The Official September 2016 Study Group - WAKE ME UP WHEN SEPTEMBER ENDS Forum

[Mikey]

Confession: I've been procrastinating with RC because I suck at it and when I do a passage, I feel like I'm back to square one of not knowing shit. LR and LG improvement make me feel accomplished, but RC sucks! I need to get out of this mentality and start destroying RC as well.

Hey Mikey, have you taken a look at the Manhattan Prep RC book? Just started reading it/working through it the other day and I really like the methods they suggest versus the methods I've read about elsewhere.

I haven't. Do they focus on annotating?

[20170322]

Forgot my login for FAFSA, but have to login before I can get my loan.


GIVE ME MAH MONIES

[proteinshake]

Confession: I've been procrastinating with RC because I suck at it and when I do a passage, I feel like I'm back to square one of not knowing shit. LR and LG improvement make me feel accomplished, but RC sucks! I need to get out of this mentality and start destroying RC as well.

Hey Mikey, have you taken a look at the Manhattan Prep RC book? Just started reading it/working through it the other day and I really like the methods they suggest versus the methods I've read about elsewhere.

I haven't. Do they focus on annotating?

not at all. I've read it and it's really good for any approach you feel comfortable with for RC. It mainly focuses on structure, main points, and viewpoints.

[unachievabledoubt]

Confession: I've been procrastinating with RC because I suck at it and when I do a passage, I feel like I'm back to square one of not knowing shit. LR and LG improvement make me feel accomplished, but RC sucks! I need to get out of this mentality and start destroying RC as well.

Hey Mikey, have you taken a look at the Manhattan Prep RC book? Just started reading it/working through it the other day and I really like the methods they suggest versus the methods I've read about elsewhere.

I haven't. Do they focus on annotating?

not at all. I've read it and it's really good for any approach you feel comfortable with for RC. It mainly focuses on structure, main points, and viewpoints.

Was going to say that same thing. There's a small section about the usefulness of annotating, but they don't preach a specific annotation method or anything.

[proteinshake]

ah this is relieving, I knew I had a flop yesterday. just graded the RC section from PT 21, 4/5 difficulty on 7Sage:

-2

-2 on the first passage on music
-0 on a science passage, a law passage, and an anthropology/immigration passage

gonna keep doing these full section RCs a few times a week.

[UtopianCitizen]

Does anyone know where I can get more info on Grouping games?
I have the 2015 LGB but they just go over the different kind of grouping games briefly and then give general strategy for attacking them, but there isn't much info on the individual grouping types and how to attack them.

[gery0n]

I'm curious; was anyone else neurotic enough to choose their LSAT center based on the 'Simugator' reviews? I'm traveling over an hour to go to a center with large desks...

[proteinshake]

I'm curious; was anyone else neurotic enough to choose their LSAT center based on the 'Simugator' reviews? I'm traveling over an hour to go to a center with large desks...

I looked those up as well as some other review on some other sites and decided against the test center in my city. I'm taking it at a center 2.5 hours away and getting a hotel (but I also took it at this center before and know it's very good)

[BlackCanary]

A couple of hours is nothing. I'm taking it on another continent.

Though, to be fair, it's because there isn't a single testing center in my current country.

[34iplaw]

Does anyone know where I can get more info on Grouping games?
I have the 2015 LGB but they just go over the different kind of grouping games briefly and then give general strategy for attacking them, but there isn't much info on the individual grouping types and how to attack them.

I'm early on, but I like the Manhattan Guide... logic chain is very powerful, but not always useful.

Logic chain is great when there are loads of conditions and not many numerical considerations - i.e. you can have 10 in group A and 0 in group B or 5 in each. When doing rules, I try to focus particular on certain rules [and I do sometimes note some inferences in a group]... such as a rule that forces at least one of two variables in [they seem to frequently ask questions like what is the only variable that can be in... or min/max on these questions] and the logic chain isn't a very powerful tool for much of that IMO.

Games with a set number of slots or that will be restricted, I think the logic chain isn't really worth it, as many rules can be simply placed on a number line. I tend to approach these with this sort of thought process...


