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Hit my ceiling?

jberger295jberger295 Free Trial Member
in General 76 karma

Hey all - last four prep tests (67-69,76) I've sat on a 168. It's always been different range, LR -3 to -7 total, games -1 to -3, and RC -4 to -8 (definitely my worst section). I am taking the Sept. test, and I'm wondering what those of you in a similar boat as me plan to do to continue getting better. Background: I started studying in June using the LSAT trainer, haven't used anything else except prep tests 40-60 or so.
1. How do you get good at the really TOUGH LR questions? There are always some that get me, and when I BR I can figure them out just never when timed.
2. Reading Comp - as random for me as for everyone?
3. Do I just need to take my medicine, keep taking PTs, stop stressing, and hope I get a lucky test that can push me into the 170s?
Thanks all!
Side note, thank you 7sage for this forum! Makes me feel like there are others maniacally trying the kill this test like me!

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Comments

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage ⭐
    13286 karma

    I'm in basically the same boat you are. Except I'm probably more manic than you...lol Ima tag to read the advice.

  • NotMyNameNotMyName Alum Member Sage ⭐
    5320 karma

    i would venture to say that no, you have not hit your ceiling. but you may have hit the best score you are capable of by september.

    the game changer for me was time and exposure. i studied for 4 months last year and scored a 159 on test day. took a month off and returned to fundamentals with 7sage. fast forward to now and i just breached the 170 mark. i've seen SO many LR by now. I had my my first perfect LR section last week. this is all a combination of heavy focus on fundamentals and seeing so many questions that i have a very good intuition for the test now.

    i don't know if you are studying in the most efficient way, but exposure is something that is not discussed often.

  • AllezAllez21AllezAllez21 Member Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐
    1917 karma

    No way have you come close to your ceiling. You just started in June? And you're only using the LSAT Trainer?

    A lot of people study for YEARS and keep improving. Sure, progress is non-linear, but I am certain you can get way better. How much you can improve by September is another issue, I would recommend taking again in December. I think if you fully committed you could get to 175+.

    If you foolproof games you should be able to go -0 except for on the rare occasion. That should get you to 170.

    For LR, I recommend doing untimed drilling by question type. For LR, you've got to really master the fundamentals. Break down every aspect of the question and learn the deepest levels of each type. Also, implement a skipping strategy. There is a 7sage webinar about skipping, watch that.

    For RC, I do untimed deep dives into passages where I write out an analysis of the passage. I think that doing this helps to subconsciously train my brain to focus on the right things while reading timed.

    Also, 3 tests isn't really enough to conclude anything. You need a larger sample size.

  • AlexAlex Alum Member ⭐
    23929 karma

    Hey!

    LR can be tough because there's a whole bunch of different question types and each calls for a bit of a different strategy. I think the lSAT Trainer is a great LSAT book, but I will say one of its biggest weaknesses is that is doesn't focus on conditional logic as much as it should. I am a true believer that conditional logic is super important on LR and I feel like the Trainer lacks a sufficient explanation of how to use conditional logic on many of the LR questions. I would recommend 7Sage or some other books to supplement your study.

    I also agree with the above that you likely haven't hit your ceiling yet. Although I think you're off to a good start, I would think about pushing your test date back so you have more time to focus on hitting your actual ceiling!

    Good luck!

  • jberger295jberger295 Free Trial Member
    76 karma

    @"Alex Divine" said:
    Hey!

    LR can be tough because there's a whole bunch of different question types and each calls for a bit of a different strategy. I think the lSAT Trainer is a great LSAT book, but I will say one of its biggest weaknesses is that is doesn't focus on conditional logic as much as it should. I am a true believer that conditional logic is super important on LR and I feel like the Trainer lacks a sufficient explanation of how to use conditional logic on many of the LR questions. I would recommend 7Sage or some other books to supplement your study.

    I also agree with the above that you likely haven't hit your ceiling yet. Although I think you're off to a good start, I would think about pushing your test date back so you have more time to focus on hitting your actual ceiling!

