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Pithy's method mirrors most prep companies, however there is one huge draw back to it.

While I enjoy Kaplan mastery and used it myself, the prep test questions it uses, roughly 1457 total are from a mish mash of prep tests. They're cut from 1-19 and random ones in the 20-30.

The questions from these sections that aren't used are split between the three other Kaplan books (In Class Lesson Book, Full length test experimental sections, and Timed Sections). By using Mastery without the other Kaplan books you're likely to miss entire sections and therefore prep material because it is nearly impossible to keep track of them.

An improved version of Pithy Pike's would be to use the LGB, LRB, and RCB in addition to grouping books. (Powerscore, Traciela, Cambridge Prep, Atlas etc.)

Because Grouping books use only PT's 1-20, it is much easier to keep track of the material you've used. A second noted bonus is that grouping books are available at anytime on amazon, Kaplan Mastery must be bought second hand or by signing up for a Kaplan prep course.

An updated study plan would look like this:

You will need:

Logic Games Bible
http://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-L ... 780&sr=8-1

Logical Reasoning Bible
http://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-L ... 803&sr=8-1

Reading Comprehension Bible
http://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-R ... 851&sr=8-1

Grouped by LG 1-20
http://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-G ... 023&sr=1-5

Grouped by LR 1-20

http://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-L ... =1-3-fkmr0

Grouped by RC 1-20
http://www.amazon.com/Grouped-Passage-T ... =1-3-fkmr0

10 More Actual, Official LSATS
http://www.amazon.com/More-Actual-Offic ... 074&sr=1-3

The Next 10 Actual, LSATS
http://www.amazon.com/Next-Actual-Offic ... 074&sr=1-2

The LSAT Super Prep
http://www.amazon.com/Official-SuperPre ... 074&sr=1-6

PT's 39-60 **Scroll to the bottom of the page**
http://www.powerscore.com/lsat/content_publications.cfm

An Analog Watch
http://www.amazon.com/Casio-MQ24-7B2-An ... -1-catcorr

#2 Wooden Pencils and a sharpener **Mechanical Pencils are not allowed on the actual test**
http://www.amazon.com/Dixon-Ticonderoga ... d_sbs_op_6

Pencil Erasers
http://www.amazon.com/PaperMate-Premium ... 065&sr=8-6

Month 1:
Read a chapter in the LGB and do the corresponding games in the Traciela Grouping Book
Record your game times, and repeat games that you missed any answers on or struggled to find inferences or diagram.

LR:
Read a Chapter in the Logical Reasoning Bible and Complete All questions of that type in the grouping book
Review any questions you missed and retype the entire stimulus, question stem, and ALL answer choices. ** Doing this will force you to internalize every painstaking work of the LSAT question you missed. Ultimately, this will result in better improvement over merely glancing and recognizing you missed a question. **

RC:
Read the RCB and do passages that are grouped according to the RCB.
Review missed passages and like LR spend lots of time reviewing and repeating passages you missed. Give yourself a couple days before repeating questions to minimize familiarity.

At this end of this month take PrepTest 'A' from the SuperPrep series - timed.

Month 2
Begin taking timed sections. Do an entire section and then review it. Record and rewrite questions and their stimulus like you did the first month.
Complete PT's (21-38) **Both 10 actual LSAT books purchased**

LG:
Begin to take full LG sections, you will have 18 to complete this month.

LR:
Spend the first half of the month working on half timed (10) / (15) untimed LR sections. By this I mean, time your first 10 questions in logical reasoning. Give yourself only 10 minutes, then do the last 15 problems untimed. I feel this is overlooked by all the other testing suggestions. Focus on getting the hard questions right and the easy questions correct quickly. Too many people try to make the jump to timed sections without getting the thinking right on the more difficult questions. After a month, the first ten questions should be auto pilot.

In the second half of the month, do the LR sections timed like normal. You should find due to taking half timed / untimed sections that you will finish the first ten questions on pace and be more relaxed for the last 15 due to the training.

RC:
Split the RC PT's in half. Use 9 of those RC sections and time yourself individually per RC passage. Like games, try to get your time per passage to 8:45.

Use the second half of the month to take the remaining 9 RC passages fully timed.

Month 3:
Endurance Month: Take the remaining Prep Tests 39-60 over the last month.

If you're pressed on time, cut out some older prep tests. IE: Do prep tests- 49-60. (Don't cut the newer prep tests in favor of older ones)

I would personally recommend cutting PT's to make them all 5 section practice tests, if possible cut the older prep tests to use as experimental sections on the latest ones rather than vice versa.

