Hey guys,
Is there a difference between the LSAT Preptests you can purchase at a bookstore (say, Chapters Indigo in Canada) and real LSAT exams from past years.
I ask this because I have been studying the LSAT off and on for about two years now. The far majority of my time has been devoted to drilling certain sections within the time limit. In order to do this, I have been making use of LSAT Preptests from LSAC. Ideally, when I begin PTing I'd like to use old LSAT exams from years past, but it seems that what I'm using right now could actually be the past LSAT exams everybody talks about.
I just want to make sure that when I seriously start PTing (in a few months) I have enough material that I have not already seen (even though my mind would of forgotten the most of it). Is this the case?
Thank you,
LSAT Preptests and past LSAT exams? Forum
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Jeffort
- Posts: 1888
- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:43 pm
Re: LSAT Preptests and past LSAT exams?
LSAT PrepTests = previously administered LSAT tests
The sections you've been using for timed practice are most likely from previously administered LSATs unless they are fake LSAT questions like some of the 'simulated' questions found in many cheap/crappy bookstore LSAT prep books. You better do inventory soon to figure out which PT #s you've partially used and which ones are still fresh for you before you do any more timed sections.
BTW, mainly doing timed sections and then switching to full timed PTs isn't a very effective way to prep since mainly just doing the churn and burn timed practice routine doesn't really improve skills, it just helps you get faster with all the same bad habits and flawed approaches rather than helping you build more reliable systematic step by step approaches/strategies suitable for each different question type. Significantly improving skills and performance range requires slow motion focused drilling per type with deep detailed review to figure out errors in your processes and ways to fix them. You'll never figure and fix out the errors in your methods and thought processes without deep slow motion review combined with focused drilling to alter your analysis and decision making habits.
The sections you've been using for timed practice are most likely from previously administered LSATs unless they are fake LSAT questions like some of the 'simulated' questions found in many cheap/crappy bookstore LSAT prep books. You better do inventory soon to figure out which PT #s you've partially used and which ones are still fresh for you before you do any more timed sections.
BTW, mainly doing timed sections and then switching to full timed PTs isn't a very effective way to prep since mainly just doing the churn and burn timed practice routine doesn't really improve skills, it just helps you get faster with all the same bad habits and flawed approaches rather than helping you build more reliable systematic step by step approaches/strategies suitable for each different question type. Significantly improving skills and performance range requires slow motion focused drilling per type with deep detailed review to figure out errors in your processes and ways to fix them. You'll never figure and fix out the errors in your methods and thought processes without deep slow motion review combined with focused drilling to alter your analysis and decision making habits.
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Luke_Lawyer19
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 4:10 pm
Re: LSAT Preptests and past LSAT exams?
Can you give me any recommendations?
I have read both the powerscore logical reasoning and logic games bibles. I also plan on taking a online course, and possibly an in-class course, this spring/summer.
I have bought the powerscore work books as well, but I have not had the time to work on them
I have read both the powerscore logical reasoning and logic games bibles. I also plan on taking a online course, and possibly an in-class course, this spring/summer.
I have bought the powerscore work books as well, but I have not had the time to work on them
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Jeffort
- Posts: 1888
- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:43 pm
Re: LSAT Preptests and past LSAT exams?
The LSAT Trainer presents the proper step by step way to think about and analyze arguments before jumping into the answer choices pretty well along with a bunch of individual drills unlike any in other books to get you into the routine of figuring out the main assumption/flaw of arguments. The chapter of the book that introduces and starts you off with the basics of it is a free pdf download on the authors website along with a few other free chapters. It's the chapter called 'Flaws'.
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Luke_Lawyer19
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 4:10 pm
Re: LSAT Preptests and past LSAT exams?
I'm looking for something akin to the powerscore books.
The LSAT trainer looks nice, but I don't think i'll be able to get my hands on it.
Can you recommend other materials?
The LSAT trainer looks nice, but I don't think i'll be able to get my hands on it.
Can you recommend other materials?
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Luke_Lawyer19
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 4:10 pm
Re: LSAT Preptests and past LSAT exams?
Does anyone have any advice?
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Jeffort
- Posts: 1888
- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:43 pm
Re: LSAT Preptests and past LSAT exams?
Regardless of which prep books/sources you use, in order to get better at LR you need to get better at analyzing arguments carefully to determine the flawed assumption(s) being made BEFORE you dive into the answers.
Being able to break down arguments to the core and determining the flawed assumption(s) being made is the most important central skill for mastering the LR sections. PS LRB describes assumptions/flaws and how to figure them out for each argument too.
If you aren't trying to figure out what is wrong with each argument before diving into the answer choices, (which is the way most brute force take lots of timed sections/tests students incorrectly do things), you need to change your approach and learn how to do that effectively. It takes a lot of slow motion practice and careful review to develop good assumption recognition skills but is worthwhile since it's the main skill most LR questions revolve around.
Being able to break down arguments to the core and determining the flawed assumption(s) being made is the most important central skill for mastering the LR sections. PS LRB describes assumptions/flaws and how to figure them out for each argument too.
If you aren't trying to figure out what is wrong with each argument before diving into the answer choices, (which is the way most brute force take lots of timed sections/tests students incorrectly do things), you need to change your approach and learn how to do that effectively. It takes a lot of slow motion practice and careful review to develop good assumption recognition skills but is worthwhile since it's the main skill most LR questions revolve around.
