanks!

Timed

lexxx745

I mean, of course if I didnt get to a question/flag something Id do it but like I wasnt as intense with BRing

noonawoon

If you want to score in the mid-high 170s I think you should continue to do thorough BRs. Actively correcting your own mistakes helps cement the information in your head much better than a passive review.

Where are you missing the bulk of your timed questions? Is it still games?

VerdantZephyr

I'm at 170 in timed PT's but can perform mid 170's in untimed. I go from -2ish in Logic Games to minus 6 or 7. If I can just bring the LG scores up I will hit mid 170's every time. I've only been studying for a short while, all on my own on Khan's. Could you elaborate on the terminology you use here (for example BR) and share some advice and suggestions to improve my LG? I waste too much time diagramming I think, but I don't know how to deal with that and still perfect the section.

canihazJD

@VerdantZephyr BR = blind review... reviewing questions you weren't sure about, justifying your answer and providing a reason for eliminating every other answer.

@noonawoon yes, I need to find a place/time to be able to increase my PT'ing. Games is still my least reliable section, and most sensitive to the stress of test conditions, panic, etc.. Over the last 5 PTs I'm averaging -5, so this is still my primary area of focus. I'd estimate solo timed sections I'm probably averaging -2/-3. Maybe 70% of the time I can return to a game after the clock stops and immediately see what mistakes I made or inferences I missed. I'm really interested in video review but haven't found a good way to record both my screen and what i write down. Would you recommend anything specific?

lexxx745

I wanna clarify that I still did BR, i just didnt BR every question lol. Before I was BRING 1-25/26 each LR section as well and every RC question

at this point i was just BRing the flagged ones, which I guess is BR anyway xD

canihazJD

Before I was BRING 1-25/26 each LR section as well and every RC question

@lexxx745 would you recommend a broader BR then narrowing to flagged Qs, or just sticking with flagged Qs? Obviously anything not flagged that turns out to be wrong gets reviewed in the end anyway.