The Official October 2015 Study Group Forum

Prepare for the LSAT or discuss it with others in this forum.
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How many PTs have you done? (timed)

0+
5
4%
5+
12
10%
10+
25
21%
15+
14
12%
20+
20
17%
25+
9
7%
30+
3
2%
35+
33
27%
 
Total votes: 121

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The Abyss

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by The Abyss » Sun Aug 09, 2015 6:22 pm

MajinBuu wrote:Took PT 60 today and got 177 (my personal best!) I ran out of time on the last game - hence the minus two. I will review tomorrow after work.

LR1 -0
LG -2
LR2 -1
RC -2
Well done!

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ltowns1

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by ltowns1 » Sun Aug 09, 2015 6:48 pm

MajinBuu wrote:Took PT 60 today and got 177 (my personal best!) I ran out of time on the last game - hence the minus two. I will review tomorrow after work.

LR1 -0
LG -2
LR2 -1
RC -1

Nice

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by MrBalloons » Sun Aug 09, 2015 9:17 pm

MajinBuu wrote:Took PT 60 today and got 177 (my personal best!) I ran out of time on the last game - hence the minus two. I will review tomorrow after work.

LR1 -0
LG -2
LR2 -1
RC -1
Damn son. Celebrate that.

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MrBalloons

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by MrBalloons » Sun Aug 09, 2015 9:19 pm

I'm gonna try to put in my first ever 40 hour week this coming week, since I can. I feel like I'd kick myself if I didn't at least once.

Ideally, I'll make about half of that (mostly) LG drilling and the rest of it PTs/reviewing PTs/going over weak points in the bibles. We'll see how this goes. I feel like I'm on the cusp of pushing from the -6 LG zone to the -2 LG zone and I'm getting pumped.

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by RZ5646 » Sun Aug 09, 2015 10:56 pm

Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:
whacka wrote:
RZ5646 wrote:I'm guessing the answer is no, but are there any "advanced" LSAT resources, like books intended to take one from 170ish to 175+?
The difference between a 170 and a higher score is going to be unique from person to person I'd suspect. For that, you need to address extremely subtle weaknesses that are probably pretty particular
Making this jump is really starting to worry me. I'm becoming more afraid that I won't be able to do it on my PTs. I know it's only August 9th but I feel like the clocks ticking a bit. Maybe I need to try drilling more.
I find that I miss 5-6 questions that I should have gotten, but just didn't for whatever reason (distractions, zoning out, etc) I feel like more PTs will help with that.
Doing more PTs is definitely the answer. First you need to develop the skills, then you need to practice until you can consistently use them no matter what. That's pretty much where I am. I know I could get a 180 under ideal conditions because I know my shit, but I'm not at all confident that I'll actually get such a score on test day because the LSAT is about more than just having the skills.

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The Abyss

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by The Abyss » Sun Aug 09, 2015 11:11 pm

RZ5646 wrote:
Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:
whacka wrote:
RZ5646 wrote:I'm guessing the answer is no, but are there any "advanced" LSAT resources, like books intended to take one from 170ish to 175+?
The difference between a 170 and a higher score is going to be unique from person to person I'd suspect. For that, you need to address extremely subtle weaknesses that are probably pretty particular
Making this jump is really starting to worry me. I'm becoming more afraid that I won't be able to do it on my PTs. I know it's only August 9th but I feel like the clocks ticking a bit. Maybe I need to try drilling more.
I find that I miss 5-6 questions that I should have gotten, but just didn't for whatever reason (distractions, zoning out, etc) I feel like more PTs will help with that.
Doing more PTs is definitely the answer. First you need to develop the skills, then you need to practice until you can consistently use them no matter what. That's pretty much where I am. I know I could get a 180 under ideal conditions because I know my shit, but I'm not at all confident that I'll actually get such a score on test day because the LSAT is about more than just having the skills.
What exactly is it more about then? You have never even sat for an LSAT. People make excuses for why they underperformed on test day all the time (including me) but the real reason I and an overwhelming majority underperformed is because they weren't fully prepared to hit their goal. It's a very small, but vocal minority that attribute it to anything else and have a legitimate claim.

