How to get timed score to BR score? (BR mid-170s, timed plateau at 163)

shermankrs

Hi all,

This is similar to a post below so apologies if it's just askig for redundant advice. I did read that thread but thought I might post my own question with my own score range.

Basically I feel I have plateaued in the mid 160s. The last 6 PTs I have taken I have gotten in the 160-163 range, this includes PT 73 and 74. PT 74 I got 177 with BR which I was quite shocked/happy about. PT 73 I got 173 BR.

Previous to taking PT 73 and 74, I bought LSAT trainer and have been using it and Cambridge packets to drill on my weak points -- namely LR Flaw, Weaken, Strengthen and MSS questions.

I have noticed a marked improvement in untimed Flaw Qs which is great! I can finally identify the Flaw which I was really struggling with. On my last few timed PTs I got only 1-2 flaw questions wrong.

My LG still suffers, usually getting 1-2 wrong per timed section. PT 74 I totally bombed the last two LGs so will foolproof that one.

My RC is quite good - 0 wrong in BR and 2-3 wrong in timed conditions.

So all this boils down to... How can I get my Timed score to halfway meet my BR score?! My goal is 170.

Perhaps it is not possible with just a few weeks left in the game. I am open to the possibility of taking Feb test. However I would like to do everything possible to get my timed score as high as I can in the next few weeks bc I am registered for December and will sit for the Dec test regardless.

Any advice or thoughts is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

stepharizona

I am in the exact same boat. Identical issues.

Cayenne43

I am also in a similar boat. Any mentors have thoughts on this?

lsatblitz

If you're missing a ton of LR questions, I'd recommend two things that really worked for me. First, speak your blind review out loud. I caught a ton of my bad habits by doing that. Second, get a business card and cover up all of the answers while you read the stimulus. When you're going through the answer choices, don't reveal the next answer choice until you can say why you are eliminating that answer choice. During your BR, dissect the hell out of these wrong answer choices and you'll find that the test writers repeat the same type of wrong answer choices over and over again.

Artwork94

How about if its logic games that holds me back

Sheri123

Artwork94, IMHO if you are only being held back by logic games, you are very lucky. I personally think it is the easiest to improve on the fastest. I've seen others mention that as well. I went from averaging around -7 on LGs to around -2 or -3, just by doing PTs in the last couple of weeks & watching all the videos after the BR to see if there is a more efficient way I could have set my game board up, or if I missed any inferences.

lsatblitz

@Artwork94 said:
How about if its logic games that holds me back

Have you checked out Pacifico's attack strategy?

Going through JY's explanation for every single game after a PT will really help you get a hang on it really quickly.

Artwork94

Yes, I'm trying to fool proof games now. The problem is, of course I will get it right after seeing the video and retrying it, but I can't translate it into new situations. I end up missing key inferences on very tricky games. For instance, I attempted preptest c the other day and barely could make any inferences. (Ive heard those are super hard though)

Sheri123

Can I ask what preptest c is?

DumbHollywoodActor

@Sheri123 LSAC has released 4 non-disclosed tests over the years. 3 of them are compiled in their Superprep book, each test titled A, B and C. A 4th test was recently released in Superprep2.

Sheri123

Thanks DumbHollywoodActor, I just have the first Superprep book, is it worth getting the 2nd one as well?

DumbHollywoodActor

@Sheri123 said:
is it worth getting the 2nd one as well?

It’s a nice resource for people who’ve done EVERY test (and often repeated), so that they can have a fresh test, one that has a comparative passage (which A,B and C don’t). IMO, since you’re probably taken around 20 PTs (a guess based on what I know about your progress), I don’t think you need to look at it before the December or even the February test.

Sheri123

DumbHollywoodActor thanks so much for the quick respons!

shermankrs

Thanks @lsatblitz for the tips I'll try them. Any others who can weigh in on improving the LR? What strategies should I use when using the Cambridge drill packets? I'm unsure if I should be trying to do Cambridge packets timed or untimed. Thanks!

GSU Hopeful

@Artwork94 said:
but I can't translate it into new situations

This will come with time. If you do each game enough times perfectly and under time, these inferences will begin to click. The most important aspect is game type recognition and defaulting to the appropriate game board. Once you have hammered these inferences into your head by doing previous games enough, everything else will take care of itself. Train your mind to just move and react to what you read. It takes time. All games are just genetic clones of some other game, or multiple games. Have you foolproofed all games in 1-35 or used the attack strategy of @Pacifico yet?

GSU Hopeful

@shermankrs said:
I'm unsure if I should be trying to do Cambridge packets timed or untimed

Never do anything untimed unless you are in the midst of a blind review session. Train in the manner in which you will be testing... which is timed.

Artwork94

@"GSU Hopeful"

Yes, that is what I am working on, fool proofing my LG. however, would you recommend doing it after completing a games section or game by game? I don't know if this makes a difference.

GSU Hopeful

@Artwork94 Are you still going through the curriculum? I'm not sure if I understand your question.

