February 2012 LSAT Study Group Forum

[LSAT Blog]

PT 61 on 11/6= 161
PT 64 on 11/9= 168

Good job man!!!

And @nailsat, Ive heard really good things about that book, I bought the kaplan mastery practice book and it divides the logical reasoning section by question type and difficulty. It also has logic games and reading comp sections tho..

Congrats, willwash - that's a huge leap! What do you think led to the increase?

@nailsat - it's important that you identify what exactly is giving you difficulty in LR. Is it a particular question-type, or is it a wide variety of question-types? Either way, it's crucial to have a strategy for each question-type ingrained before you start drilling a bunch of questions, or else you won't be maximizing the benefit of all that studying.

To be honest, I think it's just knocking the rust off, plus a little luck. I was preparing diligently for the LSAT and had gotten my PTs up to about the high 160s average during my undergrad, but (see above post) I haven't focused much on law school as a goal for several years, so that 161 was almost like an initial diagnostic (my "real" first ever, initial diagnostic test was a 155 as a freshman in college), which, of course, I reviewed ad nauseum.

My weakest section is LG, as seems to be the case for most of us. If I miss more than 2 or 3 per LR or RC I start getting pretty pissed. I average -4 to -6 on games, however. I actually take this as a good thing. I'd rather be weak on games and strong in the sections where two answers can be objectively correct. I'm a former competitive minesweeper and sudoku player, so I really thrive on solving logical puzzles swiftly, but where that bites you in the ass is that, in both minesweeper and sudoku, once you "crack" how the game works, it's just a matter of repetition. I actually play my best minesweeper when I've got MP3s blaring and my mind is drifting to subjects like sex, the meaning of life, and the role of slavery in formulating Thomas Jefferson's perspective on human liberty. It's literally played in the sub-cortex area of my brain. LSAT LGs are not like that. Every single game has a new way to keep you on your toes. You can never "autopilot" a great LG, or if you can, I have yet to reach that point.

Got a real kick out of this. (Potential sentence for inclusion in your personal statement?)

Although no two LGs are completely identical, many are remarkably similar to each other, and there are certain techniques that will apply to many different games. Once you start seeing these similarities, you'll be much closer to mastering this section.

[outlookingin]

Checking in too! Looking to score mid 170s to well 180 would be nice

Been a lurker on ths site longer then I would ever admit...

I have a good amount of time to study but its difficult. I am in the Peace Corps andwork Mon-Sat 7am-Noon (which btw if people are interested in joining this is a oddly set agenda for PC usually your schedule is way more lax). I will have even more free time when schoolsget out for summer vaca in Dec. Hard to stay motivated sometimes when its so hot outside with no airconditioning and living in a concrete box. Last week a goat walked into my house while i was in the bathroom and ate the games I was working on.

I feel your concrete box pain, except mine is freezing cold. I'm with my girlfriend while she does her Fulbright ETA in a formerly-socialist nutjob of a country. The library I study at has some petty great "regulars," including this old dude who normally sits in front of me transcribing old newspaper classifieds sections into a notebook. He smells like he sleeps inside of a moldy, moist foam mattress.

Whether ironically or not, I am a regular now too. He probably thinks I'm crazy. Oh well--LSAT for life!

[outlookingin]

In for Feb-

Dec 2010-141
Oct 2011- 149

Long ways to go.I am ready for the drill..
Is it possible to still apply for fall 2012 with feb score?

It is my understanding that while it i possible to apply because of rolling admissions that applying late cause your chances of being accepted to go down cause school have already made many of their offers

If it wouldnt change yur plans too much I would wait to apply next cycle especially to give you the maximum push at any reach schools you may have by applying early next cycle

Yeah maybe this is a N00b question or whatever, by why does it seem like so few people take the test in February vs. December? Either test is already too late for the most recent cycle, right?

[Gisney]

Checking in too! Looking to score mid 170s to well 180 would be nice

Been a lurker on ths site longer then I would ever admit...

