DECEMBER 2014 WAITERS Forum

[AReasonableMan]

Hey, I am not looking to spam the thread. I am a 3L and have been doing LSAT tutoring for about 5 years. TLS posters in the past have been great tutors for me (even better than me). The energy and passion to get people to study and do the work is the key. It's common on TLS and not as common elsewhere.

My group, LSAT Wiz (http://www.lsatwiz.com) also does something different by charging students less than 1/2 of the other companies while paying the tutors 200% of Kaplan and Princeton Review. If you're interested in earning some income, please PM me. The students pay $60ish an hour, we pay income tax and your $35/hr salary. All lessons are at least 2 hours.

Cambridge LSAT supplies our materials, and we teach an easy to grasp system. We need people to get the February and June tests up and running ASAP!!

There's no non-compete or any BS like that. You can work for anyone else simultaneously. Teach the methods we train you in. WDGAF. Our goal is for our tutors to become the best and get all experience necessary. Most of our tutors go onto T-14 and then big law, and thus leave us lonely and crying. Hence, the vacancy. Just don't try to steal our students or anything. We're even happy to help our tutors self-enterprise and grow out. We pay $70 per two hour lesson (all lessons are 2 hours).

This is strictly a freelance part time opportunity. You will have to have a 170+, and will have to be able to explain things to people who function much slower than you. You'll also have to be reliable with text, and can be weird but not "scary weird". You also can't hit on the students, not going through that again.

If you're interested, PM. If not, run along, frolic and prosper.

We really need an Long Island (Plainview) tutor. Our LI star went off to Penn and the woman who replaced him was great for years but snapped at some students and we had to let her go. Can anyone teach in LI?

Also, the transfer shtick is bad for NYC schools. You could get into Columbia or a full ride but are losing hundreds of thousands and it's 50/50 you'll ever pay it back. Like crack there's no way you ever perceive it as a good decision. Unlike crack, it won't even make you temporarily happy.

[DivineJustice]

*sigh* finally had the balls to check my score, only to get the same score on my previous take. I was averaging higher on prep....feeling really defeated now.

[ilikebaseball]

BTW, are we still waiters? I feel like we're more of knowers at this point

[Bigfish41]

Were LSAT veterans

[ltowns1]

There should be like a stat about how much this site increases our scores by itself. Meaning just by the fact that you sign up and have all of this knowledge at ur fingertips about the lsat.

[Yeezus]

*sigh* finally had the balls to check my score, only to get the same score on my previous take. I was averaging higher on prep....feeling really defeated now.

I know what that's like. I got the same score in June and September. Deciding whether or not I would retake a third and final time was a very hard decision, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

[Shakawkaw]

*sigh* finally had the balls to check my score, only to get the same score on my previous take. I was averaging higher on prep....feeling really defeated now.

I know what that's like. I got the same score in June and September. Deciding whether or not I would retake a third and final time was a very hard decision, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

What was your strategy for the third retake? I'm assuming that you exhausted most, if not all, of your resources after the second retake.

[Yeezus]

*sigh* finally had the balls to check my score, only to get the same score on my previous take. I was averaging higher on prep....feeling really defeated now.

I know what that's like. I got the same score in June and September. Deciding whether or not I would retake a third and final time was a very hard decision, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

What was your strategy for the third retake? I'm assuming that you exhausted most, if not all, of your resources after the second retake.

Yeah, I ended up retaking every PT from 36-72 for a third time. The main thing that I did differently was blind review. I thought it was dumb, up until I tried it. It really does help you figure out your thought process for questions and point out weaknesses. I also did a lot of convincing to myself about how this time will be different. Your disappointing score tends to stay with you in the back of your mind, doubly so if you got that score twice in a row. Make sure that you're confident in your abilities going into the test. You know what your capabilities are; it's up to you to show everyone else.

[dasani13]

*sigh* finally had the balls to check my score, only to get the same score on my previous take. I was averaging higher on prep....feeling really defeated now.

I know what that's like. I got the same score in June and September. Deciding whether or not I would retake a third and final time was a very hard decision, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

What was your strategy for the third retake? I'm assuming that you exhausted most, if not all, of your resources after the second retake.

