The Official December 2014 Study Group Forum

[akp1993]

Hi checking in!

I just got my June score and was extremely disappointed to say the least. I will be retaking in December. I am going to be studying abroad though, so I will be taking the test in Paris.

I'm not really sure where I went wrong on the test considering I was PT-ing at 165+ and fell way below that on test day. I took the Kaplan course and it didn't really help at all and I studied individually with the Powerscore LG Bible and LR Bible along with the books provided by Kaplan. Hopefully I can discover a better study plan that will help me reach the score I was hoping for the first time around.

Here goes for round 2!!

[kirilrez]

Checking in here too.

[kirilrez]

How is everyone doing?

Is anyone using the LSAT Blog study schedules?
I'm thinking of buying one, but not sure if that will help me.

[Rigo]

[nightcheese]

I've been lurking these forums for a couple of weeks now. Today I decided I might as well commit myself (in multiple senses of the word) and join in on the action. I won't be applying until 2015 (or 2016, depending on how my employment situation plays out), but I want to get the test over with while leaving room for possible re-takes. I've been studying on-again/off-again for about a month, but didn't lay out a consistent study plan until last week.

Study materials: Powerscore LG and LR Bibles, SuperPrep, and several volumes of official PTs.

Study plan: I can't afford tutors or prep courses, so it's 100% self-study. I'm using a modified version of Pithypike's study guide, adjusted for 5 months instead of 3. I work full time between two jobs (my hours are rarely consistent) so I'll need a lot of flexibility in my schedule. Marathon study sessions are not an option here.

Good luck everyone!

[5618715218781]

Checking in here!
I'll apply for 2016, graduate in 2016. and wish to finish the test by June 2015, is considering December or February test before my birthday (always cause so much emotional stress).
I'm interning in D.C. for the summer and will be back to China for August before coming back for school on late August.
Bought one Princeton Review prep on around February in Penn bookstore but only started last month and only finished the LR section and found did I horrendously terrible on the drill....and therefore faced the reality I'm terrible and need to improve terribly a lot, researched online and found PR is probably not a good textbook....but still I'm planning to first finish the instructions on PR on LG and RC section, and probably skip the two diagnostic test? (any advice? though it still seems like a waste though, but doing it seems like a waste of time and energy)
I'll try to put hands on the famous trainer wishfully by July 20, and probably carry it back to China and carry it back to college again (wish it's not too heavy...ahhhh) , or maybe I should give the thought and first read the ebook and order it when I'm back in Pennsylvania.......?

The trainer will probably take me sometime, I'm guessing to early October? Since it's 600 pages?
After the trainer, I'm wondering whether I should take one Manhattan class in Philly, monday&Wednesday night, 6:30-9:00, that might be some problem for me, since I go to a small suburban college near philly, it took me half an hour by train to commute to Philly, under the hectic academic schedule.....so also I'm considering online course, but afraid online course whether worth it or not.....
therefore, probably, starting on October, start with LSAC's official guides, and one 10 actual book?
and study Manhattan's three books and three PS's bibles before the December test?
wishfully finish prepping with real official test by February test and try to take the February one? Though still a little afraid since feb one did not release exam explanation, but I'm assuming that actually don't matter that much? Since I never care and had the mood to read the SAT explanation in the past...? also a little worrying for the weather , wish it's better than this year's harsh winter......

[Rigo]

[kirilrez]

Hi, we already have a gmail study group. If you're interested to join it, then pm me.

[LSAT Blog]

How is everyone doing?

Is anyone using the LSAT Blog study schedules?
I'm thinking of buying one, but not sure if that will help me.

I won't offer my own opinion, but here are some threads where folks asked the same question:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=149056
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=173079
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=183700
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=192244
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=198899
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=209508

If you search the forum, you'll find many others where people discuss my schedules.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I'm happy to help.

[Dondarrion]

Well for drilling the different question types you will probably want to do many of the same type of question at once. So, this either requires you to buy the Cambridge Packets or manually breakdown the first ~40 prep tests.

Is there a guide that has it already done or do you have to buy the Cambridge Packets?

[ntx]

We need an official countdown

[nightcheese]

I'm actually beginning to like LG. Dare I say they're actually kind of... fun!?! Granted, I'm only drilling Basic Linear at the moment, but I've been scoring -1/-0 on first attempts. At least I feel more confident now that I have a good handle on the basics, which is a hell of a lot more than I could say when I took my diagnostic test last month.

I wish I felt as positive about the other two sections. RC is hit or miss. I either totally absorb the material, or I get bored. (If the passage is about something cultural or technical, I'm fine. If LSAC throws in something about ornithology, I start falling asleep.) I keep bombing my LR drills. At this point I think I need to forget about drilling and just re-read the bible. I thought LR would be my strongest section, but the language is a lot more nuanced than I realized.

