real The Official December 2016 Waiters Group - Patience is a Virtue Forum

[Mikey]

misery loves company, I'm just going to destroy this thing in December. September made me mad at myself and motivated to do better.

i really really want to take in december (im registered for it), but i still have the idea of waiting for next cycle bc im scared that i will bomb it again and it's already my third take...

[Greenteachurro]

misery loves company, I'm just going to destroy this thing in December. September made me mad at myself and motivated to do better.

i really really want to take in december (im registered for it), but i still have the idea of waiting for next cycle bc im scared that i will bomb it again and it's already my third take...

Yo take the time you need, how close are your pt's to you goal? Legit don't be afraid to wait a cycle, way better to do it right than to get screwed with a score you don't want.

[dj9i27]

[.

[Mikey]

misery loves company, I'm just going to destroy this thing in December. September made me mad at myself and motivated to do better.

i really really want to take in december (im registered for it), but i still have the idea of waiting for next cycle bc im scared that i will bomb it again and it's already my third take...

Yo take the time you need, how close are your pt's to you goal? Legit don't be afraid to wait a cycle, way better to do it right than to get screwed with a score you don't want.

close yet so far..
PTs: low 160's, sometimes if i completely bomb RC then high 150's.. but back when i was studying for june, i actually got a few high 160's at one point, but i always got lucky with RC back then and didn't want to admit that i sucked ass at it.
goal: literally anything that will get me into a top school in NYC with at least some money, whether it be need based or merit.

haven't PT'd after sept yet tho, just individual sections.

thing is. i know my potential is there. I've done like -2 on individual LR sections, -0 on LG, and my forever fluctuating RC. But during PTs it's always worse than my individual sections, and not because of fatigue, because i've worked on that. I regret taking in June, i was not as ready as i should have been. for september i was very much prepared and got the same shit as june, which made no sense to me because i prepped hard af all summer but whatever shit happens.

let's just say... from my september take, if i would've went -0/-1 on RC and they didn't give us a weird game, i wouldn't be retaking again, rip

[Mikey]

you were hitting 17X before September weren't you? is it text anxiety, for me that was definitely a contributing factor on test day.

i guess the potential is there, but no, i'm not as lsat smart as some of the people on here. lol.

june, test anxiety definitely got the best of me, 100%. for september, i felt more calm and focused, which is why i was so confused with my score.

[dj9i27]

you were hitting 17X before September weren't you? is it text anxiety, for me that was definitely a contributing factor on test day.

i guess the potential is there, but no, i'm not as lsat smart as some of the people on here. lol.

june, test anxiety definitely got the best of me, 100%. for september, i felt more calm and focused, which is why i was so confused with my score.

September was a very strange test, 2 difficult RC passages and whatever the hell viruses was made me think the-12 curve was harsh, June had a mildly hard LR and hard RC but games was normal. you already know the question on December is up to you, if you feel ready and confident go for it

[Greenteachurro]

you were hitting 17X before September weren't you? is it text anxiety, for me that was definitely a contributing factor on test day.

i guess the potential is there, but no, i'm not as lsat smart as some of the people on here. lol.

june, test anxiety definitely got the best of me, 100%. for september, i felt more calm and focused, which is why i was so confused with my score.

Hey it happens to the best of us, I dropped 5 from my average on september and I felt good about it too. Just got to keep trucking on. I guess the one silver lining is that RC my worst section, didn't drop at all from what I usually score, and thats what I was seriously worried about so theres that .

[cherrygalore]

For those of you that have taken it more than once, did you feel less anxious the second time? I was very anxious and ill during my September test so I cancelled it. Hoping I will feel well and be calm for December.

[dj9i27]

For those of you that have taken it more than once, did you feel less anxious the second time? I was very anxious and ill during my September test so I cancelled it. Hoping I will feel well and be calm for December.

December will be my second go around, everything just feels more natural. I know my center, what the line will be like, what everything will be like other than the test and the questions. I was both of the ailments that you described but said to hell with it and let the score ride, kind of a bad decision in hindsight but that was me at my worst.

[Mikey]

For those of you that have taken it more than once, did you feel less anxious the second time? I was very anxious and ill during my September test so I cancelled it. Hoping I will feel well and be calm for December.

i felt less anxious my 2nd time, but still nervous. you'll always be nervous i think, no matter what since it's an important test. but you just learn that you have to deal with it for that amount of time.

[cherrygalore]

For those of you that have taken it more than once, did you feel less anxious the second time? I was very anxious and ill during my September test so I cancelled it. Hoping I will feel well and be calm for December.

i felt less anxious my 2nd time, but still nervous. you'll always be nervous i think, no matter what since it's an important test. but you just learn that you have to deal with it for that amount of time.

Thanks. Yeah I already feel more relaxed studying and in my PTs the past couple weeks so I'm hoping that's a good sign. I think knowing what to expect and how the whole day goes down will be helpful too.

