The Official October 2015 Study Group Forum

HMinAZ · Post by **HMinAZ** » Sat May 16, 2015 2:55 pm

Thanks for the info. I ended up buying Blueprint. We'll see how it goes.

pixiegal · Post by **pixiegal** » Sat May 16, 2015 4:37 pm

I'm planning to self-study. Should I buy secondhand books or new books? I'm debating if I want to get Powerscore 2013 edition bibles at a cheaper price or just buy the new 2015 edition. Anyone have any ideas?

GomuGomuKinsa · Post by **GomuGomuKinsa** » Sat May 16, 2015 11:39 pm

Checking in! I took PT 47 the other day and got a 167. Aiming for a 180.

GomuGomuKinsa · Post by **GomuGomuKinsa** » Sat May 16, 2015 11:51 pm

pixiegal wrote:I'm planning to self-study. Should I buy secondhand books or new books? I'm debating if I want to get Powerscore 2013 edition bibles at a cheaper price or just buy the new 2015 edition. Anyone have any ideas?

I have the older Powerscore edition (2012). They work great for me. I used them for the basics and would occasionally refer back to them but I made most of my gains by taking timed preptests. Hopefully someone in our group has the 2015 edition and can shed light but I think you will be fine with the 2013 edition.

arkgawilson · Post by **arkgawilson** » Sun May 17, 2015 4:10 am

appind wrote:October/Dec 2015 registration is now open

anyone find that various test centers are missing?

Santa Clara university has been a regular test center for Oct/Dec/Feb administrations but it ain't on the list.

I found the same thing, but figured it was just me because I have a fee waiver and I registered for both the October and December LSAT at the same time.

appind · Post by **appind** » Sun May 17, 2015 10:29 am

arkgawilson wrote:
appind wrote:October/Dec 2015 registration is now open

anyone find that various test centers are missing?

Santa Clara university has been a regular test center for Oct/Dec/Feb administrations but it ain't on the list.

I found the same thing, but figured it was just me because I have a fee waiver and I registered for both the October and December LSAT at the same time.

for santa clara university? if not, anyone in SF south bay facing the same issue?

there is no test center anymore in south bay including san jose for any lsat administration.

BlindGuyMcSqueezy · Post by **BlindGuyMcSqueezy** » Sun May 17, 2015 10:44 am

Jeffort wrote:

The smaller amount of regular test centers for this testing year is probably due at least in part to the significant declines in the volume of test takers that's been occurring over the last 4-5 years. I'm guessing a bit, but LSAC probably cut out some test centers this cycle in geographic areas that showed the most significant declines in test taker volume/registrant demand over the last year or two or more. You are correct that historically LSAC hasn't commonly or frequently changed/rotated which test centers they regularly use/list as regular test centers from year to year.

Having fewer regular test centers this cycle compared to previous cycles would be a common sense LSAC reaction to adapt to what they're calling 'The new normal' regarding the lower test taker volume/demand to take the test and the corresponding decline in volume of LS applicants.

appind · Post by **appind** » Sun May 17, 2015 2:30 pm

bgoldgrab wrote:
Jeffort wrote:

The smaller amount of regular test centers for this testing year is probably due at least in part to the significant declines in the volume of test takers that's been occurring over the last 4-5 years. I'm guessing a bit, but LSAC probably cut out some test centers this cycle in geographic areas that showed the most significant declines in test taker volume/registrant demand over the last year or two or more. You are correct that historically LSAC hasn't commonly or frequently changed/rotated which test centers they regularly use/list as regular test centers from year to year.

Having fewer regular test centers this cycle compared to previous cycles would be a common sense LSAC reaction to adapt to what they're calling 'The new normal' regarding the lower test taker volume/demand to take the test and the corresponding decline in volume of LS applicants.

i was the op. this seems a super long-winded and pretentious way of saying centers probably closed due to less takers.

BlindGuyMcSqueezy · Post by **BlindGuyMcSqueezy** » Sun May 17, 2015 2:45 pm

appind wrote: i was the op.

I realized, I was just quoting it here bec others here were also wondering.

appind wrote: this seems a super long-winded and pretentious way of saying centers probably closed due to less takers.

Yeah, you're right about that.

Jeffort · Post by **Jeffort** » Sun May 17, 2015 5:46 pm

bgoldgrab wrote:
appind wrote: i was the op.
I realized, I was just quoting it here bec others here were also wondering.
appind wrote: this seems a super long-winded and pretentious way of saying centers probably closed due to less takers.

Yeah, you're right about that.

Hey guys, my intent was just to give a thorough answer to the question especially since a previous poster in that thread incorrectly stated that LSAC commonly rotates/changes which test centers they list/use as regular test centers from year to year. I have no pretentious intent, I'm just trying to be helpful and post reliable info for students prepping for the test based on my knowledge and experience I've gained from being an LSAT teacher and tutor for the last 14 years. No ego issues involved, I regularly post LSAT info and advice here in my spare time pro bono because I enjoy helping people prep for the test.

Yes, many (ok most) of my posts are long, but that's just because I like to be clear and provide thorough answers and explanations and facts I've learned/observed over the years I've been an LSAT teacher/tutor.

RE: The SF South Bay area. It appears that that is an area where there's been a significant decline in test takers/registrant demand. Last year LSAC had fewer test center options in that area than they had in previous years and there were a number of threads here last year about this same issue.

Anyway, I'm just trying to helpful, sorry if my posts seem long winded or pretentious.

BlindGuyMcSqueezy · Post by **BlindGuyMcSqueezy** » Sun May 17, 2015 6:03 pm

You didn't really help your case with that post.

