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Good morning 7Sage, Happy Eclipse...I need some suggestions
LSATcantwin
Alum Member Sage ⭐
Good morning 7Sage,
As a few of you already know this weekend I gave myself a reality check. Obviously a few weeks out from test day is NOT the best time to realize you just aren't where you want to be, but that's where I am at. So I need some advice from you wonderful people. Before I ask, I need to make it clear; Postponement of the exam is not an option. I will sit for the Sept 16th exam.
So this weekend I woke up and really thought about where I am with this test. Not just my score range, but what I have done to improve, what my weaknesses are etc. I was not happy with what I realized. So I'm going to lay out how I feel, and where I am and I'd like some suggestions about what to do between now and September.
1.) I have not touched RC. Like really, haven't looked at the CC and have just glanced through the Power Score book but have put no work into this section. I know the general consensus is to read for structure, make note of what the paragraphs say and so on but I personally have spent next to no time on this section of the test. My sections range from -4 to -8 and obviously these are points that are costing me that higher score. As of now I just wing it, read and answer questions. I know I need to figure RC out, but I'm not sure where to start.
2.) I do not use a skipping strategy in LR. People like @"Alex Divine" @"Cant Get Right" and a few others have been stressing to me how important this is. I am stubborn though, and can't let go of a question until I have an answer. Up until this point, I do not utilize any form of a skipping strategy on LR. I typically go -2 to -5 on a section in LR. On any given test I go around -8 total. Obviously again this needs work. I'm not sure if a skipping strategy will work for me. I've tried before and it causes mass panic. It's something I'm considering however.
3.) RRE, MSS, Weaken and Flaw. On the modern test I just suck at these kinds of questions. The answers no longer seem as obvious to me and I find it really easy to justify the wrong answers. These question types are killing my score on the more modern tests but my brain doesn't want to adjust the way it sees them. I'm not sure how to go about looking at these questions any more. I looked back at the CC and felt confident but that doesn't translate into the PT. Especially if the PT is 60+
Those are my main three issues I am currently grappling with. It may sound like I'm not ready to test, and in reality that might be true. My average PT score right now is a 169, it's not where I want it to be. However, for reason out of my control, I have to test in September. Any advice would be awesome guys, thanks.
Comments
@LSATcantwin --- I think you're going to do great on the test, brother. You've been putting in tons of solid work and have improved a ton!
As far as LR, I think that's where you're finally going to break into the 170s. I truly, truly cannot express how much of a difference implementing a skipping strategy made. It wasn't a difference overnight, and definitely took from practice, but after a few timed sections I my LR average dropped from -5 per section to -3 per section and continued to improve. Aside from having more time, I feel like skipping questions ultimately gave me a feeling of more control over the test. In the end, I credit skipping with reducing my panic and stress on LR sections. I'll be honest, I don't think I could consistently go below -4 without skipping a few questions to give myself time to get those hard(er) ones.
Maybe give it one more try and stick with it for a bit longer? I think it will ultimately help you with some of the question types you may be having trouble with as well. At the very least you'll have more time to tackle them.
I just tired, like I SWEAR I tried. Finished the section in 33min looked back and realized I hadn't really skipped any, just forced myself to move on faster. I don't understand why this is so hard for me lol
Haha! Yeah, I think that was my entire problem with skipping too. My problem was that I was more or less spending the same amount of time on each question. This meant I was spending too long on easier questions (MP, MBT, SA) that I probably should have nailed in 40 seconds, and not spending enough time on the harder curve breakers.
Also, if you aim to do something like 15 in 15, or 25 in 25, then you'll definitely be forced to skip maybe 4 or 5 questions.
Ahh then again, maybe skipping just doesn't work for everyone. I just really feel like your skills are more or less there and it's a matter of implementing some sort of strategy....
Again, adopting this strategy took me a couple weeks. But looking back now, it was probably the most single helpful thing as far as improving my LR goes.