There are six variables {A,B,C,D,E,F}

Group 1 must have at least two of the variables {group two can, at most, have four}

Group 1: ___ ___ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ |
Group 2: ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ /// /// |

___ being a definitive slot and ~~~ being a sort of bumpy/light line I do for a slot that could be there... empty space for something that can't be filled... if I start to make too many mistakes... I may do lines with " / " on them or some empty variable... /// added b/c my spacing didnt work

A & B cannot be in the same group {Group 2 must have at least one slot, group 1 cannot have 6 slots}

Group 1: A/B ___ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ /// |
Group 2: B/A ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ /// /// |

If C is in group 1, D is in group 2 ; CP ; If D is in group 1, C is in group 2 {at least C or D must be in group 2; group 2 must have at least two, group 1 can have at most 4}

Group 1: A/B ___ ~~~ ~~~ /// /// |
Group 2: B/A ___ ~~~ ~~~ /// /// |
>...............C/D

I kind of prefer putting these sorts of inferences under, as, at times, I'll confuse it with a dual option block if I do not.

I feel like you usually get a block in these types of games too... which then typically comes into play where if C and D are in group 2, EF [block] would be forced into group 1.

[20170322]

30 dollars and 2 hours later, I now have packets of 5 for both RC and LG. Drill baby drill-- gonna strike oil.

[34iplaw]

Confession: I've been procrastinating with RC because I suck at it and when I do a passage, I feel like I'm back to square one of not knowing shit. LR and LG improvement make me feel accomplished, but RC sucks! I need to get out of this mentality and start destroying RC as well.

Same tbh D: I might've gotten a few strategies to avoid bombing it completely, but I don't think I've really made headway since diagnostic.

Need to get out of this mentality for sure. My plan - once I get back - is 3-4 RC sets per day, + 3 -4 LG sets, and the rest of the time on LR. That way I should be spending a solid 2 hours per section. With heavy drilling, improvements will have to come eventually. (*knock on wood*)

I'm trying to learn to like RC - It's kind of nice in that it's reading, and the content is sometimes interesting, and you learn some random facts. Which I do appreciate, as a die-hard Ravenclaw with limited time to read / accumulate factoids.

have y'all seen this? http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... php?t=7240

I hadn't - bookmarking it look forward to looking at it closer when I get the chance! (I fear the fam will notice my absence...) Not sure how well heavy annotation would work for me but I do underline and draw some arrows as it is, so having something more systematized couldn't hurt. Thanks!

Yeaaaa.. I have been procrastinating with RC drilling too tbh; however, I have been consistent with dense LSAT reading from Novels, the Economist, WSJ etc and ive noticed tough passages or even questions haven't been to "mind-boggling" for me. Ive noticed an improvement in focus and retention for sure just from keeping up with dense readings and making it a habit the past few months.

That's really good to hear.

People seem to have one or two topics that seem to consistently cause them problems/make their eyes glaze over, and mine seems to be economics, sometimes legal theory. Definitely need to get more exposure to those areas.

I really dislike some humanities / art ones, but, one thing about those I have learned which somewhat helps me is that they, more so than other types, often have multiple viewpoints as they lend themselves towards those types of formats moreso than science.

[gery0n]

A couple of hours is nothing. I'm taking it on another continent.

Though, to be fair, it's because there isn't a single testing center in my current country.

Yikes! That sounds rough. Are you an international student, or working abroad?

[Mikey]

Did a times LG today during my break. I timed myself but not 35 minutes counting down.

PT 41
LG: -2

Had a circular game which took me about 14 minutes. I have to seriously work on my timing. Did 2 games in 8 mins each, 1 game in 11 mins, and the circular game in 14. Going to do this section again later or tomorrow but try and be faster. The -2 I got was from the circular game only, in which I misread one question, and then messed up my diagram for the other question. So, there's that.

[20170322]

Why is there not a July LSAT? That would be perfect. Before school starts back up, but with enough time to prep all summer.

[34iplaw]

Why is there not a July LSAT? That would be perfect. Before school starts back up, but with enough time to prep all summer.

Why on earth would the LSAC ever try to make your life easier? It is actually kind of silly. It seems like a late July or first week of August should be offered. Then again, maybe they want to discourage KJDs a bit more!

[tofuspeedstar]

Getting murked on Parallel Method of Reasoning Questions. Going through the 7sage section on it. Any pointers?

[Barack O'Drama]

30 dollars and 2 hours later, I now have packets of 5 for both RC and LG. Drill baby drill-- gonna strike oil.

Isn't it great dropping $100s on LSAT prep? Haha. It will all pay off when you get a good scholarship though. That's how I have been looking at it at least.

[20170322]

Why is there not a July LSAT? That would be perfect. Before school starts back up, but with enough time to prep all summer.

