December 2013 LSAT Study Group Forum

[toshiroh]

Just took PT 59. -2 on logic games... sigh... disgraceful with how easy that damn section was.

I went -5 on the second LR section, I can see how many of the questions could have tripped people up though.

gonna take a shot in the dark here and guess that most of those incorrect LR were in the vicinity of 19-24? lol. HATED THAT SECTION. QWERTY my ass.

Yep hated that QWERTY question. Definite pain in the ass.

I'm so mad about that second LR section. I hammered a run because of it.

But i missed 8, 11, and 13. GIMMIES. I'm so f-ing pissed. I could have a -5 on that section easily if i didnt' get so careless and my score would have been a season best 172. I felt so smooth on the first LR section too.

Edit: also, i thought i had qwerty in the bag lolnope

11 and 13 were just baited with trap answers because the answers to the questions seemed too obvious. Dont feel too bad, I could have went -3 on the first section if I hadn't missed three in the first 10 questions. Damn shame....

[alecks]

I got my synchro on thursday and I got a mega cold which derailed three days of studying (had a mini crisis during that time)

so I took it today and I FELT SO ALIVE!!!!!!!! I'm obsessed.

and it's probably a good thing I took a few days off since it's been about 3 weeks since I haven't look at anything LSAT. whatever. 5 weeks...

[foundingfather]

when you guys see formal logic on LR stims, do you generally write them out?

whenever i don't i regret it later.

p.s. your avatar is uhmazing.

hehe thanks, I made it specifically for TLS.

anything to get me motivated for this Dec re-take

Also: I'll continue to use my discretion when choosing to draw out formal logic statements, thanks everyone

[OVOXO]

posted in retaker thread but will repost here

Needa crowdsource some insight, and you folks are a smart crowd:

1. I took the test in Feb and noticed that, unlike in PTs, I was re-reading and re-re-reading the stimulus (in LR) or rules (in LG) often because of nerves/OMFG this is the real thing/dont-make-a-stupid-error. How can this be overcome? I guess the ideal situation is increasing “bank” time in PTs to take into account the re-reading on test day.

2. What do you guys do to warm-up before a PT? I once did 2 sections, which definitely burned me out. I usually do a page from the middle of an old lR section and an LG.

Thanks !!

[vicpin5190]

posted in retaker thread but will repost here

Needa crowdsource some insight, and you folks are a smart crowd:

1. I took the test in Feb and noticed that, unlike in PTs, I was re-reading and re-re-reading the stimulus (in LR) or rules (in LG) often because of nerves/OMFG this is the real thing/dont-make-a-stupid-error. How can this be overcome? I guess the ideal situation is increasing “bank” time in PTs to take into account the re-reading on test day.

2. What do you guys do to warm-up before a PT? I once did 2 sections, which definitely burned me out. I usually do a page from the middle of an old lR section and an LG.

Thanks !!

I actually practiced my warm up routine today. 2 passages, 1 untimed and 1 timed, and then 5 LR questions untimed, and a game. Just to get the juice flowing and get me ready to start taking the PT. I'll keep experimenting, but this one seems to help.

[kjane96]

Took my second diagnostic with my Testmasters class yesterday. I get home, go to my computer to grade it, only to realize I inadvertently took Diag 3 instead of 2. Of course, to benefit from the review scheduled for today, I would have had to take Diag 2. So, that was my Saturday night. Needless to say, two tests in one day + class both mornings this weekend has me feeling a little burned out. I'd love to pass out early tonight but then that guilt comes creeping in if I don't attempt some drills...

Oh, that really sucks:( I'm taking Diag 2 on Wednesday, for TM as well.. how are you liking their course organisation? I assume you're taking the in-class course, since you had class this wknd? I hope everything works out for you!

Thank you! It was just one of those stupid mistakes that happen when you're on autopilot. Too much LSAT on the brain. Good luck to you as well! As far as TM goes, I really like the course - for me it's helpful because I need the structure of a class to really put forth my best effort. The amount of homework is incredible but I know drilling the literally hundreds and hundreds of questions is what will improve my score. What do you think?

