September 2014 Retakers Forum

[meowprah]

I have a tendency to get the setup correct, but to make 1-2 stupid mistakes (misread a sub-diagram, misread an answer, etc) on a lot of the logic games I do. Exhibit A is the June LSAT, where I took a -5 on the games even though I got the last game completely correct and diagrammed the first 3 correctly as well. Anyone have experience eliminating stupid mistakes from his/her LG section? I didn't do a lot of LG prep, so I was thinking that doing a lot of un-timed and timed drilling would help. Thoughts?

This was my biggest downfall too, but being aware of it is a huge step #1. Blind reviewing my PTs (before checking my answers) helped me a lot -- I would catch my errors (misreading rules or missing a word when trying to go quickly). I started training myself to notice when I was skimming too fast while writing an exam, so I would slow down and read more carefully. Just try to catch yourself and double check that you've recorded all the rules correctly and not missed anything. It's worth the extra few seconds. And keep the knowledge that you have a tendency to go too fast and misread setups in the back of your mind so you're able to combat it in practice.

[jmjm]

I have a tendency to get the setup correct, but to make 1-2 stupid mistakes (misread a sub-diagram, misread an answer, etc) on a lot of the logic games I do. Exhibit A is the June LSAT, where I took a -5 on the games even though I got the last game completely correct and diagrammed the first 3 correctly as well. Anyone have experience eliminating stupid mistakes from his/her LG section? I didn't do a lot of LG prep, so I was thinking that doing a lot of un-timed and timed drilling would help. Thoughts?

Are you checking and confirming at least all answers for some question in a game? Are such mistakes with misreading answers or stim also occur in RC/LR for you? I usually do perfect on LG but also am prone to stupid errors. One of the reasons for it, ironically, is that my academic background is in sciences and engineering. So I have tendency to take LG lightly and move on once I think I have got the right answer without checking confirming others. So in case you misread a rule a little bit, or had slightly altered mental picture of a rule than what is correct even if you diagrammed a rule correctly, you will make silly mistakes. I find that checking all answers for some questions can be useful without impeding your natural inclination to go fast on games. If you have an incorrect understanding of the game, checking all answers will expose it, at which point you should quickly double check for something that you may have missed or understood incorrectly.

[fra]

I just ordered my Trainer, read the reviews and it looks rad. Except it's gonna take 3-5 weeks to ship. Come onnnnnnnn.

Where the heck are you ordering it from? Amazon prime that stuff.

[Hand]

[meowprah]

I just ordered my Trainer, read the reviews and it looks rad. Except it's gonna take 3-5 weeks to ship. Come onnnnnnnn.

Where the heck are you ordering it from? Amazon prime that stuff.

I'm in Canada.

[Learn_Live_Hope]

My predictions for the Sep test are that it contains a pretty hard RC section, and an average LR and LG section, but they throw a merciless -8 curve.

Oh thanks CF!

I still stand by my previous prediction of you getting a 178-180.

Awww thank you…

[dasani13]

I'm going to be getting my materials organized, printing stuff, and coming up with a new study plan all weekend. My first day back to drilling/PTing is gonna be Monday. What are you guys doing differently this time around??

[rebexness]

WELP i miss studying.

[SexualSalad]

Hey guys, checking in. I think I could definitely improve my reviewing habits this time around.

I noticed that when going over questions I got wrong, I'd try to figure out why I got it wrong, but it usually doesn't result in any actionable information to help me avoid making the same mistake next time.

For example, maybe I missed a key word or didn't recognize the flaw in the stim. I'd tell myself something like "read more carefully next time" or "recognize this flaw next time" but it seems like merely telling yourself that isn't an effective way to actually make it stick.

Thoughts guys?

[mornincounselor]

Post removed.

[kirilrez]

What is the best way in your opinion to improve timing on LG sections?

I'm at the stage of doing entire LG sections, but I seem always short on time...

