RC - Combining methods from 7Sage & The Trainer

KevinSage

I started 7sage's lessons on RC today and I still feel clueless/helpless. First, I'd like to ask if anyone has seen dramatic improvement using the memory method. I gave it a test run today and I'm a bit skeptical (not counting it out, just my $.02 at the moment!). Fwiw, prior to 7sage I did a lot of practice sections and I would miss over half of the questions... In addition, I'm thinking of incorporating ideas from the trainer into 7sage's ideas, would you recommend this? They're not that drastically different.

littlesnickers

Hey I like what you did with your username! Haha.

For RC, I started with the Trainer. I absolutely recommend it if RC isn't clicking yet. It was the toughest section for me, so I supplemented it with 7Sage (really liked Story of Science, never used the Memory Method) and Manhattan RC (just a quick read through of their techniques, never did their drills).

I probably could have used the Trainer alone and been fine. I liked how it emphasizes reading for structure and categorizes question types.

Oh and don't worry too much about confusing yourself with too many different prep resources, if that's what you were getting at. You can always throw out something that's not working for you.

Pacifico

Definitely pick up the Trainer... The RC methodology on 7Sage is geared towards those with retention issues whereas the Trainer is geared towards those with reasoning structure issues, and I think most people fall into the latter category and furthermore, improving the latter will greatly benefit the former.

harrismegan

I definitely abandoned the memory method (sorry 7Sage!). The Trainer (in my opinion) is superior because it helps you really identify how the information in the passage relates to each other and how to best go about attacking the passage.

DumbHollywoodActor

I found both Memory Method and LSAT Trainer helpful as both my recall abilities and my ability to read for reasoning structure were abysmal. It all comes down to what your deficiencies are.

KevinSage

I have the trainer, I read its lessons on RC.. but I was still doing terrible on timed RC sections. I legit feel helpless with this stupid section... Tbh, I don't see how the memory method works, I found that the trainer's "look for structure" method is better, but who knows, I suck at RC both ways lol...... It's just frustrating because people will comment below JY's RC video explanations "WOW 8/8 in under 7 minutes!!" and I'm just here like uhhhhh it took me 7 minutes to read the passage alone

(edit: sorry for the pity party lol)

DumbHollywoodActor

Welcome to LSAT Prep, Home of the Pity Party! I am far from a success story, but I want to share my progress with you: I went an embarrassing -18 on my diagnostic for RC. I’ve been doing this pretty much straight for almost 8 months, and on my most recent PT, I went -5. It’s not perfect and it’s certainly not consistent yet, but it’s progress. And it didn’t happen magically after I read the LSAT Trainer. It happened after I did about 75 RC passages and questions with some serious BR. Of course, it helped to know how to read for structure, but that knowledge needs to be made intuitive and the only way to do that is to practice.

KevinSage

That's actually encouraging. I've already done a ton of RC passages (probably way less than 75), but it's good to see that it's attainable... -5?! Wow, that's awesome. I'd be elated if I could get that!!

DumbHollywoodActor

@kevinsage I was! And then I went back to practicing!

Pacifico

7 minutes is pretty excessive for just getting through the passage. That's more than a minute per 10 lines. If it takes you that long then you should have full comprehension and easily be able to get all of the questions correct. I would maybe take a reading speed test and see if it's a fundamental issue or if maybe it's the pressure or something else going on.

Pacifico

And as I alluded to before and @DumbHollywoodActor mentioned, the memory method is more for people who struggle to retain the information they read in a time efficient manner so I think it could actually help you if it is taking you that long to read through the passage.

jimenezja.jj

I just recently completely the 7 Sage Reading comp section and I read the trainer Reading Comp section. I find the trainer to be more effective. The only helpful tip from 7sage reading comp for me would be the main idea of each passage. I guess this helps with organization questions.