December 2013 LSAT Study Group Forum

tofuspeedstar · Post by **tofuspeedstar** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 6:55 pm

superdingle2000 wrote:
PourMeTea wrote:
Yeah, I'm doing 25-27 minute sections and I PTed under a desk.

Good lord you're an animal!

Are people ITT taking off days? What's your relaxation/recuperation schedule like? One off day a week? Two? Bad idea to try no breaks until Dec 7th?

I'm in it M-F and work on PS/DS/Addendum/Why X essays on the weekend.

PourMeTea · Post by **PourMeTea** » Fri Oct 18, 2013 8:02 pm

Post removed.

dasani13 · Post by **dasani13** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 12:00 am

Can someone tell me what they think about the strategy below please?

Take a timed PT, review it, take it timed again the next day? This would be mainly to increase my stamina and to check if I'm understanding the work I'm missing/reviewing. I have PT 52-69 fresh, average PT score is 160.

I've drilled almost everything from PT 1-38 by type (Cambridge LR and LG packets) and I'm not really sure if it's useful to drill the rest (about 200 LR questions left).

I'm just trying to figure out the best way to use the PTs I have left.

Thank you very much in advance.

PourMeTea · Post by **PourMeTea** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 12:01 am

Post removed.

vicpin5190 · Post by **vicpin5190** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 12:15 am

dasani13 wrote:Can someone tell me what they think about the strategy below please?

Take a timed PT, review it, take it timed again the next day? This would be mainly to increase my stamina and to check if I'm understanding the work I'm missing/reviewing. I have PT 52-69 fresh, average PT score is 160.

I've drilled almost everything from PT 1-38 by type (Cambridge LR and LG packets) and I'm not really sure if it's useful to drill the rest (about 200 LR questions left).

I'm just trying to figure out the best way to use the PTs I have left.

Thank you very much in advance.

the only issue i'd see is that you may answer some questions based on memory? idk, i know that if i were to take a PT again the day after i took i would probably score 180 because regardless of if I purposely remembered or not, the right answers would still be pretty fresh in the back of my mind.

dosto · Post by **dosto** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 3:00 am

theycallmefoes · Post by **theycallmefoes** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 10:59 am

Checking in. Late arrival, I know.

Prep thus far: Withdrew from October in favor of taking December. I've been through the LGB and LRB many times during my prep for a previous administration. Then MLR twice and MLG once thoroughly and a second time picking and choosing certain sections for review. I've done some drilling with Cambridge LR, although probably not enough, and have drilled almost all the Cambridge LG by type. I focused very heavily on these resources and not nearly enough on actual timed PTs, and it bit me in the ass. Twice. Because apparently I can't learn from my mistakes. (First because I hadn't found TLS yet and thought Powerscore was God's gift to LSAT takers; then again because I found TLS, bought all the relevant Cambridge and Manhattan stuff, and convinced myself that, contrary to conventional wisdom, devoting my energy on those would be a better use of my time than taking more PTs would be. I'm my own worst enemy.)

...And because I'm some sort of a masochist and/or lunatic and/or have the IQ of a rock, I purchased The LSAT Trainer in May, finished about 1/3 of it, withdrew from the exam, didn't do any prep for over 3 months, and recently purchased a 7sage course. Credit cards + a BillMeLater account = repeatedly registering for, and subsequently withdrawing from, the LSAT and compulsively purchasing prep materials. Also, I think I've developed a phobia of timed PTs.

That being said, I actually have managed to do a few PTs recently, and I've discovered that I can consistently score in my target range when I do my blind review. Actually, I'd appreciate any and all advice on that matter (please see --LinkRemoved--).

tl;dr: It's all just rambling. Really. Just checking in and saying hi. LET'S DO THIS.

dosto · Post by **dosto** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 2:38 pm

Dr.Zer0 · Post by **Dr.Zer0** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 2:46 pm

Drilling LR this weekend in between writing PS and DS statements. Told my LOR peeps I would have a draft by Monday so I could hold myself accountable...I regret my decision.

