Trying to decide on tutor or no tutor? Need effective strategy.

rafaelito

Hi 7sage community! I'd like some advice before I hire a tutor to help me achieve a higher lsat score. I am not opposed to spending the money, but I would just like to hear any input sages or mentors or anyone else has to offer before.

I started seriously studying in May, 2016. My first PT was a 155. Since then my best has been a 162. My RC has always been strong but I still get anywhere from 3 to 6 wrong. I have made tremendous progress in Logic games. I'm definitely proud of that. I can solve basically any game. The problem is timing. Lastly, LR is hit or miss for me. I have also improved my comprehension and the ability to zero in on what the argument is and what its support is. However, my timing is off. Recently, I've been trying to do the first 10 questions in 10 minutes. I've also been marking obviously wrong answers much quicker and spending less time reading all the answer choices in depth.

However, I am worried. I am registered for December but have absolutely no problem with postponing until February. I work full-time but I am motivated and committed. When I made that first jump, I was happy but I'm eager now to see another big improvement soon, hopefully into the late 160s.

I have 23 PTs left. When I started out I did not have a plan to use my resources as most efficiently as possible. But now I am much more cognizant of those resources. So I've been spending time drilling the the PTs under 38.

I finished the 7sage curriculum and I'm just not sure where to go from here. I liked that there was a schedule. I think another schedule might help but I think I also need strategy in order to create that schedule.

Any thoughts? I know Nicole Hopkins says she is particularly good at these organizational skills. Anyone else in this position?

I don't want to "waste" ANY PTs and I do want to score above 170. I believe I can but I'm lacking strategy.

Thoughts?

M.Yanka106

Regarding the tutor question, I will say do not waste your money just yet. Wait till you are closer to your target score. I tried 2 tutors. I wish I hadn't. I found 7sage a bit late. The cc plus the video explanations helped me more than the tutors. Also, when you finally make that decision, hire someone from here so you do not have to learn a different strategy to solve problems.

rafaelito

@M.Yanka106 thanks for your feedback. I was looking at tutors here and entertained the idea of an in-person tutor where I live but you do make a great point.

I find the way 7sage explains things to be the very helpful. On getting closer to my target score.... I'm trying. It hasn't been that long since I scored my highest PT. I took a two week break of not really studying after that (mostly due to life issues) and I've been back on it since then. But I'm just eager to keep seeing improvement. I'm just wondering if I'm missing something. Probably strategy. Time strategy and also tackling answers strategy.

Anyway, sucks that those tutors didn't work out for you but at least we have 7sage!

M.Yanka106

@RafaelBernard you might not be as bad as you think. I struggle with all the issues you have written here with the difference that your score is still much better than mine. So it is possible what you are doing is working. Just that you have to keep doing what you are doing a bit longer.

Regarding timing for LG. Like you, I can solve any game, but not within the time limit. I guess there is a correlation between strategy and timing. Previously my strategy for game was "solve game using whatever strategy that comes to my mind on any given day." What i am doing now is trying to learn the 7sage strategy through repetition. May be there is a benefit in not recreating the wheel. Also, I work with the same game over and over (and not using new ones)- quality over quantity.
For LR, have you tried watching some of the webinars available- like the one for flaw?

Good luck.

desire2learn

I would say stay the course with 7sage but you have to know yourself as a student. If hearing it from someone else would help you then do it (but be aware that there are tutors you might click with and others you might not so it is a bit of a crap shoot). Here are a few things I would recommend you can do without a tutor.
Check out the webinars on 7sage for timing strategies. I loved the skipping one, the 170+, the 18 point increase, the tale of logic and games, and the timing and levels of certainty. You might also try the eliminating attractor answer choices one.
Be reflective to identify timing mistakes and work on correcting those. Timing strategies are HUGE for maximizing your score AND for minimizing massive drops in your score.
Identify weaknesses in LR and work on those specifically. Rinse, repeat.
Work on 10 in 10, then 15 in 15, then 20 in 20, and finally 25 in 25 for LR. I try to do 25 in 25 now in LR (but it took me a long time to get there) but my strategy includes skipping questions to get to all 25 in 25. Others use variations on the same theme.
Practice games over and over until you can do them in the time recommended on 7sage. Identify weaknesses and work on them (I used to be terrible at In-Out games until I hammered those skills hard).
Basically you probably have around 50 different weaknesses right now (just picking a random number). Just keep getting better everyday. Improve your skills in each area you can identity. Realize that not every PT will expose every weakness. Sometimes a weakness of mine wouldn't show up for 10 PTs and then BAM the next test would exploit it massively. It just shows you where you can keep improving your skills.
After a month or so you will probably have 41 weaknesses. Then after another month 29 (again, random numbers). Just stay motivated to improve every day. You will get there but the march does not happen over night and it does not happen without purposeful preparation and practice.

You can absolutely do this!

rafaelito

@M.Yanka106 hey, so yes I think you're right. I think I'm probably not doing as badly as I think. I think we expect to see quantitative improvement really fast and it just doesn't happen that way. I actually did not know about the webinars..... feel kind of foolish for not knowing but that's alright. I have started watching them and I think they're going to help.

I also re-do the same LG's like you but I try to wait a week or two before my third attempt because if I do the game right after I remember all the inferences.

I also think that I thought I was running out of resources. But, you can re-take PTs you've already taken. I am going to save the late 60s PTs and all the one's in the 70s for when I'm closer to my goal but I'm just going to have to suck it up and re-take PTs.

Good luck to you too!

rafaelito

@desire2learn thanks!! I absolutely agree. I took your advice and watched the 18 point increase webinar (previously wasn't aware of the webinars...so foolish) and it did help. She made a lot of useful points. It is a slow march, especially for me, my diagnostic was 155.

I have taken this weekend to gain some perspective. It was frustrating to see such a huge gap between my BR and PT score. But I should be grateful that the fundamentals are clicking with me.

Good luck to you!