PTing before finishing Core Curriculum

jessicalj

I've seen in other discussions that this is not advisable. However, I have been studying for nearly a year and took the LSAT once before. Although I went from a 157 diagnostic to a 168 on the February administration, this is less than what I was hoping for going in (low 170's).

Based on reading around, it seems that some of the T-6 schools will take some kind of average (feel free to correct me). I have thus revised my goal to 175+ and am planning to re-take in September. Also, after using a number of other test prep methods the first time around, I decided to build up stronger fundamentals using 7Sage's no-nonsense Core Curriculum and PT/BR process.

Like other 7Sagers, going through the curriculum has been slower than I initially expected. Should I stick to it or start PT'ing? Feeling pressured as other September test takers are joining the BR group and soon to have my prep limited to weekends due to work.

quinnxzhang

Have you planned out your schedule? I don't think it'd be too much of a stretch to create a detailed plan for your study from now until September. Mark the specific dates you'll be completing each lesson, PTing each test, etc. You don't have to rigidly adhere to this schedule if something unexpected comes up, but it does give you a bird's eye view of your situation.

Assuming your projected schedule has you saving all PTs until you finish the curriculum, if this doesn't leave you with enough time to do as many PTs as you need, then I think it's fine to revise the schedule and start the doing some of the earlier PTs concurrently with the curriculum. Otherwise, as always, it'd be best to wait.

I think a 168 illustrates that you already have a decent grasp of most of the curriculum, so I don't think it'd be as big of a sin to start some PTs in your case, if necessary. Scoring a 175+ will require foolproofing the relevant skills, which involves not just completing the curriculum, but also doing a sufficient number of full PTs.

Cant Get Right

That's an interesting situation. I definitely benefitted from the 7Sage curriculum after a year of studying before 7Sage. I think it's good that you've gone back to the beginning. That being said, if you're taking in September, it's time to start PTing. How far into the curriculum are you? If you're now aiming for the upper 170s that's a large gap to close. I think it's a totally realistic goal for you, but the space between one point to the next become exponentially larger the higher you go. So, not great to miss out on either core curriculum or PT/BRing.

As far as I know, NYU is the only school that claims to average scores. And even for them, their rankings are determined just like everyone else's: and it's based on the high score.

MrSamIam

Normally I would suggest finishing the curriculum first. You don't want to take a PT with half of your LSAT tools. However, you have plenty of prior experience. If you have plenty of PTs to spare, and are taking the September administration, you should try PTing to assess your progress.
You can also use your PT results to determine which lessons you need to focus on most, before you even get to them.

jessicalj

Thanks for all the feedback so far!

@quinnxzhang said:
Have you planned out your schedule?

Nope - thanks for pushing me to do this.

@quinnxzhang said:
Assuming your projected schedule has you saving all PTs until you finish the curriculum, if this doesn't leave you with enough time to do as many PTs as you need, then I think it's fine to revise the schedule and start the doing some of the earlier PTs concurrently with the curriculum.

@MrSamIam said:
If you have plenty of PTs to spare

Unfortunately, I burned through ~16 PTs from the 60's and 70's my first time around. Also, the test prep materials I used took examples from other recent PTs - 40's, 50's... Others who had to deal with this, how much of an impact did familiarity have on your PT score?

@"Cant Get Right" said:
How far into the curriculum are you?

Almost at Logic Games; skipped some of the problem sets (Ultimate+). Thinking of PTing after the introductory lessons on LG; this was my best section to begin with (was PTing -0 but likely ended up with -3 on the real test due to a misread).

Cant Get Right

Yeah, I think you might be an exception to the rule @jessicalj . Definitely go ahead and finish the curriculum, but I think you'll be okay to start doing some PTs as well.