Feeling discourage

wiwi.giron

I can talk to anyone, so I might as well post it here. I have been stuck at 157 for the last four PTs that I've taken, and I do not know what to do. I want a minimum of 160 as my score to get into my dream school (Loyola in New Orleans). If you have any tips on how to improve RC, PLEASE SHARE THEM WITH ME. My RC is between -11 to -14, and I can't improve it; my LC is -4 to -6 and LG -4 to -7.

ripmamba24

What I have done that has increased my score from -14 to -7 is that I stayed focus throughout the whole passage. The LSAT writers make the passages boring on purpose to try and make you lose focus on what you're reading. No matter how boring it is you have to do your best to stay focused on the passage and remember what you just read. Take as long as you need to read the passage but just make sure you focus because if you know exactly what you read, the questions will be 10 times easier.

tahurrrrr

As ripmamba 24 said, you have to stay focused the entire passage. If you read a paragraph and realize you have no idea what you just read, you've lost.
The best way to stay engaged with the passage is to summarize the paragraph you just read, and figure out how it's connected to the previous paragraph.
If you really need to, focus on thoroughly completing 3/4 as opposed to trying to rush and finish all 4.

kkole444

Hello @"wiwi.giron" I would recommend going through the analytics and see where you are getting the questions wrong. Also with getting roughly 50% of the Qs wrong I would slow down on the PTs and go over some of the parts of the reading comp. CC. Just to slow down , get a refresher on the fundamentals, lower stress than a PTs. I would also while doing that compare my low-res, high-res, author tone, structure, POVs to JYs and other students to see if I am picking up on the same things they are. Sometimes it just takes a refresher to see where you are leaving point on the table. I would also look at the type of question I am getting wrong and pay extra close attention on how JY attacks say a 'author inference' question because JY dose use different approaches to different questions. Look at how JYget ride of answer choices and why he gets rid of them. Try and not to get hung up on getting to your score of 'minimum of X' I know it is easier said than done, but focusing on the fundaments of the sections will get you over that 160 mark.

daimorro

I'm in the same boat. I also agree that taking time to read and understand the passage is a lot upfront but it pays off at the end because you're able to answer questions better.

TakingOnTheBeast-1

Get a study group together or join one and listen to how other people process the information and questions. You will see improvement! There are lots of helping hands here! You can do this!

TakingOnTheBeast-1

And my specific thoughts on RC- slow way down on the passage. Spend time there, even if you only do 3 sections. You will improve! Cheering you on.

trishues

A couple things that got me through my RC plateau:

1. Slowing down and refusing to move on from a paragraph until I understood it. Feels uncomfortable at first to spend 3,4,5 minutes on a passage, but with true understanding, the questions fly by so much faster.
2. High res summary after each paragraph
3. Pausing after each sentence to reflect or react, like how JY does in his videos. I had a tutor once tell me "I know a lot of people who can summarize paragraphs that they don't understand, but it's much harder to react to something you don't understand." This was huge for me, moving through the passage and engaging with it actively, stopping to think "How weird" or "How cool"
4. Taking a break for a week. Scores dip when we are burnt out, and RC performance improves with a fresh mind.

Do not be discouraged!! Your attitude is the only thing that will move you forward and the only thing that will hold you back. Keep going

JusticeLaw

Well, let me comment too. I agree with "trishues". First and foremost of all, It's all about your attitude. This whole test is process, like a perm at the beauty shop. You have to take it one step at at time. Just like logic games and LR, reading comp takes time in the beginning. It will go faster in the end, or you can speed up later on, but you have to take your time in the beginning and know what you are doing and with practice it gets better.

I am definitely no expert on this matter, and I've burned out many times on all sections. However, just like LG and LR, what are the wrong answers, why are they wrong and know what you are looking for in the correct answer. This is not a test that you can cram for overnight, or at least I would not want to and not recommend it. I am starting to study reading comp. Personally, in my opinion, it's like LR on steroids. You have to know and apply the process to get to the right answer. I hope this helps.