[Yeezus]

What is the best way in your opinion to improve timing on LG sections?

I'm at the stage of doing entire LG sections, but I seem always short on time...

Watch the 7sage videos and do the same games over and over until you can consistently finish them on time.

[appind]

I'll just add a couple things:

The study schedules in the Trainer were very helpful for pushing me to study as much as I could and in the most effective way possible.

I felt like the Trainer got me to believe in myself again after the first letdown (which everyone here has had if you're retaking), hunker down and just study like mad.

I looked at some study schedules in trainer and it suggests doing only 6-10 prep tests in strict timed conditions over the entire prep. This seems less than what's typical for getting a score above 170. The trainer schedule also packs all but one PT over the last 2-4 weeks. Wouldn't that lead to burnout right before the test? I have heard that the common wisdom is not to do any PT the week before the test to avoid burnout and to do at most 1-2 PTs per week when prepping.

When I did the trainer the main thing i got from it and that's repeated all through the trainer was to always focus on the reasoning structure when doing RC and focus on argument core when doing LR. I focus on reasoning structure as Trainer says. Then clearly I have to refer to passage multiple times when doing questions. Trainer says that it's fine to refer back to the passage for details for questions. I find myself in a flux if I do it the trainer way - taking away only reasoning structure during the first read and then constantly coming back to the passage for detail questions. The kicker is that I don't have any better approach. It screws my RC. How are you who do well in RC able to go back and forth between the passage and questions within 8 minutes per passage?

[appind]

I'll just add a couple things:
I felt like the Trainer got me to believe in myself again after the first letdown (which everyone here has had if you're retaking), hunker down and just study like mad.

99% of my study time is taking prep test questions by type/sections or taking full prep tests and reviewing them. What else can be included in studying? Am I doing it right? I already know the material having done bibles and trainer so there is no actual studying that I do.

[dasani13]

Has anyone used the new edition of Manhattan RC? Is it worth it if I already have an older edition?

[sfoglia]

Oops! Wrong thread.

[rebexness]

Has anyone used the new edition of Manhattan RC? Is it worth it if I already have an older edition?

I have, and its very good. I never read the first one though.

[90convoy]

Has anyone used the new edition of Manhattan RC? Is it worth it if I already have an older edition?

They are very similar

edit: "1) RC got a lot of love. There are a ton more drills (some really innovative stuff, IMHO) and lots more practice sets. It is well more than 20% cooler."

this is form a mlsat person on tls

[Atmosphere]

Fresh off of my forum-ban to say that I'm reluctantly checking in after a 167 on June '14. I think I'd like to try and break that 170 barrier come september. Good luck to everyone!

[bound]

Hey ya'll. Checking in

[dasani13]

Hey ya'll. Checking in

Welcome

[bad_wolf]

Checking in. First take was in Oct '13 and it was abysmal. Here's to round 2 going much better!

[dasani13]

Are you guys gonna wait to receive the September scores to send out apps or do you plan on applying with your current score and letting them know you're retaking?

[yunjh1066]

I will be retaking it this September as well. Horrible test score.

Can someone please check my studying method?

I ordered more prep tests and will be reusing my old BluePrint prep coursebooks for methods. I will be using 7sage and extra questions from BluePrint website for drilling. Is this enough? I feel like I need more materials but I don't know if I should purchase Manhattan RC and buy more prep tests?

But here is what I am planning to do:

1) Take a prep test this week and see where I am at again and to get myself back into LSAT mode after about 4 weeks of break.

2) Start drilling questions everyday (how many of LR questions are "enough" for a day?, how many passages, and how many game sets?)

3) Do double reviewing before checking the answer so I can spot my mistakes. Then review for real and score.

4) Start doing practice tests around mid-august (maybe 2 tests a week and then double review and then check answers and then review the questions)

[some1uknown]

Good morning, after that terrible June test, it's time to get back to studying.