The 160s Club! Join all ye 170 hopefuls! Forum

[JJDancer]

Relatively happy with my score today but LRB doesn't seem to have helped too much. I think its because Feb 97 LR had many principle questions (which I've never really practiced before.)

on Aug 4 - 173
on Aug 11 - 166 (ouch) but finally made me realize I can get tripped up on RC - the passage about risk and how governments make decisions.
on Aug 18 - 170 - Feb 97.
relaxed curve on this one but this is my average scaled score.

Taking Dec 01 with Kaplan on Friday (plus an experimental section), hope to get 173+ on that one.
But I've never taken a 5 section test yet so .. we'll see how it goes.

[JJDancer]

I've gotten -0 or -1 on the past few tests on the logic games sections (up to the point that I complete them). But I seem to run out of time to answer 1-2 questions. I'm considering the group bubbling technique but
a) I'm more comfortable bubbling after each question (I think I feel like if I run out of time at least I'll have bubbled the ones I answered)
b) I have misbubled on 2 practice tests. On 1 I did not notice the discrepancy until I graded it and the other I caught it while doing the section.

What do you guys suggest?
Maybe I should bubble per game and per passage on RC (even if I stick to bubbling per question on LR)

I will try it on the next test.

[missvik218]

I've gotten -0 or -1 on the past few tests on the logic games sections (up to the point that I complete them). But I seem to run out of time to answer 1-2 questions. I'm considering the group bubbling technique but
a) I'm more comfortable bubbling after each question (I think I feel like if I run out of time at least I'll have bubbled the ones I answered)
b) I have misbubled on 2 practice tests. On 1 I did not notice the discrepancy until I graded it and the other I caught it while doing the section.

What do you guys suggest?
Maybe I should bubble per game and per passage on RC (even if I stick to bubbling per question on LR)

I will try it on the next test.

I do the group bubbling until I get to the 5 min mark, and then I bubble as I answer so as not to run into the problem where you have 5 answers marked on your sheet but not bubbled when time is called.

[solotee]

WAAAAHHH!!!! I did it today I had my break through!!!

PT 30
LG -5
LR -4
RC -1
LR -3

Raw +89
Scaled 172

P.S. The RC strategy of JUST READING for understanding worked WONDERS!!!

Congratulations! That is great news and an inspiration that breakthroughs are still happening! Did you use the new RC strategy?

[JJDancer]

I've gotten -0 or -1 on the past few tests on the logic games sections (up to the point that I complete them). But I seem to run out of time to answer 1-2 questions. I'm considering the group bubbling technique but
a) I'm more comfortable bubbling after each question (I think I feel like if I run out of time at least I'll have bubbled the ones I answered)
b) I have misbubled on 2 practice tests. On 1 I did not notice the discrepancy until I graded it and the other I caught it while doing the section.

What do you guys suggest?
Maybe I should bubble per game and per passage on RC (even if I stick to bubbling per question on LR)

I will try it on the next test.

I do the group bubbling until I get to the 5 min mark, and then I bubble as I answer so as not to run into the problem where you have 5 answers marked on your sheet but not bubbled when time is called.

Good idea thanks.
I think I will modify it and do group bubbling for the first 3 games/passages and "as I answer" for the last one (I already consider 8-9 mins when I get to the last passage/game so its one less thing for me to worry about the 5 min mark but I still get the benefit of doing single bubbling towards the end.)

[lawduder]

PT45
LR -6 (pretty bad..)
RC -12 (lol)
LG -1
LR -3

raw: 77
scaled 162

I can't read, I really really can't read....... This is so unbelievably frustrating. Two of the wrong answers in RC were ones that I changed my choice and eight were questions I had narrowed down to two choices and chose the wrong one. WHAT THE HELL, I HATE RC!!!!!!

[missvik218]

WAAAAHHH!!!! I did it today I had my break through!!!

PT 30
LG -5
LR -4
RC -1
LR -3

Raw +89
Scaled 172

P.S. The RC strategy of JUST READING for understanding worked WONDERS!!!

Congratulations! That is great news and an inspiration that breakthroughs are still happening! Did you use the new RC strategy?

Thank you! I think I'm still glowing ... I did try the new RC strategy, I just read the passages, made very few if any marks, and then went straight to the questions. I think I retain it better if I read it just like I'm reading a book or article rather than trying to identify this or that within the passage. I seriously went from -7 on my last test to -1, that's ridiculous!

[lawduder]

WAAAAHHH!!!! I did it today I had my break through!!!

PT 30
LG -5
LR -4
RC -1
LR -3

Raw +89
Scaled 172

P.S. The RC strategy of JUST READING for understanding worked WONDERS!!!

