June 2011 Study Log (a.k.a. the destroyer of social lives) Forum

[coldshoulder]

My Practice Tests (formatting copied from this thread: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=146970)
All four section practice tests, most timed.

Pt#____Date__________Sections (LR ; RC ; LG)______Raw/Scaled Score_______________Notes___________________
01 -- 03/09/11 ----- LR:-2/-5 ; RC: -7 ; LG: -17 ---------156 ----- Diagnostic. Freaked on LG.
09 -- 03/21/11 ----- LR: -5/-5 ; RC: -5 ; LG: -9 --------77/164 -----Spent a week or so on the LGB, steadily improving.
10 -- 03/22/11 ----- LR: -5/-6; RC: -2 ; LG: -2 --------86/167 -----LR killed me, LG were good after bible studying. Need more LRB.
11 -- 03/25/11 ----- LR: -6/-6; RC: -1 ; LG: -1 --------86/167 -----LR killed me again, good to see RC and LG getting better.
19 -- 03/28/11 ----- LR: -6/-4 ; RC: -6 ; LG: -3 --------83/165 -----Found RC and LG to be more difficult than usual, beginning of bronchitis.
20 -- 03/30/11 ----- LR: -6/-2 ; RC: -4 ; LG: -2 --------85/168 -----Bronchitis in full force. Advice on LR helped for second section, improve LR on future tests.
22 -- 04/06/11 ----- LR: -5/-4 ; RC: -2 ; LG: -2 --------87/169 -----Bronchitis gone, knee surgery the day before.
23 -- 04/12/11 ----- LR: -2/-3 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -1 --------91/176 -----Holy beard. Apparently my LR studying over the last week
29 -- 04/16/11 ----- LR: -3/-3 ; RC: -1 ; LG: -0 --------94/175 -----Hell yeah!
30 -- 04/18/11 ----- LR: -3/-2 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -3 --------90/173 -----Somewhat disappointing.
31 -- 04/20/11 ----- LR: -3/-3 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -0 --------91/174 -----Thought I did better on RC
32 -- 04/25/11 ----- LR: -4/-1 ; RC: -2 ; LG: -1 --------93/175------I took a break since the last test
33 -- 04/26/11 ---- LR: -2/-2 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -0 ---------94/176------Hit my highest score yet, scaled and raw.
34 -- 05/01/11 ---- LR: -2/-3 ; RC: -1 ; LG: -0 ---------95/177------Highest score yet, supremely let down by the second LR section.
43 -- 05/04/11 ---- LR: -1/-1 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -1 ---------95/176------LR: -1/-1 Best LR scores yet.
44 -- 05/05/11 ---- LR: -2/-1 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -0 ---------94/174------This really shows how much a curve can affect your score.
45 -- 05/09/11 ---- LR: -5/-5 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -0 ---------87/170------Holy fucking shit, so pissed.
46 -- 05/11/11 ---- LR: -2/-3 ; RC: -1 ; LG: -0 ---------94/175------Feeling good, RC and LG were at their absolute best for me, and LR is getting better.
47 -- 05/12/11 ---- LR: -2/-1 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -0 ---------94/174------RC down, but LR and LG on track. I seem to only get either -3 or -1 on RC...
48 -- 05/15/11 ---- LR: -1/-1 ; RC: -1 ; LG: -0 ---------98/177------Highest score yet, but the curve was a bitch. Would've been a 180 on some tests.
49 -- 05/16/11 ---- LR: -1/-0 ; RC: -1 ; LG: -1 ---------97/178------Highest score yet, LG slip-up, LR/RC was the best amazing.
50 -- 05/17/11 ---- LR: -0/-2 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -0 ---------95/176------Not bad, RC slipped back to that damn -3.
51 -- 05/18/11 ---- LR: -2/-1 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -0 ---------94/176------First super strict test, happy with results.
52 -- 05/19/11 ---- LR: -2/-3 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -0 ---------91/172------Burned out and pissed off at the difficult and ambiguity of the new LR.
53 -- 05/22/11 ---- LR: -1/-1 ; RC: -0 ; LG: -0 ---------98/180------Hell yes!
54 -- 05/23/11 ---- LR: -1/-1 ; RC: -1 ; LG: -0 ---------98/179------Also hell yes.
55 -- 05/25/11 ---- LR: -1/-1 ; RC: -1 ; LG: -0 ---------97/178------Nice.

Notes: Definitely no break before the test. Whenever I take a break of more than a day I go down in score.

[EarlCat]

Also, I'm aiming to be doing 4-5 tests a week until the June test, so by my estimation I have about 50 more prep tests to do to prepare for the test, with the goal being >170.

