The Official June 2014 Study Group Forum

[alexrodriguez]

Hey guys,

I revised my PT schedule a bit, after Jaylawyer brought up the concern with doing old (i.e., pre-comparative RC) PTs just a few weeks before test day. I realized he was right, so I did my best to find a compromise between front-loading and back-loading new PTs. For anyone who's wondering, the purpose of front-loading new PTs, rather than just doing them in chronological order, is so that you become acclimated to these new tests early enough to form the appropriate skills and habits. It's far more difficult to "adjust" once your habits have been set in stone. Anyway, here's my new schedule. (Old tests are marked with a `) Let me know if anyone wants to join me with any of these tests and do a group review.

February:

SAT (2/8) …… PT 41` (4 Section)
SAT (2/15) …… PT 54 (4 Section)
SAT (2/22) …… PT 56 (4 Section)

March:

SAT (3/1) …… SuperPrep A` (4 Section)
SAT (3/8) …… PT 66 + Exp. __ Section (5 Section)
WED (3/12) …… PT 39` (4 Section)
SAT (3/15) …… PT 52 *Retake* + Exp. __ Section (5 Section)
WED (3/19) …… PT 44` (4 Section)
SAT (3/22) …… PT 64 + Exp. __ Section (5 Section)
WED (3/26) …… PT 50` (4 Section)
SAT (3/29) …… PT 55 + Exp. __ Section (5 Section)

April:

WED (4/2) …… PT 51` (4 Section)
SAT (4/5) …… PT 63 + Exp. __ Section (5 Section)
WED (4/9) …… PT 42` (4 Section)
SAT (4/12) …… PT 58 + Exp. __ and __ (6 Section)
WED (4/16) …… PT 57 + Exp. (5 Section)
SAT (4/19) …… PT 61 + Exp. __ and __ (6 Section)
WED (4/23) …… PT 43` (4 Section)
SAT (4/26) …… PT 60 + Exp. __ and __ (6 Section)

May:

WED (4/30) …… PT 40` (4 Section)
SAT (5/3) …… back-to-back: SuperPrep B` (4 Sec.) and PT 64 *Retake* (5 Sec.)
WED (5/7) …… PT 67 + Exp. __ Section (5 Section)
SAT (5/10) …… back-to-back: SuperPrep C (4 Sec.) and PT 68 (5 Sec.)
WED (5/14) …… PT 62 + Exp. __ Section (5 Section)
SAT (5/17) …… PT 69 + Exp. __ and __ (6 Section)
WED (5/21) …… PT 59 + Exp. (5 Section)
SUN (5/25) …… PT 70 + Exp. __ and __ (6 Section)
WED (5/28) …… PT 65 + Exp. (5 Section)
SAT (5/31) …… PT 71 + Exp. __ and __ (6 Section)

June:

WED (6/4) …… *Power Retake* - Toughest 60s or 70s PT
SAT (6/7) …… *Confidence Retake* - Fav. PT of all time
SUN (6/8) …… Light review and relaxation
MON (6/9) …… GAME DAY - PT 72

I'm going to follow this and drill between each test. Looks like PT 41 is on deck.

I don't think I'll be doing 41 timed though. Not really prepared for that.

[10052014]

.

[withoutapaddle]

Checking in

Figuring out my 3 month study schedule tomorrow

[Straw_Mandible]

Straw Man,

will you be done drilling the basics when you start pting in march? (2 pts a week)

Hey Jay. Sorry I didn't respond to this earlier. I plan to continue drilling pretty much all the way through to the end, whenever I'm not testing or reviewing. I'll drill whatever weaknesses I identify on my most recent PTs. Not sure why I would stop, really. Do you plan on eventually transitioning into just doing PTs?

[Straw_Mandible]

Jay and Louie: I'm glad to see that you guys are loosely following my schedule. It would be really great if we could review a few PTs as a group. Maybe we could do 54 next Sunday?

[Lsataddict175]

Hi Straw and JayLawyer,
I'd really appreciate if you guys can address my post on the previous page. You guys have made tremendous improvements and are already practicing in the 160's so I really value your advice. Thanks

[rebexness]

Copying todays results into here since the other thread is always so dead.

