February 2014 LSAT Study Group

[zhenders]

^ I agree with you about certain LR questions that I get wrong. Strengthen, assumption, weaken, parallel, Point at issue come really easy for me.

Flaw and Method get me because of the damn verbiage but I can get the answers to the two that make sense.

Also, I kinda embarrassing, but it took me a lot of wrong flaw questions to finally look up the meaning of granted. Needless to say LSAT granted and the way we use it in every day life is a little different

There's an LSAT Vocabulary quick guide somewhere on the net. Poke around in torrents for it (it's user compiled and certainly uncopywritten, so it's legally safe to download if you so choose to )

[Colgate87]

Advice needed! A few months ago I was PTing at a 157 consistently. I took a few months to really learn the methods and try to understand RC and LR (LG is my strong point). I've been drilling Cambridge, and have done well with them. I also began to notice a huge increase in LR (-3 to -5); for me this is major. With RC I am inconsistent. I realize that its about structure, so I've been trying to really let this all sink in. Now that we are a month away from the test, I decided to start PT test again thinking that I should definitely be in the 160s by now. For some reason I have bombed PT 50 and 51. It's starting to freak me out. When I review the questions missed untimed I get the correct. It seems as the the mental pressure gets to me, but I don't know how to over come this. I know the methods, I read Manhattan and LSAT Trainer front to back. Can anyone please shed some advice? I need to see my scores jump back up within the next week.

[Nicolena.]

^ I agree with you about certain LR questions that I get wrong. Strengthen, assumption, weaken, parallel, Point at issue come really easy for me.

Flaw and Method get me because of the damn verbiage but I can get the answers to the two that make sense.

Also, I kinda embarrassing, but it took me a lot of wrong flaw questions to finally look up the meaning of granted. Needless to say LSAT granted and the way we use it in every day life is a little different

There's an LSAT Vocabulary quick guide somewhere on the net. Poke around in torrents for it (it's user compiled and certainly uncopywritten, so it's legally safe to download if you so choose to )

I'm also interested in this vocabulary list if anyone finds it.

[W$RKliveWELL]

Also would love to see that list if it's found.

Btw how many PTs are you all trying to get in pre exam? I haven't started yet want to drill this last week and do secs then PTs. Maybe 3-4 a week after.

[eliztudorr]

just posting to give you guys some cheers!! took my last LSAT last oct and threw out all my books the day of im currently waiting for my decisions from LS so im over at the other threads.

im sure all of you are doing great!! because you guys are working your ass off. with that said, sometimes you are going to feel like shit because this test really ain't easy. but don't let it get you down too long. a friend said this to me the week before my test and it really helped me get through the test without a panic attack (i had to cancel my score before the oct one because i had a panic attack during the 4th section and that happened to be counted)

she said, "it took a lot of courage for you to decide on this path and you took it. there's only 2 outcomes to this: first, things work out the way you thought it would be. great. you go through with it. or, things didn't go the way you thought. but that doesn't mean its a bad thing. it just means you get another chance to figure out what you want to do."

so guys, it doesn't matter what happens. the outcomes are both positive.

work hard! and good luck! take necessary breaks and eat plenty.

What if you don't need another chance to figure out what you want to do, because you already know?

i think you are reading my post with a negative vibe. im just trying to say either way, things will work out. so don't worry so much right now. if things turned out the way you want it to, good for you. if it didn't, some ppl may just soak in despair. those are the people im directing my msg to: you just need another way, plan to get to where you wanna be. it may be a retake, or a career change, or you go through with your score and become a successful lawyer in a different way. my point is, life will work out. so don't give up now. don't get bugged down now. have courage and know, if at any point from now to the end of your test, you feel like you shit, stick it out. because when you walk out that test center, you start a new page: the next step.

good luck!! im speaking from my personal experience. you will look back and say, its over. i made it. and be proud despite what score you got. you deserve to be proud. because you tried and you worked through it.

[eliztudorr]

just posting to give you guys some cheers!! took my last LSAT last oct and threw out all my books the day of im currently waiting for my decisions from LS so im over at the other threads.

im sure all of you are doing great!! because you guys are working your ass off. with that said, sometimes you are going to feel like shit because this test really ain't easy. but don't let it get you down too long. a friend said this to me the week before my test and it really helped me get through the test without a panic attack (i had to cancel my score before the oct one because i had a panic attack during the 4th section and that happened to be counted)

she said, "it took a lot of courage for you to decide on this path and you took it. there's only 2 outcomes to this: first, things work out the way you thought it would be. great. you go through with it. or, things didn't go the way you thought. but that doesn't mean its a bad thing. it just means you get another chance to figure out what you want to do."

so guys, it doesn't matter what happens. the outcomes are both positive.

work hard! and good luck! take necessary breaks and eat plenty.