I think you need to be doing a lot fewer preptests and a lot more review. Your scores indicate that you've grasped the major concepts and you don't have bad timing issues, but you're still sloppy, and you probably have to think through things too much.

Somewhere in the high 160s and low 170s is the point where the test starts to change into one of pattern recognition. You already get the logic in all the questions. If I gave you enough time, you could think through them all and consistently figure out what a right answer looks like. Now you need to get yourself to the point where you know the test so well don't even have to think through the questions.

Remember when Neo could finally see the matrix?



That's what it's like. I mean, the questions get dressed up in new language about dinosaurs and African American quilt makers or whatever, but when you can see what's behind all that, it's really just a rehash of the same stuff that's been on every preptest since 1990. Every question, every passage, every game should be a "been there, done that," instant presto answer choice, done.

And I really think the best way to get to that level is not to burn test after test after test, but to take your time and focus on recognizing--memorizing--the structure of arguments/games/passages. You don't need 50 tests to get there. You don't need 30 tests. After a certain point, there's not a whole lot to gain from test to test. Everything is patterned off something that's been done before.

[coldshoulder]

Thanks for the response, ill be sure to think of the matrix analogy as I review and try to master pattern recognition
Any suggestions for the most effective ways to review tests?

[mac35352]

Also, I'm aiming to be doing 4-5 tests a week until the June test, so by my estimation I have about 50 more prep tests to do to prepare for the test, with the goal being >170.

I think you need to be doing a lot fewer preptests and a lot more review. Your scores indicate that you've grasped the major concepts and you don't have bad timing issues, but you're still sloppy, and you probably have to think through things too much.

Somewhere in the high 160s and low 170s is the point where the test starts to change into one of pattern recognition. You already get the logic in all the questions. If I gave you enough time, you could think through them all and consistently figure out what a right answer looks like. Now you need to get yourself to the point where you know the test so well don't even have to think through the questions.
Remember when Neo could finally see the matrix?



That's what it's like. I mean, the questions get dressed up in new language about dinosaurs and African American quilt makers or whatever, but when you can see what's behind all that, it's really just a rehash of the same stuff that's been on every preptest since 1990. Every question, every passage, every game should be a "been there, done that," instant presto answer choice, done.

And I really think the best way to get to that level is not to burn test after test after test, but to take your time and focus on recognizing--memorizing--the structure of arguments/games/passages. You don't need 50 tests to get there. You don't need 30 tests. After a certain point, there's not a whole lot to gain from test to test. Everything is patterned off something that's been done before.

I liked this post. Excellent.

[Jack Smirks]

Any suggestions for the most effective ways to review tests?

Yeah my approach is more along the lines of what earlcat was talking about. I'm only taking 2 to 3 preptests a week but I'm reviewing them very thoroughly.

Basically what I do is mark the questions wrong without paying attention to the correct answer so I can take a look at the question again and try to see my mistake- and which answer choice is TCR. Then I write out a paraphrase of the argument and why my answer choice was wrong and why the correct choice was right. It looks something like this:

Bernard: For what language was the standard typewriter keyboard designed?

Cora: The standard keyboard was not built for speed, it was designed to slow typists down so they don't jam the keys.

Bernard: That can't be true, the technological limitations have vanished yet the keyboard is the same.

How can Cora respond? Here we're asked to explain "why" the layout hasn't changed despite the technological advancement, (b) only tells us that word processing equipment has replaced typewriters, it doesn't tell us why the layout stayed the same. (a) offers the reason why the layout was maintained despite the fact that we no longer have to worry about the keys jamming: people learned how to type on the original design and therefore prefer it over a new design.


So basically I write something out like that for each LR question I get wrong and then look at manhattanlsat.com and princeton review/kaplan explanations to see if they correspond to my reasoning. For LG I actually print off 3 copies of any game that I thought gave me trouble or took me too long to do and I redo it once untimed (but still with a timer running just to compare timing with my subsequent attempts). Then, giving myself a week or two in between the first and second time I see the game, I redo it and try to increase my speed the second and third time.

My method for reviewing RC is kind of lackluster. If I had a hard time understanding the passage or if I misunderstood it completely I just redo the passage untimed. I think it has helped me recognize what sort of things I need to keep an eye out for when initially reading the passage and I've developed a pretty good approach to RC.

Oh I also forgot to mention that for LR questions I've been compiling every question that I get wrong into a "review" packet that I plan on going back to and doing again. I think this sort of reinforcement really helps with the "pattern recognition" that earlcat is talking about.

I've seen pretty substantial gains since I've shifted my focus from the quantity of PTs I'm doing to the quality of my review. Hope this helped.