I have a good amount of time to study but its difficult. I am in the Peace Corps andwork Mon-Sat 7am-Noon (which btw if people are interested in joining this is a oddly set agenda for PC usually your schedule is way more lax). I will have even more free time when schoolsget out for summer vaca in Dec. Hard to stay motivated sometimes when its so hot outside with no airconditioning and living in a concrete box. Last week a goat walked into my house while i was in the bathroom and ate the games I was working on.

I feel your concrete box pain, except mine is freezing cold. I'm with my girlfriend while she does her Fulbright ETA in a formerly-socialist nutjob of a country. The library I study at has some petty great "regulars," including this old dude who normally sits in front of me transcribing old newspaper classifieds sections into a notebook. He smells like he sleeps inside of a moldy, moist foam mattress.

Whether ironically or not, I am a regular now too. He probably thinks I'm crazy. Oh well--LSAT for life!

Id kil for a library even a smelly patron one. Only having my house to study in is hard fr focus and motivation.

[Gisney]

In for Feb-

Dec 2010-141
Oct 2011- 149

Long ways to go.I am ready for the drill..
Is it possible to still apply for fall 2012 with feb score?

It is my understanding that while it i possible to apply because of rolling admissions that applying late cause your chances of being accepted to go down cause school have already made many of their offers

If it wouldnt change yur plans too much I would wait to apply next cycle especially to give you the maximum push at any reach schools you may have by applying early next cycle

Yeah maybe this is a N00b question or whatever, by why does it seem like so few people take the test in February vs. December? Either test is already too late for the most recent cycle, right?

I am not sure Dec is too late in somes cases. By creepy lurking on here, it seems a lotof people who take in Dec already have all their app material in and are just on hold for their new Dec Lsat score. I tink the Dec test really depends on what schools you are interested in and also how competitive your numbers are for thoe schools. But in any case your chances of getting in wont be as high if you had applied early.

[thenerd]

In for Feb-

Dec 2010-141
Oct 2011- 149

Long ways to go.I am ready for the drill..
Is it possible to still apply for fall 2012 with feb score?

It is my understanding that while it i possible to apply because of rolling admissions that applying late cause your chances of being accepted to go down cause school have already made many of their offers

If it wouldnt change yur plans too much I would wait to apply next cycle especially to give you the maximum push at any reach schools you may have by applying early next cycle

Thanks for replying!!

[willwash]

Well, just registered for Feb. Adieu, 139 dollars!

[hamsamitchguy03]

ed ited

[Gisney]

In for Feb-

Dec 2010-141
Oct 2011- 149

Long ways to go.I am ready for the drill..
Is it possible to still apply for fall 2012 with feb score?

It is my understanding that while it i possible to apply because of rolling admissions that applying late cause your chances of being accepted to go down cause school have already made many of their offers

If it wouldnt change yur plans too much I would wait to apply next cycle especially to give you the maximum push at any reach schools you may have by applying early next cycle

Thanks for replying!!

No problem!

[outlookingin]

Checking in too! Looking to score mid 170s to well 180 would be nice

Been a lurker on ths site longer then I would ever admit...

I have a good amount of time to study but its difficult. I am in the Peace Corps andwork Mon-Sat 7am-Noon (which btw if people are interested in joining this is a oddly set agenda for PC usually your schedule is way more lax). I will have even more free time when schoolsget out for summer vaca in Dec. Hard to stay motivated sometimes when its so hot outside with no airconditioning and living in a concrete box. Last week a goat walked into my house while i was in the bathroom and ate the games I was working on.

I feel your concrete box pain, except mine is freezing cold. I'm with my girlfriend while she does her Fulbright ETA in a formerly-socialist nutjob of a country. The library I study at has some petty great "regulars," including this old dude who normally sits in front of me transcribing old newspaper classifieds sections into a notebook. He smells like he sleeps inside of a moldy, moist foam mattress.

Whether ironically or not, I am a regular now too. He probably thinks I'm crazy. Oh well--LSAT for life!

