December 2013 LSAT Study Group Forum

[chizzy]

Just finished the flaw chapter of the LSAT Trainer.

I like the approach this book takes, very valuable!

I definitely agree, I am probably going to be heavily revisiting it in the coming weeks.

im looking forward to it too. mine comes in the mail tomorrow

[toshiroh]

if you're in school/working, how are you managing your time? especially for those in school, i now finals period is creeping in.

It's difficult. I work from 8-5 M-F. I study from about 6-10 or 6-11 and pretty much try to do six hours a day on the weekends. I envy people who have all the time in the world to just study for this test

[chizzy]

if you're in school/working, how are you managing your time? especially for those in school, i now finals period is creeping in.

It's difficult. I work from 8-5 M-F. I study from about 6-10 or 6-11 and pretty much try to do six hours a day on the weekends. I envy people who have all the time in the world to just study for this test

me too. but i think other factors could help push you to study too. especially keeping in mind we have just one month

[Nonconsecutive]

if you're in school/working, how are you managing your time? especially for those in school, i now finals period is creeping in.

It's difficult. I work from 8-5 M-F. I study from about 6-10 or 6-11 and pretty much try to do six hours a day on the weekends. I envy people who have all the time in the world to just study for this test

me too. but i think other factors could help push you to study too. especially keeping in mind we have just one month

As someone who had a lot of time for the first take, and far, far less time for the second take, I actually found the pressure made me perform/study better. I know everyone is different, but if I have "too much" time it actually demotivates me and I get lazy. I'm no longer in school, but I am working 50ish hour weeks, so I can empathize with feeling like there isn't enough time in the day.

[chizzy]

if you're in school/working, how are you managing your time? especially for those in school, i now finals period is creeping in.

It's difficult. I work from 8-5 M-F. I study from about 6-10 or 6-11 and pretty much try to do six hours a day on the weekends. I envy people who have all the time in the world to just study for this test

me too. but i think other factors could help push you to study too. especially keeping in mind we have just one month

As someone who had a lot of time for the first take, and far, far less time for the second take, I actually found the pressure made me perform/study better. I know everyone is different, but if I have "too much" time it actually demotivates me and I get lazy. I'm no longer in school, but I am working 50ish hour weeks, so I can empathize with feeling like there isn't enough time in the day.

i agree with this. the pressure for me to study for tests and finals would also make me create time for the LSAT. i hope we all do great!

[Nonconsecutive]

i know we will all do great!

Fixed that for you

[chizzy]

i know we will all do great!

Fixed that for you

oops, yes we will!

[santoki]

as someone who does have all the time in the world...i struggle to work as hard as i should. i work better under pressure as well and sometimes wish i was still in school.

need to motivate myself some more

[Balthy]

Goddammit guys.. I was so sure of retaking but now I'm on the fence. I think my chances at HYS are low (below their GPA medians and few weaknesses in my transcript) so I'm considering taking my 172 and shooting for Columbia, which also makes most sense logistically for my SO. But my Synchro Genesis just came in.. FUCK!! No idea what to do.

What makes you think the 172 would preclude you from Columbia, or is it for financial reasons?

Nah I think the 172 will give me a pretty good shot at Columbia since I'm above their GPA median. Now my only motivation to retake in December is a chance at Harvard. I'm below their GPA median though so I don't know if a few LSAT points will be that helpful (I doubt I can get more than a few more points). But you know I've thought about it some more and, esp with the early app not carrying that much of an advantage anymore, i'm just gonna fuck it and go for December.

[Nonconsecutive]

Nah I think the 172 will give me a pretty good shot at Columbia since I'm above their GPA median. Now my only motivation to retake in December is a chance at Harvard. I'm below their GPA median though so I don't know if a few LSAT points will be that helpful (I doubt I can get more than a few more points). But you know I've thought about it some more and, esp with the early app not carrying that much of an advantage anymore, i'm just gonna fuck it and go for December.

Time for some glorious December conquest.

[retaking23]

I've decided to post everything I do for this retake on TLS to keep my efforts honest. (I truly dread having to study again and am wholeheartedly envious of the few, and there are few, who enjoy the studying process.) I appreciate any advice/ words of encouragement you guys have to offer and hope that I can motivate some people along the way .