Was in the same boat as you when someone suggested skipping. It took me a lot of timed drilling and a few PT's in order to get comfortable with it. After I was able to get over my own mind, my LR performance went from -5ish to around -3.
I had the same exact experience! Oddly enough, I've talked to maybe 4-5 other people who were plateaued missing 4-5 per section and with skipping they all managed to break the plateau. I definitely feel like it is extremely hard to get below a -4 without some sort of skipping strategy.
Did you mean MSS? If so, I have recently been struggling with that question type and this thread from a year ago clarifies a little bit about what is going on with those questions. I just took 78 and there were quite a few where I eliminated all the answer choices - none seemed supported. Idk if that is an issue you're having with these questions.
https://7sage.com/forums/discussion/8432/
Yeah MSS sorry. I'll check it out thank you!
Hey twins, i also was stuck at that -5, working on perfecting my skipping and productivity with the banked time, im down to 2-3 per section, still aways away from 0 but it works
Man, I think I know what my focus is for the next few weeks. LR sections with fully implemented skipping. EVERYONE tells me it's been fruitful. It's just so hard to do once I'm in a section. I get so focused I forget.
Also, if you haven't already, listen to the webinar on skipping. It's a really good one and there's some helpful strategies to develop your own method for skipping.
As for notation and returning to ACs, @Sami has a fantastic method which i saw in a different thread. I kinda modified it for myself. But its def. Worth a look
@nathanieljschwartz @"Alex Divine" @jackigoe
So I did a skipping strategy where I read, did best guess, moved on. I finished with about 8min left.
I then went back and changed 2 right answers to wrong ones. Going from a -2 on the section to -4.
what. is. wrong. with. me.
So one thing i find with skipping is that the AC that i am 80-85 sure i got, if i return to them than i start to question my gut, and get things wrong.
How sure were u that u got these correct on the first round?, my second round i generally go first to Q that i, either eliminated all ACs or i am stuck between 2 ACs and am 50/50. If i still have time i may return to Qs that i am 75% sure of, but rarely
Welcome to the promise land brother! Keep on grinding and it becomes much more comfortable. @LSATcantwin
LSATcantwin with the Darth Vader face-lift. I'm diggin it, homie.
Skipping questions really does help - just know in your mind that you'll have time to get to them at the end and it's less stressful. Wish I could help you with RC, in the same boat..
Yes, lovin' the new tar!
Nothing is wrong with you, haha. As I said above, it takes time and practice before you're likely to see results. Obviously, examine why you weren't sure of those 2 ACs that you changed from right ---> wrong, but realize too that having 8 mins left at the end of a section rather than your usual 3 mins is big! 8 minutes wisely spent can be huge!
@Freddy_D haha thanks. Too many Jedi around here. Time for the sith to get represented. Also are you a freaking 7sage atlas? You have links to everything!
@"Alex Divine" ill have to keep working on this the next few weeks. I still don't know why I changed the right ones to wrong. When I looked back I knew the right answer was right. I'm not even sure why I marked them as trouble problems...
1) Something that helped me on RC was keeping track of viewpoints. Who believes what? How does that belief conflict or comport with other people's beliefs? RC, like LR and law school, is usually concerned with argumentation. What may seem like an enumeration of disparate facts is actually someone's advancement of their conclusion. So keeping track of who said what and why they said it really helped me on RC.
2) I was the same way. I didn't believe in skipping but I tried it and it WORKS. I just have a system now where if I see a long flawed parallel reasoning question I skip, because chances are it will take 2-3 minutes. Strategically, those 2-3 minutes are 2-3 easy questions you could get points on. Also, I always have time in the end to come back to these questions, but there is less panic.
3) These questions are just harder. All I can say is drill, especially the new stuff.
http://i.imgur.com/6tF7IUhr.jpg
@"Cant Get Right"
REEEEEEEEEE MY NERD IS TRIGGERED
https://media.giphy.com/media/4bZ2zy8UiQ2TC/source.gif