If you're interested in the Assumption/Flaw (@blah170blah) Clinic, read this...

blah170blah

Hey guys! I noticed that a number of you are interested in this clinic, which is so exciting (thank you for sparing me some awkward few hours with me talking to an empty room while my roommate thinks I'm crazy). There will be a formal poll coming your way shortly but for now I want to get a pulse check in the virtual room. For all those interested, I would really appreciate it if you guys could answer the following questions in the comments below or PM me if you're not comfortable sharing information:

1) Explain your study history. How long have you been studying for the LSAT? (does this include extended breaks?) How long have you been using curriculum for? When did you start using PT?
2) What scores have you plateaued at? What did you do to overcome plateaus?
3) What materials have you used while studying?
4) What is your PT average over the last 5 PTs?
5) What is your LSAT goal?
6) What are you struggling with when it comes to assumption questions and flaw questions?
7) What are you hoping to gain from the clinic?

bruingirl1205

Thanks @blah170blah for hosting the workshop! I just PM'd you.

GSU Hopeful

Hi @blah170blah

Thank you for taking the time to put this on. People like you and the other tutors that go above and beyond to help are what make this community what it is. As for my history... here goes...

I started studying with 7Sage a year ago this week. I took a cold diagnostic @ 150 flat. I originally set aside 6 months of study to allow myself to get to my goal of 165+. First mistake. I rushed through the curriculum so that I could get to the PTs. Second mistake. As I was going through, I wasn't grasping the major concepts and wasn't really thinking about how all of it was going to work together. Needless to say, I missed alot of opportunities to learn the ins and outs of the test. So, I got to the PTs and immediately jumped to the mid 150's. Then, I got to high 150's and that's pretty much where I stayed. After about 20ish tests, I wandered between 155 and 159. No matter what I did, I just couldn't improve. I postponed June and planned on October. Another 5 tests down... same thing...no improvement. All the drilling in the world would provide me with nothing. After a three day wrestling match with my inner psyche, or for lack of a better word getting my ass off of my shoulders, I realized that the score band I was currently is exactly what I was at the moment... mediocre in regards to my goal. It was that way because I put myself in that position by not learning the test and putting my time in up front with the curriculum. I made the decision at that point to postpone an entire cycle until June 2016. I restarted the curriculum and went through it at a painstakingly slow pace. I got more involved on the forums. I responded to almost every video I could during the curriculum. I took the advice of @Pacifico and focused less on drilling on the run through of the curriculum. I decided to do enough problems to acclimate myself to that type of question and then move on. And here I am... 75% through the LG bundle using the attack strategy of @Pacifico. I'm on schedule to finish up the week before @DumbHollywoodActor 's June test group starts with PT29. Deciding to recommit myself to a slow approach has made all the difference in the world. While I haven't taken another PT yet, I can tell a difference in this approach.

As far as materials, I started with Powerscore. When I found 7Sage, PS took a dive into a nice bonfire. I've been through the Trainer in its entirety once and some parts twice.

As I went through the curriculum a second time, flaws and assumptions did not give me near the problems that they did prior to restarting the curriculum. I'm hoping to gain more insight into these problems and gain further understanding of them by hearing from others and their points of view. Again, thank you for putting this together.

Edited to change the tag from brna to Blah. It was really late when I responded. Lol I apologize to all.

Micaela_OVO

Thank you for setting this up @blah170blah !

1) I started studying with the Powerscore Bibles in spring 2014. I then decided not to apply for law school right out of undergrad and took a break from studying. A year later, I started the 7Sage curriculum (August 2015). I began taking timed PTs in October.

2) I plateaued at 160 for a few weeks. I began to drill my weakest LR question types while writing out why each right answer was right and why each wrong answer was wrong.

3) Sadly, I started with Powerscore. I ditched those books. I've gone through the 7Sage curriculum twice and the Trainer (minus LG for Trainer- I'm already strong in that section). I read the Manhattan and LSAT hacks explanations for PTs not in my 7Sage course.

