The Official June 2014 Study Group Forum

[BaberhamLincoln]

When y'all reference drilling, do you mean doing times sections of one type over and over?

[alexrodriguez]

This girl in the library is slamming on her keyboard. Literally slamming on the letters as she types. It's so fucking annoying. The only reason I'm writing this is to show her how quiet one can type letters on a keyboard without waking up the people in China. Holy shit.

Let me keep going just to show her the quietness of my keyboard.

There once was a story about a man who was sitting in a library. He was typing on his keyboard to prove how one can type quietly on a keyboard.

Holy shit... I think it's working. She has stopped typing. I am a GOD. I am a genius. I am a guy who knows the logic of psychology. HAHAHA she's still slamming the letters on her keyboard.

She is the most annoying girl in the universe. Oh my god.

[dasani13]

When y'all reference drilling, do you mean doing times sections of one type over and over?

Drilling LR typically means doing a bunch of questions of the same type (Flaw, Parallel Reasoning, Strengthen, etc). The best thing to use for this is Cambridge (their packets). I think the consensus is to not rush these but still do them at a realistic pace, prioritizing accuracy because the point is to create the proper habits. You can read the corresponding chapter in the Manhattan, Bible, or Trainer before drilling to learn what these habits should be.

LG drilling, to me, is watching the 7Sage video for games that messed me up during a PT (-2 or more) and re-doing that game about 7 times or until I can finish it before the recommended time without any errors. You shouldn't be doing this until you have a strong understanding of the basics, though.

[10052014]

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[sabzdee]

I just took the free practice test they have on the LSAC site (June 2007):

-8 LG (-0, -2, -3, -3)
-1 LR
-2 LR
-4 RC

Total score is 164. I've gone through the LG bible but I clearly need to practice games. Happy with my LR score as I've only gone 1/3 of the way through the bible. RC is disappointing as I was getting -0 on sections from earlier tests (my lower score could also be due to fatigue). This was my first full PT taken in one sitting with the 7sage app.

[Clyde Frog]

I just took the free practice test they have on the LSAC site (June 2007):

-8 LG (-0, -2, -3, -3)
-1 LR
-2 LR
-4 RC

Total score is 164. I've gone through the LG bible but I clearly need to practice games. Happy with my LR score as I've only gone 1/3 of the way through the bible. RC is disappointing as I was getting -0 on sections from earlier tests (my lower score could also be due to fatigue). This was my first full PT taken in one sitting with the 7sage app.

You're sitting in a very good position if your LR and RC are that strong just on your first PT. I'll bet you missed the majority of your RC points on the Internet copyright passage, which had some tough questions.

[BaberhamLincoln]

Ugh, frustrated.

I am not consistently doing worse in one section than another. So it's hard for me to hone in on one section to improve on...
Of my PT's...
I was worst in LG on the 1st-4th tests I took and then the 9th. I was worst in LR on the 7th, 8th, 10th, and 14th (most recent) tests I took. I was worst in RC on the 6th and 11th-13th tests I took.

How do I focus? I guess its best to focus on LR since there are two sections of that? Or LG since that's the section that the books suggest you "master" (-0)?

[Clyde Frog]

Ugh, frustrated.

I am not consistently doing worse in one section than another. So it's hard for me to hone in on one section to improve on...
Of my PT's...
I was worst in LG on the 1st-4th tests I took and then the 9th. I was worst in LR on the 7th, 8th, 10th, and 14th (most recent) tests I took. I was worst in RC on the 6th and 11th-13th tests I took.

How do I focus? I guess its best to focus on LR since there are two sections of that? Or LG since that's the section that the books suggest you "master" (-0)?

Stop flying through PTs until you have a solid understanding of the material. This means sitting down and slowly going through Cambridge LR, RC, and LG. It would be helpful to get a notebook and write out the best way for you to solve each and every question type.

For example, LR flaw questions, you first find the conclusion and then identify the support for it. You'll notice a gap in the logic of the argument, thus you'll have a good indication of what the answer will be. Apply this method to the flaw problems in the Cambridge book over and over so that it comes without hesitation.

For LG questions, make sure you can properly diagram any question type within 2-2.5 minutes.

For RC, make sure you can identify what the big picture is. What the author is trying to get across, ect. A big mistake people make it reading each sentence and thinking they have to remember this or they're screwed, which leads them to not getting a good understand of what the big picture is.

[agalfano]

Took a practice test on Wednesday and wasn't crazy happy about it, mostly because my one LR section was -8! But I had a good blind review session and turned that into a -1. I feel that I am rushing a lot during LR when I don't necessarily have to. I read in Manhattan that it is better for you to read carefully and understand everything the first time rather than rushing through the material because of time. Essentially, if you read slowly, and understand the first time, you won't waste countless time re-reading and referring back to the stimulus. I just need to keep this in mind for my next PT and for my drilling! Hopefully this knowledge can help my scores!

[arhoogie]

Do you guys think 7sage's memory method works well? Or maybe you have a better method? RC is my worst section so I'm trying to test different methods out. Thanks!

[santoki]

Took PT49 today:

LG: -1 (-0) got needlessly tripped up on game 3 for some reason, but was able to finish game 4 in around 3-4 minutes
LR1: -4 (-2)
RC: -2 this section wasn't that bad but I'm assuming it's because its an earlier PT and RC gets noticeably harder?
LR2: -5 ouch...

