December LSAT .. backed into a corner

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• 6 Likes

  Rigid Designator Alum Member

  November 2016 edited November 2016 1091 karma

  Based on the fact you say you lose your nerves when you see a hard game, and from the fact you say you're scoring 10/23, and from the fact the Dec test is this weekend, I would suggest you don't aim to do all four games. I'd say you should aim to answer three properly, rather than trying to do all four, inevitably unnerving yourself when you attempt the hardest one. Just guess the answer choices on the game you don't do.
  
  There is a chart in the PowerScore Bible which pretty much explains reasoning close to this. Consider the following...
  
  If you divide the 35 minutes up by the number of games (4), you essentially have 8.75 minutes for each problem. Suppose that trying to do them in this short time throws your nerves off and you only answer the 24 questions with 50% accuracy. You'd score 12.
  
  Now imagine you don't aim to answer all 4 games. Imagine you aim to skip the hardest one. Now you have 35 minutes for 3 games. This gives you just over 11 minutes 30 seconds for each puzzle. Suppose this extra time, and the lessened pressure of skipping the hardest game, allows you to answer the 3 other games with 100% accuracy. Worst case scenario the hardest game has 7 questions and the section is 23 questions. In this scenario you'd then answer 16 questions with 100% accuracy. That's a +4 mark difference already!
• phelanj75 Alum Member

  November 2016 279 karma

  Yea that seems like a solid strategy.. i tend to run out of time 2-3 games in and have to rush. focusing on 3 games might make it easier to manage the stress.
• stepharizona Alum Member

  December 2016 edited December 2016 3197 karma

  @phelanj75 said:
  I'm registered for feb but I'm feeling a little cynical about December. I've already applied to a few schools so I'm sort of locked in.
  

  I would not take Dec. It is very likely that if schools see you are registered for Feb, they wont assess your application until then. So it might be good to not waste the take.
  
  Also, if your score is not where it needs to be, you still still need to call the schools to hold your application, in case their policy is to not wait.
• 1 Like

  Alex Alum Member ⭐

  December 2016 edited December 2016 23929 karma

  @stepharizona said:
  I would not take Dec. It is very likely that if schools see you are registered for Feb, they wont assess your application until then. So it might be good to not waste the take.
  

  With a couple of extra months, you'd have the time to get really good at games!
  
• 1 Like

  youngprophetable Member

  December 2016 24 karma

  I was in the same boat as you and now I generally score -3 to -5 on LG. What I did is I would scan for a sequencing game because that is the type of game I do the best with. After that I would move to the other 3 games. I suggest you do the same. If there is a certain game type that you do the best with, scan for that in the section, do it first then move to the other games. Say you answer your stronger game quickly you should be able to get to the other 3, if not you at least didn't miss out on the easy points by getting bogged down with a more difficult game that takes up a ton of time. Also, how close are you to your 158-60 goal? If your scoring 155-56, I'd take the December one and hope to get lucky on a few guesses...good luck and stay confident!!!
• phelanj75 Alum Member

  December 2016 279 karma

  @stepharizona ... am i not wasting take either way ? itll still count toward my 3 takes.
• 1 Like

  phelanj75 Alum Member

  December 2016 279 karma

  @"Alex Divine" thats the plan .. I'm in school for 2 more weeks then i can devote weeks to just getting gd at games and reviewing some of the core curriculum.
• phelanj75 Alum Member

  December 2016 279 karma

  And in general i get the idea that schools will hold my file until February .. had things happened differently i might have have started the whole process much earlier and planned to test the winds and really choose the best date. in my present circumstance , i though it would be better to shift some of the pressure by taking 2 takes.. either way , if i drop out now my file will still be held back.
• Alex Alum Member ⭐

  December 2016 23929 karma

  @phelanj75 said:
  @"Alex Divine" thats the plan .. I'm in school for 2 more weeks then i can devote weeks to just getting gd at games and reviewing some of the core curriculum.
  

  Nice! I think you're going to be very pleased when you see how quickly and effectively one can improve with games with a little dedication and consistency!
• phelanj75 Alum Member

  December 2016 279 karma

  @"Alex Divine" btw ... whats your top score? have you applied and been accepted ? ... not trying to be nosy , just noticed that you're really active on the forums. figured you must be an lsat guru at this point lol .
• Alex Alum Member ⭐

  December 2016 edited December 2016 23929 karma

  @phelanj75 said:
  @"Alex Divine" btw ... whats your top score? have you applied and been accepted ? ... not trying to be nosy , just noticed that you're really active on the forums. figured you must be an lsat guru at this point lol .
  

  An LSAT Guru haha.... That's J.Y. and the Sages. I just love this test and have been following LSAT cycles and stuff since around 2011. So I've picked up quite an abundance of advice about general strategy stuff.
  
  I haven't applied yet. I am a year out of undergrad and want at minimum another year work experience under my belt first. I'll likely apply next cycle. I'm pretty dead set on H or Y, and if I don't gain acceptance, I would like to have a career to fall back on because it won't be law, lol.