Congratulations! That is great news and an inspiration that breakthroughs are still happening! Did you use the new RC strategy?

Thank you! I think I'm still glowing ... I did try the new RC strategy, I just read the passages, made very few if any marks, and then went straight to the questions. I think I retain it better if I read it just like I'm reading a book or article rather than trying to identify this or that within the passage. I seriously went from -7 on my last test to -1, that's ridiculous!

I think I'm going to try this next time, this whole marking up retarded mess stuff is obviously NOT working....

[ruleser]

Congratulations! That is great news and an inspiration that breakthroughs are still happening! Did you use the new RC strategy?

Thank you! I think I'm still glowing ... I did try the new RC strategy, I just read the passages, made very few if any marks, and then went straight to the questions. I think I retain it better if I read it just like I'm reading a book or article rather than trying to identify this or that within the passage. I seriously went from -7 on my last test to -1, that's ridiculous![/quote]

I think I'm going to try this next time, this whole marking up retarded mess stuff is obviously NOT working....[/quote]
My experience as well - the first ever RC section I did was on an actual test - one that people found RC hard on - and I got -2, just because I simply read it. After a PowerScore course that gave all sorts of nonsense about underlining this, denoting lists, etc. I began having trouble with RC - and couldn't remember what I used to do. The reality is, if I just read, I retain not only the info and an idea of where particular info is in my head - and skimming doesn't take long if I have to go back. If I slow down to underline, etc., I lose the flow/meaning of what I'm reading and do worse. Honestly, I think PowerScore just comes up with that stuff because they have to pretend they offer something for RC - unfortunately they do damage.

[JJDancer]

Congratulations! That is great news and an inspiration that breakthroughs are still happening! Did you use the new RC strategy?

Thank you! I think I'm still glowing ... I did try the new RC strategy, I just read the passages, made very few if any marks, and then went straight to the questions. I think I retain it better if I read it just like I'm reading a book or article rather than trying to identify this or that within the passage. I seriously went from -7 on my last test to -1, that's ridiculous!

I think I'm going to try this next time, this whole marking up retarded mess stuff is obviously NOT working....[/quote]
My experience as well - the first ever RC section I did was on an actual test - one that people found RC hard on - and I got -2, just because I simply read it. After a PowerScore course that gave all sorts of nonsense about underlining this, denoting lists, etc. I began having trouble with RC - and couldn't remember what I used to do. The reality is, if I just read, I retain not only the info and an idea of where particular info is in my head - and skimming doesn't take long if I have to go back. If I slow down to underline, etc., I lose the flow/meaning of what I'm reading and do worse. Honestly, I think PowerScore just comes up with that stuff because they have to pretend they offer something for RC - unfortunately they do damage.[/quote]

Awesome job guys. But I have to say a light to moderate amount of underlining/notetaking isn't lost on everyone.
Works for me

[missvik218]

Awesome job guys. But I have to say a light to moderate amount of underlining/notetaking isn't lost on everyone.
Works for me

Haha, yeah I mean I'll still underline or circle main points or if there are a bunch of different opinions about something. I didn't mean to advocate no marking AT ALL, just substancially less than I had been doing before. I was at a point where I wasn't even able to really read the passage or understand it's flow because I was too busy marking - that is what's to be avoided.

[missvik218]

Question: How many times consecutively do you think you need to score in a 3-4 point range to say that you are now "consistently" scoring in that range?! Haha, that is probably a totally neurotic question ...

[Raskolnikoff]

Question: How many times consecutively do you think you need to score in a 3-4 point range to say that you are now "consistently" scoring in that range?! Haha, that is probably a totally neurotic question ...

4 times.

But seriously, I would like to know the same thing, although there is no right answer to this. My last 2 PT's were about 7-8 points higher than previously, so I'm hoping that it's not a fluke and something finally clicked.

[solotee]

School starting up again, I'm checking out of TLS until the exam.

Best of luck in September!!

[missvik218]

School starting up again, I'm checking out of TLS until the exam.

Best of luck in September!!

Bye!! Good luck to you too!

[TTH]

School starting up again, I'm checking out of TLS until the exam.

Best of luck in September!!

Haha, yeah right. You'll never be able to stay away. None of us can.

[missvik218]

Question: How many times consecutively do you think you need to score in a 3-4 point range to say that you are now "consistently" scoring in that range?! Haha, that is probably a totally neurotic question ...

4 times.

But seriously, I would like to know the same thing, although there is no right answer to this. My last 2 PT's were about 7-8 points higher than previously, so I'm hoping that it's not a fluke and something finally clicked.

I think 4 is reasonable, obviously the more the merrier but that sounds ok for a min.

