How "Ready" Did You Feel When You Started PTing?

Controller779

This might be a strange question; hoping I can explain myself properly...!

I plan to start PTing soon for the October test. I've been through the core curriculum twice, the Trainer twice and the LG bundle once.

For those of you PTing, is it normal to start the process without feeling you have a totally firm grasp of each concept? Something inside me is misleading me into thinking that I need to be 100% sharp-skilled and "test ready" for I dive into the PTs. When deep down I know that the extra work that the PTs spur on, in context, is what will actually make me test ready.

So, in conclusion, is it normal to enter PTing somewhat foggy? I don't want to keep feeling I must learn more first, and enter dangerous ground of delaying PTing too much.

ddakjiking

"foggy" is a relative term. Have you drilled enough of the LR question types, LG game types? Are you done with the 7Sage curriculum? I would probably take a full PT (preferably in the PT 50's so you can save the newer ones) just to gauge your process.

Controller779

I have fully completed the curriculum twice and have also done the LG bundle twice.

Haven't done any Cambridge drilling stuff, though. With the 'ultimate' 7Sage tier I felt there was plenty to drill with.

ddakjiking

Def do take a full PT to gauge your progress then!

Pacifico

I'd spend at most a day just looking over some LR questions and maybe do an LG or two. Then definitely take a timed PT to see where you're at. I started PTing after I finished the curriculum and did about a third of the LG Bundle to where I was getting pretty comfortable. My LG and RC scores have been awesome and much better than on my diagnostic. My LR scores fell from my diagnostic, which I attribute to a few things, the first is that I hadn't done them in so long since I had been working on the bundle and really thrown myself into mastering the LG section. Also, I got by fairly well on the LR sections on my diagnostic pretty much on intuition alone. Now that I've learned all the new techniques in the curriculum, I'm just having trouble applying them during the test since my old intuitions are fighting with my newfound knowledge of logical strategy. This is pretty much due to not having the muscle memory or intuition for the LR approaches as we learn them from the curriculum. I'm looking back through some LR stuff now and also just picked up the LSAT Trainer to give me a fresh perspective. Then I'll just need to drill a bit more and I'll pick back up on PTs to see where I'm at.

cmanzano415

I would say it's unlikely that your skill are "100% test ready" until you get through a couple of PTs. I feel like the curriculum and drilling gives you the framework to begin taking the PTs under timed conditions and it's when you blind review these PTs that you can identify your errors in reasoning while under pressure. From personal experience, I would say that I was a little foggy on some of the concepts until I started PTing and blind reviewing. I think it's through repetition and finding your flaws under timed conditions that you really sharpen your skills.

sarkisp23

You can always go back to concepts in the curriculum in order to solidify them after you begin PTing

harrismegan

I'm in the exact same boat as you! Finished the Ultimate Course twice, have taken a read through the Trainer, and have completed the LG bundle.
I would say dive into prep tests! It's not just the understanding of the concepts/types of questions/ect, but getting a handle of how to do all of that under testing conditions, which is a whole new skill set in itself.
You will obviously keep improving on your answering of the actual questions, but you will also be improving on your ability to do so in a stressful & time centred manner.

nicole.hopkins

@harrismegan said:
I would say dive into prep tests!

Agreed—you will only uncover what you still need to learn by going through timed full tests at this point (provided you have learned all of the concepts through at least one prep medium). You'll find out what you need to review, what you never really learned, what you might not have learned through your prep materials and possibly need to supplement (much less of a problem with 7sage/Trainer than with other materials!).

VegMeg55

Totally agreed. I usually caution people from going into PTs but it sounds like you've done nearly everything you can from a general perspective and now it's the time to finesse your skills by pinpointing your current weaknesses. This can only really be done by taking a full PT as a diagnostic and go from there. Perhaps you'll re-visit certain lessons, perhaps you'll keep going with PTs. It will all depend on the results from your PT.