Logic Games: Deductions Or Not?

[Easy-E]

Use Velocity LSAT. You rarely have to make outright deductions like I used to have to do. Frees up so much mental capacity.

Yes, I'd also recommend Velocity. I did the full course and have found it quite helpful. Do your own research obviously, and I don't know if I'd really suggest buying something six days before the test.

[Jeffort]

Patricksouthern,

Given your recent practice test scores, provided you took them under strict test-day regulations (no extra seconds/a minute here and there in a section, no scratch paper, no breaks -even 10 seconds- between sections you wont have on test day, used a bubble sheet, etc.), you should not make any major changes to your approach this close to test day.

Spending time watching videos that teach a different method than you learned and have been using would be a very bad idea. Just spend the next few days taking the most recent PTs you haven't looked at before under strict simulated test-day conditions (leave home and take them at a library or coffee shop or somewhere), then thoroughly review each after grading it, then relax and do something you like that is stress relieving.

I also suggest not spending time on this site between now and Monday since it is going to be filled with lots of stress producing posts from stressed out test takers, stress is contagious, and you are more likely to perform at your peak if you are relaxed, well rested, and confident.

Good Luck and may the force of good logic be with you!

[patricksouthern]

Patricksouthern,

Given your recent practice test scores, provided you took them under strict test-day regulations (no extra seconds/a minute here and there in a section, no scratch paper, no breaks -even 10 seconds- between sections you wont have on test day, used a bubble sheet, etc.), you should not make any major changes to your approach this close to test day.

Spending time watching videos that teach a different method than you learned and have been using would be a very bad idea. Just spend the next few days taking the most recent PTs you haven't looked at before under strict simulated test-day conditions (leave home and take them at a library or coffee shop or somewhere), then thoroughly review each after grading it, then relax and do something you like that is stress relieving.

I also suggest not spending time on this site between now and Monday since it is going to be filled with lots of stress producing posts from stressed out test takers, stress is contagious, and you are more likely to perform at your peak if you are relaxed, well rested, and confident.

Good Luck and may the force of good logic be with you!

Thanks for your perspective. Honestly, I appreciate it. I've decided the same -- that there's really no way I could truly absorb Velocity's method this close to test date and, if anything, I could only hurt myself by trying to change things this close to exam date. I'm trying to take some of the general principles we've discussed in this thread and apply them moving forward.

I took another PT today (the four scored sections from October 2008) and scored a 174. Again, I went -1 on LG, so maybe something is finally starting to "click" there. The difficulty of the curve on this one conspired against me -- apparently there were too many "easy" questions, as I went -1/-1 on the two LR sections, -1 on LG and a reasonable -3 on RC and only got a 174.

The remainder of my time from now until test day is going to largely be spent drilling LG, taking timed sections and a couple more PTs and trying to remain as loose and confident mentally as possible heading into Monday.

Thanks again.

--Patrick

[bp shinners]

I took another PT today (the four scored sections from October 2008) and scored a 174. Again, I went -1 on LG, so maybe something is finally starting to "click" there. The difficulty of the curve on this one conspired against me -- apparently there were too many "easy" questions, as I went -1/-1 on the two LR sections, -1 on LG and a reasonable -3 on RC and only got a 174.

The 'clicking' when using our methods usually comes when your brain starts to accept the fact that the same type of rule leads to scenarios/deductions every single time it comes up. If you're at that point a few days before the LSAT, perfect!

But yes, I definitely always look for deductions. But deductions aren't a big, scary, John-Nash-Mind-style thing that happens (and that's what most students are looking for with that click) - they're simply combinations of 2 rules. How do I get them? By starting with the first rule and seeing if it overlaps with each other rule. How do I know when I'm done making them? When I've compared each rule to each other rule. It's methodical, not inspirational.

As to trying out a few possibilities before attacking the questions, I like that method because it's essentially front-loading the work. Bonus points if you make those scenarios exhaustive and exclusive (they're basic enough so as to include every POSSIBLE combination, and you picked a rule that limited whatever you're placing to only a few slots, and there's no overlap between each scenario), because now you've done 90% of the work the questions will ask you to do before even starting them.