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by RZ5646 » Sun Aug 09, 2015 11:31 pm

The Abyss wrote:
RZ5646 wrote:
Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:
whacka wrote:
RZ5646 wrote:I'm guessing the answer is no, but are there any "advanced" LSAT resources, like books intended to take one from 170ish to 175+?
The difference between a 170 and a higher score is going to be unique from person to person I'd suspect. For that, you need to address extremely subtle weaknesses that are probably pretty particular
Making this jump is really starting to worry me. I'm becoming more afraid that I won't be able to do it on my PTs. I know it's only August 9th but I feel like the clocks ticking a bit. Maybe I need to try drilling more.
I find that I miss 5-6 questions that I should have gotten, but just didn't for whatever reason (distractions, zoning out, etc) I feel like more PTs will help with that.
Doing more PTs is definitely the answer. First you need to develop the skills, then you need to practice until you can consistently use them no matter what. That's pretty much where I am. I know I could get a 180 under ideal conditions because I know my shit, but I'm not at all confident that I'll actually get such a score on test day because the LSAT is about more than just having the skills.
What exactly is it more about then? You have never even sat for an LSAT. People make excuses for why they underperformed on test day all the time (including me) but the real reason I and an overwhelming majority underperformed is because they weren't fully prepared to hit their goal. It's a very small, but vocal minority that attribute it to anything else and have a legitimate claim.
Well yeah, you can say that if someone can't consistently apply the skills they've learned they aren't prepared. I'm trying to conceptualize LSAT ability as reading and reasoning skills plus the ability to have those skills shine on a particular morning in October, and I do think those are two distinct things, but separating them of course is difficult and maybe impossible (which is why we have exams to begin with).

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The Abyss

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by The Abyss » Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:00 am

RZ5646 wrote:
The Abyss wrote:
RZ5646 wrote:
Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:
whacka wrote:
RZ5646 wrote:I'm guessing the answer is no, but are there any "advanced" LSAT resources, like books intended to take one from 170ish to 175+?
The difference between a 170 and a higher score is going to be unique from person to person I'd suspect. For that, you need to address extremely subtle weaknesses that are probably pretty particular
Making this jump is really starting to worry me. I'm becoming more afraid that I won't be able to do it on my PTs. I know it's only August 9th but I feel like the clocks ticking a bit. Maybe I need to try drilling more.
I find that I miss 5-6 questions that I should have gotten, but just didn't for whatever reason (distractions, zoning out, etc) I feel like more PTs will help with that.
Doing more PTs is definitely the answer. First you need to develop the skills, then you need to practice until you can consistently use them no matter what. That's pretty much where I am. I know I could get a 180 under ideal conditions because I know my shit, but I'm not at all confident that I'll actually get such a score on test day because the LSAT is about more than just having the skills.
What exactly is it more about then? You have never even sat for an LSAT. People make excuses for why they underperformed on test day all the time (including me) but the real reason I and an overwhelming majority underperformed is because they weren't fully prepared to hit their goal. It's a very small, but vocal minority that attribute it to anything else and have a legitimate claim.
Well yeah, you can say that if someone can't consistently apply the skills they've learned they aren't prepared. I'm trying to conceptualize LSAT ability as reading and reasoning skills plus the ability to have those skills shine on a particular morning in October, and I do think those are two distinct things, but separating them of course is difficult and maybe impossible (which is why we have exams to begin with).
I see what you mean. Sorry if I came off ass, misread you a bit.