Just did my first PT this session. Basically under test conditions except I forgot print a bubble sheet.

Did PT 39 at the test center, as a 4 section. Sloppy on LG but otherwise not disappointed for the first one. Second number denotes score after BR.

LG: -4/0
LR1: -2/-1
RC: -6/-1 (bleh)
LR2: -5/-2

Overall 167. All I have really done is half of the trainer this month. No drilling at all.

[Straw_Mandible]

Posted this in a separate forum, hoping to get some responses here.

Here's the situation:
LR: For me this is a joke, typically go -1,-2 on timed sections.
LG: Has been a work in progress. Accuracy is high, but timing is still an issue.
RC: I never took a cold diagnostic and figured it would be in my best interest to save RC for last since I did well on the verbal section of the SAT. Wow, do I regret that decision. I took my first timed RC section (June 2007) and got -11. I didn't necessarily find the questions hard, rather it was timing that was a major issue. Had to guess on around 4 questions, and left 1 blank. To make matters even worse, I heard this section was unusually easy. What did everyone here get on their first timed RC section? How should I proceed from here? I'm really nervous right now, and thinking about pushing off the LSAT to September to work on RC. Lesson Learned: DON'T SAVE RC FOR LAST SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU"VE BEEN READING YOUR ENTIRE LIFE. Do not underestimate this section..

Hey there. RC is a tough beast to tame. It's quite normal to score in the -10/-12 range your first time through a section. It's still certainly a work in progress for me, but I'll share with you what I figured out this past week: Timing is a challenge when you approach your initial read with an inappropriate mindset. That is, if you treat an RC passage like a set of equally relevant details which you need to somehow juggle in your head, you will not finish the section in time, and your accuracy will suffer. The RC section is not interested in testing your ability to simply retain and regurgitate a series of details; rather, it tests your ability to organize those details around a central argument or a few main points. The way to get through an RC section in time with accuracy is to cater your initial read to the forest, rather than the trees. A firm grasp of the central argument/main points/primary purpose of a passage must derive from a strong organizational understanding of the passage, which will, in turn, allow you to locate supporting details quickly as you answer the questions. So maintain the proper mindset, don't get lost in the details, and your timing and accuracy will surely improve.

hth,

SM

[MDJ2588]

Just for inspirational purposes, and a little insight on the physical influences that LSAT Prep has on altering the structure of our brains, and how increases in our reasoning abilities can improve our overall cognitive capabilities..... https://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2012/08 ... structure/

[WaltGrace83]

So I have basically just been drilling LR with some logic games here and there for the last few weeks. I have yet to get to the RC stuff in the Trainer yet (I am drilling question types after individual Trainer LR chapters). However, today I woke up and did an RC section from PT 41 as a pseudo diagnostic. I have done this section before, last summer I do believe, but I figured that it was okay and may just give me a slight bump but nothing too apprehensively significant.

Anyway, I got a -2 which I was pretty happy about! I literally said "F the details" before I read and just focused on reasoning structure. Sometimes I would just pick up the pace so much that I was getting just the most general idea on the details while only paying attention to shifts in language and causal words. Now I am going to take a small break from LR, skip a few chapters in the trainer, and go to RC. I am feeling a little burnt out on LR and I feel like I may need a break from it for a few days. Plus, with the test exactly 4 months from today I don't think I should neglect RC any longer.

One thing I did think was funny though was that I got the VERY FIRST question wrong. I saw that on the answer key and thought to myself, "ohhh boy, here comes the -13." I picked a trap answer I think; good thing I have plenty of time to understand trap answers moving forward.

[10052014]

.

[10052014]

.

[Archangel]

Just for inspirational purposes, and a little insight on the physical influences that LSAT Prep has on altering the structure of our brains, and how increases in our reasoning abilities can improve our overall cognitive capabilities..... https://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2012/08 ... structure/

nice

[Retake3X]

Thought I would drop in and say hello, considering another retake this June.

