February 2014 LSAT Study Group Forum

[Miracle]

I think with reading comprehension you have to find out what works for you and what doesn't.

I take it you are agreeing with me?

[Miracle]

Also, almost always I'm able to predict the score on my reading comprehension prior to answering questions simply based on how well i understand the passage-what i read. If i skip through, and am like "oh i don't get what he is saying" but somehow ill figure it out when i get to the questions i am guaranteed to waste time by going back and re-reading, and almost always will result in missing 2-3 questions on that particular passage…so, for me i have to go back and re-read the paragraph make sure to understand what is going on, and what importance it plays in relation to the passage. If i accomplish the understanding part, i fly through the questions.

Then again, thats just my method.

[random number]

I think with reading comprehension you have to find out what works for you and what doesn't.

I take it you are agreeing with me?

Yep!

[W$RKliveWELL]

thanks guys appreciate the feedback.

[xylocarp]

So I'm not feeling too stressed right now. A bit anxious, but not even in a bad way. If I could hold into this feeling/mindset until Saturday, I'd be pretty happy. But I feel like I'm going to start freaking out soon.

[zhenders]

finally home

Unfortunately I have not slept yet, so I'm too delirious to read all of your posts. I'll check in tomorrow, friends. Kick ass.

[jmjm]

I think the 2x RC strategy can be very effective, especially for fast readers. The quick read through definitely helps with issues of tone and discerning the author's general position (this helps with the first question and the agree/disagree questions), concepts which are easy to miss if you get bogged down in little details. The second read through is necessary for addressing point-specific questions (usually the 2nd-4th questions).

I've noticed that a quick read, without any pauses, can put one in a great position to answer main point, tone, structure questions effectively. Many high scorers read very quickly. This is very much unlike the 7sage strategy of reading very carefully the first time, taking even up to 5 min, to gain a deep understanding of the passage and then answering questions quickly. I found that for detail questions, esp in the 60s RC, one has to refer back to the details anyway when answering questions. Yet, this back and forth of referring to details leads to a total time spent on the passage far more than what I'd like.

[cloy26]

PT71's LG section just destroyed my score for my last PT before the real thing.

[jmjm]

There's no time to do it again or read whole paragraphs over twice. If I've done a good job with a passage, I rarely if ever have to refer back. I also circle questions I'm really unsure of the first time, but then I go back at the end of that passage's questions instead of at the end of the section like I do for LR.

I've tried a few RC approaches. Initially I used to read slowly but thoroughly but that invariably led to running out of time. 4 minutes to do the first read of the passage was getting to be too slow to finish the section in time. So I've been focusing on trying to read very fast and referring back to the passage when answering questions. The reason is that there are going to be questions in 60s RC that will require one to refer back. In older RC one could do the first read of the passage thoroughly and be reasonably certain that one could fly through the questions. I see that happening less and less often in recent rc. It leads to a relatively large variance and less consistency in my recent rc scores.

Some people suggest that reducing sub vocalization is effective. I'd be interested to know if that could help.
Another suggestion I've heard is to try to do first 2 passages much faster than the rest of the test because they're supposed to be easier but not sure if there is any truth to it.

[xylocarp]

finally home

Unfortunately I have not slept yet, so I'm too delirious to read all of your posts. I'll check in tomorrow, friends. Kick ass.

Welcome back! Are you going to try to use your jet lagged sleep schedule to your benefit for Saturday or are you going to try to get back to a normal schedule?

[zhenders]

finally home

Unfortunately I have not slept yet, so I'm too delirious to read all of your posts. I'll check in tomorrow, friends. Kick ass.

Welcome back! Are you going to try to use your jet lagged sleep schedule to your benefit for Saturday or are you going to try to get back to a normal schedule?

Well, it's the same time zone, I'm just super sleepy I'm going to sleep around 8 tonight for sure -- but I'm not a huge sleeper anyhow, so I figure I'll get 4 or 6 Thursday night and be up by 5 or 5:30

[Miracle]

finally home

Unfortunately I have not slept yet, so I'm too delirious to read all of your posts. I'll check in tomorrow, friends. Kick ass.

