Long break .. tips for new LSAT format?

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• 4 Likes

  Princess Alum Member

  March 2019 821 karma

  Hi! I'm glad you got to take a break and decided to come back to make more progress. I did something similar as well. This is all the advise I would have given to myself last year when I was in your place and what I am doing right now as well:

  This is a hard test. It is going to depend on how you scored on your first diagnostic, how you score after you finish the CC, and then how much more you improve from there. I actually decided to do the CC for the second time. Then, I would suggest that keep studying for the LR and progress through that. At the same time, you need to do the basic logic lesson and advanced logic lesson. Once you understand the idea of "or" "Not Both" and others...then you can progress to the Logic Games! You need to make sure you go through all those logic games lessons. At the same time, keep studying for the LR.

  Once you have finished the lessons of the Logic Games, you are going to print off the the logic games bundle which has EVERY game from tests 1-35. Now those games, you want to do atleast 1 game EVERY DAY. Make piles, time yourself, repeat the ones you miss, continue the next day, and don't stop. The piles get bigger, it gets frusterating, keep watching the videos, and you will be fine.

  Basically, I decided to print off the logic games bundle which was like all the games from PTs 1-35. I also added to the binder if I did a PT and would just put the games into the binder afterwards. I’ve been using google sheets to track my time, how many I got wrong, what date I first took the test, and more. If I got it wrong the first time, it goes in the second binder which is for more practice. If I missed questions, I would highlight it in red. I highlight in yellow if I had timing problems or if I’m just not 100% confident in the game and got lucky. I move those games to the second binder.

  So, I’ll do like 10 PTs, move games accordingly to the second binder, redo the games, and see if there is improvement. If there is improvement, I move the games in the yellow tab for “practice”, but if I still suck…they stay in the red tab.

  Usually, I just try the game, time myself, and step away from it. I will try to finish atleast 4 games. Then, I look over the games once more and decide if I want to stick to the answers or not. Which is sort of my BR, I guess. Then, I check the games! For the logic games, I swear it will just click because they just are repeated over and over.

  The Logical Reasoning is a bit more challenging for me though. You want to make sure you don't skip through videos because the way JY explains the WRONG answers is so much more helpful than just getting the RIGHT answer right. You want to know why something is wrong, how that wrong answer could have been correct, and how it may be the correct answer in future logical reasoning questions.

  Once the LR is done, the logic games are still in process, then just take a breath and take your first Preptest after the course. I know you haven't done the Reading Comp, but honestly just take the test and see how much you improve. This gives you more of a rubric to go off from because you learn what areas you're still weak in. This time you DRILL those areas, such as flaw quesitons or strengthen questions. You will get better slowly. Don't forget to BR all of these.

  Now as you're studying, drilling, doing logic games, then start the RC and just try to see how JY does it. Look at different strategies and implement those. Depending on that, you want to take the test! I went from a 144 (i think? maybe 143? idk) to a 162-165 in about 3.5 months. I am still studying and trying to take my time with the course, and am hoping to get a 170 by July. I definetly think you can get into the 160s, but it's going to be ridiculous amount of work! It will all be worth it though!
• TORToise Alum Member

  March 2019 31 karma

  This is all amazing advice! Inspirational how you went from a 144ish score to now 170 striking range. Keep at it!!
• ecarr_12 Live Member

  March 2019 187 karma

  @Princess Thanks so much for taking the time to write that all out!

  I guess I should've been more clear in my question as I am coming back from my break with a great deal of studying already under my belt. I've fool proofed all games 1-35, went through the CC twice, and have taken a good amount of practice exams with blind review. My question was more so if and how studying should change given the new digital format.
• 1 Like

  Princess Alum Member

  March 2019 821 karma

  I'm so sorry! I think honestly just use the resouces LSAC provides. You can use KhanAcademy to take a online LSAT test. Overall, it's not going to be too different where you need to change methods of studying. I think try to take July to get a feel for it if you're scoring well on PTs.