Why on earth would the LSAC ever try to make your life easier? It is actually kind of silly. It seems like a late July or first week of August should be offered. Then again, maybe they want to discourage KJDs a bit more!

Ugh, not looking forward to balancing LSAT prep with work and school starting in August. On the bright side, I've lowered my commitments in the Fall, so it shouldn't be as bad.

[Mikey]

Getting murked on Parallel Method of Reasoning Questions. Going through the 7sage section on it. Any pointers?

I used to suck with them (disclaimer: still do), but I've gotten a lot better with them. Start eliminating answer choices by going through their conclusions first. Compare conclusions to the stimulus, you can usually eliminate 1 or 2 answer choices. Sometimes you can eliminate all 4 wrong ones by doing this, or having 2 left to choose from, making it much more manageable.

[Burt Macklin]

30 dollars and 2 hours later, I now have packets of 5 for both RC and LG. Drill baby drill-- gonna strike oil.

Isn't it great dropping $100s on LSAT prep? Haha. It will all pay off when you get a good scholarship though. That's how I have been looking at it at least.

Watched a webinar on 7Sage last night called My 18 Point Increase Story by Nicole Hopkins (https://7sage.com/webinar/my-18-point-increase-story/). In the webinar she showed her acceptance letter from Emory with a $99,000 scholarship. When asked if the several months were worth it she simply responded with something like "Those months of hard work and effort is valued at almost $100,000 so it was totally worth it!" Remember what all of this is working towards!!

[tofuspeedstar]

Getting murked on Parallel Method of Reasoning Questions. Going through the 7sage section on it. Any pointers?

I used to suck with them (disclaimer: still do), but I've gotten a lot better with them. Start eliminating answer choices by going through their conclusions first. Compare conclusions to the stimulus, you can usually eliminate 1 or 2 answer choices. Sometimes you can eliminate all 4 wrong ones by doing this, or having 2 left to choose from, making it much more manageable.

This is a good idea. Thanks man! I'll implement this when I run though my package of ~20 PMR Qs this evening.

[20170322]

Just did a packet of 5 RC passages. 32 minutes, minus 3. My goal is to be at -0 and under 35 consistently by the end of this. After all, I'll have seen the passages before, so I'm giving myself a bit of an advantage anyways.

[Mikey]

Getting murked on Parallel Method of Reasoning Questions. Going through the 7sage section on it. Any pointers?

I used to suck with them (disclaimer: still do), but I've gotten a lot better with them. Start eliminating answer choices by going through their conclusions first. Compare conclusions to the stimulus, you can usually eliminate 1 or 2 answer choices. Sometimes you can eliminate all 4 wrong ones by doing this, or having 2 left to choose from, making it much more manageable.

This is a good idea. Thanks man! I'll implement this when I run though my package of ~20 PMR Qs this evening.

No problem! Just another piece of advice, you can sometimes implement this same strategy with parallel flaw questions. Sometimes the harder ones won't allow you to do this, so then you will obviously have to 100% depend on matching the flaw, but the easier/medium difficulty PF questions you can implement this too. Try it out and let me know how it goes!

[Deardevil]

Getting murked on Parallel Method of Reasoning Questions. Going through the 7sage section on it. Any pointers?

Ask Mikey; these are his favorite.

Don't think there's an easy way to break this question type down, but I'll try.
Basically, you're trying to find an answer choice that matches the stimulus.
Don't look for words that might be similar. Understand what the stimulus is saying.
Is there a certainty level? In other words, does the stimulus use a term like "definitely?"
If so, you can immediately cross anything out that says "sometimes" or "most of the time."
Conditional reasoning usually makes lifes easier. If you can identify the sufficient and necessary conditions,
you'll have little issue with finding something that matches.
"Oh, the stimulus says a particular chef requires a protégé, and vice-versa,
so I should keep an eye out on something that reads X <-> Y (or X -> Y and Y -> X simultaneously)."

Sometimes, it might be easier if you think about it abstractly.
For example, if given a stimulus that reads
"if Goku enters the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, then his power level will rise,"
you might translate this as "if one does X, then one will get an increase in Y."
The correct choice will be something along the lines of "if the waitress smiles more, then she will get a bigger tip."

The hardest type I've encountered probably has to deal with independency.
For instance, it may be difficult to mirror
"90 degrees is considered hot and 10 degrees is cold, so any temperature above 80 is hot and anything below 20 is cold."
In this case, either premise proves the conclusion by itself. That's what you should look for in the answer:
two premises that can both independently make a conclusion valid.