[Mikey]

For those of you that have taken it more than once, did you feel less anxious the second time? I was very anxious and ill during my September test so I cancelled it. Hoping I will feel well and be calm for December.

i felt less anxious my 2nd time, but still nervous. you'll always be nervous i think, no matter what since it's an important test. but you just learn that you have to deal with it for that amount of time.

Thanks. Yeah I already feel more relaxed studying and in my PTs the past couple weeks so I'm hoping that's a good sign. I think knowing what to expect and how the whole day goes down will be helpful too.

Yeah, and if you take it at a center that you know, i think that makes you feel a bit more comfortable. My first take, i had to take the subway, got semi-lost and had never been to the school where I took the test. Second time around, i took at my UG, i know the area well, and knew what building and potential rooms where i was going to be taking the test. I think this made me feel a bit more comfortable, tbh.

[batlaw]

Hi everyone, thought I'd check in here and join this group!

My 1st take was this SEP and I got 5-10 lower than I'd been PTing. On my last 6 PTs I averaged 170 with -1.5 LG, -3.5 LR (x2), -3 RC (best PT is 176x2). On SEP I freaked out about timing and went -7 on LG (I've never missed more than 3 before!). Before SEP I had tried the Blueprint movie and found the printed material useful, but the video explanations / lessons not that useful / slow. I also have the basic 7Sage and have been using it for tracking and some explanations, but I'm just not sure learning from video / class format is right for me. I've done PT 68-78 (except maybe 71/74). I have LSAT Trainer and LG Bible and access to almost all the PTs. I'm in a position where I could put in 5+ hours / day, just trying to figure out the best use of my time (LG v. LR, PTing with lots of BR/ tracking patterns and refining strategies v. re-learning strategy from other sources, etc.)!

I'm still working on deciding a realistic goal and my exact plan and strategy for the next 6 weeks, but I'm hoping to improve along with all of you!

[Mikey]

when you're a lazy POS and don't feel like walking across campus so you skip class

[PrezRand]

To the people who study at least 3-4 hours a day, where do you get most of your material from and how do you not run out?

I use the Cambridge Packets and PTs 1-38 for drill by type material.

PTs 40-60 for drilling sections timed + BR

and I am going to use PTs 60+ for full-timed tests.

Something like this anyway.

Sounds like a good plan. Are you going through one test per day?

[Capt_Beatty]

Hello people. I'm a December taker and I need advice.

I scored a 164 in September after 8 months of studying, well work + gym + hoceky + studying. I feel confident in improving RC + LG ( I went -6 in RC and -5 in LG ). My question is LR. I've done many PT's, did the Powerscore question type training supervolume (didn't help one bit).

As we all know there are 2 scored LR sections, one tends to be easier and the later one appears to be more difficult..Is that because I'm tired and don't have endurance, or is one section just tougher? I typically go -3 on the first one and -4/-5 on the next one. How can I get better? Feels like no matter what I do, I just can't get LR down pat...

thanks.

Do you blind review?

yes, but not as stringently as I should. Perhaps, perhaps that's it.

Also, are you missing a specific Q-type over and over again or is it pretty random?

I don't think one is more difficult than the other. Though in each individual LR section, the harder questions are usually between #10-#21.

Do you find you have enough time generally or do you feel like you're rushing? I always try to come up with the answer in my head before I even look at the options. That definitely saves time because by the time I look, I know what I'm looking for. But if the answer that I expect isn't there, I can spend more time on that question since I have moved through others fairly quickly. Additionally, if you come up with the answer before looking at the choices, it is less likely that you'll fall for the traps or get stuck between two. Formulating the answer in my head was the game changer for me in going from -4/-5 to -0/-1. Also, it puts you in control rather than being at the mercy of the LSAT gamemakers.

I agree with this. My only caution is even with your prediction, make sure you carefully read each answer choice. I went too fast in September and took a huge loss in my best section because I hastily went through the answer choices and picked what best matched my prediction without double checking that I had made the right prediction. But this strategy is a really helpful one! Just don't be afraid to go against your prediction if need be.

Totally! You definitely HAVE to still read every answer, I should have said that

Thanks for all your help! I definitely noticed in my prep that I was not pre-phasing. I didn't spend the necessary time to develop good pre-phase skills, and with your suggestions I'm realizing that could be the key. There's no specific question type I'm lacking in persay, it's just mistakes on Q's 11-22 ish. thanks!

[Pozzo]

.

[cherrygalore]

Hi everyone, thought I'd check in here and join this group!

My 1st take was this SEP and I got 5-10 lower than I'd been PTing. On my last 6 PTs I averaged 170 with -1.5 LG, -3.5 LR (x2), -3 RC (best PT is 176x2). On SEP I freaked out about timing and went -7 on LG (I've never missed more than 3 before!). Before SEP I had tried the Blueprint movie and found the printed material useful, but the video explanations / lessons not that useful / slow. I also have the basic 7Sage and have been using it for tracking and some explanations, but I'm just not sure learning from video / class format is right for me. I've done PT 68-78 (except maybe 71/74). I have LSAT Trainer and LG Bible and access to almost all the PTs. I'm in a position where I could put in 5+ hours / day, just trying to figure out the best use of my time (LG v. LR, PTing with lots of BR/ tracking patterns and refining strategies v. re-learning strategy from other sources, etc.)!