Id kil for a library even a smelly patron one. Only having my house to study in is hard fr focus and motivation.

At least the cost of living is cheaper, right? That's pretty weird about your Peace Corps schedule being almost full-time like that... bizarre. But still, the way I think about it is this: outside of volunteer obligations there is very little else for me to do in this developing-country funny-house, especially during winter, and studying for the LSAT is my great escape. Seriously. It's like a stationary bicycle for my mind, and if I didn't have it I would probably be going crazy out here. I also decided to place a value on my time, something around $150/hr, based on the assumption that I get a scholarship into my dream school. I actually stopped counting recently, but I'm pretty sure I'm loaded in the future. So that's fun.

OK, well I have taken a break of at least two or three days, and today I will start getting back into it slowly. I have to get back to the LR fundamentals and drilling specific question types, and I am sort of dreading it. You think you've got the mid-170's in you? Me too... but it's going to be a steep climb, for me at least.

[outlookingin]

My weakest section is LG, as seems to be the case for most of us. If I miss more than 2 or 3 per LR or RC I start getting pretty pissed. I average -4 to -6 on games, however. I actually take this as a good thing. I'd rather be weak on games and strong in the sections where two answers can be objectively correct. I'm a former competitive minesweeper and sudoku player, so I really thrive on solving logical puzzles swiftly, but where that bites you in the ass is that, in both minesweeper and sudoku, once you "crack" how the game works, it's just a matter of repetition. I actually play my best minesweeper when I've got MP3s blaring and my mind is drifting to subjects like sex, the meaning of life, and the role of slavery in formulating Thomas Jefferson's perspective on human liberty. It's literally played in the sub-cortex area of my brain. LSAT LGs are not like that. Every single game has a new way to keep you on your toes. You can never "autopilot" a great LG, or if you can, I have yet to reach that point.

Yeah, you'll eventually figure the games out. You will see that same sentiment echoed all over this forum. And here it is again:

I suck at games. Never played minesweeper in my life. Those puzzles in Zelda made me hate the world. But now I am scoring -0 regularly on the games section. I just learned how to diagram like the LGB and practiced a lot. Now I enjoy the games, maybe in the same way that you enjoy sudoku. But it's true what you say, I'm never on "autopilot"... but that won't be hard to get over. It's only the LSAT for Pete's sake. You can do this, no problem.

p.s. - it just took me like 10 minutes to figure out how to "quote" somebody. So you see even dumby-heads can get good at the games.

[outlookingin]

Well, just registered for Feb. Adieu, 139 dollars!

Damn that's not cheap. Why didn't you wait until the last minute?

[willwash]

Well, just registered for Feb. Adieu, 139 dollars!

Damn that's not cheap. Why didn't you wait until the last minute?

I figured I'd be more motivated to study if I already had a financial stake in the matter.

[LSAT Blog]

LSAT Blog I have a quick question about retaking.

I took testmasters this past summer and took the october LSAT. My diagnostic was a 152 and my score for October was a 169. I missed 4 on each LR section, 2 on LG, and 5 on RC.

I am planning on retaking in February because I felt like I was on an upward trend with my scores. The only thing that scares me was that the highest score I ever got while prepping was a 169 (got it twice).

Anyways, I am shooting for a 172+ and my dream school is Columbia (My gpa should be a 3.8+ by the end of this year).

The materials I have access to are:

All the PTs from 7-57. I probably did about 25-30+ of them this summer.
Kaplan Mastery
My old Testmasters books that still have a ton of unfinished problems.
LG/LR Bibles
Manhattan RC


Any tips on how to approach studying for a retake?

Thanks for any suggestions you can provide (I actually bought one of your study schedules at the beginning of the summer and followed the LR portion of it before starting testmasters).

Congrats on your great increase so far!

You have most of the materials you'll need for a retake - just be sure to get all the newest PTs. Your retake study plan will depend upon your particular areas of weakness within each section, as well as tons of practice. You may want to complete areas of my regular day-by-day study plan that you haven't yet completed.

