The 160s Club! Join all ye 170 hopefuls! Forum

[02082010]

168 Oct '08.

I first broke the 170 wall 3 weeks ago but yesterday on my 3rd PT while prepping for my retake I scored 176. Hoping for 175+ on Sept '09.

[ruleser]

Well, I'm joining as one of the 4th time takers thanks to a waiver from a school I will be (re)applying to. I stopped PTing for some days to focus on LG's. I feel pretty darn solid on LR's, but LG's and RC's are what have me maxed previously at 168.

Yesterday I went back to the first real LSAT I took (which I got 162 on) and redid the LG's and one LR section - those two sections alone cost me -15 when I took it (LG -8, LR -7). This time, I went LG -3, LR -0 - and the LG wasn't because of the old issue of time but just some carelessness - and the -0 on LR I don't think is because I remembered anything, I just understand it better now. When I first took the test in Oct, on the next two sections I got -5 total (LR -3, RC -2) so I know I could hit -8/172 on this test now min. I will retake the second half later - only prob is I seem worse at RC now than before so it'll be interesting.

Most importantly at this point I am much much more relaxed about LG's. They aren't some mystery I panic about. I think two things I've started doing really help - one is better variable management - those lists of 8 letters on the side regularly got jumbled in my head, so now I really list which variables are possible in advanced linear right beside each line, and will relist variables at times next to each question so I can cross out those taken - really helps. Second is time managment - when I start the section, I don't just write the end time as I used to, but do splits (like swimmers do), writing down the start time and then adding 8 minutes and putting that as the time I should be done with game 1, 8 more and list that as the end time for game 2, etc. I used to start to panic if I got hung up on a question and it's not easy with an analog watch (or if you don't have the start time) to figure exactly where you should be when. This way, I look up, and usually realize I am just fine. Maybe I've been lucky with some easier games, but for now I don't feel the section is this mystery that may clobber me as I used to. My best to date on any of my 3 tests has been -6, so there's a good chunk of points there to be picked up if I can not just hold this, but continue to get faster and more confident. Man, +6 to my previous 168 would do the trick.

Now I will start hitting RC as well and try to figure how I went from -2 on my first actual LSAT cold to -5 after lots of practice.

[lsb]

Two things: 1. I've taken some newer PTs - 43-47, and the games seemed extremely easy. I realize that games are easier on newer tests, but are these representative of the ease of all future PTs?


2. I have noticed that the last question of each game tends to be the hardest and has a tendency to really slow me down. Does anyone advocate skipping the last question of each game and just coming back to them at the end?

[Bustang]

Not sure what's happening, but I'm finishing LR sections with 10 minutes to spare. I'm getting anywhere from -7(stupid PT 42) to -0. Most of my mistakes, however, are just plain stupid. I guess something finally clicked.

[Doxide]

Hey guys, to the folks here who asked me about RC. I guess I just follow the barebones powerscore method. Look for big picture, mark down shifts in perspectives etc. Prephrase a Main Point and author's tone before even heading into the questions. It's strange but the big picture really did help me more than getting bogged down in the details. The only time I really have trouble is when they start asking really in depth questions about the details and mechanics but even then I know exactly where to look.

People don't say this enough for RC but PREPHRASING AND CONTEXT ARE KEY! There used to be so many stupid questions I would miss simply because I read the q stem then tried to look through the answers. After a while I just got tired of playing the testmakers' games and just prephrased most of the questions. That's when I started scoring 2-3 wrong consistently.

Oh and also, how long did it take some of you guys to go from 6-7 wrong on LR to 1-2 wrong? I'm going to work my ass off to ace this section. Can it be done in like 3 weeks? Let me know!

[ruleser]

Two things: 1. I've taken some newer PTs - 43-47, and the games seemed extremely easy. I realize that games are easier on newer tests, but are these representative of the ease of all future PTs?


2. I have noticed that the last question of each game tends to be the hardest and has a tendency to really slow me down. Does anyone advocate skipping the last question of each game and just coming back to them at the end?