We need an official countdown

As I'm typing... 148 days, 10 hours, 28 minutes and and 15 seconds. Or is that too specific?

[canuckofchicago]

Hey everyone.

Just checking in. I was originally going to take the September test, but decided against and focus on December.

My arsenal includes; LSAT Trainer, 7sage, Manhattan (LR Explanations), Cambridge packets, and soon to be purchased Manhattan RC 4th edition.

I look forward to participating in discussions up until "game day".

[flash21]

hey guys, I just took a week off. I've been studying for a pretty long time and I just mentally could NOT do it. I've never had it that badly before. I am pretty excited to get back into it now though. Feeling pretty damn guilty, I can't lie.

Hope everyone's studying has been going great.

[canuckofchicago]

Hey there.
What is everyone's order of study? Is it LG, LR, RC or some other form of order?
I have currently finished the LR part of the LSAT Trainer, so now I am just trying to figure out which questions to drill.

Who like to hear the thoughts of all you posters.

[CatchingFire]

Anyone using this test for the upcoming cycle?

[mud415]

Anyone using this test for the upcoming cycle?

That's my plan -- it's not ideal, but plenty of my friends did fine during last cycle having applied a little bit later so I'm not stressing out too much...

[blsnared]

Hey everyone. I was originally planning on retaking in September, but with work and the family, I simply don't have enough to time see a worthwhile improving for the cost of taking it. I'll study and retake in December, if my score is 174+, I'll try to sneak in an application for this cycle, if not, I'll reserve the score for an ED application next cycle and continue to save money. My target schools are UVA, Cornell, and Northwestern. I graduated from my undergraduate institution from a regional school with a 3.1. I'm currently an officer in the Army National Guard and a full time police officer. I just wanted to make a formal introduction so everyone knows me and I can get to know all of you. Hopefully we positively influence each other here and cross paths in school in the future.

The study materials I have are:

The LSAT Trainer
Manhattan LR
Manhattan RC
Powerscore LGB
3 different "10 Official, Actual..." pretests books.

My course of action is as follows:
1) Complete the LSAT Trainer
2) Take a diagnostic exam
3) Identify my weak areas and target those specifically in the Manhattan/Powerscore books.
4) Drill preptests.

What do you guys think?

[Rigo]

[JDman]

Hey everyone. I was originally planning on retaking in September, but with work and the family, I simply don't have enough to time see a worthwhile improving for the cost of taking it. I'll study and retake in December, if my score is 174+, I'll try to sneak in an application for this cycle, if not, I'll reserve the score for an ED application next cycle and continue to save money. My target schools are UVA, Cornell, and Northwestern. I graduated from my undergraduate institution from a regional school with a 3.1. I'm currently an officer in the Army National Guard and a full time police officer. I just wanted to make a formal introduction so everyone knows me and I can get to know all of you. Hopefully we positively influence each other here and cross paths in school in the future.

The study materials I have are:

The LSAT Trainer
Manhattan LR
Manhattan RC
Powerscore LGB
3 different "10 Official, Actual..." pretests books.

My course of action is as follows:
1) Complete the LSAT Trainer
2) Take a diagnostic exam
3) Identify my weak areas and target those specifically in the Manhattan/Powerscore books.
4) Drill preptests.

What do you guys think?

Does it matter what edition you are using? Third, Fourth, or Fifth edition? I'm speaking in regards to the Manhattan books...

[mud415]

Has anyone started drilling from the Cambridge packets yet? Trying to devise a good schedule around them...

Thanks!

[HRomanus]

Tentatively checking in. If I don't hit 169 on the Sept LSAT I'm going balls-to-the-wall for December. I really don't want to apply in January though.

[flash21]

Tentatively checking in. If I don't hit 169 on the Sept LSAT I'm going balls-to-the-wall for December. I really don't want to apply in January though.

what you pting now?

[HRomanus]

Tentatively checking in. If I don't hit 169 on the Sept LSAT I'm going balls-to-the-wall for December. I really don't want to apply in January though.

what you pting now?

171-174; Avg 172

I got a 165 on the Oct 2013

[flash21]

Tentatively checking in. If I don't hit 169 on the Sept LSAT I'm going balls-to-the-wall for December. I really don't want to apply in January though.

what you pting now?

171-174; Avg 172

I got a 165 on the Oct 2013

Congrats.

Any advice on milking those last few points out of LR? I've been drilling a lot, I'm guessing to just continue to do this? I'm getting to the point where the cambridge LR questions are looking pretty damn familiar since I've done them so many times over for certain Q types. I'm getting around 19-21 correct on timed sections, with anywhere between 22- perfect on blind review.

Thanks.