The Official September 2014 Study Group Forum

[gnomgnomuch]

Welcome Dowu.

Dowu try spending more time up front with the passages. I find when I do this I don't stumble through the questions as badly as when I try and race through them like speedy gonzales. Also when I have to look back, it takes me a very small amount of time to find what I am looking for, and the stuff around that excerpt (which is quite frequently used as part of the credited response) comes back to me pretty quickly, as opposed to when I rush through the passage and go back and look at a specific line or group of lines and don't remember what was before or after that in the passage.

And thanks Frozinite! I'll be sending a couple questions your way for sure.

edit: post count 420 hells yea

....blaze it 4/20. (I HAD TO SAY IT)

[chimera]

Another gym-goer reporting in. I seriously neglected exercise while I was studying for December 2013. So far I've been staying consistent and I can say that I feel MUCH better. What's been working for me is full-body, PL-focused M,W,F gym sessions and cardio T,R,Sat (I was never an endurance runner, but I just finished Couch-to-5k last week w00t). Balancing the mind, body, and spirit is critical! Plus, exercise has been shown to reduce stress and facilitate learning.

Anyway I drilled the last of the simple ordering games today, re-read the Manhattan conditional logic chapter, then drilled Principle-apply questions. Did anyone here spring for the Conditional Reasoning Cambridge packet? I'm wondering if I should just pay the $15 for the convenience so I can really work and ingrain conditional relationships.

[d0rklord]

Another gym-goer reporting in. I seriously neglected exercise while I was studying for December 2013. So far I've been staying consistent and I can say that I feel MUCH better. What's been working for me is full-body, PL-focused M,W,F gym sessions and cardio T,R,Sat (I was never an endurance runner, but I just finished Couch-to-5k last week w00t). Balancing the mind, body, and spirit is critical! Plus, exercise has been shown to reduce stress and facilitate learning.

Anyway I drilled the last of the simple ordering games today, re-read the Manhattan conditional logic chapter, then drilled Principle-apply questions. Did anyone here spring for the Conditional Reasoning Cambridge packet? I'm wondering if I should just pay the $15 for the convenience so I can really work and ingrain conditional relationships.

If you get it, do the download PDF version. That way you can reprint and use it again if need be.

[sfoglia]

Man working 8 hours, studying 3-4 hours a day, and trying to find time to still lead a semi-healthy life (i.e working out and eating healthy) is much harder than i thought going in to this. Luckily my boss is awesome and a lawyer and can relate to the struggle otherwise I would have been canned for being over 20 min. late! How do you all balance everything? Hopefully someone has some tips for me somewhere out there!

I'm at work 9 hours a day, so I can definitely relate. I've found that reading on the train into work and home from work has been incredibly helpful in keeping my mind LSAT-engaged. So, that's at least an hour extra of studying time right there. If you commute to work by car, maybe you can throw a few books in there every morning, and take advantage if you find yourself feeling motivated? Or, download PDFs to your Kindle or iPad? Then you can study during your lunch hour, while waiting in a doctor's office, whatever.

I haven't seen the gym in two weeks. But, I do always eat dinner while studying, and it's a lot faster to put together a bunch of from-the-fridge, eat-cold foods -- an apple with peanut butter, carrot sticks and hummus, avocado on toast, whole grain flatbread crisps with cheese or eggs -- than to cook a true meal. I love to dine out, but I don't have the time for it, so it's become all the easier for me to eat healthily.

This probably isn't helpful. I'm kind of obsessed with the LSAT right now, so I don't have trouble motivating myself to study. I'd stay up half the night to do so, if I could manage without the sleep.

Okay, back to the Manhattan LR now.

[dopedoer]

Hi all,

I'll be joining you from Australia for the next few months. Just banked a bunch of cash working my ass off for two months and now have until October to live modestly and study full-time. Strangely the test is administered 8 days later here than in the States. I'm starting off my study with Mike Kim's The LSAT Trainer. So far so good. Also got the LR and LG Bibles and print outs of every test.

Diagnostic: 156 (-14 LG and some shaky RC)
Goal: 170+

Holler

[ilikebaseball]

Hi all,

I'll be joining you from Australia for the next few months. Just banked a bunch of cash working my ass off for two months and now have until October to live modestly and study full-time. Strangely the test is administered 8 days later here than in the States. I'm starting off my study with Mike Kim's The LSAT Trainer. So far so good. Also got the LR and LG Bibles and print outs of every test.

Diagnostic: 156 (-14 LG and some shaky RC)
Goal: 170+

Holler

damn, 14 points in under 3 months. ill be rootin for ya!