[firefoxm]

Took my second diagnostic with my Testmasters class yesterday. I get home, go to my computer to grade it, only to realize I inadvertently took Diag 3 instead of 2. Of course, to benefit from the review scheduled for today, I would have had to take Diag 2. So, that was my Saturday night. Needless to say, two tests in one day + class both mornings this weekend has me feeling a little burned out. I'd love to pass out early tonight but then that guilt comes creeping in if I don't attempt some drills...

Oh, that really sucks:( I'm taking Diag 2 on Wednesday, for TM as well.. how are you liking their course organisation? I assume you're taking the in-class course, since you had class this wknd? I hope everything works out for you!

Thank you! It was just one of those stupid mistakes that happen when you're on autopilot. Too much LSAT on the brain. Good luck to you as well! As far as TM goes, I really like the course - for me it's helpful because I need the structure of a class to really put forth my best effort. The amount of homework is incredible but I know drilling the literally hundreds and hundreds of questions is what will improve my score. What do you think?

Thanks:) I also like it - I signed up with 7 weeks to go before the December test (so 2 weeks ago), and I definitely need structure as well, lol (there is WAAAAY too much info on the LSAT out there for a newbie!): I'm actually taking the online course, which I love, because I can go at my own speed, watch the lesson videos over and over, etc. And I agree, the homework is insane - I am doing 2/3 of each HW now, and when I've done five more lessons, I go back and finish the last 1/3 so I don't forget anything!

I think that for those who want structure, TM seems like one of the best there is, and unlike some test companies I heard of, they actually want you to score in the high 160s-170s (a definite plus ). I do also plan to work on some Cambridge LG packs to drill LG, and I have a LR book of hard questions for when I'm done with the coursebooks (if I ever finish, that is!).

I have to say, I do get nervous when I hear people criticizing TM though... Makes me wonder if I'm just imagining my progress, lol! Are you doing anything else on the side?

[wealtheow]

working on my "moron you should have bagged these" LR binder during the walking dead is my new sunday tradish. life is good.

i should do this. I know i've like said this 100 times, but i literally blew the roof off my public library where I took the exam. Maybe i'm being irrational but when I see points that I left on the board i throw fits like a little child.

haha at the image of someone flipping tables over in a library.

it HAS helped. i cut out basically any problem that gave me trouble, even if i got it right.
then i paste it on notebook paper and write around it : conclusion/premises summarized, why tricky/what threw me, and why each answer is wrong (except for the right one) - if i realize something quick could have settled the matter, i write that too.
since i started, there HAVE been a few times when taking a PT that i will remember something in my binder and do NOT make the same mistake.

it has helped me improve on inference, of all things. for some reason, i used to get tripped up on those. pretty much the only thing i get wrong anymore is weaken/parallel. hoping trainer clears up that little issue.

[wealtheow]

posted in retaker thread but will repost here

Needa crowdsource some insight, and you folks are a smart crowd:

1. I took the test in Feb and noticed that, unlike in PTs, I was re-reading and re-re-reading the stimulus (in LR) or rules (in LG) often because of nerves/OMFG this is the real thing/dont-make-a-stupid-error. How can this be overcome? I guess the ideal situation is increasing “bank” time in PTs to take into account the re-reading on test day.

2. What do you guys do to warm-up before a PT? I once did 2 sections, which definitely burned me out. I usually do a page from the middle of an old lR section and an LG.

Thanks !!

regarding 1 - for LR
sounds like an anxiety influencing focus problem, to which i can relate. i used to do the re-re-re-read thing too. it was a huge problem. one question would gobble up 5 mins and i'd be filling in that last bubble right at minute 35 - no time to review, and finishing just in time only makes the nerves get worse, thereby influencing the next section. fun cycle.

a few things helped me:

- switching to reading the question stem first, and no matter the question, locating conclusion first. caused me to read the prompt with more intention, thereby increasing understanding, speed, and efficiency.

-internalizing the idea that only about 5-7 qs per LR would be crazy hard, and that therefore the other 45 or so needed to be completed and done correctly without much fuss. this made me start making a genuine attempt at simply cutting myself off (this was VERY hard for me and took a lot of practice). reminding myself of this during practice is strangely re-affirming, and helps me re-focus during those potential freak-out moments.