To help your formulate your retake plan, I have some sample LSAT retake schedules (scroll down). You may want to form a combination of the retake plan and regular day-by-day plan, or simply use the regular one.

[llachans]

I already applied to all of my schools (3.50/160) but am now second guessing myself. I think I might study a bit and see if a huge gain is realistic by Feb. If it is, I'll register and retake it in Feb.

My question is: does it look bad to say no to schools who admit me by Feb?

I'm applying to schools I'd be more than happy to go to. Regional schools in the Pacific Northwest that I'm very likely to get into. I'm not sure that even if my score was much higher, I'd change the schools I'm looking at, although scholarship money would be nice. I'd rather not risk reapplying next cycle to the same schools and be rejected just because I blew them off after this cycle's acceptances.

[Eichörnchen]

Hey everyone! I'm taking in Feb. I've been studying on and off since Feb of this year, so it'll make it an even year of having the LSAT in my life. My cold diagnostic was a 160 and I hope to be in the 170+ club after our test. Fingers crossed. I too suck at games, so I have been going through LGs slowly and working on getting a good understanding of how they work. My prep so far has been mainly taking PTs and dissecting them like crazy. Now I'm moving on to some prep books, as the only ones I've done as of yet are for LG.

88 days to get a 180!

[biomedhawk]

Checking in. I'm planning on taking the Feb '12 test as a Junior. I'm hoping to work an internship this summer so it makes more sense to study over christmas break and I want to have all my apps in by late september since I will likely be a splitter. Any other juniors in here?

[Gisney]

Checking in too! Looking to score mid 170s to well 180 would be nice

Been a lurker on ths site longer then I would ever admit...

I have a good amount of time to study but its difficult. I am in the Peace Corps andwork Mon-Sat 7am-Noon (which btw if people are interested in joining this is a oddly set agenda for PC usually your schedule is way more lax). I will have even more free time when schoolsget out for summer vaca in Dec. Hard to stay motivated sometimes when its so hot outside with no airconditioning and living in a concrete box. Last week a goat walked into my house while i was in the bathroom and ate the games I was working on.

I feel your concrete box pain, except mine is freezing cold. I'm with my girlfriend while she does her Fulbright ETA in a formerly-socialist nutjob of a country. The library I study at has some petty great "regulars," including this old dude who normally sits in front of me transcribing old newspaper classifieds sections into a notebook. He smells like he sleeps inside of a moldy, moist foam mattress.

Whether ironically or not, I am a regular now too. He probably thinks I'm crazy. Oh well--LSAT for life!

Id kil for a library even a smelly patron one. Only having my house to study in is hard fr focus and motivation.

At least the cost of living is cheaper, right? That's pretty weird about your Peace Corps schedule being almost full-time like that... bizarre. But still, the way I think about it is this: outside of volunteer obligations there is very little else for me to do in this developing-country funny-house, especially during winter, and studying for the LSAT is my great escape. Seriously. It's like a stationary bicycle for my mind, and if I didn't have it I would probably be going crazy out here. I also decided to place a value on my time, something around $150/hr, based on the assumption that I get a scholarship into my dream school. I actually stopped counting recently, but I'm pretty sure I'm loaded in the future. So that's fun.

OK, well I have taken a break of at least two or three days, and today I will start getting back into it slowly. I have to get back to the LR fundamentals and drilling specific question types, and I am sort of dreading it. You think you've got the mid-170's in you? Me too... but it's going to be a steep climb, for me at least.

Cost of living here is def cheaper but because there is no internet, i cannot afford a tv, I prolly only have running water one day a week and power five days a week. i am not sure the cost benifits outweigh. But really I am being a downer cause I have been here 17 months and wouldprolly sale myself for a hot shower.

I know I have mid 170s in me but the question is am I doing all I need to get there. I guess we will see.

I hear you on LR. I dread drilling it big time.