[kbrizz]

Hi all,

I'll be joining you from Australia for the next few months. Just banked a bunch of cash working my ass off for two months and now have until October to live modestly and study full-time. Strangely the test is administered 8 days later here than in the States. I'm starting off my study with Mike Kim's The LSAT Trainer. So far so good. Also got the LR and LG Bibles and print outs of every test.

Diagnostic: 156 (-14 LG and some shaky RC)
Goal: 170+

Holler

damn, 14 points in under 3 months. ill be rootin for ya!

You're kind of freaking me out. Is 15+ in 3 months unheard of?

[dasani13]

Hi all,

I'll be joining you from Australia for the next few months. Just banked a bunch of cash working my ass off for two months and now have until October to live modestly and study full-time. Strangely the test is administered 8 days later here than in the States. I'm starting off my study with Mike Kim's The LSAT Trainer. So far so good. Also got the LR and LG Bibles and print outs of every test.

Diagnostic: 156 (-14 LG and some shaky RC)
Goal: 170+

Holler

damn, 14 points in under 3 months. ill be rootin for ya!

You're kind of freaking me out. Is 15+ in 3 months unheard of?

No, especially with a -14 in LG.

[ilikebaseball]

Hi all,

I'll be joining you from Australia for the next few months. Just banked a bunch of cash working my ass off for two months and now have until October to live modestly and study full-time. Strangely the test is administered 8 days later here than in the States. I'm starting off my study with Mike Kim's The LSAT Trainer. So far so good. Also got the LR and LG Bibles and print outs of every test.

Diagnostic: 156 (-14 LG and some shaky RC)
Goal: 170+

Holler

damn, 14 points in under 3 months. ill be rootin for ya!

You're kind of freaking me out. Is 15+ in 3 months unheard of?

I've heard of it, but its just very unlikely. Of course its possible. I made a thread about a week ago asking how much people have ever seen improvement in 3 months, and i think the highest answer was like 17. The most common answer I hear someone increase with regular training is like 8-10, but I guess a lot of factors come into play like weaknesses and starting score, etc.

[TX_UH]

Hi all,

I'll be joining you from Australia for the next few months. Just banked a bunch of cash working my ass off for two months and now have until October to live modestly and study full-time. Strangely the test is administered 8 days later here than in the States. I'm starting off my study with Mike Kim's The LSAT Trainer. So far so good. Also got the LR and LG Bibles and print outs of every test.

Diagnostic: 156 (-14 LG and some shaky RC)
Goal: 170+

Holler

damn, 14 points in under 3 months. ill be rootin for ya!

You're kind of freaking me out. Is 15+ in 3 months unheard of?

Howdy! Checking in from TX! Looking forward to destroying the September LSAT with y'all!

dopedoer,

I started with similar shortcomings a month ago (-12 LG and shaky RC). After getting halfway through the LSAT trainer this past month, I am now finishing half of my LG sections in 35' and missing between -1 and -4. LSAT Trainer taught me to work in congruence with my natural thought process and the results are apparent. If it works for you like it did for me, you can meet your goal if you stay focused.

I'll be starting on some RC tomorrow!

[kbrizz]

Hi all,

I'll be joining you from Australia for the next few months. Just banked a bunch of cash working my ass off for two months and now have until October to live modestly and study full-time. Strangely the test is administered 8 days later here than in the States. I'm starting off my study with Mike Kim's The LSAT Trainer. So far so good. Also got the LR and LG Bibles and print outs of every test.

Diagnostic: 156 (-14 LG and some shaky RC)
Goal: 170+

Holler

damn, 14 points in under 3 months. ill be rootin for ya!

You're kind of freaking me out. Is 15+ in 3 months unheard of?

I've heard of it, but its just very unlikely. Of course its possible. I made a thread about a week ago asking how much people have ever seen improvement in 3 months, and i think the highest answer was like 17. The most common answer I hear someone increase with regular training is like 8-10, but I guess a lot of factors come into play like weaknesses and starting score, etc.

Yeah I can't remember my exact number on my diagnostic but I did get one whole logic game completely wrong so it was pretty bad.

Sometimes I feel so optimistic about all this, and then I hear that my goal might be unrealistic and now I'm thinking maybe I should be in the December group. If that even exists.

[ilikebaseball]

go for it man. i think you should have a better indication of where you are at when the test date comes closer with PT's. Til now, I guess you never know how much better you will get. I feel like with enough motivation and drive you can get close to what youre looking for. At the end of the day, its gonna come down to you

[AtticusRising]

Yo yo yo! Just checking in. First time poster, long-time creeper. Been following you folks from the beginning and you're all nothing short of amazing.

