Lost in mountains of CC materials - what to keep/how to catalog?

Bevs ScooterMinion

So, we go through the entire Core Curriculum, we quiz, drill, answer the questions, BR our work, then review our BR--then we have all of this paper and notes for PTs 1-35. Then what do you do when you need those notes for shattering thought processes going through each PT in order to increase our scores going forward?

Do you keep it all for reviewing often when you're going through each PT? (Maybe this is the BR of that PT that I don't quite understand yet, since I haven't done it yet). When do you come back to some of the lessons and those markups?

Do you keep all of the quizzes, drills, etc. (mine kinda look like Jackson Pollock paintings---I do try to be efficient since I'm identifying intuitions, etc.) so you can review them EACH, as you progress through all of the PTs until the most recent administration is turned into a fresh PT, and then ready to sit for the LSAT?

I mean, how the heck do you all keep track of EVERYTHING? And how often does everyone refer back to EVERYTHING done/learned so far?

I'm starting to see patterns in questions, and assume this will gather in quantity the more PTs I do, but how do you possibly know which shattered thinking you shouldn't repeat?? And worse, when and where that shattered thinking started?

I suppose what I'm asking is: when/how do you know you've shattered a bad habit? Do your scores increase?
Am I supposed to wade through the mountain of paper and previously-done quizzes and drills each time I need to find what I'm doing wrong? How the heck do you catalog it all?

I'm still trying to make sense of how to retain so much of the information, and I'm just finishing the MSS section. (Of course, now I realize why we need so long to study for this bedamndable test).

I know I can refer back to all of the awesome CC lessons, and my notes on each, and SHOULD refer back as often as is necessary, but damn, this is a bunch of info to absorb. If you start a new section each day, how do you keep the info in your head from the previous section--days, weeks, and months later?

I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment, and I've been at this for some months now, obviously, not long enough. (thank goodness I took y'all's advice and withdrew from Saturday's sit.) >__<

Any suggestions and direction are appreciated. THANK YOU! xo *breathing deeply into the paper bag...I have 7 more months of this??*

Bevs ScooterMinion

@Lnanncampbell --your worksheet articulates much of what I'm asking about cataloging. So thank you very much!
I'll put it in a 3-ring binder with my other quizzes, drills' etc. Hmmmm, I suppose I could tab the sections for MSS, Main Pt, etc...as the CC is sectioned.

Earlier, during my meltdown's peak, I envisioned myself buried under mountains of paper LSAT quizzes, drills, and PTs. I guess it's what we need to expect for this dang test? (Indeed, an attorney's lot?)

@"Cant Get Right" --can I address some of this content in tonight's office hours, or do I need to break it up--like, into multiple weeks worth of office hours? I know I'm starting at the beginning, I feel like a green newbie, but I don't want to waste the precious office hours time--and at the same time, I'm having trouble getting started. Thank you for your advice.

Lnanncampbell

I certainly understand how you're feeling! Hope the blind review sheet does help out with this a little bit -- I keep them all in a big booklet and review as necessary. Keep calm and carry on -- us December postponers need to stick together haha.

Bevs ScooterMinion

That's a fact, sister! Thank you!

Alex

@ScooterMinion said:
I mean, how the heck do you all keep track of EVERYTHING? And how often does everyone refer back to EVERYTHING done/learned so far?

I have a folder of all my LSAT stuff on my desktop on my laptop. I also take notes in a 5-Subject notebook (I find writing things down helps me remember more/internalize) I re-do the quizzes every couple of days. They take literally minutes to do and they serve as a good warmup.
I refer back to previous lessons VERY often. Every time I miss more than a couple questions of a particular type, I tend to go back and rewatch the lessons for that type. Yeah, it takes a long time, but in doing that I really feel like I've mastered a lot!

You're just feeling a bit overwhelmed and that is completely normal. Chill out and breathe like you said. Develop an organizational system that works for you. I try to avoid having hard copies of things as much as possible. I do print out the drills and stuff and use manilla folders and one of these organizing thingys: https://www.amazon.com/Globe-Weis-Pendaflex-Expanding-Closure-R117ALHD/dp/B000FD9YHM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480537683&sr=8-1&keywords=organizing+files

I also use many Excel spreadsheets to input and keep track of questions missed on LR and LG. I run through the missed questions continuously and return to the lessons as needed.

I know it can seem like a lot, but once you get a system down it becomes easy!

Bevs ScooterMinion

@"Alex Divine" Thank you for the detail and suggestions! You're wonderful!

Cant Get Right

For me, it's the process of creating all that paper work that really is the most helpful. My organization of it once I was done was, uh, haphazard, haha. Although, I did have one notebook set aside in which I recorded specific questions or lessons or whatever that were either particularly difficult or helpful. These were the things I really wanted to revisit periodically.

Once you start taking PTs though, this becomes much more easily managed. Use Analytics!! I know a lot of people that don't, and they're missing out on a really powerful tool. Analytics will crunch all that data for you and organize it into a usable format. You will see your trends clearly, and it's much easier to develop an immediate study plan with the benefit of that information.

Hope this helps!

Bevs ScooterMinion

Of course, the Analytics! How silly of me to forget them! *slaps forehead*

A couple of weeks ago, I did input my June 2007 scores and BR for a diagnostic, so I'll take another look at those red areas and see what it tells me to work on.

I did walk away for a couple of hours to clear my head from the jumble. Then sat down and just started going through my papers, like you mention, and it all began to make sense.

At least I got my freak-out out of the way. Oy.

Thanks, @"Cant Get Right" !

dennisgerrard

start to use Analytics. very helpful tool! but I don't see a section score if I only did one section.

Bevs ScooterMinion

@dennisgerrard said:
I don't see a section score if I only did one section.

Good idea. Thanks, @dennisgerrard !