Score: 168

Took this PT and felt somewhat good about it but while I had been previously able to complete the first 15 LR questions in around 15-16 minutes in previous PTs, when I checked the time after the first 15 on both sections this time I was sitting at around 17-18 minutes. It led to some later panic and skipping one question that I couldn't even begin to solve in each section. I've never skipped any before...I'm guessing and hoping that this is a result of me drilling LR and taking more time to solve questions because I'm trying to go through processes that I've made for myself for specific question types. Hopefully this will speed up going forward.

Overall somewhat unhappy because of my LR scores, but my LG seems to be up to par and RC seems to be improving as well. I really need to get down to -2 or -3 per LR section!

Lastly, could someone please provide a clear explanation for Section 4, Question 16 "There is a difference between beauty and truth"? I looked it up on MLSAT but it still is unclear. These questions where the conclusions aren't conditionals but just statements trip me up for some reason. Thank you!

[Clyde Frog]

Took PT49 today:

LG: -1 (-0) got needlessly tripped up on game 3 for some reason, but was able to finish game 4 in around 3-4 minutes
LR1: -4 (-2)
RC: -2 this section wasn't that bad but I'm assuming it's because its an earlier PT and RC gets noticeably harder?
LR2: -5 ouch...

Score: 168

Took this PT and felt somewhat good about it but while I had been previously able to complete the first 15 LR questions in around 15-16 minutes in previous PTs, when I checked the time after the first 15 on both sections this time I was sitting at around 17-18 minutes. It led to some later panic and skipping one question that I couldn't even begin to solve in each section. I've never skipped any before...I'm guessing and hoping that this is a result of me drilling LR and taking more time to solve questions because I'm trying to go through processes that I've made for myself for specific question types. Hopefully this will speed up going forward.

Overall somewhat unhappy because of my LR scores, but my LG seems to be up to par and RC seems to be improving as well. I really need to get down to -2 or -3 per LR section!

Lastly, could someone please provide a clear explanation for Section 4, Question 16 "There is a difference between beauty and truth"? I looked it up on MLSAT but it still is unclear. These questions where the conclusions aren't conditionals but just statements trip me up for some reason. Thank you!

Okay lets see if this will clear things up for you.

This is a necessary assumption question, so we're looking for the gap in the logic first, and then identifying what's needed to keep the argument valid, thus if removed the argument would fall apart. This is not to be confused with sufficient assumption questions where we have to make the logic airtight.

The Support - "if there were no difference, then the most realistic pieces of art would be the best as well, since the most realistic pieces are the most truthful."

Additional Support - "Many of the most realistic artworks are not among the best."

The conclusion of the question is "There is a difference between beauty and truth."


What's wrong with this argument? Well for one lets say that the most beautiful artworks are not the best either, then wouldn't that hurt the conclusion that there is a difference between them?

(A) Addresses this gap in the argument. Negate the answer and it would say "The most beautiful artworks are not the best artworks," which is exactly what we're looking for.



The most important part of this question is this statement "if there were no difference, then the most realistic pieces of art would be the best as well, since the most realistic pieces are the most truthful."


It implies that beautiful art work is the best and that truthful art work is not the best.

Hence, "would be the best as well"

[10052014]

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[jk148706]

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[alexrodriguez]

55 days.

This thread is dead for some reason.

I don't think it's dead. I think everyone is hard at work.

Isn't it 56 days?

[jk148706]

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[alexrodriguez]

Just hanging in there.

Just reviewed RC from 39 and will do RC review for 40 soon.

About to do some Level 3 and 4 weaken questions and level 3 and 4 flaw questions.

Got some In and Out games that I'm going to look at today as well.

I'll probably do PT 41 untimed today just to get an idea of where I am at.

If I score a 165 plus I'll have some verification that I've made progress in recent days.

How about you? Kind of jealous of your scores. Hopefully I can make it there within these next two months.

[jk148706]

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[alexrodriguez]

June is the test for me. My situation is perfect right now, and if I can't pull it off under perfect conditions (not working and going to a library for 7-8 hours a day) I'm surely not going to pull it off when the money runs out and I need to start working again.

[MtnGinger]

I think it's time to refocus. I was doing -0 LG and -2-3 each LR but was doing -7-9 on RC. I just spent a week focusing on RC and got to -3-4 but I took PT57 yesterday and did -9LG!!!What?! I did not expect to forget that easy. How are you guys focusing without losing other sections?

[jk148706]

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[tfinndogm]

it is 56 days. I have a full-on count down on my desk calendar at work so every knows I'm a NERRRRD.

About to reapproach the LR section of PT70. crushed the RC and LG, but LR killed me. wtf. at least I know that is a section I can actually focus on.

[santoki]

55 days.

This thread is dead for some reason.

guess the weather's just too nice these days

[MtnGinger]

I think it's time to refocus. I was doing -0 LG and -2-3 each LR but was doing -7-9 on RC. I just spent a week focusing on RC and got to -3-4 but I took PT57 yesterday and did -9LG!!!What?! I did not expect to forget that easy. How are you guys focusing without losing other sections?

Just so you know, 57 had notoriously difficult games. The Mauve Dino game is one of the hardest to ever appear on the lsat

Good to know now I don't feel as bad. But I'm definitely feeling the time crunch and it is fighting with all this nice weather for my attention.

[dardardelight]

I neglected LSAT studying for the last week because a friend was visiting / I had so much grad school nonsense research papers due. Hopefully this is one of those cases where a slight break in action clears your mind and you come back stronger. We'll see during my PT tomorrow morning

But yes, the weather is also to blame. May is even going to be tougher to focus !