[justski]

hey all you hopefuls out there. couple quick questions for you. I am stuck at 20 correct on my LR sections. I have only had one section of 21, but am pretty consistent at 20. I tend to miss the a couple of the last 5 questions and then one or two in the middle. I am a little rushed at the end and was wondering what some of you might have done to get a couple extra minutes and get those last questions correct. I really need a 165+ in September and I am just not there yet.

I am taking 2 times sections a day and a full test once a week right now. What would you suggest is the best strategy for going over my sections and tests that I take? I feel like I am weak right now at going over and learning from my mistakes and from my correct answers. I dont think I will meet my goal in September if I dont get better at going over my tests.

Thanks in advance for any info, tips, suggestions, etc.

[doinmybest]

Question: How many times consecutively do you think you need to score in a 3-4 point range to say that you are now "consistently" scoring in that range?! Haha, that is probably a totally neurotic question ...

4 times.

But seriously, I would like to know the same thing, although there is no right answer to this. My last 2 PT's were about 7-8 points higher than previously, so I'm hoping that it's not a fluke and something finally clicked.

I think 4 is reasonable, obviously the more the merrier but that sounds ok for a min.

I'd say 4 recent PTs under strict conditions with similar curves/raw scores. For example, If I had 4 170s but the raws were 86 89 88 91 I wouldn't say I was consistently in the 170s, rather more realistically, I'd say my range was 166 to 170. I remember PT B in Superprep was 86 for a 170... what a false boost of confidence that was once I got to the modern age of -8 to -11 curves.

[doinmybest]

PrepTest 48
Raw 93, Scaled 170

LR: -2
LG: -1
RC: -3
LR: -2

I miss-bubbled for the first time which is terrifying. Otherwise I'd have gone -2 on RC.

This was my most recent test so far (Dec 2005) - but I'm not sure if it's representative of the newest tests or not. Anyone else take PT 48 yet?

Nasty curve, that's for sure...

Could it really be the case that even as the test gets overall harder that enough people are studying so much that the curve gets harder? Seems almost insane to me...

Just varies test to test - June was -11 = 170

Ya and for some reason December was -12 even though it was easy.

I thought Oct 08 was way harder than Dec 08. Oct still had the tougher curve (-9)... Damn LSAC, its like they know exactly when I'm going to take the test. Would not at all be surprised if Sept turned out to be a -8.

[JJDancer]

I've made up a schedule of taking 1 test this friday then another on sunday and another on tues/thrs before I get back to school.
Once at school I will take one test during the week and one on the weekend each week.

I will take tests 53/54/56/57 in the two weeks before the test

But I also have PT 45, 46, 47, 48, 51
of which I will only have time to take 3 tests. Should I just take 47, 48, 51 since those are the latest?
I have taken PT 49 but none others in the 40s.

Should I do ones with the toughtest curves?

[doinmybest]

Should I just take 47, 48, 51 since those are the latest?

Yes and try to do the games sections from the ones you don't do in order to expose yourself to more LGs

[JJDancer]

Should I just take 47, 48, 51 since those are the latest?

Yes and try to do the games sections from the ones you don't do in order to expose yourself to more LGs

Thanks
I will probably just save those 8 sections to do on random days when I don't plan on taking full tests (like just a section per day).

[Tangerine Gleam]

Yesterday -- PT 40

Got completely demoralized by the airline connections game. Raw: 87 Scaled: 167

So bummed.

Today -- PT 31

Got some sleep, got some exercise in the morning, and attacked the test with confidence. Raw: 93 Scaled: 174

I still want to see my raws consistently 95+, but it feels good to be "back on track". Granted, neither test was very recent -- but I'm taking a PT administration at Kaplan this Saturday of PT50. Hopefully it will be my best modern PT yet (all of my PT45+ attempts have maxed out at 93/172 at best).

[ruleser]

Yee hah! I don't know how to count this, but it's very cool anyway...

Just redid the very first actual LSAT I took (Oct 08) - I really don't think I remembered the LR's or other things since it had been a while (even the ones I knew I'd reviewed, I didn't remember the answers). Original score: 162 This time: 175

Interested if any of you have retaken and if your scores jumped that much so that it shouldn't be taken as seriously as getting that score on a new test?

I did make the same -2 on RC, so that means something - LG I improved from -8 to -3, and that really was just doing better due to lots of practice. LR I went from -10 to -0. Total of -5 instead of -20.

This is my first 175 - previous high was 173. I just feel very confident now about LR (got just -3 total on the actual June 09 test) and now am just about there with LG. Unfortunately I've taken most tests (all modern ones) by now, so it will be a little hard to read where I'm at, but getting my first -0 LR is awesome, and not being worse on RC (since I'd done worse lately.)

Anyway, if anyone has experience on what they did retaking a test would be interested to hear so I know how to take this...