The Official June 2015 Study Group Forum

[a_parm]

Might not get the time to take PT A this weekend. So i might take it today.

[prestont123]

Where's everyone from?

New Orleans, still deciding if I should go out of the state for ls

[OhBoyOhBortles]

Checking in.

[179orBust]

Anyone have any suggestions on how to speed up RC? My accuracy is pretty high, but I really struggle with timing. Takes me around 10 minutes to finish a passage with the questions. I can answer main point and other general questions pertaining to the passage very quickly, however, it's the detail/inference questions that are killing me with timing. I often have to look back at the passage to get the answer, and when I try speeding up and going with my gut I often overlook something. This is really aggravating, any help from RC experts would be greatly appreciated. Typically go -4 to -6 in RC section, with the occasional -2,-3. During BR I'm often able to go -0,-1. I'm just starting to get the feeling that I'll never be able to finish the passage on time + miss very few questions.

[RZ5646]

any help from RC experts would be greatly appreciated.

Practice reading faster. Get some book and just try to read it as fast as you can, and minimize subvocalization (though I don't try to eliminate subvocalization on RC because it helps comprehension). I think many of us RC "naturals" are humanities majors who are used to skimming through hundreds of pages on a regular basis and thus quick readers.

Guys, I have a dilemma about what to do this summer. I have two good but mutually exclusive options. The first option is a public interest internship (with public defender). The other one is paid independent research, which would probably lead to some sort of academic honors that would look cool on a resume but are likely irrelevant to my longterm goals (no interest in grad school). Money will be basically the same either way. What should I do? Right now I'm leaning towards the internship just because I have zero legal experience, and that will make "why law?" an awkward question in interviews.

[The Abyss]

any help from RC experts would be greatly appreciated.

Practice reading faster. Get some book and just try to read it as fast as you can, and minimize subvocalization (though I don't try to eliminate subvocalization on RC because it helps comprehension). I think many of us RC "naturals" are humanities majors who are used to skimming through hundreds of pages on a regular basis and thus quick readers.

Guys, I have a dilemma about what to do this summer. I have two good but mutually exclusive options. The first option is a public interest internship (with public defender). The other one is paid independent research, which would probably lead to some sort of academic honors that would look cool on a resume but are likely irrelevant to my longterm goals (no interest in grad school). Money will be basically the same either way. What should I do? Right now I'm leaning towards the internship just because I have zero legal experience, and that will make "why law?" an awkward question in interviews.

I'd go with the public interest internship. It will at the very least give you a glimpse into the life of a lawyer and could be a good LOR.

[20170322]

So, here's my plan, please critique;

In order to lower my fluctuations (165-175 range) I'm going to drill RC and LG daily, followed by one PT, BR'ed, once per week (sans one week in April). Up the PT frequency in May when classes end. When I go abroad (last week of May), lower the frequency again to some light drilling and a PT every weekend.

Sound good?

[RZ5646]

So, here's my plan, please critique;

In order to lower my fluctuations (165-175 range) I'm going to drill RC and LG daily, followed by one PT, BR'ed, once per week (sans one week in April). Up the PT frequency in May when classes end. When I go abroad (last week of May), lower the frequency again to some light drilling and a PT every weekend.

Sound good?

I'm going to try to do 2 per week because my goal is to see as many tests as possible. Really 3 per week would be best but I don't have the time right now.

[a_parm]

Took PT A today. Scored it but haven't gotten the time to BR yet (scored with 7sage, dont remember which are wrong). I will be BRing this weekend. However, is there any disadvantage to BRing the whole entire exam vs. Just circled questions?

[RZ5646]

is there any disadvantage to BRing the whole entire exam vs. Just circled questions?

It would take an enormous amount of time and be extremely boring. It's probably helpful to review easy questions too but I'd rather hit my head against a brick wall a hundred times (essentially the same thing but somewhat less boring).

I'm going to do A tomorrow. I'll probably bomb it and be too embarrassed to tell you guys my score, but I will in fact take it.

[a_parm]

I'm going to do A tomorrow. I'll probably bomb it and be too embarrassed to tell you guys my score, but I will in fact take it.

You have been working really hard... i doubt it.

