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RC Improvement in 2 Weeks??

Any tips or tricks for improving RC in the last couple of weeks before the test? I’m averaging about a 168 on PTs, and I feel like RC is holding me back from breaking 170. I typically go -0/-1 on LG, -2/-3 on LR, and anywhere from -4 to -8 on RC. I’m able to finish all 4 passages with only a minute or so to spare. Any advice is appreciated!

Also, I would be thrilled with a 168 on the real test, but would like to be more comfortable with RC in case I get a test with a killer RC section (aka the August Flex RC with the bees and patriotism passages).

Comments

  • Sinanana7Sinanana7 Member
    edited October 2020 155 karma

    I was in the exact same spot before the Oct test. Couldn't do much then because I had just gotten a handle on the games. I'm writing again in Nov. What I've done since is really slow down when reading the passage and write down a couple of words for each paragraph. I started with doing passages not timed and after I could get 100% I started doing them under timed conditions. It seems to be working so far. I'm assuming you get max 2 wrong in BR. I think it is worth spending more time on the passages even if it means you'd have to rush through the last couple of questions.

  • DefenderDefender Alum Member
    348 karma

    Ok, so a calm approach to timing and balance helped lift my score from -16 to -6/7. But from there, I began to intensely focus on the author. What is the author doing? What is their overall stance, but also, what is their stance on each part of the material they are giving me? THE AUTHOR HAS AN AGENDA. Know what it is.
    For example, the author will droll on and on about how an artist crumbles and wrinkles and sprays canvas so that it embodies the blah blah blah--and then the author says "this ingenious innovation blah blah blah". There it is. The author finds that particular process of the artist's work ingeniously innovative. They may use less interesting language—-something like: this process presented a departure from previously explored techniques. When you see language like this, stop and reflect. You just got their motive. The author will tell you exactly what they think about the information they are presenting. You just have to stay undistracted by the jargon and dense material. When an author is going on and on about something, ask yourself: ok, so what is your point? Then, the moment they say that something was 'misguided', 'determined', 'had a shortcoming', 'premature'---BAM you know where they stand. Whats crazy about this too--when you have their motive, you can recall the dense details much easier. The author's motive becomes a framework for placing the rest of the material. In a very strange way, RC is closer to logic games than many think.

    You are obviously skilled at this test--so just take your time and focus on the author.

    Please reach out with any questions! Hope this helps!

  • nicolasnudlernicolasnudler Core Member
    24 karma

    @Defender said:
    Ok, so a calm approach to timing and balance helped lift my score from -16 to -6/7. But from there, I began to intensely focus on the author. What is the author doing? What is their overall stance, but also, what is their stance on each part of the material they are giving me? THE AUTHOR HAS AN AGENDA. Know what it is.
    For example, the author will droll on and on about how an artist crumbles and wrinkles and sprays canvas so that it embodies the blah blah blah--and then the author says "this ingenious innovation blah blah blah". There it is. The author finds that particular process of the artist's work ingeniously innovative. They may use less interesting language—-something like: this process presented a departure from previously explored techniques. When you see language like this, stop and reflect. You just got their motive. The author will tell you exactly what they think about the information they are presenting. You just have to stay undistracted by the jargon and dense material. When an author is going on and on about something, ask yourself: ok, so what is your point? Then, the moment they say that something was 'misguided', 'determined', 'had a shortcoming', 'premature'---BAM you know where they stand. Whats crazy about this too--when you have their motive, you can recall the dense details much easier. The author's motive becomes a framework for placing the rest of the material. In a very strange way, RC is closer to logic games than many think.

    You are obviously skilled at this test--so just take your time and focus on the author.

    Please reach out with any questions! Hope this helps!

    You beautiful human! this is amazing. Just wondering, do you find any specific approach to any of the question types helpful? just looking for some last minute tips before my lsat!

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