Best way to set up a PT schedule?

StopLawying

I've read here that it's best to take some of the newer tests a month before so that you have more time to learn from them and adjust your methods.
I have around 35 PTs available: all of the SuperPrep, 45-50, most of the 50s, and 60+.
I'm creating a PT schedule tonight and I'd like to know the best way to order the tests. Many here have taken all of them and if you can help me out that would be great. Also do I save any for a potential retake?

StopLawying

Bump

nicole.hopkins

@StopLawying said:
I'm creating a PT schedule tonight and I'd like to know the best way to order the tests.

Ok—I recommend taking one earlier (59+) and one later (68+) per week at a minimum. If you can fit in a third each week, start at 51. You don't have time to mess much with the pre-2007 tests at this point, if you're taking in Dec.

So, with the third being optional:

Week 1: 59, 68, 51
Week 2: 60, 69, 52
Week 3: 61, 70, 53
Week 4: 62, 71, 54
Week 5: 64, 72, 55
Week 6: 65, 73, 56
Week 7: 66, 74, 57
Week 8: 67, 75, 58
Last Week: 76

StopLawying

@nicole.hopkins thanks, that was really helpful! What about the SuperPrep tests, are they worth doing?

nicole.hopkins

@StopLawying said:
What about the SuperPrep tests, are they worth doing?

Maybe only the one in Superprep 2!

Ron Swanson

@nicole.hopkins

I'm writing again in December, and in reference to the schedule you laid out above, would it make sense to follow that if most of the PTs would be retakes? The only fresh PTs I have left are 44-51, so should I sub those in for some of the 50s I have already taken?

I feel like I would get value from retakes in the 70s if I saved them for November even though I took those in late Sept. Sorry to tag you for a question, you give awesome advice and I'm stuck trying to maximize my prep before the retake!

harrismegan

@"Ron Swanson" said:
I'm writing again in December, and in reference to the schedule you laid out above, would it make sense to follow that if most of the PTs would be retakes? The only fresh PTs I have left are 44-51, so should I sub those in for some of the 50s I have already taken?

Looking for the answer to this too. I've taken the 50s, 60s, and a few of the 70s. I was planning on taking 1 in the 40s a week and 1 in the 50s a week since the 50s are the ones I was exposed to soo long ago. The 60s and 70s are still fresh for me.
This month iw as going to do the 1 40 and 1 50 a week.
Next month I was going to do 1 60 and 1 70 a week. Even though I've already been exposed to them, in a month's time I think it won't be too bad.

Pacifico

It all really depends how many fresh ones you have left. If you have less than 5 fresh ones, then I would save most if not all for November. If you have one for each week like @"Ron Swanson" does, then I'd say do a retake early in the week with your awesome clean copy BR, then do the fresh one later in the week with the same awesome clean copy BR. That way you're both focusing on the learning process through the retakes, and getting a feel for where it's pushing you to during the fresh PTs.

If you have enough to do two fresh ones per week until the December test then I wouldn't really bother with retakes too much, maybe just one or two here or there. You might try taking one in the 70s now, and then retaking that later versus retaking stuff in the 40s and 50s. Though I don't think more recent PTs are harder, there is definitely a different feel to them. I actually think they're just better written in terms of clarity, so getting used to that is more beneficial than wading through some of the nonsense I find in the earlier tests. As a general example, I feel like the earlier tests have a lot of LR questions that are difficult simply because the stimulus is convoluted from poor writing whereas now it seems convoluted as a result of better writing where they are just doing that on purpose. I know there were several times on BR calls for more recent tests that I would talk about how impressed I was with the craftsmanship of certain questions, while I pretty much never felt that way in the earlier tests. But I digress. There's more than one way to skin a cat, or prep for the December LSAT, so take a day or so to think about the options and do what feels best for you. Also, if for any reason you feel you might retake in February for scholarship negotiation purposes then I would recommend keeping a couple fresh PTs in your back pocket just in case.

nicole.hopkins

@harrismegan said:
This month iw as going to do the 1 40 and 1 50 a week.
Next month I was going to do 1 60 and 1 70 a week.

Sounds good

nicole.hopkins

@Pacifico said:
If you have one for each week like @"Ron Swanson" does, then I'd say do a retake early in the week with your awesome clean copy BR, then do the fresh one later in the week with the same awesome clean copy BR. That way you're both focusing on the learning process through the retakes, and getting a feel for where it's pushing you to during the fresh PTs.

Very good plan

Will Dearborn

@Pacifico since we're on the subject, do you think doing three pts a week until test day is feasible, or is there a serious risk of burn out?

Pacifico

It is absolutely feasible, but it depends on the person... I never had an issue with it since I am a very low stress person and don't get stressed by taking PTs... but if you have issues with that then I'd say stick to two... of course it also depends on how much free time you have to PT and BR and then drill to shore up any weak areas. My issue was two kids under 18 months requiring constant attention if they weren't both asleep. And even then I'd still do PTs with them screaming at me or even holding them (or worse).

So ultimately it's all about having the self awareness either to know what's best for yourself at the outset, or being able to recognize when you need to pump the brakes. For me I usually did better the more I took PTs, and the longer I took off the more rusty I would get... but that was just in general and there were outliers where a break did me some good, though it still took a good warmup to get me back in the swing of things.

Since I'm not a superprepper I don't have an issue with 3 per week, but those that spend a crazy amount of time prepping each week apart from PTing are the ones that seem to tend to burn out more easily. I save my learning for the PT and especially the BR process. Other than that I really only drill LG and that's more because I enjoy them and they make my brain feel good than anything else.

nicole.hopkins

I did three-a-weeks for at least 8 weeks. It was only after the 12 week mark of that that the toll was taken. You don't have 12 weeks. So I wouldn't worry too much.

LeoA1994

@Pacifico would u suggest buying section packs (LG, LR, RC) for tests 1-35 for purposes of drilling & BR and then buy newer full PrepTests fur purposes of just taking entire exams timed (and then BR after of course)

nicole.hopkins

@LeoA1994 said:
buying section packs

Just buy the tests themselves ... ?