For example:
PT 42 + (39 Experimental)
PT 43 + (39 Experimental)
PT 44 + (39 Experimental)
PT 45 + (39 Experimental)

PT 46 + (40 Experimental)
PT 47 + (40 Experimental)
PT 48 + (40 Experimental)
PT 49 + (40 Experimental)

PT 50 + (41 Experimental)
PT 51 + (41 Experimental)
PT 52 + (41 Experimental)
PT 53 + (41 Experimental)

PT 54 + (42 Experimental)
PT 55 + (42 Experimental)
PT 56 + (42 Experimental)
PT 57 + (42 Experimental)

PT B + (C Experimental)
PT 58 + (C Experimental)
PT 59 + (C Experimental)
PT 60 + (C Experimental)

Total Cost: 504.84 + Tax + S&H

props to you. this is really similar to my study plan...i'm glad someone else is oon the same page. lets hope we both kick ass!

typ3 wrote:
You will need:
Traciela Grouped Logical Reasoning
http://www.amazon.com/GROUPED-Question- ... 329&sr=1-1
Traciela Grouped Logic Games
http://www.amazon.com/GROUPED-Game-Type ... 329&sr=1-2
Traciela Grouped Reading Comprehension
http://www.amazon.com/Grouped-Passage-T ... 329&sr=1-3
Powerscore Logic Games Bible (LGB)
http://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-L ... 938&sr=1-1
Powerscore Logical Reasoning Bible (LRB)
http://www.amazon.com/LSAT-Logical-Reas ... 938&sr=1-3
Powerscore Reading Comprehension Bible (RCB)
http://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-R ... 938&sr=1-7
10 More Actual (19-28), and Even 10 More Actual LSAT's (29-38)
http://www.amazon.com/More-Actual-Offic ... 938&sr=1-9
http://www.amazon.com/Next-Actual-Offic ... 938&sr=1-6
The most recent 22 PT's
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp ... %20Council
Official LSAT SuperPrep
http://www.amazon.com/Official-SuperPre ... 38&sr=1-12

PowerScore LSAT Game Type Training
http://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-G ... 332&sr=1-7

PowerScore LSAT Logical Reasoning: Question Type Training
http://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-L ... 32&sr=1-14

PowerScore LSAT Reading Comprehension: Passage Type Training
http://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-R ... 29&sr=1-13

Traciela's books are a bit pricey. Why not these? Essentially the same things but wallet friendly.

Why either set of questions from PTs 1-20?

Traciela just came out with a book of categorized Logic Games for PTs 21-40, and they'll soon be coming out with similar compilations of 21-40 for LR and RC.

Honestly, I think buying books by types for LG/RC is a waste of money since it can be done easily. I used the list from LSATBlog to divide LG games by types. I didn't do RC yet but it wouldn't be that hard, I assume. But LR is a different story. So, for LR, any books which separates LR by types are good.

LSATBlog
BTW, I really like the materials you have on your blog. I'm doing your 5 month study schedule now although I am a little behind. I changed it a bit since I thought I needed more practices than you put in that schedule.

LSAT Blog wrote:Why either set of questions from PTs 1-20?

Traciela just came out with a book of categorized Logic Games for PTs 21-40, and they'll soon be coming out with similar compilations of 21-40 for LR and RC.

I suppose there is a point to this if you're under time constraints. Why not use all the questions released if you have the time?

typ3 wrote:

LSAT Blog wrote:Why either set of questions from PTs 1-20?

Traciela just came out with a book of categorized Logic Games for PTs 21-40, and they'll soon be coming out with similar compilations of 21-40 for LR and RC.

I suppose there is a point to this if you're under time constraints. Why not use all the questions released if you have the time?

+1.
For anyone who doesn't have PT1-20 yet, buying LG games by types from PT1-20 is useful. For me, I already had these PTs in PDF so printing/organizing was not so bad (about 1 hour or so).

penguin wrote:Honestly, I think buying books by types for LG/RC is a waste of money since it can be done easily. I used the list from LSATBlog to divide LG games by types. I didn't do RC yet but it wouldn't be that hard, I assume. But LR is a different story. So, for LR, any books which separates LR by types are good.

LSATBlog
BTW, I really like the materials you have on your blog. I'm doing your 5 month study schedule now although I am a little behind. I changed it a bit since I thought I needed more practices than you put in that schedule.

Glad you're enjoying the blog, penguin! I actually have categorized RC by topic (it took forever!)



@typ3 and penguin

Sounds like you're reading too much into my questioning of 1-20. I did put a smiley face there, after all

If you have the time, it's certainly worth doing questions from 1-20 (esp LG, since most people want a lot of practice with those). However, most will not have time to do everything from 1-20 as well as the more recent exams, and you wouldn't want to do 1-20 at the expense of doing 21-40 and the newer ones.

LSAT Blog wrote:

penguin wrote:Honestly, I think buying books by types for LG/RC is a waste of money since it can be done easily. I used the list from LSATBlog to divide LG games by types. I didn't do RC yet but it wouldn't be that hard, I assume. But LR is a different story. So, for LR, any books which separates LR by types are good.