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RZ5646

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by RZ5646 » Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:01 am

The Abyss wrote:
RZ5646 wrote:
The Abyss wrote:
RZ5646 wrote:
Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:
whacka wrote:
RZ5646 wrote:I'm guessing the answer is no, but are there any "advanced" LSAT resources, like books intended to take one from 170ish to 175+?
The difference between a 170 and a higher score is going to be unique from person to person I'd suspect. For that, you need to address extremely subtle weaknesses that are probably pretty particular
Making this jump is really starting to worry me. I'm becoming more afraid that I won't be able to do it on my PTs. I know it's only August 9th but I feel like the clocks ticking a bit. Maybe I need to try drilling more.
I find that I miss 5-6 questions that I should have gotten, but just didn't for whatever reason (distractions, zoning out, etc) I feel like more PTs will help with that.
Doing more PTs is definitely the answer. First you need to develop the skills, then you need to practice until you can consistently use them no matter what. That's pretty much where I am. I know I could get a 180 under ideal conditions because I know my shit, but I'm not at all confident that I'll actually get such a score on test day because the LSAT is about more than just having the skills.
What exactly is it more about then? You have never even sat for an LSAT. People make excuses for why they underperformed on test day all the time (including me) but the real reason I and an overwhelming majority underperformed is because they weren't fully prepared to hit their goal. It's a very small, but vocal minority that attribute it to anything else and have a legitimate claim.
Well yeah, you can say that if someone can't consistently apply the skills they've learned they aren't prepared. I'm trying to conceptualize LSAT ability as reading and reasoning skills plus the ability to have those skills shine on a particular morning in October, and I do think those are two distinct things, but separating them of course is difficult and maybe impossible (which is why we have exams to begin with).
I see what you mean. Sorry if I came off ass, misread you a bit.
No problem, we're cool

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by The Abyss » Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:28 am

If I reproduce the 173 I scored today, I will probably cry. I started off with at 148 diagnostic.

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by ltowns1 » Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:27 am

Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:
somethingelse55 wrote:I'm not sure I'm quite understanding what you two are saying (RZ and Mint), but if you're worried that you'll underperform on the test day due to nervousness or something to that effect and its something that is truly getting to you, I would highly advise starting up a meditation regiment, with one of your intentions by doing so to let go of those worries and not letting them get to you, nor let yourself start to believe them and worse be consumed by them.

Meditation is such a helpful habit to get into for a number of reasons in my opinion, but it can honestly have tangible results towards something like a standardized test. It'll help you think about what you're thinking about at all times, and from there you'll be able to stop thinking about what you chose not to think about anymore. I don't want to get esoteric here or anything like that, but let me just say that meditation will help with the nerves and anxiety surrounding the test, in addition to helping you focus. I know Mint, you mentioned you miss a couple of problems per PT due to zoning out and such. If you put an honest effort into meditating, I would be confident in saying that you will notice improvements in that area.

Furthermore, have you guys ever thought about the other side of the coin? I know for me, when I took it in June, through the second half of the first section right through the end of the test, if anything I was more focused that I usually was during a PT and certainly just as confident. Now, I didn't outperform my PT average and in fact I basically hit it right on the head (and since, that average gone up considerably hence the retake, but I digress). My point is, is that when the real test comes, how about thinking that you'll rise to the occasion and perform your very best, be more confident and more pumped up than ever, rather than thinking that you will crack under the pressure and such?

A lot of the guides out there (like Noodley's for example) goes into how the real test is just another PT. Of course its more than that in that its the real deal, but at the end of the day its the same five sections and the same kinds of questions. There aren't any surprises. Sure, you won't have seen the questions beforehand, but neither have you on any of your PTs the first time you ran through them. Noodley also suggests PTing in relatively louder areas, should something like that arise on test day - just another thing you can do to ease those nerves a bit.

Bottom line, as someone who's taken it before, in all likelihood you guys will perform right around what you've been PTing at. Be confident in all the time you've put in! There's no need to feel worried about underperforming. Its those who worry about it so much that it happens to, I would venture to say.

