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Should I increase my PTs per week? Advice?

KalayaanKalayaan Alum Member
edited March 2018 in General 213 karma

Edit: I've FPed the LG Bundle, but I'm considering going through it again before coming back to new LG sections. Thoughts?

Since finishing the CC I've done 7 PTs, with a 170.7 first take average and a ~175 BR average.

Section splits: -1.9 LR, -2.7 LG, -3 RC.

For LR there's no particular Qtype that's messing me up, and I think I'm getting the hang of RC now. However, LG has always been my weak point, and I just went -6 on my most recent PT (LG section rated easier).

I'm currently doing 2 PTs/week, but I want to bump it up to three while continuing to foolproof LG. My rationale is that that would give more exposure to new questions (instead of drilling old material) and experience under test day conditions.

Is there a reason I shouldn't be too impatient and instead take my time, maybe go back and drill some older LR sections? Or is it okay to go ahead with the PT number bump?

Comments

  • _oshun1__oshun1_ Alum Member
    3652 karma

    I would do less PTs if anything. Not sure how doing more PTs is going to help you if your weak spot is LG

  • goingfor99thgoingfor99th Free Trial Member
    3072 karma

    Two PTs a week sounds like too much. Are you sure you're milking the materials for what they're worth? Do more LG sections untimed.

  • Leah M BLeah M B Alum Member
    8392 karma

    I would really only say 2 PTs max, but ideally just 1. All that taking full PTs really does is help you get used to the timing of the test, build stamina, and gauge your progress. BRing them helps learning, but that can also be done in individual timed sections or drilling.

    Have you watched this webinar? https://7sage.com/webinar/post-core-curriculum-study-strategies/

    That will give some tips on drilling and how to progress through your studies. I think you'd overall be better off just focusing on foolproofing and maybe doing timed LR sections.

  • LastLSATLastLSAT Alum Member
    edited April 2018 1028 karma

    .

  • westcoastbestcoastwestcoastbestcoast Alum Member
    3788 karma

    Nice scorebreakdown. In your position, you should focus all your efforts in making your LG average minus 0. Drill all the logic games in sections and fool proof them until you are averaging minus 0

  • _oshun1__oshun1_ Alum Member
    edited March 2018 3652 karma

    @LastLSAT said:
    I agree that you should back off on the PTs. I was doing 3 or 4 PTs a week leading up to my first attempt, averaging 174, and scored a 165 on the real thing.

    On my second attempt, I took only 1 PT during the two months of studying. All I did was drill LR and RC, and foolproof LG. I got a 172 that time.

    There is a lot to be said for taking the time to thoroughly review problems that you have already seen. That is where I learned the most.

    Of course, this may be anecdotal. But at least in my experience, I saw the biggest improvements when I STOPPED taking PTs.

    Your story is giving me more hope that all this time I'm spending on the CC and writing out explanations for every single question in the drills, instead of rushing through the CC to take PTs, will pay off

  • LastLSATLastLSAT Alum Member
    edited April 2018 1028 karma

    .

  • KalayaanKalayaan Alum Member
    213 karma

    @LastLSAT said:
    I agree that you should back off on the PTs. I was doing 3 or 4 PTs a week leading up to my first attempt, averaging 174, and scored a 165 on the real thing.

    On my second attempt, I took only 1 PT during the two months of studying. All I did was drill LR and RC, and foolproof LG. I got a 172 that time.

    There is a lot to be said for taking the time to thoroughly review problems that you have already seen. That is where I learned the most.

    Of course, this may be anecdotal. But at least in my experience, I saw the biggest improvements when I STOPPED taking PTs.

    Gratz, I've seen a few stories like this. Where did your drills come from - were they new materials or from PTs you'd already taken? Also, did you take them as timed sections with BR?

  • KalayaanKalayaan Alum Member
    213 karma

    @"Leah M B" said:
    I would really only say 2 PTs max, but ideally just 1. All that taking full PTs really does is help you get used to the timing of the test, build stamina, and gauge your progress. BRing them helps learning, but that can also be done in individual timed sections or drilling.

    Have you watched this webinar? https://7sage.com/webinar/post-core-curriculum-study-strategies/

    That will give some tips on drilling and how to progress through your studies. I think you'd overall be better off just focusing on foolproofing and maybe doing timed LR sections.

    I've seen that webinar, but was still unsure of how to proceed. For LR timed sections, am I supposed to be using old or new materials? I'm worried about "wasting" fresh PTs that could be used to replicate test day conditions.

  • LastLSATLastLSAT Alum Member
    edited April 2018 1028 karma

    .

  • KalayaanKalayaan Alum Member
    213 karma

    @LastLSAT said:

    @Kalayaan said:

    @LastLSAT said:
    I agree that you should back off on the PTs. I was doing 3 or 4 PTs a week leading up to my first attempt, averaging 174, and scored a 165 on the real thing.

    On my second attempt, I took only 1 PT during the two months of studying. All I did was drill LR and RC, and foolproof LG. I got a 172 that time.

    There is a lot to be said for taking the time to thoroughly review problems that you have already seen. That is where I learned the most.

    Of course, this may be anecdotal. But at least in my experience, I saw the biggest improvements when I STOPPED taking PTs.

    Gratz, I've seen a few stories like this. Where did your drills come from - were they new materials or from PTs you'd already taken? Also, did you take them as timed sections with BR?

    I just used the 7Sage practice sets to drill, so I'd say half and half new and old, just depending on if I had taken the PT before.

    All drilling/PTing/foolproofing I ever did was timed. The only untimed work I would do was BRing LR after a timed PT/drill section.

    Really, the time constraints were the biggest limit on my performance though, so untimed work might have benefits if you struggle more with other issues.

    Thanks for your help.

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