[famousblueraincoat]

Haven't studied in like 2 weeks! Did one chapter the other day, but wasn't paying too much attention. Anyone have any tips on staying motivated? Theres always the September test, but it would be nice to get it right the first time.

Grats to those making improvements!

[DMW723]

So I have basically just been drilling LR with some logic games here and there for the last few weeks. I have yet to get to the RC stuff in the Trainer yet (I am drilling question types after individual Trainer LR chapters). However, today I woke up and did an RC section from PT 41 as a pseudo diagnostic. I have done this section before, last summer I do believe, but I figured that it was okay and may just give me a slight bump but nothing too apprehensively significant.

Anyway, I got a -2 which I was pretty happy about! I literally said "F the details" before I read and just focused on reasoning structure. Sometimes I would just pick up the pace so much that I was getting just the most general idea on the details while only paying attention to shifts in language and causal words. Now I am going to take a small break from LR, skip a few chapters in the trainer, and go to RC. I am feeling a little burnt out on LR and I feel like I may need a break from it for a few days. Plus, with the test exactly 4 months from today I don't think I should neglect RC any longer.

One thing I did think was funny though was that I got the VERY FIRST question wrong. I saw that on the answer key and thought to myself, "ohhh boy, here comes the -13." I picked a trap answer I think; good thing I have plenty of time to understand trap answers moving forward.

Nice work Walt! It's crazy how much a firm understanding of LR questions positively affects understanding the structure of RC passages (at least for me.) I am worried about drilling RC sections by themselves just because I think the added fatigue during an actual PT seems to be what makes RC difficult. When my mind is fresh I can crank out a RC section and miss ~1-3 questions, but come test time the number can vary greatly depending on where the section is located.

[Retake3X]

As I was looking over my last official test, I was reminded that I had a -1 on one section of Lr and -8 on the other, how the hell does that happen

[10052014]

.

[rebexness]

Looking at the pt schedule, it does not seem as demanding as I thought it would be.

2 pts a week, with some drilling in between... Not much if you ask me.

What do yall think?

I thought the same thing- so I added in a 3rd PT a week starting end of April.

[10052014]

.

[rebexness]

Looking at the pt schedule, it does not seem as demanding as I thought it would be.

2 pts a week, with some drilling in between... Not much if you ask me.

What do yall think?

I thought the same thing- so I added in a 3rd PT a week starting end of April.

But would you be repeating PTs? details plz

Nope- I use every one from 39-71. And I finish PTing about 1.5 weeks before the test- so I figure I can add anything in or have room for make ups or whatever.

[10052014]

.

[rebexness]

Will the majority of your time be on pts when you will be doing them 2 a week? (with a very small minority of drilling)
or
Will the drilling take up most of your time? (which means you will be doing intensive drilling, and still learning the basics.)

I will be doing the former. Will start 2 pts a week March 1. What do you think?

My 2/ wk PTs are both on weekends, so during the week I will be doing extra drilling. I already know I am PT useless on weeknights after work, so I am choosing to drill the cambridge packets during the time. So probably, some of my PTs are being used while I'm still working on concepts- but I've been through all the Manhattan books and packets before, because I am a retaker.

I think your plan sounds fine- however I would put the 60s+ PTs after you have done the majority of your basic drilling work (thats why my schedule goes 40s, 60s, 50s). Just so you get the most representative scoring on the most similar tests.

[10052014]

.

[rebexness]

okay.
now in feb, I am taking 1 pt a week, so I will have enough new ones for march, april, and may.
I'm just not sure what to drill in between my pts, since I have drilled almost everything 1-40 twice.
I will just redo games I guess until test day, and some reading sections of course. Also, doing level 3/4 lr wouldn't hurt either.
Should I drill all 3 sections in the same day? or - drill lg on monday for example, and rc and lr on Tuesday? (in btwn pts, that is) How will you be doing it?

I am doing it by day-

Tues-LR
Weds-RC
Thurs-LR
Fri-LG

You could drill from the packets based on Q type weaknesses, or you could do sections from earlier tests (or even full sections from 1-40) for stamina. Def drill LG. For me that one is the first to "feel weaker" if I don't keep up with it.