Are you taking the lsat in country or going back to the states?

[Gisney]

Hey everyone! I'm taking in Feb. I've been studying on and off since Feb of this year, so it'll make it an even year of having the LSAT in my life. My cold diagnostic was a 160 and I hope to be in the 170+ club after our test. Fingers crossed. I too suck at games, so I have been going through LGs slowly and working on getting a good understanding of how they work. My prep so far has been mainly taking PTs and dissecting them like crazy. Now I'm moving on to some prep books, as the only ones I've done as of yet are for LG.

88 days to get a 180!

Welcome Eich! I recognize you from the June/Oct study groups of which I was a creepy lurker fan

So you decidd to wait till next year to apply? How is your LG going?

[outlookingin]

Cost of living here is def cheaper but because there is no internet, i cannot afford a tv, I prolly only have running water one day a week and power five days a week. i am not sure the cost benifits outweigh. But really I am being a downer cause I have been here 17 months and wouldprolly sale myself for a hot shower.

I know I have mid 170s in me but the question is am I doing all I need to get there. I guess we will see.

I hear you on LR. I dread drilling it big time.

Are you taking the lsat in country or going back to the states?

Yeah that's actually pretty rough-sounding. But I bet it'll make you stronger--after you've dealt with goats, seems like a bad proctor wouldn't be much of a problem.

So yeah regarding where to test I was going to ask you the same question. I have been meaning to do research on this, but I am 98% sure that I am going to have to take the test outside of the U.S. I just wonder what the consequences of that are. For instance, will they suspect me of fraud? Is there an increased chance of screw-ups in my testing environment (timing, instructions)? Are some centers better than others (I am seriously considering just flying to another regional capitol if it is clear that place has a better test center). So yeah I am a little anxious about that. And we have to register sooner, right? What are your thoughts.

Update on LR: after my most recent breakdown, I have started to claw my way upwards with special attention given to specific question types. I think that for about 5 or 6 PTs I was refusing to acknowledge that I had hit the brick wall of having no idea of how question types worked. I never knew that 'assumption,' for instance, was split into two groups (sufficient and necessary), nor did I ever actually use the "Denial Test" in a deliberate fashion. I think I slept through a good half of the LRB. Hopefully score gains to come!!

[outlookingin]

Well, just registered for Feb. Adieu, 139 dollars!

Damn that's not cheap. Why didn't you wait until the last minute?

I figured I'd be more motivated to study if I already had a financial stake in the matter.

No doubt. My study-aid system of paying myself an hourly rate with imaginary money has made me so imaginarily wealthy that I am considering retiring from studying the LSAT. So yeah maybe I need to start working with real money, haha

[Gisney]

Cost of living here is def cheaper but because there is no internet, i cannot afford a tv, I prolly only have running water one day a week and power five days a week. i am not sure the cost benifits outweigh. But really I am being a downer cause I have been here 17 months and wouldprolly sale myself for a hot shower.

I know I have mid 170s in me but the question is am I doing all I need to get there. I guess we will see.

I hear you on LR. I dread drilling it big time.

Are you taking the lsat in country or going back to the states?

Yeah that's actually pretty rough-sounding. But I bet it'll make you stronger--after you've dealt with goats, seems like a bad proctor wouldn't be much of a problem.

So yeah regarding where to test I was going to ask you the same question. I have been meaning to do research on this, but I am 98% sure that I am going to have to take the test outside of the U.S. I just wonder what the consequences of that are. For instance, will they suspect me of fraud? Is there an increased chance of screw-ups in my testing environment (timing, instructions)? Are some centers better than others (I am seriously considering just flying to another regional capitol if it is clear that place has a better test center). So yeah I am a little anxious about that. And we have to register sooner, right? What are your thoughts.

Update on LR: after my most recent breakdown, I have started to claw my way upwards with special attention given to specific question types. I think that for about 5 or 6 PTs I was refusing to acknowledge that I had hit the brick wall of having no idea of how question types worked. I never knew that 'assumption,' for instance, was split into two groups (sufficient and necessary), nor did I ever actually use the "Denial Test" in a deliberate fashion. I think I slept through a good half of the LRB. Hopefully score gains to come!!