Artwork94

@"GSU Hopeful"

Well I never went through 7sage's whole curriculum, I had used a Kaplan course and then found out about 7sage so I'm basically just using 7sage for discussion and the free LG videos. So I'm basically in the pt phase of studying, but still struggle with LG so I'm just trying to go over them all again with the videos, I'm asking: is it best to go game by game in a section (do one game my own and then watch video, and redo) or take a game section from a PT, do the whole section, and then review the section. probably doesn't make a huge difference

GSU Hopeful

You're right, doing it that way probably won't make a huge difference. I'm an advocate for doing sections at a time because that's how you will be testing. But, if you want to do game 1, BR then watch a video, then do the same for game two... then it is probably as broad as it is long. Where people get into trouble and hurt themselves is when they drill by game type. For example, doing 10 sequencing games in a row then 10 grouping games. If you follow this method, you're going into each game knowing exactly what it is instead of training your mind in game type recognition and defaulting to the appropriate board.

cjones76

@"GSU Hopeful" said:
Where people get into trouble and hurt themselves is when they drill by game type. For example, doing 10 sequencing games in a row then 10 grouping games.

Couldn't agree with this more!

nicole.hopkins

@DumbHollywoodActor said:
EVERY test (and often repeated), so that they can have a fresh test, one that has a comparative passage (which A,B and C don’t)

Haha ... Like me!

Closing the timed/BR gap just takes time. Sorry—no silver bullet, no tricks, no crutches. Just time.

shermankrs

Thank you @nicole.hopkins I think I just need to keep reminding myself of this. I started studying in March 2015, told myself I'd take the October test, postponed it to take December, now I'm not feeling ready for me to achieve my high score, so perhaps February 2016 will be a better time to test for me. I have been working full time this entire time so I don't usually get more than 15 hours of 'good' studying in per week.

One thing that is kind of hard for me is I feel like I personally am fine taking the time I need to achieve my high score but it sometimes feels like my boyfriend and friends are like tired of me studying all the time. My boyfriend is supportive but I could tell he was a little disappointed when I said I would probably keep studying til February. I don't know why but it makes me feel guilty that I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with him and also my friends this past year!

Anyway I went back and read the 7sage top 3 mistakes and this is a good reminder to me, hopefully it helps others also who just want to be 'done' this December but are wondering if they should keep studying for 2016 tests:

"But that's not important, is it? The important thing is that you plan to spend way more than 3 months training. A year is reasonable. Look at it rationally. Which is weighed more heavily in law school admissions, GPA or LSAT? LSAT. Duh! Yet, you spend 4 years on your GPA but, what, only 3 months on the LSAT? How the hell does that make any sense? Do you even know how important the LSAT is? It makes or breaks your application. End of story. If I'm telling you that you need to spend a year, only a year, to realize your maximum potential on the LSAT, you should be thinking this is a fucking bargain. Because it is. You're getting a great deal. And I haven't even counted the tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships."

amipp_93

@shermankrs hey there!!!

Just wanted to point out that whole my partner is disappointed that I'm postponing etc etc. Literally, in your shoes. Postponed from October to dec and deff doing again for June. And when he said he'd be disappointed about me postponing for the third time, I straight up told him that it's a very personal decision and nothing gives him the right to be mad. Yes he wishes well for me and believes that I'm postponing bc I'm doubting myself but there's a difference between doubt and just not maximizing your potential.

In the end, we have to live with our scores you know. They're supportive but at times when they say things like I'll be mad or upset if you postpone, remind them gently that THATS not being supportive. all the best to you and may you get a 181 on this beast.

Zenskeptical

I feel your pain. Dropped from a high score now stuck in the high 160's.

poohbear

@amipp170 I'm in the exact same position-- everyone knows I've been studying for a really long and if I tell them one more time that I'm postponing, I know they'll be "extremely disappointed in me" but you're right. We're the ones living our own lives-- so I'm just going to keep studying until I reach my goal. We got this!!

ellie1991

Just tell them like I do. "Do you want to end up in Nebraska, or how about Grundy Va!?, Do you?! Well if I don't improve this score that's where we're going.."
Consider your argument won.

amipp_93

@poohbear exactly!!! Im currently taking a break from LSAT studying now that Ive postponed to June and just throwing this out there. Burn out is real af. I straight up feel mentally and emotionally dead to do anything. So if anyone is even slightly experiencing that, please respect burn out and let yourself unwind. Im taking a solid 2 weeks off and I'm excited to come back to it with a fresh mind but for now, aint nothing like studying or LSAT existing for me. Happy studying y'all!

lexxx745

In the post CC webinar, the advice is to just take hella practice tests AFTER your BR score is quite above your target score. In this case, it seems to be so I would just keep and taking practice tests to improve speed now that your knowledge is where it needs to be.

cooljon525-1-1

@lexxx745 said:
In the post CC webinar, the advice is to just take hella practice tests AFTER your BR score is quite above your target score. In this case, it seems to be so I would just keep and taking practice tests to improve speed now that your knowledge is where it needs to be.

This post is 4 yrs old haha