Pithypike's Complete LSAT Study Guide Forum

[SingleLadies]

I am having a very hard time finding the Kaplan Mastery Practice book here in Canada.

I have bought all the official lsat's though, so I am wondering if their is a list of how the questions are arranged in the Mastery Practice book? This would be great to help me organize these tests so I can use them according to this guide.

[D-ROCCA]

In the mastery book, each section is broken down into subsections.

Reading comp is first, and it is divided by passage topic (humanities, law, natural science, social science). Passages and questions get more difficult as you work through them. Answers and explanations follow for each question.

Logical reasoning is second, and is broken down by question type. These are broken down into assumption, strengthen/weaken, flaw, inference, method of argument, parallel reasoning, paradox, main point, point at issue, and role of a statement questions. Then answers and explanations.

Games are last, broken down into sequencing, matching, grouping, and hyrbid games. If you are following Pithypike, I'd say not to read into the games section, instead focus on the LGB.

The mastery book isn't really necessary, but the structure of reading comp was pretty good I thought.

HTH

[Traciela]

I am having a very hard time finding the Kaplan Mastery Practice book here in Canada.

I have bought all the official lsat's though, so I am wondering if their is a list of how the questions are arranged in the Mastery Practice book? This would be great to help me organize these tests so I can use them according to this guide.

We have a book available on Amazon.ca called GROUPED by Question Type. Many people use our book instead of Kaplan Mastery Practice.

However, if you have already bought all of the PrepTests, you can use the lists on LSAT Blog to sort your LR questions by type: http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/p/spreadsh ... -data.html

I hope this helps

[SingleLadies]

@ D-Rocca,

I am mostly interested in the Mastery Guide for addressing LGs (my weak area). From my understanding this guide recommends using sorted LG's from previous LSATs alongside the LGB, so that upon completing a section in LGB you can practice by attempting the relevant games from actual LSATs.

@ Tracilia,

Thanks I will look into that book.

[SingleLadies]

I have just finished sorting the LG's from LSAT's 19-39 according to the LSAT blog's classifications (which was amazingly helpful). I have two questions.

First, does a similar listing for LSAT's 1-18 exist?

Second, should I continue arranging the remaining lsats (39-58) to help provide more practice examples? or should I save them for practice tests?

[jammer6303]

Very helpful guide!

Is there any reason besides money to not use more recent Real LSAT PT instead of "10 actual real LSAT PT?" On the LSAC site you can individually buy PT 43-59 and I didn't know if there was some important reason to use 7-18 as oppose to say using the more recent ones.

I know it will be much more expensive to buy the more recent ones but I wasn't sure if 7-18 covered some essential skill which 43-52 would not cover. I just would rather spend more time on more recent LSAT PT but I could be missing something.

Thanks,
Ben

[blink]

Very helpful guide!

Is there any reason besides money to not use more recent Real LSAT PT instead of "10 actual real LSAT PT?" On the LSAC site you can individually buy PT 43-59 and I didn't know if there was some important reason to use 7-18 as oppose to say using the more recent ones.

I know it will be much more expensive to buy the more recent ones but I wasn't sure if 7-18 covered some essential skill which 43-52 would not cover. I just would rather spend more time on more recent LSAT PT but I could be missing something.

Thanks,
Ben

Somewhere along the line the test changes and the recent ones are a much better indicator of where you will be at. They are all a valuable study resource, but the more recent tests are more realistic.

[bubc]

I was wondering when this thread would surface again.

Mad props to your LG study guide..worked wonders for me!

Glad I could help.

Hey pithypike, I was wondering if there as a book you suggest to master the games section. I can get all the answers right, but not under the time limit. In fact, way past the time limit. I know about powerscore, but I've read that it overcomplicates the games, and makes you even more confused. Should I pursue the book anyway? I'm asking because I have no idea about the technical names or game types for anything. I have all the PT's btw.

Thanks.

[aesis]

This is a fantastic guide. I'm on Day 18 and my LG improvement has been straight up awesome. The only thing the guide may lack is emphasis on RC.

Just a note about daily LR. The 2009 edition of the Kaplan Mastery Practice has around 120 problems per question type, so only doing 300 (10 LR x 30 days) wouldn't complete the sections (around 360+ problems total). To compensate I've been doing 12 LR a day. Doing this I usually get 12/12, timed around 15 min each session (even though you're aiming for accuracy during this section so I don't worry about it too much).

I have a question though. This guide only really requires 2 hours on days without RC, 3 hours with RC, and that's overestimating. Maybe this is an inaccurate estimate because I've been familiar with the question types and strategies for a couple of months now, but it feels like I could be adding more to the daily grind.

I'm worried that the daily amount of LSAT (at least in month 1) is not enough. I've even started doing 6 LG a day, or 6 repeats. But that doesn't take care of the deficiencies in LR/RC. People say you should be studying for 3-4 hours a day, but I barely hit 3 hours. Just wondering if I'll be okay when I hit Month 3 when I start doing PTs every other day (instead of every 3 days).

