Study strategy for retaking?

Comments

• Achen165 Member

  July 2017 656 karma

  It is difficult to know where to begin studying for the second time. Varying by how high or low you are scoring, and where you are scoring the most points and the least will help guide you on what to prioritize. What is your best section? Could all sections use work? If you are scoring 170+, it's trickier to pinpoint a starting point than when you are scoring in the 150's per se. My first write was very low as I was highly under prepared, and I began studying from scratch again. This may not be the case for a higher level scorer, who could get by doing PT's alone and reviewing them.

  Work on perfecting your LG's, by the Fool Proof method, if that is a troublesome area for you.
  Easiest section to attain score improvement. Drills by question type, i.e. Powerscore workbooks. Perhaps consult a new resource, such as the LSAT Trainer, to have a more condensed, but broad, perspective CC revisit.
• 1 Like

  Kateelaine Alum Member

  July 2017 172 karma

  @achen013 Thanks for the response! I just ordered the LSAT Trainer, so I can get working through that. I scored a 156 in June, but the PTs the month before the exam I was in the low 160s. I'm disappointed in my score, but not discouraged. I still made a 10 point gain from my very first diagnostic (a 146), but I want to get at least another 4 points. I want my 160+!
• OlamHafuch Alum Member

  July 2017 2326 karma

  @Katherine I'm sure you'll get your 160+ if you keep plugging away.
• Alex Alum Member ⭐

  July 2017 23929 karma

  @Katharine said:
  Hi all,

  I'm retaking the LSAT in September, and am trying to get together a study plan. I'm thinking I'll take one PT a week, go over one section per day afterwards, and have two days to rest/work on the soft parts of applications. I'm shooting for a 5 point increase, which I believe is doable (I underscored on the LSAT in June). Does anybody else have thoughts/strategies for retaking? I know I should review the CC for the parts of the exam I'm weak on, but I'm not quite sure what to do beyond just the PT per week.

  Thoughts?

  Check out and watch @"Cant Get Right" 's amazing webinar https://7sage.com/webinar/post-core-curriculum-study-strategies/ I think this might be helpful because it covers all stages of prep.

  I think your plan works good, but don't feel the need to do a PT every single week. Do them as needed. If you take a PT and you realize you need work on games, so a games intensive and spend a week or two just drilling mostly games.

  Besides the PTs during the week work on timed sections and BR. This is where you'll be able to make a lot of improvements. Also don't be afraid to reach out for other sources such as Powerscore/Manhattan/The LSAT Trainer, etc. Sometimes other resources just click better with some people.

  Lastly, have you fool proofed the PT bundle of PTs 1-35? If your LG score isn't consistently close to -0 I highly recommend doing that first and foremost. That could net you the 5 points you need right there!

  Good luck!
• Achen165 Member

  July 2017 656 karma

  @Katharine said:
  @achen013 Thanks for the response! I just ordered the LSAT Trainer, so I can get working through that. I scored a 156 in June, but the PTs the month before the exam I was in the low 160s. I'm disappointed in my score, but not discouraged. I still made a 10 point gain from my very first diagnostic (a 146), but I want to get at least another 4 points. I want my 160+!

  Sure thing, you are welcome! That's a fantastic improvement though from your diagnostic. Since your score is in the mid-high 150's to low 160's range, I think that The Trainer is a good resource to consult while BR-ing. It's the most comprehensive resource, and I personally don't like Powerscore Bibles (their workbooks are good though). Didn't capture my attention and everything I read went through the window. The Trainer gives you a different perspective on the same material...that's the thing about all of the LSAT prep material on the market...a variety of approaches with the shared aim of cracking the test. There's no simple answer other than you have to find what works for you. I personally have a binder that has notes on the entire Trainer and now working on 7Sage CC notes. Sometimes, one approach clarifies something for me that the other didn't. Sometimes I can use them in conjunction to build a sense of approach. It's about assessing your own perspective and methodologies and configuring them to the nature of the test. Sometimes, a little bit of every resource comes into play. For example, I used mixed methodologies for the games, acquired from a variety of prep companies, though 7Sage is my favorite for games. As another example, I found a 50% increase in the correctness of a certain question type by isolating the argument into three different colored highlighted parts, which came after getting all the questions of that type wrong. Don't rush through either the PT's or the Trainer though...move at a steady pace and make the most of each resource.

  I also agree with that @"Alex Divine" said...don't focus on knocking the PT's out per week if that pace isn't comfortable...focus on how much you can actually learn from each test, while assessing weaknesses and combating them, rather than just doing them to get them done. There are a finite number of tests to go through, make sure you learn the most that you possibly can from each one so that you can have lasting improvements that will show forth on test day.

  P.S. The Trainer comes with a nifty reference page set of questions by question type, which you can use to drill weaknesses.
• karenkaren Alum Member

  July 2017 116 karma

  I agree that the Post-CC Strategies webinar is awesome and has lots of awesome, specific advice.

  Also check out this webinar for tips- https://7sage.com/webinar/lsat-prep-for-170-plus/