Yeah, I ended up retaking every PT from 36-72 for a third time. The main thing that I did differently was blind review. I thought it was dumb, up until I tried it. It really does help you figure out your thought process for questions and point out weaknesses. I also did a lot of convincing to myself about how this time will be different. Your disappointing score tends to stay with you in the back of your mind, doubly so if you got that score twice in a row. Make sure that you're confident in your abilities going into the test. You know what your capabilities are; it's up to you to show everyone else.

I also benefitted from taking some PTs for a third time. I also drilled LR Cambridge packets for a second time and that helped me more than anything.

[Shakawkaw]

Thanks for the wisdom, Dasani and YP. So glad your take went well, YP. How did you do, Dasani?

[jw316]

I know what that's like. I got the same score in June and September. Deciding whether or not I would retake a third and final time was a very hard decision, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

What was your strategy for the third retake? I'm assuming that you exhausted most, if not all, of your resources after the second retake.

Yeah, I ended up retaking every PT from 36-72 for a third time. The main thing that I did differently was blind review. I thought it was dumb, up until I tried it. It really does help you figure out your thought process for questions and point out weaknesses. I also did a lot of convincing to myself about how this time will be different. Your disappointing score tends to stay with you in the back of your mind, doubly so if you got that score twice in a row. Make sure that you're confident in your abilities going into the test. You know what your capabilities are; it's up to you to show everyone else.

I also benefitted from taking some PTs for a third time. I also drilled LR Cambridge packets for a second time and that helped me more than anything.

Did you just go through the packets one question type at a time?

[GreenTee]

I also benefitted from taking some PTs for a third time. I also drilled LR Cambridge packets for a second time and that helped me more than anything.

Did you just go through the packets one question type at a time?

This is what I did. I printed out all the packets and made these sweet binders for each section with colorful tabs for every question type, and I had a log to record the time spent drilling and any questions I got wrong/explanations.

e: I drilled all question types equally, and I used full timed sections to address my weaknesses (RC and LG).

[mekepo]

*sigh* finally had the balls to check my score, only to get the same score on my previous take. I was averaging higher on prep....feeling really defeated now.

I know what that's like. I got the same score in June and September. Deciding whether or not I would retake a third and final time was a very hard decision, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Same for me -- I was in disbelief when I got the 2nd score (161) when I had been PT'ing around 168 range. Retook in December after taking 2 Kaplan classes that year and got 15 hours of private tutoring. Managed to go up to a 167. It's not the greatest but it'll do. Submitted all my applications this weekend.

[Yeezus]

I know this is probably not the right place to ask this, but you guys are all cool, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Would anyone do me the favor of reviewing my Why Michigan essay so that I know it doesn't completely suck? Thanks in advance. PM for essay.

[flash21]

Time for round 2 to begin. Beginning the 7sage course back up again. I will not fail.

EYE OF THE TIGER LETS DOOO THISSSS!!!

[dasani13]

I know this is probably not the right place to ask this, but you guys are all cool, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Would anyone do me the favor of reviewing my Why Michigan essay so that I know it doesn't completely suck? Thanks in advance. PM for essay.

Still got my email address? I'll take a look if you want.

[DivineJustice]

*sigh* finally had the balls to check my score, only to get the same score on my previous take. I was averaging higher on prep....feeling really defeated now.

I know what that's like. I got the same score in June and September. Deciding whether or not I would retake a third and final time was a very hard decision, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Did you have a specific strategy of tackling RC? That wrecked me a new one on this exam.

[Yeezus]

*sigh* finally had the balls to check my score, only to get the same score on my previous take. I was averaging higher on prep....feeling really defeated now.

I know what that's like. I got the same score in June and September. Deciding whether or not I would retake a third and final time was a very hard decision, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Did you have a specific strategy of tackling RC? That wrecked me a new one on this exam.

I just annotated a bit like I always did (circle names and key words, underline conclusion, note tone of author, etc) and answered the questions accordingly. The only real prep I did for RC was PT and blind review (which is surprisingly useful, even for RC). But honestly though, I was just lucky in that all the passages in the section just clicked for me that day.

[Yeezus]

Also, finally sent in my first app of the cycle, to UCLA

[jw316]

*sigh* finally had the balls to check my score, only to get the same score on my previous take. I was averaging higher on prep....feeling really defeated now.