BTW, does anyone want to exchange statements come Monday?

theycallmefoes · Post by **theycallmefoes** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 3:54 pm

dasani13 wrote:Can someone tell me what they think about the strategy below please?

Take a timed PT, review it, take it timed again the next day? This would be mainly to increase my stamina and to check if I'm understanding the work I'm missing/reviewing. I have PT 52-69 fresh, average PT score is 160.

I've drilled almost everything from PT 1-38 by type (Cambridge LR and LG packets) and I'm not really sure if it's useful to drill the rest (about 200 LR questions left).

I'm just trying to figure out the best way to use the PTs I have left.

Thank you very much in advance.

I'm definitely not an expert when it comes to the LSAT, but I have prepped extensively and, by now, have probably made every strategic blunder you could possibly imagine. The point: I've learned a lot about What Not to Do, as well as What I Should Have Done Instead. So, my advice:
1. I don't think redoing a timed PT the next day will yield much of a benefit. With respect to stamina, making sure to include full-length timed PTs (i.e., including a 5th experimental section as opposed to doing just 4 scored sections) is a must. Also, doing 2 different PTs back-to-back (i.e., in the same day) a few times is a credited TLS approach to building stamina.
2. Blind review. Blind review. Blind review. I wasn't a believer before, but I'm definitely a convert, and I think it's an invaluable part of the process. It forces you to really analyze your own thought process on those tricky questions. You'll have those "aha!" moments when you catch the mistake on your own - when that happens, you're making progress.
3. Cutting out/retyping/copying just the questions that gave you trouble and reviewing them periodically is a credited TLS approach to mastering those questions that repeatedly trip you up.
4. Use lsatqa.com to target the rest of your drilling. Their PT analytics will tell you which question types you miss most often, as well as which ones cost you the most points on the exams.
5. Use 7sage's LSAT scorer as well. I'm now a firm believer that using both is the best approach. It allows you to score your blind review, so you can see what your true potential is (at this point in your prep). Also, it doesn't just evaluate what you got wrong but also how big of a problem it was for you - e.g., the questions you didn't mark for blind review but missed anyway are the most worrisome, followed by those that you marked for blind review but still missed, etc.
6. I would recycle some old PTs before using all of the 60s - rather, I'd say it's a good idea to save a few of the 60s until closer to the exam.

Hope this helps!

dasani13 · Post by **dasani13** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 5:30 pm

Thanks guys. I just wanted a way to build stamina without wasting new PTs but you all made me realize that this wasn't the best strategy. I'll be retaking PTs I've taken a month or two ago instead. I'm gonna try out Blind Review as well. Thanks again for the thoughtful responses.

cookiecrisp · Post by **cookiecrisp** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 5:32 pm

PT 62 Today

RC -6
LR -6
LG -0
LR - -5

167

Still not there

crestor · Post by **crestor** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 6:18 pm

i think I did well on october 5 but I want to hedge my bases and want to start studying for december. haven't looked at anything lsat related since that day. i go to the library to study like I usually do at noonish. apparently the middle school reserved the entire library. hopefully this is a sign.

dosto · Post by **dosto** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 8:03 pm

usernotfound · Post by **usernotfound** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 9:04 pm

Took PT49 yesterday, went way below average with 160. Not sure what I did wrong, but LR2 and RC killed me.

LG: -1
LR1: -3
RC: -11
LR2: -9

Then took PT37 this morning, got a 171. What the hell. Test before 49 was 167(PT15).
RC: -4
LR1: -2
LG: -1
LR2: -2

Probably the two most inconsistent PT's I've taken.

Erickt26 · Post by **Erickt26** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 10:36 pm

Is anyone taking practice test 60 next week? Need someone to review LR with...

HIt me up if you are.

Balthy · Post by **Balthy** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 1:26 pm

Would it be crazy to include 5-6 previously taken PTs in my study plan at the expense of taking other unseen tests?

