Manhattan or Powerscore Bibles? Forum

[archieg]

I took a cold diagnostic; got a 137. (It was one of the preptests from the Official Superprep book).


I really screwed up logic games, got about 10-14 mistakes in the LR sections, and while I didn't do too bad in RC which was last, I kinda lost concentration by then.


For a first book to concentrate on these sections, specifically LR and the games, is Manhattan a better choice? Or the Bibles?

I read the Bibles are good to get you to 160, while the Manhattan books are good to get you a higher score. Or can one just begin off the Manhattan books?

I hope this question makes sense. lol Thank you very much for inspiring and eye-opening posts. Everyday!

[jbates14]

I took a cold diagnostic; got a 137. (It was one of the preptests from the Official Superprep book).


I really screwed up logic games, got about 10-14 mistakes in the LR sections, and while I didn't do too bad in RC which was last, I kinda lost concentration by then.


For a first book to concentrate on these sections, specifically LR and the games, is Manhattan a better choice? Or the Bibles?

I read the Bibles are good to get you to 160, while the Manhattan books are good to get you a higher score. Or can one just begin off the Manhattan books?

I hope this question makes sense. lol Thank you very much for inspiring and eye-opening posts. Everyday!

I don't think you need to be worrying about getting much higher than a 160 right now. You have a long way to go before then. The general consensus around here is that the PS LG bible is by far the best out there. As for LR and RC, it depends on the person, but it seems like a greater percentage is saying that the Manhattan RC book is much better. I have the bibles and have not used Manhattan.

As for your question, I am sure you can use the Manhattan books from the start. But, I would definitely recommend getting the PS LG Bible first and working through the games. The LG section is way more learnable than the other sections for most people. As for me, I never got more than 4 wrong on a LG section so my approach is much different than others.

[JamMasterJ]

I am a huge advocate of Manhattan, but I would reccomend starting with the Bibles. It will set the foundation that you need to do well. Consider using Manhattan later though, once you master most of the basics.

[snodell]

If I'm aiming for the October test would it be overkill to study both the Powerscore and Manhattan books? Would i be better off spending some of the time doing practice tests?

[TIMEATELL]

I would not recommend using Manhattan AND PowerScore for analytical reasoning, as many of the methodologies are different. You can refer to both to decide which method suits you, but choose one or the other.

I used Manhattan for analytical reasoning, PowerScore for logical reasoning (Manhattan as a supplement) and Manhattan for reading comprehension.

TIME

[anewaphorist]

PS LG Bible is invaluable. PS LR Bible helps get you to consistent 170 PTs but offers little beyond that cusp. I've been looking at the Manhattan RC guide, which has lots of helpful tips on getting through the RC section in the allotted time, but I've used it only sparsely since RC is my strongest section. Hope this helps, and--in perhaps the only fitting use of Sarah Palin's hucksterism--"drill baby, drill."

[Blessedassurance]

I took a cold diagnostic; got a 137. (It was one of the preptests from the Official Superprep book).


I really screwed up logic games, got about 10-14 mistakes in the LR sections, and while I didn't do too bad in RC which was last, I kinda lost concentration by then.


For a first book to concentrate on these sections, specifically LR and the games, is Manhattan a better choice? Or the Bibles?

I read the Bibles are good to get you to 160, while the Manhattan books are good to get you a higher score. Or can one just begin off the Manhattan books?

I hope this question makes sense. lol Thank you very much for inspiring and eye-opening posts. Everyday!

These matters ultimately depend on the individual. I however, found the Powerscore Bibles extremely helpful with regards to Games. But there's a catch, while I found the PS Bibles extremely helpful with explanations and such, their method can be unnecessarily detailed to a point where it can be confusing. Another drawback is the use of the arrow (-->) as opposed to a straight solid line with respect to sequencing and basic linear games. They do a pretty good job explaining contrapositives but their method for binary group games (In and Out, etc) can be confusing. What I did was study the PS Bible and use the Atlas (now Manhattan) for a diagramming technique for grouping. The Atlas method in my opinion, is damn near fool-proof except you will need a lot of practice to considerable cut down the time it requires. It helps to master contrapositives to a point where it becomes second nature. Also, if you use their technique, remember to keep the diagram really clean and account for the rules that fall outside the diagram (like, if X + Y then this and that etc). I didn't read the rest of the Atlas book because when I scanned through, their methods were basically a reharsh of the PS but less-detailed. I will stick with the Bible and use Atlas (and any other books) to supplement particular types of games you find a problem with or for which the Bible isn't quite cutting it. Some books are more stupid than others so be cautious and also hesitate to focus on two different books which are really different as it may confuse you even more.

The PS LR Bible is also incredibly good. I heard the Atlas RC thingy is good but I bought it and went tl;dr on it. Reading comprehension is kinda hard to teach. Definitely study hard, the LSAT is extremely learnable. I would even recommend going over the Bible twice. Above all, practice, practice and practice some more on the Prep-tests and go over the questions you missed (and the ones you got right but guessed on). Focus on understanding the concepts and then focus on time later. Time is a big factor. When you become comfortable with the questions, take the PT's under conditions that mimic an actual exam. Work on your endurance and try to score consistently above your expectations (i.e. a score you will be comfortable with). A drop in score in your PT on the actual test can happen. In fact, it happens a lot, so master it to a point where a few drops in points will still be acceptable.

Good luck and don't lose hope. The LSAT is daunting but it can become quite fun when you finally "get it". I may retake myself. Cheers!

[PDaddy]

I know nothing about the Manhattan techniques, but I used the PS Bibles and they were all fantastic.