Mike's Trainer Thread Forum

[10052014]

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[bimmer11]

My book just got delivered, looking forward to working through the LR lessons. After 7sage and MLSAT my LG is -0/-1 on PT sections and RC is anywhere between -2/-4. I've been drilling LG like crazy so I need to devote the same amount of time to LR to see where I am.

[wtrc]

Going through the trainer now. Glad I bought it- great refresher after a 6 week near-break, will be good to read before PTing in preparation for October.

[flash21]

how are you guys liking the trainer that you've bought? im anxious to receive mine

[jk148706]

how are you guys liking the trainer that you've bought? im anxious to receive mine

Same here

[Dr. Dre]

how are you guys liking the trainer that you've bought? im anxious to receive mine

I love it. Rereading the first chapter, just for inspiration.

[jk148706]

how are you guys liking the trainer that you've bought? im anxious to receive mine

I love it. Rereading the first chapter, just for inspiration.

Dre, just curious.. Have you taken the LSAT before? If not have you taken any PTs yet...crust wondering what range you're in

[Dr. Dre]

how are you guys liking the trainer that you've bought? im anxious to receive mine

I love it. Rereading the first chapter, just for inspiration.

Dre, just curious.. Have you taken the LSAT before? If not have you taken any PTs yet...crust wondering what range you're in

first take, read all PS books, and took BP the Movie 2.0, 167.


current average 170.

[kiyoku]

Finished all of the guides i wanted to. LSAT Trainer, MLSAT, PS

I felt I went through them way too fast. I didn't really drill per chapter finished or tried to master anything. But that also wasn't my plan. I just wanted to get familiar with the test and now I am.

I chose to re-read the LSAT trainer again, while I drill. I know there's a lot of focus on "skills and habits" so it's time I start trying to hone them and develop a honed attacking strategy for each question.

But after reading the guides, the fact that I chose the LSAT trainer to be the one to open up again and help me with my drilling.. says a lot for me =)

[AbhiJ]

Mike,

You seem to suggest that learning from videos is less effective than is made out to be.

Is watching videos not the most effective use of study time ? Could you please explain this point in a little more detail.

[Enektal]

After looking over the drills on Mike's website...damn. Bit the bullet...can't wait for it to arrive.

[The LSAT Trainer]

Mike,

You seem to suggest that learning from videos is less effective than is made out to be.

Is watching videos not the most effective use of study time ? Could you please explain this point in a little more detail.

Oh boy -- this is a very dangerous question for me to answer,but I'll do my best --

Please keep two things in mind:
1) I am in the business of selling test prep, and I don't sell recorded courses (so you may want to be suspicious of my motives!)
2) These are just my opinions -- I'm sure that the people who make the videos have very different opinions --

I think that recorded lessons can be a useful component of your study process -- they can help you strengthen your understanding of the test and can also help you pick up strategies. In particular, I think watching a video of someone solve a question in real time (or a simulation of real time) can be very effective. I also believe many students are better off for having used these recorded courses than they would be otherwise. I've made some instructional videos, and I'm going to make many more, and I wouldn't do that if I didn't think that they are helpful.

At the same time, I also think that watching a live version of the same lesson would be more effective. Personally, I teach best when I am sitting with a student and working one on one (if I sit with you for an hour, your score will improve), I'm a bit less effective in front of a group, a bit less effective teaching online, and far less effective teaching in a recording. My feeling is that by the time it gets to the recording stage, the tools I have for having real communication are much more restricted (about a 1000 times more so than when I am creating a book, even), and it's a much greater challenge for me to be a good teacher. And it obviously makes it very difficult for the focus to be on the student. I strongly disagree with the claim that some companies make that watching a recording is somehow "better" than having a real, quality instructor standing in front of you.

More importantly, I don't think understanding and strategies are what get you a top LSAT score. I think that they are necessary components, but in order to get good at the LSAT, you have to develop skills and habits -- these come from you doing the work yourself. This is why I designed the trainer as a workbook. In my opinion, your mindset about prep should be that you pick up the necessary understanding, and strategies that are effective, and then you do the serious work of getting good at the LSAT. Watching videos is, to me, not the best way to do that real work.

To put it in more black-and-white terms --

Imagine that there are four teams of LSAT students, all of roughly equal overall aptitude -- Each team has 100 hours to study for the LSAT --

One team spends their study time on study guides, question drills, and PT's, with a good LSAT teacher "coaching" them -- guiding their studies to make sure they don't waste time, and explaining things when they need to be explained.