I know what that's like. I got the same score in June and September. Deciding whether or not I would retake a third and final time was a very hard decision, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Did you have a specific strategy of tackling RC? That wrecked me a new one on this exam.

I may not be the best person to ask because I still need to iron it out myself (-5 on December), but I actually don't annotate anything. Maybe a "*" here or there but I just really try to internalize everything and get the overall sense of the passage and what's going on and try to remember where the details are (not necessarily what they are) knowing that the question will refer me back to it. I usually try to spend about 2.5-3 mins reading the passage and the rest on the questions but that varies.

To be clear I'm still actively reading for all those things people mark (author's attitude, etc.), I'm just not marking them down because at least for me, when I do that I get too caught up in little details and it kind of ruins my flow of reading the passage.

[jw316]

I need help with LR/LG please!

LG: Thinking re-read the bible/trainer/manhattan chapter for whatever game type, then drill cambridge game packet for that type, rinse repeat. Then sections and just re-doing them throughout prep so I don't get rusty.

LR: Thinking re-read the bible/trainer/manhattan chapter for LR type, then drill cambridge LR packet for that type doing 5-10 questions at a time before checking answers, etc. Then sections and drilling based on weaknesses.

Timing: RC is fine, LG is mostly fine (I understand some games take longer than others and how to feel out the section for how long it should take you, I just got rocked because I didn't even know how to setup the last 2 games on December) but LR needs work.

My idea is to just time myself up and see how long it takes me to do an LR section where I'm going as fast as I can while still being 100% confident in my answers and not being afraid to take longer, etc. Then just working down from whatever that amount of time is to 35 mins or less.

Anyone have any suggestions though?

[GreenTee]

I need help with LR/LG please!

LG: Thinking re-read the bible/trainer/manhattan chapter for whatever game type, then drill cambridge game packet for that type, rinse repeat. Then sections and just re-doing them throughout prep so I don't get rusty.

LR: Thinking re-read the bible/trainer/manhattan chapter for LR type, then drill cambridge LR packet for that type doing 5-10 questions at a time before checking answers, etc. Then sections and drilling based on weaknesses.

Timing: RC is fine, LG is mostly fine (I understand some games take longer than others and how to feel out the section for how long it should take you, I just got rocked because I didn't even know how to setup the last 2 games on December) but LR needs work.

My idea is to just time myself up and see how long it takes me to do an LR section where I'm going as fast as I can while still being 100% confident in my answers and not being afraid to take longer, etc. Then just working down from whatever that amount of time is to 35 mins or less.

Anyone have any suggestions though?

Have you drilled every question ever released? If not, do that. Untimed for LR, and with a count-up timer for LG. With a crazy amount of exposure and in-depth review, LR will become completely automatic, and timing won't be an issue.

Same goes for LG, but you also need to figure out what the gaps are in your diagramming language. The last two games in 74 were not totally unusual. They were challenging, but you should have been able to set them up properly if you had done games like those before. So drill every LG ever released, and experiment with different ways of diagramming the more unusual or complex games. Every setup should be automatic, no matter what the game type is.

[jw316]

I need help with LR/LG please!

LG: Thinking re-read the bible/trainer/manhattan chapter for whatever game type, then drill cambridge game packet for that type, rinse repeat. Then sections and just re-doing them throughout prep so I don't get rusty.

LR: Thinking re-read the bible/trainer/manhattan chapter for LR type, then drill cambridge LR packet for that type doing 5-10 questions at a time before checking answers, etc. Then sections and drilling based on weaknesses.

Timing: RC is fine, LG is mostly fine (I understand some games take longer than others and how to feel out the section for how long it should take you, I just got rocked because I didn't even know how to setup the last 2 games on December) but LR needs work.

My idea is to just time myself up and see how long it takes me to do an LR section where I'm going as fast as I can while still being 100% confident in my answers and not being afraid to take longer, etc. Then just working down from whatever that amount of time is to 35 mins or less.

Anyone have any suggestions though?

Have you drilled every question ever released? If not, do that. Untimed for LR, and with a count-up timer for LG. With a crazy amount of exposure and in-depth review, LR will become completely automatic, and timing won't be an issue.

