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2 Likes
Preptests most similar to recent LSATs
fifthending
Alum Member
Hey guys,
I'm in the middle of studying for the June LSAT and am currently taking the preptests...which PTs do you think are most similar to the LSAT as it currently stands? I'm only in the PT 40's but am thinking of jumping to the more recent PT's to better prep for the real thing as I'm not going to have enough time to do all of them. Where should I start?
Comments
PT 70-80 are most similar to the current version.
Yeah, as @Mellow_Z said PTs 70-80 are the most modern tests. Beyond that, I would say that all PTs are useful, but PTs 50 - 80 are going to be the most like the June 2017 test (PT 81).
PT 51.5 (June 2007; the free test given by LSAC) introduced comparative passages in the RC section. Every current RC section has a set of comparative passages. You definitely want some of those under your belt. J.Y. has come up with a great strategy for doing comparative passages. You should attend his free 5/26 RC BR session to learn more about it.
Substitution rule questions in logic games started appearing more frequently starting in the PT 60's. These questions frequently give students a lot of trouble. However, I actually like this question type. You start to recognize patterns the more you do them. I think almost every single modern test has at least one substitution rule question, often there are at least two. You want to practice those.
With the PT 70's, the wording used in LR question stems started to change a little bit. The question types are still exactly the same, but the modified wording throws some people off. It is important to get used to that. Also, wired (misc.) LG games have made a comeback in the PT 70's. The main challenge of these games is the initial shock factor as J.Y. has points out in his videos. By doing PTs in the 70's you will start to get used to them and come to expect a strange game. I think it is smart to assume that there will be a odd game on the June 2017 test. If there is, you will not be surprised. If there is not, you got lucky. J.Y. recommends this mindset and I completely agree.
All of this being said, there are only 20 days left until the June LSAT. At this stage, you do not want to get burnout by trying to do too many LSATs. I would recommend that you only do 2 - 4 tests in the next two weeks (don't do any tests in the last week). As for what those tests should be, you might want to try a test in the 50's, one in the 60's, and two in the 70's. You want to save most of the 70's tests in case of a retake. You will benefit far more by taking your time with each 70's test. Do careful BR, drill weaknesses, and review relevant parts of the 7Sage CC before taking another test in the 70's. They are treasures, don't waste them.
Wow, another long post by me. I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any more questions. Good luck on the June LSAT!
@"Daniel.Sieradzki" You sure about that advice to not take a preptest in the last week? Wouldn't you be a little off when it comes time to take the test if its been more than a week since you took one?
I've heard it's best not to take a PT the day before the exam, but an entire week before the exam doesn't seem like the best idea, especially in OP's case. I think this advice might apply more to someone who has done extensive PTs and knows their weaknesses inside and out. It's certainly not a hard-and-fast rule.
A test or even two might be perfectly fine during OP's last week, so long as they avoid any potential burnout before the exam.
Incidentally, @fifthending have you considered taking a loss and just waiting until Sept to take the exam? I think you're putting yourself in quite a precarious position not having had time to properly take most of the newest exams. Most people see a score drop when they begin the more recent PTs, and although that problem is fixed with careful BR and experience with the new material, you're missing the time you need to do those things properly.
Anyways, I would focus on the 70s series. Maybe do something like 72, 74, 76, 78, 80. They'll be the most similar, and you'll save yourself plenty if you need a retake.
I think what Daniel means by not taking a PT in the last week before the test is to just take it slower and chill out more. Maybe do some light drilling to stay sharp but mostly chilling to not avoid burn out?
feel free to call me an idiot if I'm wrong, but I think that's what he is trying to get across
You're not an idiot, Mikey!
I think that makes sense. I've heard chilling out the week before is a good strategy.
I see what everyone is saying. I might have been a little too strict with the idea of no test in the last week. However, I think it is important to ask yourself why you need to take a test the last week. If you have a truly good reason, then do it.
If the reason is that you want to keep your LSAT skills sharp, that is not a good reason. I assure you that you will not forget how to take an LSAT test after just one week. If the reason is that you want to learn more about the modern LSAT, there will not be enough time to incorporate any new knowledge.
I guess I am cautious because I have seen too many people suffer by taking a test in the last week. Someone I know graded the test, got a low score, and freaked out. Another person thought they found some major insight, tried to memorize it, but it became a distraction on the real test. I think the LSAT Trainer said it best. You need to train your thinking process to deal with the LSAT/problems. Consciously trying to memorize every detail or strategy leads to a lack of confidence, time delays, and ultimately low performance. People who do too many tests near the end often scramble to absorb information. However, it is all temporary knowledge that will likely not actually appear on test day.
That being said, if you do find a good reason for taking a PT in the last week, I would encourage you not to grade it. You do not want to risk destroying your confidence. You might want to even consider doing a retake of your best PT. This will boost your confidence and fill the need to take a test in the last week.
Also, @TheMikey said it better than me (NEVER think that you are an idiot. You are a really cool cat!). What I am really getting at is that you should take it slow your final week. I still think you should drill LR, RC, and especially LG (the section that is easiest to get rusty on). However, I just see more disadvantages than advantages to taking a full LSAT in the last week (confidence loss, bad score freakout, seeing weaknesses that you do not have time to correct, etc.). The only good outcome I can think of is that you get a good score on your last PT and get a slight confidence boost, which hardly outweighs the risks. Ultimately, the decision is yours. Because I have seen too many people suffer because of a test near the end, I just had to mention it. I wish you all the best. Crush the June LSAT!