I was actually talking about trying to get my PT average over 175. I'm really worried since I'm not there yet and I'm retaking tests. My blind review scores are consistently 177/178, so I think I'm just in a "all tools, some box" situation and need to focus on being good all the time.
I wouldn't call it meditation, but I actually kind of take a couple pauses to "relax my brain" if I notice I'm struggling a bit. It seems to help a lot.
Ive also noticed that I'm becoming much more proactive about things which could distract me that are nonlsat.
Like, don't text someone before you start the test, because you'll still be mentally waiting for their response even during a section. If I know people at the library I won't PT near them, just for more privacy. I had a hard time on one test because I knew my buddy was going to come study at the table I was PTing at. So I would look at each person walking by in anticipation.
October will actually be take #4 for me. I took June and got a score 7pts below my average. I def agree that the real thing is just anther pt, but only slightly different. I don't tend to get test day jitters, in June I burned myself out the week before. Now I'm just trying to be loose and have a good test strategy in place.

If don't mind me asking, how is it that you're taking it for a 4th time?

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by RZ5646 » Mon Aug 10, 2015 10:18 am

I've tried to do meditation a couple of times but I could never stick with it, and there's so much new age mumbo jumbo surrounding it that I can't tell if it's worth the effort or just another "wellness" fad.

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by Judgeasaurus_Rex » Mon Aug 10, 2015 10:52 am

How does everything fit in work on other aspects of their application, aside from LSAT prep?

My current study plan for Oct '15 LSAT is 6 days LSAT (3 days of PT, 3 days of drilling). I usually rest and work on other parts of my app such as diversity statement and personal statement on the 7th day. I'm curious how other folks fit everything in with LSAT studying and what not (I am assuming we are all planning to apply this cycle).

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by alpha kenny body » Mon Aug 10, 2015 11:02 am

Judge-a-saurus wrote:How does everything fit in work on other aspects of their application, aside from LSAT prep?

My current study plan for Oct '15 LSAT is 6 days LSAT (3 days of PT, 3 days of drilling). I usually rest and work on other parts of my app such as diversity statement and personal statement on the 7th day. I'm curious how other folks fit everything in with LSAT studying and what not (I am assuming we are all planning to apply this cycle).
Do all of that stuff AFTER you take the test. You're going to have roughly a month of neurotically waiting for your score, so do the essays and apps then.

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by PoopNpants » Mon Aug 10, 2015 11:25 am

pittsburghpirates wrote:
Judge-a-saurus wrote:How does everything fit in work on other aspects of their application, aside from LSAT prep?

My current study plan for Oct '15 LSAT is 6 days LSAT (3 days of PT, 3 days of drilling). I usually rest and work on other parts of my app such as diversity statement and personal statement on the 7th day. I'm curious how other folks fit everything in with LSAT studying and what not (I am assuming we are all planning to apply this cycle).
Mt prep time is not too too intense on a daily basis, so I can usually set aside some time to write at night while I'm just sitting on the couch watching Seinfeld reruns
I've been going pretty hard since about 2/3 weeks ago. Been doing about 7-8 hours a day of PT/Blind review and drilling 6 days a week. I'll probably cut back around mid-september 2-3 weeks before the test date. 54 days out I feel pretty good though my endurance is improving

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by RZ5646 » Mon Aug 10, 2015 1:19 pm

Judge-a-saurus wrote:How does everything fit in work on other aspects of their application, aside from LSAT prep?

My current study plan for Oct '15 LSAT is 6 days LSAT (3 days of PT, 3 days of drilling). I usually rest and work on other parts of my app such as diversity statement and personal statement on the 7th day. I'm curious how other folks fit everything in with LSAT studying and what not (I am assuming we are all planning to apply this cycle).
Like some others have said, I wouldn't worry about that now unless you think your letter writers will need to see a personal statement. And even then, I'm sure you can write one that's good enough in a week or two. I don't believe these people who claim that you need to spend a minimum of months working on your essays, and not only because those components have almost no influence on admissions decisions.

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Re: The Official October 2015 Study Group

Post by RZ5646 » Mon Aug 10, 2015 2:10 pm

I still don't really get the personal statement. Is its only purpose to help out people with impressive softs? Because unless you have something spectacular to write about, it's essentially a creative writing test, which seems to me like a more or less arbitrary hurdle.

And personally, I don't think I've ever been "wowed" by a PS. Even the examples here in TLS's PS guide seem kinda try-hard, and the list of "What's wrong" is usually twice as long as the "What's strong."

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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