LSATBlog
BTW, I really like the materials you have on your blog. I'm doing your 5 month study schedule now although I am a little behind. I changed it a bit since I thought I needed more practices than you put in that schedule.

Glad you're enjoying the blog, penguin! I actually have categorized RC by topic (it took forever!)



@typ3 and penguin

Sounds like you're reading too much into my questioning of 1-20. I did put a smiley face there, after all

If you have the time, it's certainly worth doing questions from 1-20 (esp LG, since most people want a lot of practice with those). However, most will not have time to do everything from 1-20 as well as the more recent exams, and you wouldn't want to do 1-20 at the expense of doing 21-40 and the newer ones.

Steve, don't kid everyone.

We all know that PT's 1-20 hold the secret scantron codes that LSAC doesn't want people to know about.

typ3 wrote:

LSAT Blog wrote:

penguin wrote:Honestly, I think buying books by types for LG/RC is a waste of money since it can be done easily. I used the list from LSATBlog to divide LG games by types. I didn't do RC yet but it wouldn't be that hard, I assume. But LR is a different story. So, for LR, any books which separates LR by types are good.

LSATBlog
BTW, I really like the materials you have on your blog. I'm doing your 5 month study schedule now although I am a little behind. I changed it a bit since I thought I needed more practices than you put in that schedule.

Glad you're enjoying the blog, penguin! I actually have categorized RC by topic (it took forever!)



@typ3 and penguin

Sounds like you're reading too much into my questioning of 1-20. I did put a smiley face there, after all

If you have the time, it's certainly worth doing questions from 1-20 (esp LG, since most people want a lot of practice with those). However, most will not have time to do everything from 1-20 as well as the more recent exams, and you wouldn't want to do 1-20 at the expense of doing 21-40 and the newer ones.

Steve, don't kid everyone.

We all know that PT's 1-20 hold the secret scantron codes that LSAC doesn't want people to know about.

Shhhhh.....

Don't forget the real reason to do 1-20 - they contain the first-ever LSAT questions about Lil Wayne.

typ3
Interesting point.

I was just using PT1-20 for practices by LG/LR types personally because I'm really bad so I needed to do more work than normal people (that is why I am doing 5 month schedule instead of 3 months or even shorter). Well, I'm glad to hear that doing PT1-20 is more beneficial than I thought. Thanks.

LSAT Blog wrote:

typ3 wrote:

LSAT Blog wrote:

penguin wrote:Honestly, I think buying books by types for LG/RC is a waste of money since it can be done easily. I used the list from LSATBlog to divide LG games by types. I didn't do RC yet but it wouldn't be that hard, I assume. But LR is a different story. So, for LR, any books which separates LR by types are good.

LSATBlog
BTW, I really like the materials you have on your blog. I'm doing your 5 month study schedule now although I am a little behind. I changed it a bit since I thought I needed more practices than you put in that schedule.

Glad you're enjoying the blog, penguin! I actually have categorized RC by topic (it took forever!)



@typ3 and penguin

Sounds like you're reading too much into my questioning of 1-20. I did put a smiley face there, after all

If you have the time, it's certainly worth doing questions from 1-20 (esp LG, since most people want a lot of practice with those). However, most will not have time to do everything from 1-20 as well as the more recent exams, and you wouldn't want to do 1-20 at the expense of doing 21-40 and the newer ones.

Steve, don't kid everyone.

We all know that PT's 1-20 hold the secret scantron codes that LSAC doesn't want people to know about.

Shhhhh.....

Don't forget the real reason to do 1-20 - they contain the first-ever LSAT questions about Lil Wayne.

LSAT Blog wrote:Why either set of questions from PTs 1-20?

Traciela just came out with a book of categorized Logic Games for PTs 21-40, and they'll soon be coming out with similar compilations of 21-40 for LR and RC.

Does Traciela use the same language as the LGB?
Im about to order the LG 1-20 from Powerscore.
Should I get both?

nylost wrote:

LSAT Blog wrote:Why either set of questions from PTs 1-20?

Traciela just came out with a book of categorized Logic Games for PTs 21-40, and they'll soon be coming out with similar compilations of 21-40 for LR and RC.

Does Traciela use the same language as the LGB?
Im about to order the LG 1-20 from Powerscore.
Should I get both?

If you don't already have PT1-20, buying LG by types PT1-20 is good. If you are studying based on LG/LR bibles, I would think PowerScore LG by types is better than Traciela's since the categorization is the same. Remember that publishers of LSAT study books have different categorization systems in LG/LR types so it would be confusing to use books by different publishers. Once you get familiar with the names they use for categorization, it wouldn't be that much problem, I would assume.

