Drilling and Review

Micaela_OVO

Hey everyone,

Like many of you, I'm supplementing the 7sage course with the Trainer. The past few weeks I've been going through Mike's drills for the LR types I'm weakest in. After every question (and before checking the answers) I write out a brief summary of the stimulus (conclusion, reasoning, assumption, etc) and then the reason I chose the answer I did. If I get it wrong, I write out why the right answer is right and why the answer I chose was wrong. This process takes a long time, but I am definitely benefitting from it. Those of you scoring 170+, do you benefit from writing out summaries? Or what process works best for you during review? Currently scoring in the mid 160s and am determined to reach the 170s by Februrary. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

fishtwentyfive

I did exactly what you did with every LR question I got wrong for probably 10 PTs in a row. I'm sure someone has done something similar to a larger extent. I scored mid 170s. If you can explain why the answer is right thoroughly, which is often very difficult at first, you eventually develop the skill to explain it in your brain, so during test conditions, instead of acting on a whim or intuition, you can actually, within a short amount of time, explain in words in your brain why it is you are making whatever decision (sometimes). You should keep doing what you are doing.

nicole.hopkins

OP, bad news. You can't "reach the 170's" by brute forcing it or wanting it or pushing reaaaaaalllllyyy hard.

Good news: The kind of improvement you're talking about requires TIME. Judging by your gravatar, I'll go out on a limb here and say you're young. You've got time.

February is so close. A lot of folks (including real smart top Ivy grads who are real good at Englishes and the reasoningz) require 40+ PT's to get there.

February, IMO, is a rush if you're not PT'ing already unless your diagnostic was in the mid-high 160's and even if you/it were, it would still very likely be a HUGE rush.

nicole.hopkins

To answer your question--yes, for a few PT's, I found it benenficial to do the full write up-on-review approach.

For drills though---if you're drilling now, trying to take it in February, you're barking up the wrong tree and begging for burnout.

Micaela_OVO

@fishtwentyfive Thank you! I think I'll keep doing this for the LR types I'm weakest in and slowly work my way up to 170.

@nicole.hopkins I've taken 15 timed PTs, taking about 3 a week. I'm just drilling my weakest question types on non PT days. If I'm not hitting 170 when it's time to register for February, I'll register for June instead. I know these things can't be rushed Thanks for all the great advice you give to this community!

LSATisland

Yes, it is really helpful to express the reason why the correct answer is right and the reason why the wrong answer choices are wrong. Since these flaws/trap answers repeat themselves in other questions, this approach helps you identify them quicker in the future. The important part is to express the reasons, whether done via writing or not. It is time-consuming, though, so good job at managing to maintain the habit.