Manhattan vs Blueprint RC Book?

Comments

• TheoryandPractice Alum Member

  April 2017 edited April 2017 1008 karma

  @Mellow_Z Hi! I think you are wise to stick with the basics first. I think implementing specific methodologies comes later. Once you master the basics (active reading, reading for structure), your needs become more apparent (where your weaknesses lie) and it is a lot more efficient to test various methodologies then to target specific weaknesses.

  One note of caution is it takes a long time to master the basics for reading. Not sure about you; certainly did for me. I really had to change the way I read, and changing a life-long habit takes a while. I recommend taking notes after each practice session what particular aspect of the basics you still feel uncomfortable and focusing on those aspects on the next practice session, and so on. One day everything will start to flow and you will do active reading and reading for structure quite unconsciously. You won't even be thinking about what you are doing because it became so natural for you. That's when you can say that you have "mastered" it.
• Mellow_Z Alum Member

  April 2017 1997 karma

  @TheoryandPractice said:
  @Mellow_Z Hi! I think you are wise to stick with the basics first. I think implementing specific methodologies comes later. Once you master the basics (active reading, reading for structure), your needs become more apparent (where your weaknesses lie) and it is a lot more efficient to test various methodologies then to target specific weaknesses.

  One note of caution is it takes a long time to master the basics for reading. Not sure about you; certainly did for me. I really had to change the way I read, and changing a life-long habit takes a while. I recommend taking notes after each practice session what particular aspect of the basics you still feel uncomfortable and focusing on those aspects on the next practice session, and so on. One day everything will start to flow and you will do active reading and reading for structure quite unconsciously. You won't even be thinking about what you are doing because it became so natural for you. That's when you can say that you have "mastered" it.

  I appreciate the response!

  So in terms of priority.. should I do CC > Active Reading/Reading for Structure? Or focus on the basics of Active Reading and Reading for Structure before really hammering through the CC again?
• TheoryandPractice Alum Member

  April 2017 edited April 2017 1008 karma

  I think doing them simultaneously might work. I've watched JY's videos. Although he doesn't explicitly say "here, I am doing active reading," or "here, I am reading for structure," he naturally does active reading and reading for structure in his RC videos. So I would try to actively read and read for structure before watching JY's videos, and watch his video to see where I missed. (I'm not talking about the questions, but missing parts of active reading/ reading for structure. For example, did I miss a referential phrasing in para 2? Why? etc)

  Select 1 passage in the CC and try active reading and reading for structure first
  then watch JY's video in the CC

  At least this is what I did. Hopefully it is helpful to you too
• conraddnoronha Alum Member

  April 2017 150 karma

  The Manhattan book for RC is good, but I'd recommend the LSAT trainer.
• 1 Like

  Mellow_Z Alum Member

  April 2017 1997 karma

  @conraddnoronha said:
  The Manhattan book for RC is good, but I'd recommend the LSAT trainer.

  Yeah I have The Trainer. I'm wrapping that up in tandem with 7sage's CC. I was just curious on everyone else's experience with other materials! I guess I'm in good hands and might not need any other content; I will see what happens when I get through the rest of the curriculum! Thanks for the input everyone
• tanes256 Alum Member

  April 2017 2573 karma

  @Mellow_Z I don't recall if Manhattan uses "VIEWSTAMP" but if so, I didn't like that book. Wasn't really beneficial for me at all. I would stick with The LSAT Trainer for RC. Can't comment on Blueprint.
• The Noodley Alum Member

  May 2017 662 karma

  I am curious to know whether someone has used Blueprint RC book?
• dennisgerrard Member

  May 2017 edited May 2017 1644 karma

  @Mellow_Z I used Manhattan RC book(4th version) and found it extremely helpful .The categorization of question types and PEAR Method(Pause,Evaluation, Anticipate, Reassess). I keep reviewing some chapters. My personal tutor also suggests this book.

  @"Testing..." I enrolled Blueprint courses before and have its RC book electronically(free if you subscribed to Amazon). It focuses more on passage (like synthesis passage, anti-syntheis passages and synthesis passages) and author's presence in passage or not.

  JY's comment on RC is for high-level at later stage of preparation. I would say both books sharpen your fundamental skills.

  For my RC, I tends to move towards questions since the questions take much of my time. And POE takes time too. I will prefer Manhattan to Blueprint. Yet, combing book with practice is the key to increase score on RC.

  Hope this is helpful.
• JustDoIt Alum Member ⭐

  May 2017 3112 karma

  I really didn't like manhattan. I would advise using the trainer for foundational reasoning structure strategies then diving deeper on your own.
• The Noodley Alum Member

  May 2017 662 karma

  @dennisgerrard thank you so much! I will first take a look at RC and Trainer!