Welcome back! Are you going to try to use your jet lagged sleep schedule to your benefit for Saturday or are you going to try to get back to a normal schedule?

Well, it's the same time zone, I'm just super sleepy I'm going to sleep around 8 tonight for sure -- but I'm not a huge sleeper anyhow, so I figure I'll get 4 or 6 Thursday night and be up by 5 or 5:30

Welcome back zhenders!!!!

[random number]

finally home

Unfortunately I have not slept yet, so I'm too delirious to read all of your posts. I'll check in tomorrow, friends. Kick ass.

Welcome back! Glad you had a safe trip.

[Miracle]

There is a winter storm watch going into an effect for my area …8"

[Baby_Got_Feuerbach]

Woah, I'm gone for two days and there are like 10 new pages. Sorry friends but I'm not going to read through all of them

What's new though and how're we all feeling? I'm excited and in the most sincere, "can't wait," way. At the same time, I feel like there's a decent chance I'll re-take in June

[Miracle]

Woah, I'm gone for two days and there are like 10 new pages. Sorry friends but I'm not going to read through all of them

What's new though and how're we all feeling? I'm excited and in the most sincere, "can't wait," way. At the same time, I feel like there's a decent chance I'll re-take in June

I have a snow storm coming my way.

Why are you taking it if you are not there?

[Miracle]

Where is everyone today?

[Baby_Got_Feuerbach]

Woah, I'm gone for two days and there are like 10 new pages. Sorry friends but I'm not going to read through all of them

What's new though and how're we all feeling? I'm excited and in the most sincere, "can't wait," way. At the same time, I feel like there's a decent chance I'll re-take in June

I have a snow storm coming my way.

Why are you taking it if you are not there?

Sorry, what do you mean by "why are you taking it..."?

Snow storm coming my way too but that's nothing new for my part of the country

[Miracle]

Woah, I'm gone for two days and there are like 10 new pages. Sorry friends but I'm not going to read through all of them

What's new though and how're we all feeling? I'm excited and in the most sincere, "can't wait," way. At the same time, I feel like there's a decent chance I'll re-take in June

I have a snow storm coming my way.

Why are you taking it if you are not there?

Sorry, what do you mean by "why are you taking it..."?

Snow storm coming my way too but that's nothing new for my part of the country

You said there is a "decent chance i'll retake in June"...If you don't feel like you are where you would have liked to be why take it? Why not take it in June.

Same with me, but test center might close…thats why I'm saying it.

[Baby_Got_Feuerbach]

Woah, I'm gone for two days and there are like 10 new pages. Sorry friends but I'm not going to read through all of them

What's new though and how're we all feeling? I'm excited and in the most sincere, "can't wait," way. At the same time, I feel like there's a decent chance I'll re-take in June

I have a snow storm coming my way.

Why are you taking it if you are not there?

Sorry, what do you mean by "why are you taking it..."?

Snow storm coming my way too but that's nothing new for my part of the country

You said there is a "decent chance i'll retake in June"...If you don't feel like you are where you would have liked to be why take it? Why not take it in June.

Same with me, but test center might close…thats why I'm saying it.

Oh, that's just some good old fashioned self-doubt, which I'm sure lots of us are feeling right now. Who knows what could happen on Saturday(!). (And also, I feel well-prepared enough not to throw away the $165 by not even taking the test, haha.)

[Miracle]

Ohhh ok. What are you aiming for?

[Baby_Got_Feuerbach]

Ohhh ok. What are you aiming for?

Aiming for a 170 but won't retake with a 167+ Practices have been right in that range, not leaving me much room for test day choking.

[xylocarp]

There's no time to do it again or read whole paragraphs over twice. If I've done a good job with a passage, I rarely if ever have to refer back. I also circle questions I'm really unsure of the first time, but then I go back at the end of that passage's questions instead of at the end of the section like I do for LR.

