Advice - where to go from here?

harrismegan

Alright! I have completed the Premium package of 7Sage twice now, I started taking prep tests at the end of May and, so far, my average for PTs is 164 and my BR average is 170. My highest score so far is a 168 with a BR of 172. Obviously I need work in both my PT score and my BR score.

I am shooting to take the October LSAT and would like my PT mark to consistently sit in the low 170s before I write, so when I factor in nerves, etc, I can score in the high 160s/very low 170s. I think this is a realistic goal for me, but of course, I will always shoot to score beyond just in the low 170s!

I'm wondering where I should go with my study methods. My LG are near 0 wrong each time, so I maintain just completing 1 timed LG a day to keep my skills up, with BR/drilling on my PTs.

For Reading Comprehension, I find I'm struggling there the most as of right now. What do you suggest? I do have all the Cambridge packages, and I drill 2 in the AM every day from those. Should I be drilling a full 4 a day? I have read the LSAT Trainer section for RC, so my approach is to read for structure and what-not. Obviously I need to refine my skills in this section, but I guess I'm at a loss of where to go from here.

For my LG, I do miss an average 2-5 per section, so that needs work as well. I have started by printing the PT from 36 and above, and I am now drilling full sections under timed conditions and supplementing that with Cambridge packages untimed. Does that look like a good plan?

So far, I PT only on Saturdays. I only do a 4 section for now, to retain materials, but I have gotten into a good rhythm of waking up, hitting the gym, eating, drinking my coffee, and diving into a PT - keeping my test day schedule consistent. I am going to introduce a 5th section come August and maybe start taking 1 PT during the week, but I am debating that because of major mental fatigue after being at work all day.... not sure it would be worth it if it'll just be a bruise to my ego.

Any advice would be appreciated!

mpits001

What is your method for RC? I remember when I started RC and annotating I found myself always pressed for time. I'd either finish at the last second (rushed), or I wouldn't finish at all. I noticed when I started to underline details I retained them a lot better than annotating them. Also, underlying shifts in the passage, what the main point of each paragraph is, and etc. You've read through the trainer, so that should be something you already know and I'm probably not offering much help, haha! Was curious, once I stopped annotating my score increased in RC, I had more time to complete each passage, and that definitely helped me on test day in June!

LG, these are getting a bit weird now, since they are starting to use older games. I remember there was a question just like the first game from PT 1, but with more of a twist. I also see a lot of testimony from other exam takers that they are starting to utilize older games, or at least take elements from them and mixing it with newer LG methods. So older LGs may be more useful now vs. in the past. I know going over the LG from early PTs helped me a lot on game day. You're doing well, so it's a tougher battle to climb since there's less room for improvement than a lower scoring student.

I can't stress enough how much taking PTs and even timed individual sections in my university library (quiet floors) helped me. It's quiet like a testing room should be, but with random noises that may also occur on test day (except, for, maybe students making out... which was weird..) So what are your study conditions? Do you take pre-workout before your workout? When I worked out right before taking exams it had an effect on my score. Do you warm up before each PT? I noticed I'd do a lot better in LR if I BR'd a LR section right before doing a PT.

DumbHollywoodActor

Have you done any group BR's? I think talking everything out really is helpful. I've already seen a bump in both my BR and my time score since starting them

harrismegan

Those are good points @mpits001!
The taking the timed sections in a different environment sounds like something I definitely should try...... and I haven't implemented a warm-up, so i'll do that as well. What do you typically do for a warm up?

For Reading Comp, I actually do have about 2-3 minutes after the section left over, and I don't annotate the passage at all. I just read the paragraph and then determine how it fits with the others, dive into the questions, and let the questions kind of guide where I need to go in the passage. I find that approach works best for me, but obviously I'm missing something. Ugh.

mpits001

I would do a couple of things to warm up.

LR: I'd either BR an LR section I didn't have time to BR the day/night before, or I'd find an older LR section I hadn't done in awhile and I'd time myself for 30-35 minutes.

LG: I applied the same method for LR as I did in LG, except I'd use the LG bundle (I'm sure you have that IIRC.) Of course, if I didn't have an LG to BR.

RC: I would warm up with only a passage because personally I'd get drained way too quickly if I read 4 passages before diving into a PT.

On test day before leaving I did the last 10-15 questions of an LR section (I didn't check my answers). I did LGs I had already done before so I knew it they were right or not. I also read 1 RC passage to get my mind into it.

@DumbHollywoodActor is right, though. You should try the BR groups out if you have time. I did not get to utilize them as much as I would have liked before my exam (I only went to 1 session) but it's extremely helpful to get other perspectives/explanations on questions you got wrong or thought were really hard.