Same goes for LG, but you also need to figure out what the gaps are in your diagramming language. The last two games in 74 were not totally unusual. They were challenging, but you should have been able to set them up properly if you had done games like those before. So drill every LG ever released, and experiment with different ways of diagramming the more unusual or complex games. Every setup should be automatic, no matter what the game type is.

Thanks for replying! Nah I haven't done every question ever released, damn GT! So do the packets for drilling and do whatever else isn't in the packets also for drilling—but where do you cut it off? Like which PTs do I save to take as actual PTs/or which PTs do I break apart to take as individual sections?

If we're talking totals I spent most of my time in the books in the few weeks before Dec and maybe did 10-15 LR sections at most and checked manhattan when wrong, 10 LG sections and checked 7sage videos, and 10-15 RC sections (-5). Maybe about 5-10 full simulated PTs.

[GreenTee]

Have you drilled every question ever released? If not, do that. Untimed for LR, and with a count-up timer for LG. With a crazy amount of exposure and in-depth review, LR will become completely automatic, and timing won't be an issue.

Same goes for LG, but you also need to figure out what the gaps are in your diagramming language. The last two games in 74 were not totally unusual. They were challenging, but you should have been able to set them up properly if you had done games like those before. So drill every LG ever released, and experiment with different ways of diagramming the more unusual or complex games. Every setup should be automatic, no matter what the game type is.

Thanks for replying! Nah I haven't done every question ever released, damn GT! So do the packets for drilling and do whatever else isn't in the packets also for drilling—but where do you cut it off? Like which PTs do I save to take as actual PTs/or which PTs do I break apart to take individual sections?

If we're talking totals I spent most of my time in the books in the few weeks before Dec and maybe did 15-20 LR sections at most and checked manhattan when wrong, 10 LG sections and checked 7sage videos, and 10-15 RC sections (-5). Maybe about 10 full simulated PTs.

Personally, I used 1-38 for untimed drilling, 39-51 for individual timed sections (and experimentals), and 52-73 for full PTs.

In the 15 month duration of my study period, I did all questions from 1-38 at least twice, all LG and RC sections (my weaknesses) from 39-51 at least once, and 52-73 as full timed PTs exactly twice.

I scored right at my average from my retake PTs that I took between October and December (52-73), so I really don't think retaking tests gives you a false sense of your ability level. There is no such thing as running out of materials. The more often you solve a question, the better and faster you'll be at solving similar questions on the real test. The LSAT repeats the same old patterns over and over and over. Internalize those patterns to the point where they become second nature--almost boring. Then you're ready.

[jw316]

Have you drilled every question ever released? If not, do that. Untimed for LR, and with a count-up timer for LG. With a crazy amount of exposure and in-depth review, LR will become completely automatic, and timing won't be an issue.

Same goes for LG, but you also need to figure out what the gaps are in your diagramming language. The last two games in 74 were not totally unusual. They were challenging, but you should have been able to set them up properly if you had done games like those before. So drill every LG ever released, and experiment with different ways of diagramming the more unusual or complex games. Every setup should be automatic, no matter what the game type is.

Thanks for replying! Nah I haven't done every question ever released, damn GT! So do the packets for drilling and do whatever else isn't in the packets also for drilling—but where do you cut it off? Like which PTs do I save to take as actual PTs/or which PTs do I break apart to take individual sections?

If we're talking totals I spent most of my time in the books in the few weeks before Dec and maybe did 15-20 LR sections at most and checked manhattan when wrong, 10 LG sections and checked 7sage videos, and 10-15 RC sections (-5). Maybe about 10 full simulated PTs.

Personally, I used 1-38 for untimed drilling, 39-51 for individual timed sections (and experimentals), and 52-73 for full PTs.

In the 15 month duration of my study period, I did all questions from 1-38 at least twice, all LG and RC sections (my weaknesses) from 39-51 at least once, and 52-73 as full timed PTs exactly twice.

I scored right at my average from my retake PTs that I took between October and December (52-73), so I really don't think retaking tests gives you a false sense of your ability level. There is no such thing as running out of materials. The more often you solve a question, the better and faster you'll be at solving similar questions on the real test. The LSAT repeats the same old patterns over and over and over. Internalize those patterns to the point where they become second nature--almost boring. Then you're ready.

Thank you for that! I'm still going to see how things work out with tossing up a few apps but I'll take that into my retake process. <3