[RZ5646]

I'm going to do A tomorrow. I'll probably bomb it and be too embarrassed to tell you guys my score, but I will in fact take it.

You have been working really hard... i doubt it.

I was and then I started slacking off (school gave me an excuse). The only thing I did this entire month was read Manhattan LR.

But it's whatever. One of two things will happen tomorrow:

1. I bomb it and this scares me into studying diligently for the remaining 3 months.
2. I do well.

By the rule of dilemma, I am guaranteed a good outcome.

[pianoman4]

Is everyone doing preptests under timed conditions yet? I'm doing them untimed and just recording how long I take. But I haven't been keeping myself to the 35 minutes per section.

[JackelJ]

Is everyone doing preptests under timed conditions yet? I'm doing them untimed and just recording how long I take. But I haven't been keeping myself to the 35 minutes per section.

IMO you should be doing PTs under strict timed conditions and untimed drilling

[RZ5646]

That seething rage when you sign up for Netflix specifically to watch HoC and it says this

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Display Error

There appears to be a display problem. Please ensure your monitor is HDCP compliant and is not mirrored using Airplay.

I agree with Jackel: Doing untimed PTs isn't really doing PTs at all. It's just mixed drilling, and type drilling is superior.

[NonTradLawHopeful]

Took PT A today. Scored it but haven't gotten the time to BR yet (scored with 7sage, dont remember which are wrong). I will be BRing this weekend. However, is there any disadvantage to BRing the whole entire exam vs. Just circled questions?

I BR every question. It is brutal, but I hated missing questions that I hadn't circled during the timed test.

[jetsfan1]

Just did PT 45, and hit my lowest acceptable (but still not goal) score on the real thing. Pretty freaking pumped right now haha. Was a 4 point jump from the last PT I took two weeks ago. Taking the rest of the day off but then back to drilling hard tomorrow to keep improving.

ETA: Still was only 4 sections without pencil or an answer sheet (can't get those until mid March, and don't want to waste other PT sections for an experimental when its not real conditions). Still though, I'll take it.

[RZ5646]

without pencil or an answer sheet (can't get those until mid March

The free June 2007 test includes a bubble sheet you can make copies of, and I'm sure there are pencils where you live.

[Shakawkaw]

I haven't been hanging out in TT that much, but have been reading over the past few pages. OP, your advice is ridiculous.

Practice reading faster. Get some book and just try to read it as fast as you can, and minimize subvocalization (though I don't try to eliminate subvocalization on RC because it helps comprehension). I think many of us RC "naturals" are humanities majors who are used to skimming through hundreds of pages on a regular basis and thus quick readers.

Reading faster - and doing anything "faster" - on the LOLSAT is not conducive to seeing gains. Your speed increasing should only be a result of an increase in accuracy (which comes with untimed drilling and breaking questions apart). Just advising that someone read faster just doesn't work. A lot of top scorers actually spend more time upfront with passages, absorbing the inherent structure of the passages and then hitting the questions. The LSAT is a test that rewards pattern recognition. Drilling RC, untimed, and going through the motions of deconstructing passages and seeing how the arguments and support break down will help much more than just drilling RC passages as fast as you can. The speed comes later. You have to establish the skills first.

is there any disadvantage to BRing the whole entire exam vs. Just circled questions?

It would take an enormous amount of time and be extremely boring.

Seriously? No, no short cuts. You can skip the BR once you've taken a PT more than once. BR is the most important part of a PT, because it allows you to go through the questions and break them down. Spoiler alert: the patterns and structure inherent to question types haven't changed. LOLSAC hasn't reinvented the wheel here. I would also suggest not grading it beforehand, because that will make you feel lazy about BR. Go into BR thinking you got every question wrong, and really internalize the structure of each question type.

I'm going to try to do 2 per week because my goal is to see as many tests as possible. Really 3 per week would be best but I don't have the time right now.

There are now 99 days until the June LOLSAT. PT 1-38 should be used for drilling. PT 39-51 should be used for timed sections. That leaves 23 full PTs. If you take 2 tests a week, starting from March 7th, you will have done all of the PTs by May 23rd. Two per week, with extensive BR, should be what you're aiming for. The remaining few weeks can be used to retake tests you didn't do so well on. Use the weekends for PTs and BR, and use the weekdays for drilling and conditioning. Don't take shortcuts.