4) 165

5) 170+. I'm a URM and have a high undergrad GPA, so I'd hate to waste that on a subpar LSAT score. I'm not applying to law school until I reach this goal!

6) I almost always miss at least one flaw question per LR section. If I'm familiar with a flaw, I won't miss it or make a stupid mistake. I just have a hard time with the less common flaws. I know there isn't an exhaustive list, so this is where my problem stems. Sometimes it takes me too long to figure out the flaw and I have to make my best guess to avoid "spinning my wheels,"

7) I'm hoping to gain a faster instinct at recognizing flaws. I know this only comes with time and constant drilling, but I just want to make sure I'm utilizing my time and study habits wisely.

megsvyas_OVO

Thanks for this, @blah170blah! @"GSU Hopeful" I think you literally just regurgitated my life story, word for word. I am also on track to finish the LG bundle (using the same attack strategy) by the time BR for PT 29 starts up!

Seriousbird

Thank you @blah170blah for this. My answer is rather long, so I PMed you!

bbutler

@blah170blah First of all thank you to you and others so much for doing this, after reading through many of the comments I feel like so many of us have similar stories and could desperately use your help.

1) I have been studying for the LSAT for about a year on and off total although the journey has been long and arduous, as I'm sure it has been for many of us. Like many of us, I researched online how long it took to study for the LSAT and got the answer of 3 months. So the winter break of my senior year in college I enrolled in a Kaplan online course for the month of December, and I actually went down from my diagnostic (150) to my final score in the course (148). After that experience I decided to focus on graduating with as high a GPA as possible so I studied marginally on the weekends, but with little results. After graduating in May I decided to self study using the LSAT Trainer, the Powerscore Bibles, and actual PT's. I started with the Powerscore Bibles and, after seeing the advice given on this page, wish I would have started with the LSAT trainer. The Powerscore bibles helped but because I still didn't have much of a foundation I started blindly taking tests and ended up wasting about 15 tests in this method. In late July early August I found 7sage and decided to enroll in the basic course to test it out and fell in love with it. However, pressure from family because I was registered for the October LSAT caused me to rush through it and complete the course in 4 weeks before taking PT's. Under that rushed method I was able to take about 5 PT's before the October LSAT, with scores ranging between 158-163. This rushed method coupled with the distractions associated with the severe flooding that occurred in South Carolina the day I took the LSAT caused me to get a 150 on the actual exam. I have since restarted the curriculum a week ago, moved through at a much slower pace where I outline every single question, reassured myself that this is the best move for me moving forward, and actually gotten engaged in the forums so that I can help make sure other people don't make the same mistakes I've made.

2) Since restarting the curriculum I haven't taken any more PT's but I was plateaued at around 160 earlier.

3) Kaplan Online Course, Powerscore Bibles, a little bit of the LSAT trainer (plan to go through it after I finish this next go round on the course), actual Prep tests.

4) 159 actual 164BR score

5) 170+ With my GPA being low at a 3.5 for the school that I really want to get into (UVA) I know I really need to do well on this to give myself a fighting chance. Also after listening to brilliant advice from posters like @pacifico I realize that I'd rather wait for 1 or even 2 cycles and get an outstanding LSAT score and get scholarship money than sacrifice and go to a school I don't want to attend.

6) It seems to me like my struggles with all of the question types happen to be with being able to make the correct assumptions and anticipate the answer choices quickly and accurately. There doesn't seem to be any middle ground with me on questions, either I know it quickly and accurately or I have to sit there and take minutes to get an answer.

7) I'd like to be able to see a different approach from someone who obviously understands this type of question and has had success answering them. In addition I'd like to see how these clinics work so that way I can be able to get engaged in many more of them in the future.

Thank you again @blah170blah for this, sorry about the length, and I look forward to the clinic!