For all those wanting to improve 10+ points in three months, those working full time, those trying to fit in some gym time and/or those self-doubters..let's rock this bloody test!! Currently doing on a 6-month contract in Geneva (45+ hours a week). I wake up at 5 and study for 2 hours, I run or do Insanity after work which helps with my evening study sessions and I've learned to use cooking as catharsis to keep up the healthy eats (also Geneva is the 4th most expensive city in the world so I can't eat out much hahah). But I will be coming back to SoCal at the end of August to study full-time until the day of reckoning.

Diagnostic was 155, plowed through the Trainer, now PTing at 165. Starting on the LGB and MLR. Shooting for a 175+

It's been exhausting. I've wanted to quit and go gallivanting in the Swiss Alps with my coworkers, I've had to turn down an extension of my contract and other job offers, I've cried after drilling sessions, I've "accidentally" spilled coffee on my bibles, I've questioned my intelligence and my ability to succeed in law school...but at the end of the day, I can't fight my eternal optimism. I'm going into public interest law and this wretched test will not stand in my way.

Here's to the crazy ones

[Comstock]

Hi all,

I'll be joining you from Australia for the next few months. Just banked a bunch of cash working my ass off for two months and now have until October to live modestly and study full-time. Strangely the test is administered 8 days later here than in the States. I'm starting off my study with Mike Kim's The LSAT Trainer. So far so good. Also got the LR and LG Bibles and print outs of every test.

Diagnostic: 156 (-14 LG and some shaky RC)
Goal: 170+

Holler

damn, 14 points in under 3 months. ill be rootin for ya!

You're kind of freaking me out. Is 15+ in 3 months unheard of?

I mean I was 154 in early May and now I'm consistently around 167-168 at the moment (with a high of 173), and that's after only two months, so I think its do-able. But, as other's have mentioned, having a low LG at the beginning helped a lot.

[kbrizz]

Yo yo yo! Just checking in. First time poster, long-time creeper. Been following you folks from the beginning and you're all nothing short of amazing.

For all those wanting to improve 10+ points in three months, those working full time, those trying to fit in some gym time and/or those self-doubters..let's rock this bloody test!! Currently doing on a 6-month contract in Geneva (45+ hours a week). I wake up at 5 and study for 2 hours, I run or do Insanity after work which helps with my evening study sessions and I've learned to use cooking as catharsis to keep up the healthy eats (also Geneva is the 4th most expensive city in the world so I can't eat out much hahah). But I will be coming back to SoCal at the end of August to study full-time until the day of reckoning.

Diagnostic was 155, plowed through the Trainer, now PTing at 165. Starting on the LGB and MLR. Shooting for a 175+

It's been exhausting. I've wanted to quit and go gallivanting in the Swiss Alps with my coworkers, I've had to turn down an extension of my contract and other job offers, I've cried after drilling sessions, I've "accidentally" spilled coffee on my bibles, I've questioned my intelligence and my ability to succeed in law school...but at the end of the day, I can't fight my eternal optimism. I'm going into public interest law and this wretched test will not stand in my way.

Here's to the crazy ones

You're awesome! And making me feel like we can do this!

[Oskosh]

PT 56 --> 175

-2, -2, -1, -1

Could have scored a 179, but made stupid mistakes on the logic games (G2&G3). Need to work on the harder sufficient assumption questions, because it messed up my clean sheet in LR2. And I need to read all answer choices, because that may have contributed to my missing #25 on LR1.

Doing pretty well, but I'm afraid that it will all come to nothing on test day haha.

[ilikebaseball]

PT 56 --> 175

-2, -2, -1, -1

Could have scored a 179, but made stupid mistakes on the logic games (G2&G3). Need to work on the harder sufficient assumption questions, because it messed up my clean sheet in LR2. And I need to read all answer choices, because that may have contributed to my missing #25 on LR1.

Doing pretty well, but I'm afraid that it will all come to nothing on test day haha.

dont say that man! I dont think there really is anyway to simulate a test day environment with the built in anxiety, so the best way I'm trying to replicate it is completing each of my pt sections in 32 minutes. That way, when you have an extra 3 minutes on test day you'll say "wow, I have all this spare time to check out my unsure answers." Which relieves A LITTLE stress. Still, the anxiety was overpowering for me when I took mine

[Oskosh]

PT 56 --> 175

-2, -2, -1, -1

Could have scored a 179, but made stupid mistakes on the logic games (G2&G3). Need to work on the harder sufficient assumption questions, because it messed up my clean sheet in LR2. And I need to read all answer choices, because that may have contributed to my missing #25 on LR1.