I've tried a few RC approaches. Initially I used to read slowly but thoroughly but that invariably led to running out of time. 4 minutes to do the first read of the passage was getting to be too slow to finish the section in time. So I've been focusing on trying to read very fast and referring back to the passage when answering questions. The reason is that there are going to be questions in 60s RC that will require one to refer back. In older RC one could do the first read of the passage thoroughly and be reasonably certain that one could fly through the questions. I see that happening less and less often in recent rc. It leads to a relatively large variance and less consistency in my recent rc scores.

Some people suggest that reducing sub vocalization is effective. I'd be interested to know if that could help.
Another suggestion I've heard is to try to do first 2 passages much faster than the rest of the test because they're supposed to be easier but not sure if there is any truth to it.

I agree with what people were saying earlier, that RC is very much about what works for each individual. For me, reading in-depth the first time is a strategy that just sort of naturally developed over time. I haven't tried any other methods, but I haven't had insurmountable difficulties with this one, so I'm sticking with it. Might try something new if I retake.

Minimizing sub-vocalization can definitely help speed-reading, but my understanding is that it takes training and practice (probably more than can be done in the next few days). I have a feeling that if you're just consciously trying to do this in the moment without said practice, you're going to end up wasting your mental energies focusing on that, which could end up being quite counter-productive. That said, I've never even tried it so I really can't say for sure.

[Baby_Got_Feuerbach]

There's no time to do it again or read whole paragraphs over twice. If I've done a good job with a passage, I rarely if ever have to refer back. I also circle questions I'm really unsure of the first time, but then I go back at the end of that passage's questions instead of at the end of the section like I do for LR.

I've tried a few RC approaches. Initially I used to read slowly but thoroughly but that invariably led to running out of time. 4 minutes to do the first read of the passage was getting to be too slow to finish the section in time. So I've been focusing on trying to read very fast and referring back to the passage when answering questions. The reason is that there are going to be questions in 60s RC that will require one to refer back. In older RC one could do the first read of the passage thoroughly and be reasonably certain that one could fly through the questions. I see that happening less and less often in recent rc. It leads to a relatively large variance and less consistency in my recent rc scores.

Some people suggest that reducing sub vocalization is effective. I'd be interested to know if that could help.
Another suggestion I've heard is to try to do first 2 passages much faster than the rest of the test because they're supposed to be easier but not sure if there is any truth to it.

I agree with what people were saying earlier, that RC is very much about what works for each individual. For me, reading in-depth the first time is a strategy that just sort of naturally developed over time. I haven't tried any other methods, but I haven't had insurmountable difficulties with this one, so I'm sticking with it. Might try something new if I retake.

Minimizing sub-vocalization can definitely help speed-reading, but my understanding is that it takes training and practice (probably more than can be done in the next few days). I have a feeling that if you're just consciously trying to do this in the moment without said practice, you're going to end up wasting your mental energies focusing on that, which could end up being quite counter-productive. That said, I've never even tried it so I really can't say for sure.

+1

My approach toward RC is different than xylo's; it is the "who gives a damn about the subject" philosophy. Tough word? IDGAF; this isn't a vocab test (it would be a very flawed exam if the questions asked us about the meanings of obscure words). The only thing on my mind is "why is the author telling me this?" -- "oh, it's because he disagrees with the supposed experts - noted!" At first none of this clicked and it did take some time for this technique to work (read: for me to master RC).

Another point: strict time keeping methods are useless, IME. Don't hate yourself if it takes you 3:30 minutes to read a passage. At the same time though, don't take extra time reading only to understand the fine details. If a question wants to know about details, it will refer back to the line numbers. THAT is when you pick over each word; not in the first read.

[withoutapaddle]

Just completed PT 70

I got a 167

LR 1: -3
RC: -6 (ouch)
LG: -2 (Screwed up on an easy answer in the first game)
LR 2: -4

Idk why but I found the second LR section to have a lot of questions that had multiple answers that seemed correct
It was a very difficult section