[20170322]

Doing another PT today. Even if I can just split the difference between 175 and 165 and hit 170, I'll be happy. I just can't go back to the 160's.

[The Abyss]

I'm going to try to do 2 per week because my goal is to see as many tests as possible. Really 3 per week would be best but I don't have the time right now.

There are now 99 days until the June LOLSAT. PT 1-38 should be used for drilling. PT 39-51 should be used for timed sections. That leaves 23 full PTs. If you take 2 tests a week, starting from March 7th, you will have done all of the PTs by May 23rd. Two per week, with extensive BR, should be what you're aiming for. The remaining few weeks can be used to retake tests you didn't do so well on. Use the weekends for PTs and BR, and use the weekdays for drilling and conditioning. Don't take shortcuts.

It leaves 26 PTs (Superpreps).

Also, why use so many PTs for timed sections? I'm not criticizing, just wondering how you came to that amount. I'm always looking to improve my studying and I haven't really planned on using many PTs for timed sections.

[RZ5646]

Shak are you a Rigo alt?

[NonTradLawHopeful]

I haven't been hanging out in TT that much, but have been reading over the past few pages. OP, your advice is ridiculous.

Practice reading faster. Get some book and just try to read it as fast as you can, and minimize subvocalization (though I don't try to eliminate subvocalization on RC because it helps comprehension). I think many of us RC "naturals" are humanities majors who are used to skimming through hundreds of pages on a regular basis and thus quick readers.

Reading faster - and doing anything "faster" - on the LOLSAT is not conducive to seeing gains. Your speed increasing should only be a result of an increase in accuracy (which comes with untimed drilling and breaking questions apart). Just advising that someone read faster just doesn't work. A lot of top scorers actually spend more time upfront with passages, absorbing the inherent structure of the passages and then hitting the questions. The LSAT is a test that rewards pattern recognition. Drilling RC, untimed, and going through the motions of deconstructing passages and seeing how the arguments and support break down will help much more than just drilling RC passages as fast as you can. The speed comes later. You have to establish the skills first.

is there any disadvantage to BRing the whole entire exam vs. Just circled questions?

It would take an enormous amount of time and be extremely boring.

Seriously? No, no short cuts. You can skip the BR once you've taken a PT more than once. BR is the most important part of a PT, because it allows you to go through the questions and break them down. Spoiler alert: the patterns and structure inherent to question types haven't changed. LOLSAC hasn't reinvented the wheel here. I would also suggest not grading it beforehand, because that will make you feel lazy about BR. Go into BR thinking you got every question wrong, and really internalize the structure of each question type.

I'm going to try to do 2 per week because my goal is to see as many tests as possible. Really 3 per week would be best but I don't have the time right now.

There are now 99 days until the June LOLSAT. PT 1-38 should be used for drilling. PT 39-51 should be used for timed sections. That leaves 23 full PTs. If you take 2 tests a week, starting from March 7th, you will have done all of the PTs by May 23rd. Two per week, with extensive BR, should be what you're aiming for. The remaining few weeks can be used to retake tests you didn't do so well on. Use the weekends for PTs and BR, and use the weekdays for drilling and conditioning. Don't take shortcuts.

Everyone learns differently. RZ could be retaking previous PTs more often, which is where the extra each week comes from. No need to put people on blast just because they don't study exactly like you.

I'm more in favor of fewer PTs personally, because they are more of just benchmarks. The drilling and BR is where people tend to improve their score. Everyone needs to figure out their own strengths and weaknesses in their study plan and adjust accordingly to maximize their own potential.

[RZ5646]

Everyone learns differently. RZ could be retaking previous PTs more often, which is where the extra each week comes from. No need to put people on blast just because they don't study exactly like you.

Thanks. My advice was hardly "ridiculous." The dude said his accuracy was high but he could only finish 3 passages in the time limit... going faster would help, or maybe that's just me? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Most people can read much faster than they think they can without hurting their comprehension.

[NL2424]

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