One team spends time on study guides, question drills, and PT's, with no teacher/coach.

One team spends the entire 100 hours sitting in a live LSAT course with the same good teacher.

One team spends the entire 100 hours watching a recorded video course with the same good teacher.

It is my opinion that after the study period the teams would finish in the following order:

1) self-study with coach
2) self-study with no coach
(gap)
3) took real course
4) watched a video course

Of course, the above is an extreme situation, and there is no reason you can't, in real life, mix and match the various study methods (for example, taking a course and doing a lot of work on your own would obviously be a good combination) -- additionally, who's to say that my opinion would turn out to be right -- but, I do think the above helps give a bit of perspective on where I think watching recordings fits into the overall study process --

Again, these are just my opinions, based on what I've found to be effective in my personal teaching experiences -- if I were a different sort of teacher, or if I were better at creating recorded lessons, I might have very good reason to feel differently --

HTH - Mike

[crestor]

Today i embark on my lsat trainer journey. Hopefully I shall live long and prosper on it.

[DEO3029]

Just wanted to add that the infographics on the trainer website are nice reminders (I printed them & put them up on my wall).

Thanks Mike!

[The LSAT Trainer]

Just wanted to add that the infographics on the trainer website are nice reminders (I printed them & put them up on my wall).

Thanks Mike!

Makes me happy to think of my infographics on your wall -- thanks for sharing -- Mike.

[AbhiJ]

Mike you literally ripped apart the claims of test prep companies who are selling pre-recorded lessons as a "magical recipe of secret knowledge".

You remind me of Professor who used to despise the extensive use of power point presentation at the cost of traditional "chalk on black board". He used to say "slides after slides and the student learns nothing".
Feel that with all the advanced technology still the best way to learn is with books, pen, paper and a teacher by your side.

Thanks for the painstaking detailed reply.

[lsatyolo]

Just took the plunge. One-day shipping. #YOLO

[The LSAT Trainer]

Just took the plunge. One-day shipping. #YOLO

awesome -- don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything -- mk

[ManoftheHour]

Just took the plunge. One-day shipping. #YOLO

Just bought it too. I need that 170, damn it.

[Megstew]

Mine just came in the mail. I'm excited to read it, and expect it to help fine tune my LR and RC. I hope it lives up to its expectations!

[boris09]

Just wanted to drop by and add myself to the many that have decided on purchasing the LSAT Trainer. I have yet to complete going through my current reading of the Powerscore and then MLSAT books, but with all the positive reviews and the honesty/time you've been giving all of us Mike I really feel that once I get to this book it will be nothing but a great experience.

Also, I'd like to thank you so much for providing numerous and FREE schedules. Knowing that you're following a schedule and will always stay organized is an extreme aid. Looking forward to getting a chance to read the book once I complete the others

[ManoftheHour]

Yo Mike

Is there a major difference between these two?


http://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-Logical ... +reasoning

http://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-Logical ... +reasoning

Some of us in another thread were wondering.

http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 6&t=214494

[The LSAT Trainer]

Yo Mike

Is there a major difference between these two?


http://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-Logical ... +reasoning

http://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-Logical ... +reasoning

Some of us in another thread were wondering.

http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 6&t=214494

Yo -- I left Manhattan before they put out those 3rd editions, but I'm fairly certain there were no substantive changes made -- as far as I know (I haven't looked at a recent RC), the LG one was the only one that was significantly rewritten from the 2nd to the 3rd --

Weren't you Jason Terry? - I love that guy.

[The LSAT Trainer]

Just wanted to drop by and add myself to the many that have decided on purchasing the LSAT Trainer. I have yet to complete going through my current reading of the Powerscore and then MLSAT books, but with all the positive reviews and the honesty/time you've been giving all of us Mike I really feel that once I get to this book it will be nothing but a great experience.

Also, I'd like to thank you so much for providing numerous and FREE schedules. Knowing that you're following a schedule and will always stay organized is an extreme aid. Looking forward to getting a chance to read the book once I complete the others

Thanks so much for this -- I appreciate hearing from you and I hope the trainer meets your expectations --

We've got quite a team building here -- LSAC is going to have to reset the curve.

[scandk]

We've got quite a team building here -- LSAC is going to have to reset the curve.

Knocking on wood as we speak.