Maggie Smith, you're totally way nicer IRL than in Downton Abbey. You rock.

thank you!! best of luck to you you can do it!!

[xylocarp]

Also would love to see that list if it's found.

Btw how many PTs are you all trying to get in pre exam? I haven't started yet want to drill this last week and do secs then PTs. Maybe 3-4 a week after.

I'm doing three/week for the four weeks before test week, then one every other day leading up to February 8.

[unodostres]

^same. Here's to scoring as high as you dude!

[zhenders]

Basically same here too -- my plan is 3/3/2/4. There's a strong chance, too, that I'll end up doing 6 on test week -- I'm considering testing T/W/TH/F, with doubles on W/TH, using tests I've already done.

That reads confusing... I basically intend to do two tests back to back to simulate an 8-section test two days that week; I've done this twice now, and I think it's a great way to practice overcoming fatigue. It'll make the real 5-section test feel much shorter.

[W$RKliveWELL]

Thanks for the responses guys as it stands now I'm looking at 12-15 PTs.

[samblackbones]

Just decided to retake after discovering these forums. Took in dec. got 168 w/ games -7 RC -1 and LRs -3/-5. Almost exactly what my PT's were. I only studied games before the test and still blew them. Used testmasters on-line for the games section. This time I'm going with the logic games bible I think. Going to work through all the drills and try and get games on lock. I'm pretty sure if I stay focused I can come close to perfect in the other 3 sections so I am not sure if its worth the time investment to try and learn a strategy for LR (I don't usually miss RC questions on my practices).
Anyone have a golden approach for games? Is it best to just work through the bible or equivalent aid? I feel like I have it in me to pop off a good feb. lsat and open some doors.

[zhenders]

Just decided to retake after discovering these forums. Took in dec. got 168 w/ games -7 RC -1 and LRs -3/-5. Almost exactly what my PT's were. I only studied games before the test and still blew them. Used testmasters on-line for the games section. This time I'm going with the logic games bible I think. Going to work through all the drills and try and get games on lock. I'm pretty sure if I stay focused I can come close to perfect in the other 3 sections so I am not sure if its worth the time investment to try and learn a strategy for LR (I don't usually miss RC questions on my practices).
Anyone have a golden approach for games? Is it best to just work through the bible or equivalent aid? I feel like I have it in me to pop off a good feb. lsat and open some doors.

Sam, make sure to check out http://www.7sage.com as well for LG; many of us swear by it over any other book or method.


Everyone, I'd mentioned some free LSAT materials floating around via torrent sites (legal, redistributable stuff). I went ahead and dropped them in a folder in my google drive; here's the link, so that you all have access to it. I was perhaps a bit mistaken: the particular document I told you all about wasn't a vocabulary list precisely; rather, a list of certain indicator words for various logical scenarios. For those of you having any difficulty with parsing meaning from the language of the LSAT, or for those of you who have an impossibly difficult time with FLAW questions, this stuff might be helpful.

If for some reason you can't access it, let me know -- I may have done it wrong.


link: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B5SS5eGed9mUeTFYdkVjX0EtTFE&usp=sharing

[pech71]

This test is very annoying to me. That is all.

[xylocarp]

Just decided to retake after discovering these forums. Took in dec. got 168 w/ games -7 RC -1 and LRs -3/-5. Almost exactly what my PT's were. I only studied games before the test and still blew them. Used testmasters on-line for the games section. This time I'm going with the logic games bible I think. Going to work through all the drills and try and get games on lock. I'm pretty sure if I stay focused I can come close to perfect in the other 3 sections so I am not sure if its worth the time investment to try and learn a strategy for LR (I don't usually miss RC questions on my practices).
Anyone have a golden approach for games? Is it best to just work through the bible or equivalent aid? I feel like I have it in me to pop off a good feb. lsat and open some doors.

Sam, make sure to check out http://www.7sage.com as well for LG; many of us swear by it over any other book or method.


Everyone, I'd mentioned some free LSAT materials floating around via torrent sites (legal, redistributable stuff). I went ahead and dropped them in a folder in my google drive; here's the link, so that you all have access to it. I was perhaps a bit mistaken: the particular document I told you all about wasn't a vocabulary list precisely; rather, a list of certain indicator words for various logical scenarios. For those of you having any difficulty with parsing meaning from the language of the LSAT, or for those of you who have an impossibly difficult time with FLAW questions, this stuff might be helpful.

