How Should I Prepare For My Retake

LSATConspiracy

So I took the October 2015 LSAT and scored a 155. I've been within this range for the last 4 months now so I wasn't surprised when I got my score back. The problem is, I don't know how to break out of this plateau. I've gone through the Logic Games Bible once already (might go through it a second time) and am currently working on perfecting my timing. I'm still having significant issues on Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension however, missing up to -8 on each LR section and between -7 and -9 on RC. I've also read through the LR Bible after taking a BluePrint prep class, but it felt more like review than anything else.

I've heard that the Manhattan LR and the LSAT Trainer books are good, but my fear is that it'll just be more review without targeting my exact problems. Since my BR scores are between 168 and172, I've been told it's a timing issue. My tutor also said that I fall for trap answers too often. How can I learn what these trap answers are? What should I do in preparation for my retake?

I'm already registered for February with the intention of applying in Fall 2016.
I still have Prep Test A,B, and C, 50, 51, 57, 58, 59, 60 - 75.

Thanks.

GSU Hopeful

@LSATConspiracy said:
the LSAT Trainer books are good

This qualifies as the understatement of the year. I would most definitely pick this up. It will not only address deficiencies with LR but will aid you in RC as well. Overall, it is a wonderful book.

I'm glad you have February in mind. A 155 represents the overall average score of all test takers (or maybe a little above that). However, it still represents issues with fundamentals. I think it would do you a disservice to say its timing issues. With a solid grasp of the fundamentals, timing will take care of itself. "Knowing what the trap answer choices are" will be taken care of with a solid grasp of these core concepts as well. If I were you and February was set in concrete with no possibility of June, I would purchase the Trainer.... like yesterday. Go through it in its entirety. I mean every.... single... page. The manner in which Mike addresses flaws will help tremendously with LR. An increase in LR will translate nicely to RC... esp after reading the RC section of the Trainer. I would also consider purchasing a package through 7Sage. You won't have the time to go through the Trainer and 7Sage in their entirety and do yourself service by February. But, you can pick up a lot of valuable tidbits along the way.

What I would not do is continue to burn prep tests without addressing your deficiencies (fundamentals and core concepts). If you have stayed at 155 for four months, then thats what you are at the moment. Nothing more, nothing less. Continuing to burn PTs won't change that. Address the fundamentals through the Trainer and then resume PTing with a a very thorough Blind Review on a clean copy of the test. Also, what is your LG section breakdown? You can make up valuable points in a short amount of time by addressing LG. IMHO, PS is trash for LG. You will need 7Sage ( preferably the curriculum). The Trainer will shed new light on the games as well. PS score works well for some people, but I think the consensus here would be to dump it. Feel free to hit us up for further if you need to.

LSATConspiracy

Hey @"GSU Hopeful"

Thank you for the response. I received -6 on LG in October, but I've been averaging -3/-4 in the sections I've taken previously. I'll get on the LSAT Trainer as soon as possible. As for Logic Games, I watch 7sage videos after completing a section to see what I missed. I'm aiming for 165+ in February as a last take, but I'm keeping June in the back burner in the event February doesn't work out.

Thanks.

deleted account

@LSATConspiracy:

I agree for the most part with @"GSU Hopeful", except that I know nothing about books (never used them). The only thing I would add is that if you are doing so awesomely on your BR, that indicates to me that you must be doing something fundamentally different in your actual test. How much time do you have left when you finish each section? Is it possible that you may be rushing through the section? You should be moving at essentially the same speed on BR and the test. If you can't get all the questions right in time, then don't even try. Every question you answer should be the right answer, unless you reach the end of the section.

LSATConspiracy

@josephellengar

I figured that as well. There must be something that I'm not doing on the actual test that I'm doing during BR. I'm not finishing the sections with any consistency. I usually leave 3-4 questions blank on LR when time runs out and I get done reading the last passage with 2 minutes left which leaves me little time to tackle the questions.

Pacifico

You're likely spending way too much time on easy to medium questions when they should mostly be done in under a minute, some well under a minute. Next issue is you are probably spending way too much time on harder questions the first time around. You need to get to a point where you see all the questions, prioritize which ones you will get to work on for longer, finish early and then go back for those second looks.

In my opinion your BR should take much longer than your timed test on a time per question basis. BR is not just for getting to the right answer, it is for learning to recognize the patterns in the test that are revealed by deep analysis of the wrong answer choices. This will take your skills to another level. If you can see the flaws in every wrong AC and how there are a finite number of wrong AC types (especially in LR) then you will see how cookie cutter most of the test is and they just change the details from test to test. When you start to recognize why each wrong AC is there, you will start to see how they craft each stimulus to trip you up at one point or another and each wrong AC will usually target one of those issues.

Grab the Trainer, spend November getting intimate with it and postpone until February. Check out my logic games attack strategy in the logic games forum section and then drill the hell out of those while PTing for 6-8 weeks before you take the February test. Work to get inside the heads of the test writers and it will help you see through the misdirection in the test.

nicole.hopkins

@LSATConspiracy said:
might go through it a second time

SKIP.

@LSATConspiracy said:
between -7 and -9 on RC

PM me

@LSATConspiracy said:
Manhattan LR

skip

@LSATConspiracy said:
LSAT Trainer

Buy it right now

@LSATConspiracy said:
My tutor also said that I fall for trap answers too often.

Is this advice helpful to you, in practice?

@LSATConspiracy said:
I still have Prep Test A,B, and C, 50, 51, 57, 58, 59, 60 - 75.

Good. You've got some excellent tests yet.

Look. You've got one take left. What's your goal score?

LSATConspiracy

@nicole.hopkins MSG'd you