I'm still working on deciding a realistic goal and my exact plan and strategy for the next 6 weeks, but I'm hoping to improve along with all of you!

It looks like you have room to improve for LR and RC. It would be ideal to get those down to -1 on average. If you really drill those, then even if a fluke LG gets you, your score will still be in the 170s. To do this, I would take old LR and RC sections every day to really practice them. Then, see what types of questions you're missing and thoroughly review them. Do 2-3 timed full-length tests per week (more recent tests, 60 and up). As for LG, I would drill game sections with less time (maybe 28 min, 7 per game) so you can get in a habit of doing them faster, then when the actual test comes the 35 min should be plenty.

[Barack O'Drama]

To the people who study at least 3-4 hours a day, where do you get most of your material from and how do you not run out?

I use the Cambridge Packets and PTs 1-38 for drill by type material.

PTs 40-60 for drilling sections timed + BR

and I am going to use PTs 60+ for full-timed tests.

Something like this anyway.

Sounds like a good plan. Are you going through one test per day?

Na, I wish I was at the point. I've decided to postpone until next cycle so I can take the Feb or June test. Shortly after I began my prep for December, I took a job offer and it really cut into my prep time.

Also, a test per day sounds kind of steep. Maybe I'd do 2-3 a week and spend a lot of time on blind review.

[Mikey]

I cannot believe I'm saying this... I just registered to retake. God help me.

Wait WAIT. Pozzo didn't you get like a 173???

Something like that... I'm just a little insane.

Bro I'd be ecstatic if I got that score. My score is legit shameful af

Dude, don't get me wrong. I was super pleased. For a number of personal and professional reasons, though, I'm trying to give myself as close to a lock on serious scholarships at T14 and/or HYS admissions as possible, so I'm going back for another round of torture.

Ain't no shame in a number. You worked your ass off and got screwed by one of the weirdest tests in recent years. I have no doubt you'll crush it in December.

Yeah, i get what you mean bro do you bro! best of luck for your next take

[Rupert Pupkin]

To the people who study at least 3-4 hours a day, where do you get most of your material from and how do you not run out?

I use the Cambridge Packets and PTs 1-38 for drill by type material.

PTs 40-60 for drilling sections timed + BR

and I am going to use PTs 60+ for full-timed tests.

Something like this anyway.

Sounds like a good plan. Are you going through one test per day?

Na, I wish I was at the point. I've decided to postpone until next cycle so I can take the Feb or June test. Shortly after I began my prep for December, I took a job offer and it really cut into my prep time.

Also, a test per day sounds kind of steep. Maybe I'd do 2-3 a week and spend a lot of time on blind review.

Im trying to decide if I should shoot for June or just next September. I want to apply as early as possible but I can prep the entire summer full-time if I want to

[dj9i27]

I cannot believe I'm saying this... I just registered to retake. God help me.

Wait WAIT. Pozzo didn't you get like a 173???

Something like that... I'm just a little insane.

Bro I'd be ecstatic if I got that score. My score is legit shameful af

Dude, don't get me wrong. I was super pleased. For a number of personal and professional reasons, though, I'm trying to give myself as close to a lock on serious scholarships at T14 and/or HYS admissions as possible, so I'm going back for another round of torture.

Ain't no shame in a number. You worked your ass off and got screwed by one of the weirdest tests in recent years. I have no doubt you'll crush it in December.

are you applying now or post December?

[Barack O'Drama]

To the people who study at least 3-4 hours a day, where do you get most of your material from and how do you not run out?

I use the Cambridge Packets and PTs 1-38 for drill by type material.

PTs 40-60 for drilling sections timed + BR

and I am going to use PTs 60+ for full-timed tests.

Something like this anyway.

Sounds like a good plan. Are you going through one test per day?

Na, I wish I was at the point. I've decided to postpone until next cycle so I can take the Feb or June test. Shortly after I began my prep for December, I took a job offer and it really cut into my prep time.

Also, a test per day sounds kind of steep. Maybe I'd do 2-3 a week and spend a lot of time on blind review.

Im trying to decide if I should shoot for June or just next September. I want to apply as early as possible but I can prep the entire summer full-time if I want to

Yeah, same here. I'm kind of deciding if I want to wait until next June/September, which would give me plenty of time to prep, plus allow me to keep working in the meantime. I think shooting for next cycle sounds good, especially if you'll be able to prep full-time all summer!

[PrezRand]

I guess I'm one of the few college kids on this board with a lot of free time. I think I'll have enough prep to confidently take the test in February.

[Hobbesy]

For those of you that have taken it more than once, did you feel less anxious the second time? I was very anxious and ill during my September test so I cancelled it. Hoping I will feel well and be calm for December.

Was very anxious my first take. In September I was so chill I took my shoes off and was in the zone. Even when RC threw me off I was able to shake it off and power through. Might be that my testing conditions were better but I also think dealing with it once helped me keep calm