[coldshoulder]

Thanks for the lengthy reply! I've begun to compile a typed list of all of the LR questions I'm missing to review at a later time as well.
I should copy the LG's that I miss any questions on or complete too slowly as well.

I guess I have more time on my hands than most people studying, since I only have a 15-hour a week part-time job and a very easy final UG semester.
I'm thinking I'll take 3 tests a week, and have plenty of time to do review in between. Once I can score 172+ I'll try to focus on destroying the more recent tests.

[EarlCat]

When I review,* I don't differentiate between questions I missed and questions I didn't. Often, for instance, we get down to two answer choices and flip a coin. These are all questions that deserve review, yet only half of them, on average, will be flagged incorrect. For the other half, we pat ourselves on the back for being so smart and forget that we didn't really KNOW the answer when we picked it.







*actually, I don't usually even do the timed tests, I just work the questions. I like the books that separate questions/games by type so you can work, say, a couple dozen flaw questions all at once.

[Drake014]

The tars in this thread are full of win.

[coldshoulder]

When I review,* I don't differentiate between questions I missed and questions I didn't. Often, for instance, we get down to two answer choices and flip a coin. These are all questions that deserve review, yet only half of them, on average, will be flagged incorrect. For the other half, we pat ourselves on the back for being so smart and forget that we didn't really KNOW the answer when we picked it.

I put a star next to each question on LR that I'm not sure of, generally between two answers. Even the ones out of those I get right I put on the review sheet. The only ones I don't are the ones I had no problem whatsoever with.

Haha this is seriously a kickass avatar thread, particularly because of your addition, Jean-Luc.

[Miznitic]

That's what it's like. I mean, the questions get dressed up in new language about dinosaurs and African American quilt makers or whatever, but when you can see what's behind all that, it's really just a rehash of the same stuff that's been on every preptest since 1990. Every question, every passage, every game should be a "been there, done that," instant presto answer choice, done.

Exactly.

[coldshoulder]

Edit: updated. Best score yet, up to a 169. Need to get a couple points lower on LG still, and LR still needs big improvement.
Spent the last few days taking sections and doing very heavy review instead of just lots of prep tests. Seemed to calm me down a bit, but the LR is still killing me. I think at some point with enough review I'll breakthrough this barrier and start doing better. Thank God I have until June to score 170+.

[coldshoulder]

Edit: updated.
Huge jump! I think the combination of lots of LR review/studying and taking tests a bit slower is helping.

[WannaGo]

That's really great that you were able to get your score to jump so high. What advise did you find with the LR that helped you?

[coldshoulder]

That's really great that you were able to get your score to jump so high. What advise did you find with the LR that helped you?

Honestly, practice and review. Slowing down also helped, read the question extremely carefully, lots of focus on scope.

[coldshoulder]

Updated. Another 175+ score. Best RC and LG scores yet, though the games were definitely easier than normal.

[coldshoulder]

Updated. 174, score seems to be dropping exactly 1 point per test lol. Had big problems with a particular game and a very difficult RC section. LR is getting consistently better though.

[mickeyD]

You're really doing great these past few tests! Looks like you've been able to work out the kinks for LR, keep at it.

And don't sell your performance short if you thought "the games were easy," they're easy because you're good at them.

[Knock]

My Practice Tests (formatting copied from this thread: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=146970)
All four section practice tests, most timed.

Pt#____Date__________Sections (LR ; RC ; LG)______Raw/Scaled Score_______________Notes___________________
01 -- 03/09/11 ----- LR:-2/-5 ; RC: -7 ; LG: -17 ---------156 ----- Diagnostic. Freaked on LG.
09 -- 03/21/11 ----- LR: -5/-5 ; RC: -5 ; LG: -9 --------77/164 -----Spent a week or so on the LGB, steadily improving.
10 -- 03/22/11 ----- LR: -5/-6; RC: -2 ; LG: -2 --------86/167 -----LR killed me, LG were good after bible studying. Need more LRB.
11 -- 03/25/11 ----- LR: -6/-6; RC: -1 ; LG: -1 --------86/167 -----LR killed me again, good to see RC and LG getting better.
19 -- 03/28/11 ----- LR: -6/-4 ; RC: -6 ; LG: -3 --------83/165 -----Found RC and LG to be more difficult than usual, beginning of bronchitis.
20 -- 03/30/11 ----- LR: -6/-2 ; RC: -4 ; LG: -2 --------85/168 -----Bronchitis in full force. Advice on LR helped for second section, improve LR on future tests.
22 -- 04/06/11 ----- LR: -5/-4 ; RC: -2 ; LG: -2 --------87/169 -----Bronchitis gone, knee surgery the day before. LR still needs lots of work, LG and RC getting consistently better.
23 -- 04/12/11 ----- LR: -2/-3 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -1 --------91/176 -----Holy beard. Apparently my LR studying over the last week and careful review has paid off, not too mention the big curve on this test.
29 -- 04/16/11 ----- LR: -3/-3 ; RC: -1 ; LG: -0 --------94/175 -----Hell yeah! My LR is getting consistently down to around -6 total, obviously my biggest problem. Best RC and LG scores yet! Though I will admit, the games on this test seemed particularly easy. Either way, two tests in a row at 175+ makes me very very happy. On to the 30's!
30 -- 04/18/11 ----- LR: -3/-2 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -3 --------91/174 -----Somewhat disappointing. LG had one game where I missed something, and missed three questions on just that game. Also, there was a legal passage on RC that was extremely convoluted...overall, easier LR questions but very difficult LG and RC.