That's what I did at first to finally be able to have enough time to do games. I found I did have enough time to come back later, so don't necessarily do that now as a rule - but i have my set time limits per game, and if a question is taking too long, especially if it's the last in a game or second to last, I may skip it and come back - better than missing 3-6 on the next game because I didn't have time.

[Raskolnikoff]

What exactly is prephrasing?

I did not do the RC Bible as it was getting mixed reviews.

[jmsquarterican]

Does anyone know when the obvious improvement "click" comes when studying for logic games. The other sections are pretty much a breeze for me, but I couldn't even finish the logic games section on my diagnostic test. I am 70 pages through the LGB, but I just don't feel the improvement coming as quickly as I would like.

Maybe the September test is too ambitious. Perhaps a few years in between undergrad and law school wouldn't be a bad idea...

[solotee]

Two things: 1. I've taken some newer PTs - 43-47, and the games seemed extremely easy. I realize that games are easier on newer tests, but are these representative of the ease of all future PTs?


2. I have noticed that the last question of each game tends to be the hardest and has a tendency to really slow me down. Does anyone advocate skipping the last question of each game and just coming back to them at the end?

I would be cautious of this approach because you run the risk of forgetting some of the conditions and rules. The last question of the game is generally the hardest, but I have found that it is better to work on the last question when all of the conditions are still fresh in your head.

[ruleser]

Two things: 1. I've taken some newer PTs - 43-47, and the games seemed extremely easy. I realize that games are easier on newer tests, but are these representative of the ease of all future PTs?


2. I have noticed that the last question of each game tends to be the hardest and has a tendency to really slow me down. Does anyone advocate skipping the last question of each game and just coming back to them at the end?

I would be cautious of this approach because you run the risk of forgetting some of the conditions and rules. The last question of the game is generally the hardest, but I have found that it is better to work on the last question when all of the conditions are still fresh in your head.

It depends where you are. Previously, when I was never finishing, I got a big boost from skipping it instead of missing 3-6 on the next game. But now, when I am finishing and shooting for -0, I decide based at where I am timewise - if I am ok on time, I do it then. Only if I am falling behind do I skip.

So if you are having a lot of trouble finishing, you may want to skip and come back. If not, you may want to do while rules are fresh in your head.

[deek]

What exactly is prephrasing?

it's guessing what the correct answer will say before reading the answer choices

[Raskolnikoff]

What exactly is prephrasing?

it's guessing what the correct answer will say before reading the answer choices

OK, thanks. I have been doing that.

I thought it was some crazy method of trying to guess what the passage will say next as you are reading it. Or something of that sort..

[beebs]

I'm in.

Got a 160 in June after practicing consistently in mid-high 160's. Still to crack 170, but I'm feeling confident for September.

8/8 - 168 (LG: 0, LR: -4, -5, RC: -4)
8/18 - 164 (LG: -1, LR: -4, -4, RC: -7 (ouch))

[solotee]

I'm in.

Got a 160 in June after practicing consistently in mid-high 160's. Still to crack 170, but I'm feeling confident for September.

8/8 - 168 (LG: 0, LR: -4, -5, RC: -4)
8/18 - 164 (LG: -1, LR: -4, -4, RC: -7 (ouch))

What do you think the score drop can be attributed to? How will you go about the September test differently?

[buddyblack]

Two things: 1. I've taken some newer PTs - 43-47, and the games seemed extremely easy. I realize that games are easier on newer tests, but are these representative of the ease of all future PTs?


2. I have noticed that the last question of each game tends to be the hardest and has a tendency to really slow me down. Does anyone advocate skipping the last question of each game and just coming back to them at the end?

I would be cautious of this approach because you run the risk of forgetting some of the conditions and rules. The last question of the game is generally the hardest, but I have found that it is better to work on the last question when all of the conditions are still fresh in your head.

It depends where you are. Previously, when I was never finishing, I got a big boost from skipping it instead of missing 3-6 on the next game. But now, when I am finishing and shooting for -0, I decide based at where I am timewise - if I am ok on time, I do it then. Only if I am falling behind do I skip.