I have enough unseen ones to last to December (including 12 of the last 20) but I keep thinking that there's probably something valuable in seeing/reviewing material you've already covered. But even if there is something beneficial about the repetition, maybe it still wouldn't compare to taking and reviewing new PTs? Whaddya guys think?

dosto · Post by **dosto** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 1:40 pm

Balthy · Post by **Balthy** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 1:57 pm

dosto5 wrote:
superdingle2000 wrote:Would it be crazy to include 5-6 previously taken PTs in my study plan at the expense of taking other unseen tests?

I have enough unseen ones to last to December (including 12 of the last 20) but I keep thinking that there's probably something valuable in seeing/reviewing material you've already covered. But even if there is something beneficial about the repetition, maybe it still wouldn't compare to taking and reviewing new PTs? Whaddya guys think?
I think you should get as much fresh material in, and take most if not all the 60s if you can. Repetition is good, but its benefits really decrease the fresher the material in question is (at which point retaking is probably not much better than just reviewing). I mean, you're prepping for test day on which you will have brand new material, so might as well stay on your toes. Plus you can still review old PTs when taking the newer ones.

I'd pay good money for a fresh new PT at this point. Going to do a 52/53 double-header today.

Not sure why but re-reviewing never crossed my mind. I think I'll do that when I can and maximize new material otherwise. Thanks, and gl today (don't think I could ever do back-to-back PTs).

dosto · Post by **dosto** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 2:01 pm

cheme2014 · Post by **cheme2014** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 3:43 pm

dosto5 wrote:
superdingle2000 wrote:
dosto5 wrote:
superdingle2000 wrote:Would it be crazy to include 5-6 previously taken PTs in my study plan at the expense of taking other unseen tests?

I have enough unseen ones to last to December (including 12 of the last 20) but I keep thinking that there's probably something valuable in seeing/reviewing material you've already covered. But even if there is something beneficial about the repetition, maybe it still wouldn't compare to taking and reviewing new PTs? Whaddya guys think?
I think you should get as much fresh material in, and take most if not all the 60s if you can. Repetition is good, but its benefits really decrease the fresher the material in question is (at which point retaking is probably not much better than just reviewing). I mean, you're prepping for test day on which you will have brand new material, so might as well stay on your toes. Plus you can still review old PTs when taking the newer ones.

I'd pay good money for a fresh new PT at this point. Going to do a 52/53 double-header today.

Not sure why but re-reviewing never crossed my mind. I think I'll do that when I can and maximize new material otherwise. Thanks, and gl today (don't think I could ever do back-to-back PTs).
haha, I don't think I can either but I'm about to find out. But to be fair I'm doing shorter sections since they're retakes so it's not like two fully-timed new PTs. I wouldn't even mess with that.

Haha I actually tried back-to-back two new timed PTs for a while when I was prepping for the October LSAT (my friend suggested it), but I didn't think it helped me that much. I usually do 6 sections when I do my timed PTs; I think that's good enough for building endurance.

(Of course, everyone's different, and two PTs back-to-back could work beautifully for some people

)

tofuspeedstar · Post by **tofuspeedstar** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 3:44 pm

Gonna do PT60 this evening. Halfway through the LSAT trainer. The 8 week plan was cool and all but I feel like it's just relaying a foundation I already laid down. So just going through it chapter by chapter to see if I can refine the foundation I've already laid down. But I'm sticking to the 8 week plan for drilling purposes though. Just not reading.

taks7 · Post by **taks7** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 5:03 pm

PT 53:

LR1: -3
LG: -0
LR2: -1
RC: -2

94 = 175

Totally floored at this result (can't really believe my past 2 PT scores as being anything more than luck), but incredibly happy with it.

PourMeTea · Post by **PourMeTea** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 5:13 pm

Post removed.

taks7 · Post by **taks7** » Sun Oct 20, 2013 6:59 pm

PourMeTea wrote:
taks7 wrote:PT 53:

LR1: -3
LG: -0
LR2: -1
RC: -2

94 = 175

Totally floored at this result (can't really believe my past 2 PT scores as being anything more than luck), but incredibly happy with it.
Congrats! It sounds like you're making good progress. Let me know if you want to discuss any of the problems, I took this last week.

Thanks!