So far, looks like I have a solid understanding of LG but not good enough (want that -0), just needs more practice. I've found some ideas from members of this forum and the LRB for help on LR, and from the -2 on my most recent test after this advice I think LR will improve. I need to stop being sick to help bring RC back to -1/-2...drowsiness and coughing is killing my concentration on long passages.

Feel free to contribute tips and advice, I'll just be editing this original post with updated logs.

Also, I'm aiming to be doing 4-5 tests a week until the June test, so by my estimation I have about 50 more prep tests to do to prepare for the test, with the goal being >170.

The formatting of your thread was based on the formatting of crumpet's thread which was based on the formatting of my thread. Therefore, I consider this thread to be my direct descendant .

Best of luck on the LSAT and it looks like you've really made some improvement. Keep up the good work.

[coldshoulder]

My Practice Tests (formatting copied from this thread: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=146970)
All four section practice tests, most timed.

Pt#____Date__________Sections (LR ; RC ; LG)______Raw/Scaled Score_______________Notes___________________
01 -- 03/09/11 ----- LR:-2/-5 ; RC: -7 ; LG: -17 ---------156 ----- Diagnostic. Freaked on LG.
09 -- 03/21/11 ----- LR: -5/-5 ; RC: -5 ; LG: -9 --------77/164 -----Spent a week or so on the LGB, steadily improving.
10 -- 03/22/11 ----- LR: -5/-6; RC: -2 ; LG: -2 --------86/167 -----LR killed me, LG were good after bible studying. Need more LRB.
11 -- 03/25/11 ----- LR: -6/-6; RC: -1 ; LG: -1 --------86/167 -----LR killed me again, good to see RC and LG getting better.
19 -- 03/28/11 ----- LR: -6/-4 ; RC: -6 ; LG: -3 --------83/165 -----Found RC and LG to be more difficult than usual, beginning of bronchitis.
20 -- 03/30/11 ----- LR: -6/-2 ; RC: -4 ; LG: -2 --------85/168 -----Bronchitis in full force. Advice on LR helped for second section, improve LR on future tests.
22 -- 04/06/11 ----- LR: -5/-4 ; RC: -2 ; LG: -2 --------87/169 -----Bronchitis gone, knee surgery the day before. LR still needs lots of work, LG and RC getting consistently better.
23 -- 04/12/11 ----- LR: -2/-3 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -1 --------91/176 -----Holy beard. Apparently my LR studying over the last week and careful review has paid off, not too mention the big curve on this test.
29 -- 04/16/11 ----- LR: -3/-3 ; RC: -1 ; LG: -0 --------94/175 -----Hell yeah! My LR is getting consistently down to around -6 total, obviously my biggest problem. Best RC and LG scores yet! Though I will admit, the games on this test seemed particularly easy. Either way, two tests in a row at 175+ makes me very very happy. On to the 30's!
30 -- 04/18/11 ----- LR: -3/-2 ; RC: -3 ; LG: -3 --------91/174 -----Somewhat disappointing. LG had one game where I missed something, and missed three questions on just that game. Also, there was a legal passage on RC that was extremely convoluted...overall, easier LR questions but very difficult LG and RC.

So far, looks like I have a solid understanding of LG but not good enough (want that -0), just needs more practice. I've found some ideas from members of this forum and the LRB for help on LR, and from the -2 on my most recent test after this advice I think LR will improve. I need to stop being sick to help bring RC back to -1/-2...drowsiness and coughing is killing my concentration on long passages.

Feel free to contribute tips and advice, I'll just be editing this original post with updated logs.

Also, I'm aiming to be doing 4-5 tests a week until the June test, so by my estimation I have about 50 more prep tests to do to prepare for the test, with the goal being >170.