- once i started consistently cutting myself off at about 2 mins - i found that when i went back to a question, it was clearer, probably because by the end of an LR section the brain is more attuned to argument subtleties than earlier on...

the more you nervously re-read, the more the argument blurs - at least i find. at that point you need to re-focus. however possible.

as for games, if i'm feeling particularly shaky when i start off, i try to check off the rules as i diagram, and then do a "check" to make sure i didn't transpose or anything. i rarely look at them again.

[JustHawkin]

.

[OVOXO]

PT57: killing dinos

LR −2
LR2 −3
LG −0
RC −1
LGX33 −0

95/101

175

Really happy about this. Was so flustered last week because my PT scores had dipped to low 90s/170, 171. Took all of sunday off and just chilled and sat night too and then did this PT this aft. Hopefully it wasn’t on the easier side in general but I’ve realized once you have the skillset down (and by down, I mean you’ve drilled the games, all the LR types that give you trouble, and have a CONSISTENT strategy for RC) it really comes down to mindset/confidence/trust in the process to differentiate b/w a 171 and 176 IMHO.

a month-ish left to study. Lezzz doo thisss.

[akechi]

Just re-did the games section from PT-57. The infamous Dinos game was not as difficult as everyone made it out to be. I think what tripped me up the first time around was a combination of nerves (I always get anxiety-ridden when taking full PTs) and hyping up the difficulty of game 3.

First attempt: 12m / -0
Second attempt: 8m / -0

[vicpin5190]

Just re-did the games section from PT-57. The infamous Dinos game was not as difficult as everyone made it out to be. I think what tripped me up the first time around was a combination of nerves (I always get anxiety-ridden when taking full PTs) and hyping up the difficulty of game 3.

First attempt: 12m / -0
Second attempt: 8m / -0

It really is not terribly hard, i think nerves make up 70% of the difficulty because there are some inferences that arent't apparent at first but go a long way.

[vicpin5190]

Do you guys take days off? I'm taking a day off today and I feel this overwhelming sense of guilt....yet i feel like it's days off once a week or so that keep me charged in the long term. I'm in a glass case of emotion.

[wealtheow]

Do you guys take days off? I'm taking a day off today and I feel this overwhelming sense of guilt....yet i feel like it's days off once a week or so that keep me charged in the long term. I'm in a glass case of emotion.

of course! there's building endurance and there's doing your body a disservice. some days you just gotta rest.

of course the guilt... is not so good for sleepytimes.

[toshiroh]

I think I'm burning out. I feel so tired. PT 60 today. and PT 61 on Thursday. Three PTs next week, all in between completing 7sage lol.

I'm taking a day off Friday, so hopefully that gets the juices flowing again.

Also, I think I'm going to switch up my testing location. I usually go to my UG library, but just for a little change, I'll go to Barnes and Noble today. Hopefully the constant chatter doesn't cause me to go crazy

[crestor]

one more month. lets do this gaise.

btw for pt 45 s4 q 13 is the answer B? its about the art theft from museums. thanks in advance if anyone answers

[wealtheow]

one more month. lets do this gaise.

btw for pt 45 s4 q 13 is the answer B? its about the art theft from museums. thanks in advance if anyone answers

yes, it is b.

[crestor]

one more month. lets do this gaise.

btw for pt 45 s4 q 13 is the answer B? its about the art theft from museums. thanks in advance if anyone answers

yes, it is b.

thank you kind sir. the answers online are all either B or D. I wanted straight confirmation.

[crestor]

with one month left and after one month break, I am not wasting time with any 40s/50s material unless it comes from review.

[wealtheow]

pearl harbor day btw. someone just brought that to my attention, hadn't even thought of that.

[crestor]

pearl harbor day btw. someone just brought that to my attention, hadn't even thought of that.

interesting.

[wealtheow]

pearl harbor day btw. someone just brought that to my attention, hadn't even thought of that.

interesting.

not too ominous.

[062914123]

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[toshiroh]

Am I the only one who used to rage quit PTs lol. When I was first learning the LSAT. I would take a test, and the first section in I would bomb it and then... rage quit the whole PT lol.