Today, I took PT 41 for the first time in well over a year. This was the first LSAT material I've seen since I took the October exam (yes, I have not reviewed PT 70-- but I'll get there). Scored a 170, right in line with the average I had going in to October where I stumbled all the way down to 166. Section breakdown:

LR: -4
LG: -2
LR: -5
RC: -1

This is my non blind review score. After blind review, I got a 172. (Note: From now on I'll only post non-blind review scores as I continue on the last leg of this odyssey because as effective as BR is for review we shouldn't use it to gauge anything but our potential. No BR on the real thing.)

Thoughts: ran out of time on games and lost 2 questions. I hate that circle game, it took forever. Disappointed on LR performance. Might start drilling Cambridge again after a few more PTs if I don't start getting -3 or better consistently. LR was made up for by RC, some of the material of which I, unfortunately, still remember. I didn't remember passage structure or details but just a recall of the general content made me all the more relaxed while taking it. One of the disadvantages of having exhausted prep material. Off to review this one more thoroughly.

Will take PT 42 later today. Until then.

[HeavenBeyond]

if you're in school/working, how are you managing your time? especially for those in school, i now finals period is creeping in.

It's difficult. I work from 8-5 M-F. I study from about 6-10 or 6-11 and pretty much try to do six hours a day on the weekends. I envy people who have all the time in the world to just study for this test

Sounds like my life

I wish I had all day to study.

[Louey12]

anyone know of a study group actually meeting in NYC?

[mellow]

What are all the 17X retakers doing to solidify their skills for December?

A better morning routine to wake me up - I'm a night owl and completely useless for a couple hours after waking up. PTs obviously. LSAT Trainer, because if the writer was also behind the Manhattan books that got me to break low 170s and consistently get mid-high 170s, then I can only expect good things from the book.

but mostly focusing on speed. the PTs I got 177-180 on were the ones I had 5+ minutes after sections to check answers. Sometimes I get too caught up on the easier questions because I have the mindset that every point counts and end up running out of time to focus on the harder ones. (Half the questions I got wrong were between LR #1-10 which is just sad ._.)

[yomisterd]

anyone know of a study group actually meeting in NYC?

I, also, would like to know this.

Am in grad school, teaching, and trying to study for a retake. Still wondering if it is worth it...

[dosto]

.

[mehiguess]

trying to study for a retake. Still wondering if it is worth it...

What was your score and what is your GPA, if you don't mind me asking?

I'm curious too. I'm working as a teacher full time, running after-school clubs, and playing in a band. I'm putting in hours in the evening time and living like a zombie.

[Balthy]

Anyone in Houston?

[yomisterd]

trying to study for a retake. Still wondering if it is worth it...

What was your score and what is your GPA, if you don't mind me asking?

170, 3.93 (school = non prestigious. at all.)

[062914123]

.

[dosto]

.

[AquafiNa]

if you're in school/working, how are you managing your time? especially for those in school, i now finals period is creeping in.

I work 8+ hours a day and the way I manage my time is just trying to work on lsat stuff during my break at work then making sure I get at least 2 hours in after work and concentrating on getting as much out of my weekends as possible. I actually think it is a lot easier to study while working rather than during school cause you don't have to worry about other tests/essays/etc distracting you as much.

[Otunga]

I ordered The LSAT Trainer earlier. I think I posted this in the retaker's thread but are you guys that have used Manhattan's approach to LR finding it much different in comparison to Mike Kim's approach? I know he worked for Manhattan in the past, so I wonder if he also emphasizes a core approach. Either way, I'm interested to see how he differs from Manhattan in general.

[Nonconsecutive]

I ordered The LSAT Trainer earlier. I think I posted this in the retaker's thread but are you guys that have used Manhattan's approach to LR finding it much different in comparison to Mike Kim's approach? I know he worked for Manhattan in the past, so I wonder if he also emphasizes a core approach. Either way, I'm interested to see how he differs from Manhattan in general.

I would say the approach is, at its core, fairly similar. However, in my opinion the Trainer is more in-tune with the "human" element of the LR and encourages a bit more fluidity than the Manhattan book.

[yomisterd]

trying to study for a retake. Still wondering if it is worth it...

What was your score and what is your GPA, if you don't mind me asking?

170, 3.93 (school = non prestigious. at all.)

jesus. just a few more points and you're as near a lock at H as it gets. even as is, you have a nonzero chance.

I WILL TAKE A NONZERO CHANCE!