Jeffort · Post by **Jeffort** » Sun May 17, 2015 6:17 pm

bgoldgrab wrote:You didn't really help your case with that post.

lol

I guess my post history here will just have to speak for itself in terms of my intentions behind posting free detailed answers and advice to questions people ask. If there was an 'I'm humble' font I could post with, I'd use it but there isn't.

BlindGuyMcSqueezy · Post by **BlindGuyMcSqueezy** » Sun May 17, 2015 6:25 pm

Jeffort wrote: I guess my post history here will just have to speak for itself in terms of my intentions behind posting free detailed answers and advice to questions people ask. If there was an 'I'm humble' font I could post with, I'd use it but there isn't.

It's ok, I believe you.

lebeaudiable · Post by **lebeaudiable** » Sun May 17, 2015 8:55 pm

I just finished signing up for my third LSAT. Mid 170s or die trying. 138 days and counting.

SirArthurDayne · Post by **SirArthurDayne** » Sun May 17, 2015 9:23 pm

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lebeaudiable · Post by **lebeaudiable** » Sun May 17, 2015 9:27 pm

SirArthurDayne wrote:I've been working on LR and RC the past two months, and I'm going to start LGs tomorrow. Any tips before I jump in. I'm working with The Trainer as i found it to be extremely useful for LR and RC. I also have the MLSAT LGs book and pretty much every single LG. How are you guys drilling, especially those of you who are using the trainer. I understand The Trainer doesn't categorize the games like other companies.

Any information that you would recommend would be great!

I guess this is my intro into the group. Let's do this guys!

7Sage for LG all the way. Check into his method for going perfect on games.

dis75ney · Post by **dis75ney** » Sun May 17, 2015 9:31 pm

Checking in!

Question: I am currently working full time, and come August I will be attending school full time as well (I need to get a certification for work purposes). Any ideas/thoughts/suggestions on how I should go about studying for the LSAT? I plan on taking a diagnositc test this upcoming weekend...

Thanks in advance for your help!

pittsburghpirates · Post by **pittsburghpirates** » Sun May 17, 2015 9:50 pm

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BlindGuyMcSqueezy · Post by **BlindGuyMcSqueezy** » Sun May 17, 2015 10:23 pm

pittsburghpirates wrote:RC is the section that gave me some difficulty the first go around (-8)... So that's where I am hoping to make some serious strides this time around. Any suggestions on resources for getting better at the section? I've got the Trainer and the PS RC Bible, but wasn't sure about if anything else was worth taking a look at...

Reading in general helps, in particular pieces written in that long boring style, like The Economist.

Jeffort · Post by **Jeffort** » Sun May 17, 2015 10:30 pm

pittsburghpirates wrote:RC is the section that gave me some difficulty the first go around (-8)... So that's where I am hoping to make some serious strides this time around. Any suggestions on resources for getting better at the section? I've got the Trainer and the PS RC Bible, but wasn't sure about if anything else was worth taking a look at...

This LSAC article about the specifications they used to design the RC section and different RC question types is very insightful. It discusses the various different reading and analysis skills the different RC question types are designed to test, breaks down the hierarchy of difficulty of the question types and skills being tested, etc.

It's not written to be an RC prep guide but is extremely insightful about which reading skills the RC question types are designed to test/measure so that you can adapt your passage reading and analysis focus and priorities to better match with the types of things the questions focus on rather than heavily focusing on trying to memorize everything explicitly stated in RC passages.

http://www.testpublishers.org/assets/do ... l%2013.pdf

PatriotP74 · Post by **PatriotP74** » Mon May 18, 2015 1:13 am

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no exit · Post by **no exit** » Mon May 18, 2015 3:52 pm

Checking in and first post. What a beautiful moment.

Took a cold, timed diagnostic last week, scored a 161. Considering it was my first time taking an LSAT I'm pretty pleased with the result, but I'm honestly not sure where this puts me 4 months out from the test. I just bought the 3 PS Bibles and 20 Preptests to kick off my studying. Is low to mid 170s a reasonable goal for October?

i_wish_i_was_smart · Post by **i_wish_i_was_smart** » Tue May 19, 2015 4:31 am

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SirArthurDayne · Post by **SirArthurDayne** » Tue May 19, 2015 9:50 am

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Christine (MLSAT) · Post by **Christine (MLSAT)** » Tue May 19, 2015 10:27 am

i_wish_i_was_smart wrote: I bought LR by type (1-38) from Cambridge today. The weirdest thing for me is that I get worse on LR after reading through Manhattan LR. I try their drills at the end of each chapter and I miss 2-3 out of 15. When I do LR sections out of practice tests, I sometimes miss -2 combined! . On some sections I get -0! (This is all untimed but I've timed myself before and it isn't really a problem for me). I think I just have trouble learning from other people. Not sure. I figure I still lack understanding if I'm missing that many questions so drilling looks like the best course of action.

That's kind of a weird breakdown, since the LR questions at the end of those chapters aren't harder than a typical LR section (as a group), but I have seen this before - did you have a pretty high LR diagnostic?

A lot of times when people have fairly good unconscious gut instincts on LR, starting to study actually breaks them DOWN before building them up. Happened to me ages and ages ago when I was studying for my own LSAT. My first PT I only missed a few LR, but I wanted to go -0. As I started to really break down why arguments worked this way or that, I had to let go of the 'just doing it by instinct' thing, and started missing more questions - super demoralizing. But the ability to consciously articulate why an argument works a particular way is going to be the thing that does allow you to improve to (potentially) -0.

It's sort of like taking apart a clock to fix a few of the gears - while you are in the midst of taking it apart, the clock doesn't work very well at all