    Good luck!

    I would agree that the trainer minimally discusses conditional logic.. It could have been better, but really what has shown improvement for me is buying old tests and drilling through them. I guess a sort of self study with the trainer complementing the process.
    Agh if only I could, the way my life is right now though I have to take Sept. The last one I could take is Dec., and that would be tough because I am full time in school so prep time would be tough to come by.

  • jberger295jberger295 Free Trial Member
    edited August 2017 76 karma

    @AllezAllez21 said:
    No way have you come close to your ceiling. You just started in June? And you're only using the LSAT Trainer?

    A lot of people study for YEARS and keep improving. Sure, progress is non-linear, but I am certain you can get way better. How much you can improve by September is another issue, I would recommend taking again in December. I think if you fully committed you could get to 175+.

    If you foolproof games you should be able to go -0 except for on the rare occasion. That should get you to 170.

    For LR, I recommend doing untimed drilling by question type. For LR, you've got to really master the fundamentals. Break down every aspect of the question and learn the deepest levels of each type. Also, implement a skipping strategy. There is a 7sage webinar about skipping, watch that.

    For RC, I do untimed deep dives into passages where I write out an analysis of the passage. I think that doing this helps to subconsciously train my brain to focus on the right things while reading timed.

    Also, 3 tests isn't really enough to conclude anything. You need a larger sample size.

    Yeah I've taken probly 12 total timed tests now - from my diagnostic to today.

    Also, somewhere in the last few weeks I've figured out skipping, normally finish LR at 25 minutes with 2 to 3 skipped and one or two starred. It really does help!

    Basically what I'm getting is to improve much more, I'd need a good amount time behind me. Life isn't really giving me that right now - thanks for the thoughts though! I appreciate them.

  • AlexAlex Alum Member ⭐
    23929 karma

    @jberger295 said:

    @"Alex Divine" said:
    Hey!

    LR can be tough because there's a whole bunch of different question types and each calls for a bit of a different strategy. I think the lSAT Trainer is a great LSAT book, but I will say one of its biggest weaknesses is that is doesn't focus on conditional logic as much as it should. I am a true believer that conditional logic is super important on LR and I feel like the Trainer lacks a sufficient explanation of how to use conditional logic on many of the LR questions. I would recommend 7Sage or some other books to supplement your study.

    I also agree with the above that you likely haven't hit your ceiling yet. Although I think you're off to a good start, I would think about pushing your test date back so you have more time to focus on hitting your actual ceiling!

    Good luck!

    I would agree that the trainer minimally discusses conditional logic.. It could have been better, but really what has shown improvement for me is buying old tests and drilling through them. I guess a sort of self study with the trainer complementing the process.
    Agh if only I could, the way my life is right now though I have to take Sept. The last one I could take is Dec., and that would be tough because I am full time in school so prep time would be tough to come by.

    Hmm.. I hear you with school not giving you optimal study time. At the very least I'd suggest maybe getting a 7Sage starter package which includes the full core curriculum. I think that will help a great deal.

    Any chance of maybe taking next year sometime? I know it sucks to push it back that far, but depending on what score you're aiming for it might be best.

  • jberger295jberger295 Free Trial Member
    76 karma

    Hmm.. I hear you with school not giving you optimal study time. At the very least I'd suggest maybe getting a 7Sage starter package which includes the full core curriculum. I think that will help a great deal.

    Any chance of maybe taking next year sometime? I know it sucks to push it back that far, but depending on what score you're aiming for it might be best.

    I'll think about it.. In general, my plan has been to go to UMKC - close to my wife and I's family/father's law firm/reserve unit. I never planned on studying much for the lsat til I took a diagnostic and realized how much a bit of work can improve scores, plus the loads of scholarship money one can get from a good score! But then there's a part of me that wants to go to Uchicago. Haha so I'm a bit of a weird case.. and I've got some thinking to do over the next week or so for sure.

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