I am actually going home to take the LSAT. First time I will be back in the states for 20 months! Super excited about it. You might want to do research on when and where you want to take it. I hate to change plans cause I thought it was offered here every setting and found out it is only offered in OCT. I was supposed to go home this month but had to push it back to take the exam. Usually they have the tests abroad in Fullbright centers so you should have no problems with weird proctors...maybe. I really don't know. I don't know anyone who has taken the LSAT abroad.

Yea my problem with LR is I can easily do the easy ones without thinking much so when I hit the hard ones I don't really thing about all the tips and tricks I got from LRB or MLAST and just try to do it with common sense. I need to actually practice slowing down and thinking about them more carefully.

[Eichörnchen]

Hey everyone! I'm taking in Feb. I've been studying on and off since Feb of this year, so it'll make it an even year of having the LSAT in my life. My cold diagnostic was a 160 and I hope to be in the 170+ club after our test. Fingers crossed. I too suck at games, so I have been going through LGs slowly and working on getting a good understanding of how they work. My prep so far has been mainly taking PTs and dissecting them like crazy. Now I'm moving on to some prep books, as the only ones I've done as of yet are for LG.

88 days to get a 180!

Welcome Eich! I recognize you from the June/Oct study groups of which I was a creepy lurker fan

So you decidd to wait till next year to apply? How is your LG going?

Haha it never fails to surprise me when people know me from their lurking activities. I kind of made a drastic life decision in late Sept when I realized that I have a fair shot at the T14, which means I will probably have no life during or after law school, so I decided to sit out this cycle and go travel our fair planet while I have the chance! I decided Feb is best for the LSAT since I will be leaving the country in March at the earliest.

LG and I are working out our differences. I am doing the Pithypike LG method right now and just finished round 1, in which I did LG untimed and tried to get the most understanding out of each game. I have hope that LG can become a friend and ally someday soon.

[Gisney]

Hey everyone! I'm taking in Feb. I've been studying on and off since Feb of this year, so it'll make it an even year of having the LSAT in my life. My cold diagnostic was a 160 and I hope to be in the 170+ club after our test. Fingers crossed. I too suck at games, so I have been going through LGs slowly and working on getting a good understanding of how they work. My prep so far has been mainly taking PTs and dissecting them like crazy. Now I'm moving on to some prep books, as the only ones I've done as of yet are for LG.

88 days to get a 180!

Welcome Eich! I recognize you from the June/Oct study groups of which I was a creepy lurker fan

So you decidd to wait till next year to apply? How is your LG going?

Haha it never fails to surprise me when people know me from their lurking activities. I kind of made a drastic life decision in late Sept when I realized that I have a fair shot at the T14, which means I will probably have no life during or after law school, so I decided to sit out this cycle and go travel our fair planet while I have the chance! I decided Feb is best for the LSAT since I will be leaving the country in March at the earliest.

LG and I are working out our differences. I am doing the Pithypike LG method right now and just finished round 1, in which I did LG untimed and tried to get the most understanding out of each game. I have hope that LG can become a friend and ally someday soon.

Well to maybe seem less creepy I only know your study habits from the study threads. I kept up with them to stay motivated to study.

Traveling is amazing. I went backpacking by myself in college and have lived abroad twice now. I am hoping to travel more (hopefully in asia this time) in the months before law school cause like you I hope to make the top 14 and thus welcoming the prospect of no life.

Good luck with the studies!

[ngogirl]

Hey All!!

I was purposely abstaining from this thread in hopes of making December. However, after my last PT, I think I may be boarding ship!!

I have been prepping on/off since April with some minor distractions, relocating from one part of the world to the other, moving out and finding a new place after having 2 psycho roommates. My score range is consistent in the 160s and low 170s.

Well that's it for now!!!