Doing pretty well, but I'm afraid that it will all come to nothing on test day haha.

dont say that man! I dont think there really is anyway to simulate a test day environment with the built in anxiety, so the best way I'm trying to replicate it is completing each of my pt sections in 32 minutes. That way, when you have an extra 3 minutes on test day you'll say "wow, I have all this spare time to check out my unsure answers." Which relieves A LITTLE stress. Still, the anxiety was overpowering for me when I took mine

That seems like a great idea! Thanks, man! I hope nerves don't affect me too much during the actual test. I would hate to have to take it again in December.

[Gray]

.

[Oskosh]

PT 56 --> 175

-2, -2, -1, -1

Could have scored a 179, but made stupid mistakes on the logic games (G2&G3). Need to work on the harder sufficient assumption questions, because it messed up my clean sheet in LR2. And I need to read all answer choices, because that may have contributed to my missing #25 on LR1.

Doing pretty well, but I'm afraid that it will all come to nothing on test day haha.

I knew this sounded familiar... had almost the exact same thing happen on PT 56... 176 instead of 179 because of 2 dumb mistakes in LG! -2, -0, -2, and -1...

Also worried I'll somehow manage to blow it on gameday... but I think we're probably in good shape for two and a half months out.

I agree. It's a good thing I've been studying for a while now. But still, thinking about the day of the test, the experimental section, and not knowing what the curve is/being unable to see what you scored immediately after you've finished ... ugh. Has someone done an analysis on the benefits of having an experimental section on the LSAT? That's probably what's troubling me the most right now haha.

[schmelling]

.

[Calbears123]

checking in. Just had my first testmasters session and I'm feeling great about it. We took a diag to get a benchmark for improvement and I scored a 161. I graduated in may with a 3.27 gpa so i'm hoping for a 170 to at least have a shot at some of the t14. Feeling pretty confident I can get there studying full time and taking the course. Good luck to all and looking forward to getting to know you all through september and beyond.

GL with testmasters. I took it and day 2 they jump right into formal logic. Its good to know how to diagram but they don't teach you how to answer the LR questions on day 1 homework since its questions taken from alot of different question types, but your diag started pretty high so you'll do fine

Did you take the course? I have been working on their diagramming strategies today and I have to say I found it cumbersome and miserable, although extremely accurate. I have to assume they know what they're doing and that after enough of these it will become quick and natural. Here's hoping.

Yeah I took the course, and yeah I agree. Their diagramming strategies are extremely helpful, probably the most important thing I learned in that class, but you'll soon see that they instruct you into over diagramming. They going over diagramming again once you get to sufficient and necessary assumptions, but in reality I almost never EVER diagram those. The course made me feel at first that I had to diagram alot, but in reality I maybe diagram at most 2 on any LR section.

But its good practice I think, but it makes you extremely good at diagramming in your head.

[timegoesbytoofast]

Hello everyone! =)

LR Question:

I was wondering if anyone found the Cambridge LR Drill Pkgs useful?

I have powerscore books for drilling but only around 30 questions for each type of LR,
and I will be receiving the Manhattan LR and the Trainer in the mail next week.

Any thoughts?

[scandk]

Hello everyone! =)

LR Question:

I was wondering if anyone found the Cambridge LR Drill Pkgs useful?

I have powerscore books for drilling but only around 30 questions for each type of LR,
and I will be receiving the Manhattan LR and the Trainer in the mail next week.

Any thoughts?

I think the powerscore drilling books were ok, but I prefered cambridge because 1) it distinguished between levels of difficulty (I don't remember if powerscore did this; I feel like they didn't but it's been a while since I've used it so...), 2) they were in PDF form so I was able to print and re-print them as necessary/cut out specific questions, and 3) most importantly, Cambridge has, for most LR types, significantly more than 30 questions of that type. just my $0.02

[Comstock]

Hello everyone! =)

LR Question:

I was wondering if anyone found the Cambridge LR Drill Pkgs useful?

I have powerscore books for drilling but only around 30 questions for each type of LR,
and I will be receiving the Manhattan LR and the Trainer in the mail next week.

Any thoughts?

I think the powerscore drilling books were ok, but I prefered cambridge because 1) it distinguished between levels of difficulty (I don't remember if powerscore did this; I feel like they didn't but it's been a while since I've used it so...), 2) they were in PDF form so I was able to print and re-print them as necessary/cut out specific questions, and 3) most importantly, Cambridge has, for most LR types, significantly more than 30 questions of that type. just my $0.02

Powerscores definitely doesn't do difficulty formally. It sort of gets harder as you go along but its hardly level 3 or 4 drilling type. I would also recommend the packets. If you can master and fly through level 3s and 4s you will be good to go for that question type most times when it appears and since there are so many question types to practice on LR, I think that's the best way to go.