gearing up for the 170s--how to study Forum

[chrissyc]

So...I took a practice test in Starbucks this morning...I only did 4 sections...timed. I gave myself about 2-3 minutes extra to account for the distraction...(yeah not ideal) but I got 169...I noticed that 169 is equivalent to only missing 3 in each section..it seems that this might be difficult to break.

How do you suggest studying at this point? I am a good test taker in general and I learn relatively quickly. I've been putting in 8-10 hours a day...with sporadic checking of the internet and what not.

Anyway... my test yesterday was a 165 so I'm thinking I can definitely keep it in the 160s without a problem. I have a formal proctored diagnostic tomorrow morning...I'm hoping the results are good. I really really really need to score in the high 160s or better and I need advice for targeting my studying for peak efficiency.

[LAWLAW09]

My suggestion:

5 sections...same environment or another public setting...35 min sections and not a second over.


Good luck.

[kkklick]

The last 2 tests had -12 curves, and the December curve is traditionally less harsh, so 3 wrong per section should get you to a 170.

[kkklick]

My suggestion:

5 sections...same environment or another public setting...35 min sections and not a second over.


Good luck.

I was never one for studying in a busy or loud place, I just studied at the library where I heard the same noises I'd probably here in the LSAT such as chairs moving people tapping pencils coughing etc.

[2011Law]

The last 2 tests had -12 curves, and the December curve is traditionally less harsh, so 3 wrong per section should get you to a 170.

Not that I'm counting on it, but my money is on the Dec test having a -13/14 curve.

[kkklick]

The last 2 tests had -12 curves, and the December curve is traditionally less harsh, so 3 wrong per section should get you to a 170.

Not that I'm counting on it, but my money is on the Dec test having a -13/14 curve.

October's test was noted as "easy" by many (myself included), but it really wasn't. I would bet money that thte RC will be difficult just like PT 59 (Noguchi), and the LR will be very difficult. LG I'm not sure, but I have this nagging feeling December will be a tough tough test.

[chrissyc]

I reviewed the test...I actually just miscorrected it...I got 2 more right than that..I think I scored a 170. I am hoping that there isn't more than 1 hybrid in December...I hate parallel reasoning and principle questions. Those suck suck suck.

I just did the mauve dinosaur problem...talk about wanting to shoot myself.

[teaadntoast]

My suggestion:

5 sections...same environment or another public setting...35 min sections and not a second over.

Good luck.

This.

They aren't going to give you extra time on test day and you don't get to skip the experimental section.

There's a reason why people who report PTs in the 170s magically drop down to the 160s on the real deal, and it's usually because they gave themselves lots of little breaks or took shortcuts when studying.

[chrissyc]

no breaks...straight through...but I definitely get your point about people having false expectations come test day...I'm hope that I won't have that problem. I have a full length proctored diagnostic tomorrow morning so I will be able to gauge how accurate the 170 is. the reason ive been studying this way and taking the practice tests without the experimental is 2 fold...

1. taking an ENTIRE test every day would wear me out but I can benefit from completing 4 sections---it's simply too difficult to review it all if I do every single section because the next day the process starts again. I guess it's somewhat of an excuse but I've been so crazy about raising my score that i've been in starbucks since 8:30am and it's now 5:55...I ate a bag of dry roasted edamame and just trucked right through.

2. I take a diagnostic that's full length every week so I am able to actually build the endurance for the real deal. I am planning on doing at least 15 more practice tests...hopefully 6-7 of them full length plus an additional 2 diagnostics that are proctored and have the 15 minute break and all that jazz.

It's difficult to study in a loud place simply because of the distractions which actually take away from time spent answering the questions. I know it isn't ideal but I'm working on it. Part of me also wants to know if i CAN actually solve the questions and it's only a problem with TIME not skill that's killing me.

I will work to do it more like the real thing starting next week, maybe go to the library even. I just want to score well so badly...I realize that most people spend months and months preparing and I only started about a month ago...so the pressure to build these skills is magnified. aaaagggghhh.

thanks everyone.

[teaadntoast]

When are you registered to take the actual exam?

I don't think studying like it's a job is actually very helpful. Particularly if you aren't going to eat.

At some point you simply can't absorb any additional information and end up spinning your wheels.

[chrissyc]

i'm taking the december test, applying this cycle. i think that right now regimentation, identifying what the questions are asking, what wrong answers look like, and diagramming the games are going to save me.

It seems counterproductive but I am actually retaining quite a bit. I love the feeling of filling my brain with knowledge. call me a freak. lol. I guess I do take mental breathers between tests and what not..I'm "studying" right now but I will take about 15-30 minutes 2-3 times during a 9-10 hour session to do something else.

I am afraid of failing at this...it's my dream and I would be so ashamed. Stability is also so important to me and I really don't feel 100% knowledgeable about this process. If I don't get into a t14 school I'm going to postpone and attend next year but that's like LAST RESORT. I've already taken this year off and it really depresses me. I'm not close to my family so financially I have had to support myself since the age of about 15 or 16 and that means working crap jobs for the most part ( except when I tutored at UCLA) which makes me feel as if I'm wasting my education and talents. I simply cannot do it for another year.

[teaadntoast]

I am afraid of failing at this...it's my dream and I would be so ashamed. Stability is also so important to me and I really don't feel 100% knowledgeable about this process. If I don't get into a t14 school I'm going to postpone and attend next year but that's like LAST RESORT. I've already taken this year off and it really depresses me. I'm not close to my family so financially I have had to support myself since the age of about 15 or 16 and that means working crap jobs for the most part ( except when I tutored at UCLA) which makes me feel as if I'm wasting my education and talents. I simply cannot do it for another year.

I can empathize.

If it's your dream, though, and you're T14 or bust, then I would strongly, strongly advise waiting a year, sitting the test in June and then applying early next cycle.

Trust me. I understand that staying in a shit job for an extra year (what I did) is excruciating, but it's worth it to apply with the full package you want, rather than crossing your fingeres and praying it all comes together, especially where the LSAT is concerned.

[robotclubmember]

I reviewed the test...I actually just miscorrected it...I got 2 more right than that..I think I scored a 170. I am hoping that there isn't more than 1 hybrid in December...I hate parallel reasoning and principle questions. Those suck suck suck.

I just did the mauve dinosaur problem...talk about wanting to shoot myself.

What does miscorrected mean? Also, if you mean misbubbling or anything like that... if you get a question wrong because you misbubbled it, you have to count it in your diagnostic the same as if you just got it wrong.

[chrissyc]

no...by "miscorrected" i mean that I said it was "D" for example when really i had bubbled "C" and "C" was the right answer.

[kkklick]

I don't agree with over studying for the LSAT. Come test day I have a feeling you are going to psyche yourself out thinking this is it, and subsequently crumble. I'm not trying to be rude, I'm trying to be realistic, it's human nature. I studied so hard for June, I did 40 PT's in 40 days with hours of review afterwards, 5 section tests with a 15 minute break everyday starting at 12:30. After one of the sections didn't go my way on the real deal I crumbled and was answering questions based on gut feelings rather than solid reasoning.

What you can take from my experience is, study hard, but don't overdo it. If you are already scoring in the 170's 3 weeks before, your skills are sound and you should be ready. The other half of the battle is nerves, and if something doesn't go your way on test day don't let it break you.

For the regular test taker, the LSAT comes down to a lack of reasoning skills as the major obstacle. But for the seasoned, well performing test taker, it is 50% skill under pressure and 50% mental IMHO.