Personally, I bought PowerScore LR by types and so far love it
I have PT1-20 in pdf but I didn't want to spend time separating by LR types since I thought it would take way too much time. And I needed to concentrate on LR types before doing section practices. I made copies of the books and am working on them now.

For PT21-40, I wouldn't even bother buying them by types since I am planning to use PT21-40 for section practices (meaning I don't need them separated). I guess it would be your preference.

penguin wrote:

nylost wrote:

LSAT Blog wrote:Why either set of questions from PTs 1-20?

Traciela just came out with a book of categorized Logic Games for PTs 21-40, and they'll soon be coming out with similar compilations of 21-40 for LR and RC.

Does Traciela use the same language as the LGB?
Im about to order the LG 1-20 from Powerscore.
Should I get both?

If you don't already have PT1-20, buying LG by types PT1-20 is good. If you are studying based on LG/LR bibles, I would think PowerScore LG by types is better than Traciela's since the categorization is the same. Remember that publishers of LSAT study books have different categorization systems in LG/LR types so it would be confusing to use books by different publishers. Once you get familiar with the names they use for categorization, it wouldn't be that much problem, I would assume.

Personally, I bought PowerScore LR by types and so far love it
I have PT1-20 in pdf but I didn't want to spend time separating by LR types since I thought it would take way too much time. And I needed to concentrate on LR types before doing section practices. I made copies of the books and am working on them now.

For PT21-40, I wouldn't even bother buying them by types since I am planning to use PT21-40 for section practices (meaning I don't need them separated). I guess it would be your preference.

The grouping books are nearly all identical. Therefore, I would recommend purchasing whatever is cheaper. It's not as though the questions are any different The only big difference is the question explanations. To find what works best for you, preview the free questions all the companies put out. If a certain company is too circuitous or lofty, scrap it for something that resonates with you more aptly.

If anyone finds cheaper places to purchase new books tell me and I will update the OP with the cheapest sources for people so that they can directly purchase from them.

typ3 wrote:The grouping books are nearly all identical. Therefore, I would recommend purchasing whatever is cheaper. It's not as though the questions are any different The only big difference is the question explanations. To find what works best for you, preview the free questions all the companies put out. If a certain company is too circuitous or lofty, scrap it for something that resonates with you more aptly.

Just to clarify, the grouped by type books don't include explanations. They're simply books of real LSAT questions arranged by question-type based upon the given prep company's categorization system.

LSAT Blog wrote:

typ3 wrote:The grouping books are nearly all identical. Therefore, I would recommend purchasing whatever is cheaper. It's not as though the questions are any different The only big difference is the question explanations. To find what works best for you, preview the free questions all the companies put out. If a certain company is too circuitous or lofty, scrap it for something that resonates with you more aptly.

Just to clarify, the grouped by type books don't include explanations. They're simply books of real LSAT questions arranged by question-type based upon the given prep company's categorization system.

I should clarify this, you can buy the explanations for an additional charge online. Hence Kaplan Mastery may have a slight edge if you're looking for explanations, but a lot of Kaplan explanations are done poorly. You'd probably be better off just spending the time dissecting the wrong answers from the grouped books than reading explanations anyway.

Many people just read the explanation and see the correct answer and say to themselves, "Oh it's a silly mistake I won't make it test day! or.. Oh I see what that was.. on to the next question"

Without being painstakingly harsh and reviewing even the silly mistakes, most people make the same errors and blip mistakes on test day.



To put this into context. You wouldn't practice free throws day and night and ignore slight changes in your shot that made you miss the hoop. One would hate to ignore these things and miss the shot to win the game. Why do the same with the LSAT? Practice doesn't make perfect, you can spend 3 months just blowing through test material and not learning from your mistakes. Or you can spend 3 months with roughly 6300 questions and view each one as a free throw you're practicing to nail the game winner. Perfect practice, will help you improve.

EDIT: I'm not a basketball fan, but I couldn't think of a good football analogy inspired by that whooping Nebraska put on Kansas State tonight.

LSAT Blog wrote:

typ3 wrote:The grouping books are nearly all identical. Therefore, I would recommend purchasing whatever is cheaper. It's not as though the questions are any different The only big difference is the question explanations. To find what works best for you, preview the free questions all the companies put out. If a certain company is too circuitous or lofty, scrap it for something that resonates with you more aptly.

Just to clarify, the grouped by type books don't include explanations. They're simply books of real LSAT questions arranged by question-type based upon the given prep company's categorization system.

However, I do feel that this study system does have a few drawbacks. Notably, I agree with your blog that PScore has a poor method of diagramming loose sequencing games. I much prefer the other prep companies. Kaplan's loose method is almost identical to the one you use on your blog. Where you use lines K+ use ellipses.

Oh well.