Any suggestions on what to add in for LR/RC?

[Gemini]

I have a question though. This guide only really requires 2 hours on days without RC, 3 hours with RC, and that's overestimating. Maybe this is an inaccurate estimate because I've been familiar with the question types and strategies for a couple of months now, but it feels like I could be adding more to the daily grind.

I'm worried that the daily amount of LSAT (at least in month 1) is not enough. I've even started doing 6 LG a day, or 6 repeats. But that doesn't take care of the deficiencies in LR/RC. People say you should be studying for 3-4 hours a day, but I barely hit 3 hours. Just wondering if I'll be okay when I hit Month 3 when I start doing PTs every other day (instead of every 3 days).

Any suggestions on what to add in for LR/RC?

Personally, I've been doing LG every OTHER day. I haven't finished reading any of the bibles yet, so that takes up some time. Apart from that, I bought several Questions-by-type for LR from CambridgeLSAT. So when there are 154 problems from Must be true questions ALONE, I do MORE than 12 LR questions a day, otherwise I'd never finish. I also have Weaken, Parallel, Assumptions, Principle, flaw, and difficult questions from Cambridge. That's over 1000 questions. Not to mention doing actual LR sections from the "10 more" series.

But as for RC, I honestly haven't been concentrating on it as much as I probably should. It's a dangerous thing, lol. I don't think Pithypike's method for RC is really that weak. It's about finding your own method for it, rather than adapting someone else's.

So by doing an RC section every three days, followed by 2 days of reviewing, I learn to do what is right for me. One day, I review my work for that section, and the other day, I review how I broke apart the passage and try to find ways to do it better. It's actually very hard, because when I have 8 and a half minutes to do a section, I panic and start mixing up my symbols.

[zanzbar]

I ordered the books for this method and they won't be here for another week, but I had an observation and a couple of questions.
I enrolled in a Kaplan course before I found this forum so I didn't know how hated it was by the people on this forum otherwise I might of chosen a different test prep company, but I got all the books and was just going to say that the 2010 Kaplan endurance book has prep tests 40,42,46,48,50 and 51-55 with experimental sections and explanations for each problem so if anyone who is trying to order the last 10 preps tests instead of spending 8 bucks per test if you see this book going for like 20-30 bucks you can save yourself a little money and buy it.

As far as questions I am planning to take the Dec test which is on the 11th when would be a good cut off point to take my last prep test?

I ordered the RC Bible has anyone found a good way to incorporate it into the pithypike method?

And when I was going to take a practice test during the endurance month I was hoping to add a writing sample practice to each one to get a more legitimate feel for the test so does anyone know where some of the past writing sections are published so I can add those?

Also if anyone is going to be prepping for the Dec test and wants kind of a study buddy to discuss issues you might be having with a specific problem or type of problem I would be interested in that as well.

[hankypanky]

hey i have a question about ur study plan -- how far apart should i do the copied games. You said 24+ in your post but I'm thinking I'll still remember the answers and thus will have misleading accuracy. I was inclined to do each bach of copies every 10 days.

and do u think i should do basic linear first and then advanced or should i mix it up?

thanks for any advice.
study plan was great, definitely working.

[Anaconda]

hey i have a question about ur study plan -- how far apart should i do the copied games. You said 24+ in your post but I'm thinking I'll still remember the answers and thus will have misleading accuracy. I was inclined to do each bach of copies every 10 days.

and do u think i should do basic linear first and then advanced or should i mix it up?

thanks for any advice.
study plan was great, definitely working.

If I mess up a game (i.e. a rule or just don't get how to attack it) I usually re-do the game same day. Other than that, I usually wait at least 3-5 weeks before retrying a game, by then you pretty much forget all inferences and main strategies.

[aesis]

I ordered the books for this method and they won't be here for another week, but I had an observation and a couple of questions.
I enrolled in a Kaplan course before I found this forum so I didn't know how hated it was by the people on this forum otherwise I might of chosen a different test prep company, but I got all the books and was just going to say that the 2010 Kaplan endurance book has prep tests 40,42,46,48,50 and 51-55 with experimental sections and explanations for each problem so if anyone who is trying to order the last 10 preps tests instead of spending 8 bucks per test if you see this book going for like 20-30 bucks you can save yourself a little money and buy it.

Thank you so much for letting us know. I was cringing at the idea of spending $150+ on PTs 39-59 (I don't want to print out 39-45). I bought this off Amazon for ~$7. Great deal.

I already have all the PTs up to PT38. The Kaplan Endurance book includes some of what I need after that, namely: PT 40, 42, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, June 2007 (between 51-52), and 55. That's 9 PTs for the price of one!

Thank you thank you thank you.

[zanzbar]

Also for anyone that signed up for Kaplan and still has their online active they have all the prep test from 1-59 online in pdf form and they are printable so that will save you an incredible amount of money and time since you won't have to stand at the copier, and best of all you can get the explanations for them as well. If anyone needs help finding these just send me a PM.

