Normal to not have a "starting block" with Logic Games?

Controller779

I've worked through the core curriculum and am currently going through the LG bundle.

I'm currently on set five of thirty-something sets in there - but, except for simple sequencing games, I can't seem to "get going" unless I watch the video to a get a prompt on the most suitable game board, and perhaps a few other bits and pieces.

Is this normal? I'm down as I feel that, by now (twenty or-so games in) I should be able to get going by myself. I'm usually good with the questions, it's just getting set up that is throwing me.

I'm hoping I'll get more confident in this area with the 120+ games left in the bundle. Right now this inability to start alone is just knocking my confidence a bit.

I decided to come here rather than turn to the gin. Any pep talks would be appreciated!!!

Thanks in advance,
J.

VegMeg55

Honestly, 20 games might seem like a lot but compared to the 120+ of the LG bundle in addition to the LG sections of PTs 36-74, it is a very small piece of the LG puzzle. Diagramming just takes practice so don't worry if you're not an LG Yoda after 5 sets. You've got a long way to go but you'll get there, gin or no gin!

VegMeg55

Also, there is technically no 'correct' way to diagram. After a while, you'll learn which charts, techniques,and symbols work best with your brain. For instance, I just did two grouping games, one of which felt very natural to use a chart, the other of which I represented as more of a layered sequencing game. Why? I have no idea... it just happened. Many LSAT prep companies present LGs as a sacred chalice of knowledge but in reality it's repetition that makes all of the difference. That's why J.Y. recommends doing games over and over until it becomes a very natural process. I used to have the same difficulty setting up the game board. I felt like a lost little imbecile looking for the mother duckling that is J.Y.'s game setup. For most people it is not an intuitive process. It just takes practice and repetition to master the various question types and setups. The LSAC can only play so many tricks on you until you hit the level of Yoda, and that will only happen after you finish an excessive, preposterous amount... a fuck ton of games.

jdawg113

I would really try not caving and watching right away. Really dedicate some time to working those games and figuring something out. Even if you are sloppy and all over the place, try and figure something out. That way when you watch the video you can compare to your thought process and possibly can adapt it a bit easier in the future

nicole.hopkins

@jdawg113 said:
I would really try not caving and watching right away.

Agreed.

20 games ... that's only 5PT's. A lot of us take 36-74 (75 for the October takers) as fully timed PT's and retake almost all of those, sometimes more than once. That plus drilling ... yeah ... We're talking literally hundreds of LG's over many months.

After 20 LG's I doubt I knew what was going on. After 50, I might have had a pretty firm grasp but probably still pretty green on some parts. Now after however many I've laid hands/eyes on, I know what's up and I've seen pretty much every common variation. And I haven't even done all of the LG's in the world!

So ... Yeah You'll get there. You've only just begun!

DumbHollywoodActor

This is from @kraft.phillip who was answering a different question than the one you are asking but I think it still offers some perspective into where you are on this journey we call LSAT prep:
there are roughly 75 preptests total, so that's 300 unique logic games total. Assume you do them an average of 3 times each--that's 900. assume it takes 15 minutes each time (it shouldn't take this long, but just to give you a high estimate and factor in some time to watch the LG video), that's 225 hours. That means that if you work on LG for 5 hours per day, it will take you, at most, a month and a half to do every logic game in existence three times. If you work on LG 2.5 hours a week, then you get to the recommended 3 months of study, and you can then spend the other 2.5 hours per day studying LR and RC, for a total work week of 35 hours. Considering big law pushed the hours per week to 60 or 70 regularly, this should be a fairly easy work load.

I think that sounds doable, especially considering how high of an estimate that is. It won't take you 15 minutes per logic game. You won't need to do each game 3 times, and some some games don't necessitate watching the explanation video.

nicole.hopkins

@DumbHollywoodActor said:
That means that if you work on LG for 5 hours per day, it will take you, at most, a month and a half to do every logic game in existence three times. If you work on LG 2.5 hours a week, then you get to the recommended 3 months of study, and you can then spend the other 2.5 hours per day studying LR and RC, for a total work week of 35 hours.

Jackpot! Might have to think about implementing this in a month or so, just to keep the ol' gears grindin'...