If for some reason you can't access it, let me know -- I may have done it wrong.


link: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B5SS5eGed9mUeTFYdkVjX0EtTFE&usp=sharing

Awesome! Thanks

[zhenders]

Just finished and graded 59:

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

-9/174.

I've definitely determined that I am not one of those people who would benefit from taking a day or two off before test day; from my first test of the week to my last, I almost invariably improve my score. While I'm definitely not complaining about -9, about 6 of those I missed because I honestly just didn't read carefully enough, or (in the case of the LG) didn't take the time to eliminate all answer choices and so didn't catch bad logic that I applied. This is exactly my 5-test and 10-test average right now, so the goal is going to be to bring my raw average up by 2-4 points over the next (and last) 11 PT's.

I still get really grumbly over RC, too. Just saying.

[RobertGolddust]

Just finished and graded 59:

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

-9/174.

I've definitely determined that I am not one of those people who would benefit from taking a day or two off before test day; from my first test of the week to my last, I almost invariably improve my score. While I'm definitely not complaining about -9, about 6 of those I missed because I honestly just didn't read carefully enough, or (in the case of the LG) didn't take the time to eliminate all answer choices and so didn't catch bad logic that I applied. This is exactly my 5-test and 10-test average right now, so the goal is going to be to bring my raw average up by 2-4 points over the next (and last) 11 PT's.

I still get really grumbly over RC, too. Just saying.

I just took it today and scored a 161, which is my average and target score.

LG: -8
LR 1: -5
LR 2: -6
RC: -7

I usually do a bit better on RC, but the art passage really screwed me up!

[zhenders]

That art passage was seriously tough! Both I got wrong were from it.

Congrats on hitting (and averaging!) your target

[cloy26]

Really not feeling it anymore.

Congrats to you all hitting your targets.

[pech71]

Really not feeling it anymore.

Congrats to you all hitting your targets.

+1

[samblackbones]

Last game on 59 gave me a headache. 7sage is definitely helpful but I feel like I need to develop a comprehensive system. I suck at deciding when to map out all possibilities. Plus I'm slow. I finish every other section w 5+ minutes to spare but games seem to take me 15 mins each.

[logicspeaks]

Took PT 60 today and got a 167.

LR1: -4
LG: -4
LR2: -5
RC: -2

Total: -15

The games on this one were strange to me, so I rushed through the 3rd game when I was running out of time and missed 3 there. I'm feeling like if I can just get games down even better I can focus entirely on LR and cut those -4/-5's into -2/-3's and really knock the February test out of the park.

Hang in there everyone!

[alecks]

I consistently score -2/-3 on LR, and anywhere from -3/-5 on RC, but I got -7 on games the other day! Ridic! I've realized I'm never going to be one of those people that scores a -0, but a -2/3 would be nice... I've been trying to drill games but it's the timing that trips me up, it's usually I end up guessing on 1-3 questions and then get a couple others wrong. ANYWAY basically a month left to fix it. I'm not really worried considering I've come such a long way without practicing games as much as LR. but grrrrrr anyway~

[Tlucidum]

Just finished 60, -0 on both LR + LG, but -5 on RC for a 176 total. That final passage on Australian contingency-fee agreements killed me, I didn't even have time to get to the last couple of questions. I know that you could fill a library with all the RC discussion on this forum, but even with that much information I can't for the life of me seem to get over this RC hump. Regardless, let's keep it up, we're closing in fast!

[pech71]

Just finished 60, -0 on both LR + LG, but -5 on RC for a 176 total. That final passage on Australian contingency-fee agreements killed me, I didn't even have time to get to the last couple of questions. I know that you could fill a library with all the RC discussion on this forum, but even with that much information I can't for the life of me seem to get over this RC hump. Regardless, let's keep it up, we're closing in fast!

I can't get by this leaving the office, coming home and drinking a 6 pack hump instead of studying.

[90convoy]

Hey all, just finished 62

169 (one of my highest)

RC: -5
LR1:-8 (ouch, I think this is because my roommates were loud)
LG:-2 (surprisingly didn't miss any on the infamous "stained glass game")
LR2 :-0 (wtf? yeah, roommates were loud during LR1 this is my first legit -0)

Gonna do LG section again just for kicks. Reviewing tmrw. Best of luck to ALL. Please PM me if you wanna discuss 62, but do it tmrw because thats when I'm going over it.