[Jenness]

I've just finished my summer courses and am about to start prepping for the October test. Is two months enough? Should I just try to get through month 1 and 2 of the guide in two weeks each?

[mgstilo]

If anyone beginning this study guide is interested in buying all the books, I'm willing to work out a deal. Since buying them I've had to reconsider pursuing law school. I have 3 of them brand new and unmarked and the rest with only slight use.

[zanzbar]

I have started working through the LG and RC Bibles I was wondering if someone who has gone through the Bibles recently could explain what Chapters I need to read on for the 1st Month in the LR Bibles and what chapters to read for the 2nd month. I have scanned through some of the chapters and figured out some of the terminology difference between Kaplan and Powerscore is, but I am having trouble categorizing the following chapters and when to read them:

Chapter 6:Conditional Reasoning
Chapter 8:Cause and Effect Reasoning
Chapter 11: Formal Logic
Chapter 15: Numbers and Percentages
Chapter 16: Evaluate the Argument
Chapter 17: Cannot be True

If anyone can help me categorize and when to read these I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

[maxpower430]

so i read over the thread, and i am going to try this out in lieu of a testmasters course since i think i can be disciplined and do self-study. however, i'm still a little confused about where i'm getting the questions to photocopy from. i assume that you mean tear out and photocopy say, the lg questions from the first 10 actual lsat books, but does that also include the questions from the kaplan mastery section? sorry if this is a stupid question

[zanzbar]

It is a little confusing at first but here is the easiest way to break it down:
Logic Games and Reading Comp practice come from the following Books:
10 Actual Official LSAT
10 More Actual
The Next 10 Actual

Logical Reasoning for practice of accuracy concerning each question type just use the Kaplan Mastery.

In month 2 you start working on Logical Reasoning timing so you use a few sections from the 10 actual, 10 more, and next 10 actual for this.

The only thing you need to photocopy is the Logic Game sections of those books, hope this helps

[emmer79]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the site and just started studying, so please excuse my ignorance. Where can you get all the PTs? I've looked at the LSAC site and only see the "10 Actual" series for sale, which would only be 30. Everyone else seems to know where to get them, so sorry if this is a stupid question and I am missing something totally obvious.

[LSAT Blog]

I have started working through the LG and RC Bibles I was wondering if someone who has gone through the Bibles recently could explain what Chapters I need to read on for the 1st Month in the LR Bibles and what chapters to read for the 2nd month. I have scanned through some of the chapters and figured out some of the terminology difference between Kaplan and Powerscore is, but I am having trouble categorizing the following chapters and when to read them:

Chapter 6:Conditional Reasoning
Chapter 8:Cause and Effect Reasoning
Chapter 11: Formal Logic
Chapter 15: Numbers and Percentages
Chapter 16: Evaluate the Argument
Chapter 17: Cannot be True

If anyone can help me categorize and when to read these I would greatly appreciate it. Tha77nks.

Chapters 6, 8, 11, and 15 are not question-types. They're separate concepts that come up in a variety of question-types.

Chapters 16 and 17 are simply less common question-types. I believe Kaplan lumps Evaluate the Argument together with Strengthen/Weaken. Not sure where they include Cannot Be True - it might be lumped with Must Be True.

[LSAT Blog]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the site and just started studying, so please excuse my ignorance. Where can you get all the PTs? I've looked at the LSAC site and only see the "10 Actual" series for sale, which would only be 30. Everyone else seems to know where to get them, so sorry if this is a stupid question and I am missing something totally obvious.

I've got a big list containing every PrepTest so you can get them on Amazon for cheap.

[maxpower430]

It is a little confusing at first but here is the easiest way to break it down:
Logic Games and Reading Comp practice come from the following Books:
10 Actual Official LSAT
10 More Actual
The Next 10 Actual

Logical Reasoning for practice of accuracy concerning each question type just use the Kaplan Mastery.

In month 2 you start working on Logical Reasoning timing so you use a few sections from the 10 actual, 10 more, and next 10 actual for this.

The only thing you need to photocopy is the Logic Game sections of those books, hope this helps

that does make a little more sense, is there any risk tho of using the kaplan mastery book and then while doing the sections in month 2 running into questions you've already encountered? i kind of feel like it should be a non-issue, if only b/c i'd be going over so many different question types but figured it would be worth asking. also, do you like to throw in some linear/advanced linear games into your practice in month 2? i wouldn't want to get good at them and then focus on grouping/sequencing/etc and lose an edge i may have gained, esp b/c games are my worst section. thanks for the help

[zanzbar]

There is a likelyhood, but you will have done hundreds of practice problems so it is kind of unlikely you will remember the answer instantly, and your goal is more on getting used to how 35 minutes feels for the next month when you start taking timed practice tests. I am just now starting on this method myself but I already planned on redoing 2-3 linear problems in the 2nd month each day so I can keep that skill sharp as well.

Thanks for helping me with the LR Bible breakdown I really appreciate that