The formatting of your thread was based on the formatting of crumpet's thread which was based on the formatting of my thread. Therefore, I consider this thread to be my direct descendant .

Best of luck on the LSAT and it looks like you've really made some improvement. Keep up the good work.

Well sir, I thank you for the formatting tip! I will gladly allow my thread to be one of your many children.
Appreciate it, hopefully I can keep up the high PT scores and live up to that potential for the real thing.

[xjykybl]

Also, I'm aiming to be doing 4-5 tests a week until the June test, so by my estimation I have about 50 more prep tests to do to prepare for the test, with the goal being >170.

I think you need to be doing a lot fewer preptests and a lot more review. Your scores indicate that you've grasped the major concepts and you don't have bad timing issues, but you're still sloppy, and you probably have to think through things too much.

Somewhere in the high 160s and low 170s is the point where the test starts to change into one of pattern recognition. You already get the logic in all the questions. If I gave you enough time, you could think through them all and consistently figure out what a right answer looks like. Now you need to get yourself to the point where you know the test so well don't even have to think through the questions.

Remember when Neo could finally see the matrix?



That's what it's like. I mean, the questions get dressed up in new language about dinosaurs and African American quilt makers or whatever, but when you can see what's behind all that, it's really just a rehash of the same stuff that's been on every preptest since 1990. Every question, every passage, every game should be a "been there, done that," instant presto answer choice, done.

And I really think the best way to get to that level is not to burn test after test after test, but to take your time and focus on recognizing--memorizing--the structure of arguments/games/passages. You don't need 50 tests to get there. You don't need 30 tests. After a certain point, there's not a whole lot to gain from test to test. Everything is patterned off something that's been done before.

Excellent post! I totally agree.
But, what about dealing with fatigue and panic during a real test?
What would you recommend on that?
I feel one part of the LSAT is to grasp the gist of the patterns, and another part of the test is to learn how to maximize the potential and maintain the accuracy under great pressure.
But, again, we can say, as long as you have had the Neo moment and start to see the test in a whole new light, you won't panic at all. But, sometimes or most of the time, we do have petty human emotions

[crumpetsandtea]

Congrats on the score jump!!! Doesn't it feel awesome to finally jump over that barrier?? I'm still trying to break over 175...I've gotten a few 175s but no 176 or up, so I'm jealous of that score!!

Either way, I hope we both kick ass and get amazing scores this June. (: <3

[coldshoulder]

Updated, 174. I did worse on RC than expected, though for a 28 problem passage I guess I still did pretty well. I'm consistently -0 on the first couple passages, then slip up on the third. Need to make sure to keep concentration.

[EarlCat]

But, what about dealing with fatigue and panic during a real test?
What would you recommend on that?
I feel one part of the LSAT is to grasp the gist of the patterns, and another part of the test is to learn how to maximize the potential and maintain the accuracy under great pressure.
But, again, we can say, as long as you have had the Neo moment and start to see the test in a whole new light, you won't panic at all. But, sometimes or most of the time, we do have petty human emotions

I think the fatigue on the test comes from having to think too much. If I replaced every LSAT question with a 2nd grade math question, you wouldn't get fatigued at all. Why? Because you KNOW 2nd grade math like the back of your hand. The answers pretty much come automatically. Thus, no fatigue. As you start to approach this level of mastery on the LSAT, the fatigue likewise starts to go away.

I remember being absolutely exhausted after the first real LSAT I took, but being full of energy after my second one. The difference was from the fact that, when I first took the test, I didn't really understand it or its patterns or anything really, and I had to really think through every question. Mental exhaustion.

Eliminating panic I think requires, in addition to good preparation, putting the test in perspective. For some reason, people are terrified of this test as if their life depended on a high score. Yet, amazingly, nobody has ever died of a low LSAT score. Realizing that, in the grand scheme of things, the test is really not that important (especially since you get plenty of do-overs) I think helps a lot with the panic reaction. I wrote a post on another forum about that, reprinted here: Avoiding Panic.

[coldshoulder]

PT 32 completed, realized how bad taking a break for a few days can be, and then not doing any warm up. First section killed me, but then I recovered and did quite well. Need to figure out assumption questions...

[Knock]

PT 32 completed, realized how bad taking a break for a few days can be, and then not doing any warm up. First section killed me, but then I recovered and did quite well. Need to figure out assumption questions...

My biggest problem in LR was assumption questions as well. Learning about necessary vs. sufficient assumptions made it click for me and I very rarely missed assumption questions after that. Here's some good reading: http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/di ... cient.html.