So if you are having a lot of trouble finishing, you may want to skip and come back. If not, you may want to do while rules are fresh in your head.

+1

[buddyblack]

PrepTest 48
Raw 93, Scaled 170

LR: -2
LG: -1
RC: -3
LR: -2

I miss-bubbled for the first time which is terrifying. Otherwise I'd have gone -2 on RC.

This was my most recent test so far (Dec 2005) - but I'm not sure if it's representative of the newest tests or not. Anyone else take PT 48 yet?

[Tangerine Gleam]

I miss-bubbled for the first time which is terrifying.

Agreed. Once you do that, it's one more thing to worry about. I remember thinking, "Woah...I'm capable of this?"

I had never even considered the possibility.

[sayan]

PrepTest 48
Raw 93, Scaled 170

LR: -2
LG: -1
RC: -3
LR: -2

I miss-bubbled for the first time which is terrifying. Otherwise I'd have gone -2 on RC.

This was my most recent test so far (Dec 2005) - but I'm not sure if it's representative of the newest tests or not. Anyone else take PT 48 yet?

Nasty curve, that's for sure...

Could it really be the case that even as the test gets overall harder that enough people are studying so much that the curve gets harder? Seems almost insane to me...

[missvik218]

I miss-bubbled for the first time which is terrifying.

Agreed. Once you do that, it's one more thing to worry about. I remember thinking, "Woah...I'm capable of this?"

I had never even considered the possibility.

Speaking of bubbling .. how do you guys do it?! I usually do each side of an open booklet (= 1 RC passage & approx 6-7 LR), or 1 game and then bubble.

[Raskolnikoff]

I miss-bubbled for the first time which is terrifying.

Agreed. Once you do that, it's one more thing to worry about. I remember thinking, "Woah...I'm capable of this?"

I had never even considered the possibility.

Speaking of bubbling .. how do you guys do it?! I usually do each side of an open booklet (= 1 RC passage & approx 6-7 LR), or 1 game and then bubble.

each RC passage, each game, 2 pages of LR

[solotee]

I miss-bubbled for the first time which is terrifying.

Agreed. Once you do that, it's one more thing to worry about. I remember thinking, "Woah...I'm capable of this?"

I had never even considered the possibility.

Speaking of bubbling .. how do you guys do it?! I usually do each side of an open booklet (= 1 RC passage & approx 6-7 LR), or 1 game and then bubble.

1 RC passage
2 Games
2 LR pages

[lsb]

Does this really save you guys that much time as opposed to bubbling after each question?

[ruleser]

PrepTest 48
Raw 93, Scaled 170

LR: -2
LG: -1
RC: -3
LR: -2

I miss-bubbled for the first time which is terrifying. Otherwise I'd have gone -2 on RC.

This was my most recent test so far (Dec 2005) - but I'm not sure if it's representative of the newest tests or not. Anyone else take PT 48 yet?

Nasty curve, that's for sure...

Could it really be the case that even as the test gets overall harder that enough people are studying so much that the curve gets harder? Seems almost insane to me...

Just varies test to test - June was -11 = 170

[lsb]

PrepTest 48
Raw 93, Scaled 170

LR: -2
LG: -1
RC: -3
LR: -2

I miss-bubbled for the first time which is terrifying. Otherwise I'd have gone -2 on RC.

This was my most recent test so far (Dec 2005) - but I'm not sure if it's representative of the newest tests or not. Anyone else take PT 48 yet?

Nasty curve, that's for sure...

Could it really be the case that even as the test gets overall harder that enough people are studying so much that the curve gets harder? Seems almost insane to me...

Just varies test to test - June was -11 = 170

Ya and for some reason December was -12 even though it was easy.

[missvik218]

WAAAAHHH!!!! I did it today I had my break through!!!

PT 30
LG -5
LR -4
RC -1
LR -3

Raw +89
Scaled 172

P.S. The RC strategy of JUST READING for understanding worked WONDERS!!!