February 2014 LSAT Study Group Forum

[loomstate]

Will take 52 tomorrow.

Recap for today:

3 LG's: -1 (stupid mistake - misread question), finished each game in about 7 minutes.

40 LR Flaw questions difficulty 3/4: -4

Took 1 RC section - finished on time with -5. This might not seem very good but this is by far my worst section and for me its progress. I just picked up the latest copy of The Economist and I'm going to read 4 or 5 articles and when I'm done, respectively, immediately write down: Author's voice, Main Point, every little detail I retained, purpose, and structure. I'm thinking this will reinforce the necessary RC skills - plus I love The Economist

I hope everyone's 2014 is off to a great start!

[RobertGolddust]

40 flaw q's on New Years Day. I'm impressed.

[xylocarp]

3 LG's: -1 (stupid mistake - misread question), finished each game in about 7 minutes.

Nice! What do you use for LG?

[loomstate]

3 LG's: -1 (stupid mistake - misread question), finished each game in about 7 minutes.

Nice! What do you use for LG?

I downloaded grouped LGs from PTs 1-35 (I believe), and printed 3 copies of each and put them in a huge 3 ring binder. I usually just run through 3 every day and time myself. If I have trouble with a game I'll refer to 7sage and then do the game again later in the week. Truth be told I've been neglecting LG because it's always been my strength.. we shouldn't be missing any LGs come test day!

[loomstate]

40 flaw q's on New Years Day. I'm impressed.

Guilt related to crazy night last night might have had something to do with it

[cloy26]

Took 52 today w/ PT40's LG section for exp...

All I need to say is that I will never fly with Zephyr...

[unodostres]

Took 52 today w/ PT40's LG section for exp...

All I need to say is that I will never fly with Zephyr...

Thanks for reminding me. I want to redrill that game. It's been a minute.

Going to do some timed sections (42/46/47).

PT'ing 53 tomorrow.

A little over a month. Gotta push.

[Baby_Got_Feuerbach]

What's the best way to drill LR/LG when using the Cambridge packets? Should I do them 26 at a time? 50, 100? As many as I can before getting tired/hungry? And should I be timing the packets?

[pech71]

I'm plowing through the 7sage lessons right now. Hoping to start practice tests next week and do 1 a week day and 2 a weekend day.

LR still gives me the most trouble cause of the time (I find myself re-reading stimulus a lot). Does anyone notice significant difference in speed on LR after doing 15-20 practice tests? Or does anyone have additional tricks to avoid having to re-read stimulus?

[unodostres]

Don't time. Go slow making sure you get the structure and can spot the gap. I do 20-25 before I go in depth review of any I missed. Timing will come later but if you can't even do the basics you won't be able to time yourself.

[unodostres]

I'm plowing through the 7sage lessons right now. Hoping to start practice tests next week and do 1 a week day and 2 a weekend day.

LR still gives me the most trouble cause of the time (I find myself re-reading stimulus a lot). Does anyone notice significant difference in speed on LR after doing 15-20 practice tests? Or does anyone have additional tricks to avoid having to re-read stimulus?

I read it through and knock out the bad answers then reset and refresh (I'm still trying my best to do this). So I will read the stimulus twice.

But to answer your question... I read it slow. Guess that's all I can say. It's kinda like reading comp. I rarely go back and reread stuff when I'm in the answer choices. Unless the questions specifiCally tell me to go back or I need a refresher.

[pech71]

I'm plowing through the 7sage lessons right now. Hoping to start practice tests next week and do 1 a week day and 2 a weekend day.

LR still gives me the most trouble cause of the time (I find myself re-reading stimulus a lot). Does anyone notice significant difference in speed on LR after doing 15-20 practice tests? Or does anyone have additional tricks to avoid having to re-read stimulus?

I read it through and knock out the bad answers then reset and refresh (I'm still trying my best to do this). So I will read the stimulus twice.

But to answer your question... I read it slow. Guess that's all I can say. It's kinda like reading comp. I rarely go back and reread stuff when I'm in the answer choices. Unless the questions specifiCally tell me to go back or I need a refresher.

thanks! yea knocking out wrong answers is generally easy but where I am at now I have to re-read to chose between final 2 answers.

[Miracle]

I'm plowing through the 7sage lessons right now. Hoping to start practice tests next week and do 1 a week day and 2 a weekend day.

LR still gives me the most trouble cause of the time (I find myself re-reading stimulus a lot). Does anyone notice significant difference in speed on LR after doing 15-20 practice tests? Or does anyone have additional tricks to avoid having to re-read stimulus?

I read it through and knock out the bad answers then reset and refresh (I'm still trying my best to do this). So I will read the stimulus twice.

But to answer your question... I read it slow. Guess that's all I can say. It's kinda like reading comp. I rarely go back and reread stuff when I'm in the answer choices. Unless the questions specifiCally tell me to go back or I need a refresher.

thanks! yea knocking out wrong answers is generally easy but where I am at now I have to re-read to chose between final 2 answers.

+1 I'm the same way

[unodostres]

I'm plowing through the 7sage lessons right now. Hoping to start practice tests next week and do 1 a week day and 2 a weekend day.

LR still gives me the most trouble cause of the time (I find myself re-reading stimulus a lot). Does anyone notice significant difference in speed on LR after doing 15-20 practice tests? Or does anyone have additional tricks to avoid having to re-read stimulus?

I read it through and knock out the bad answers then reset and refresh (I'm still trying my best to do this). So I will read the stimulus twice.

But to answer your question... I read it slow. Guess that's all I can say. It's kinda like reading comp. I rarely go back and reread stuff when I'm in the answer choices. Unless the questions specifiCally tell me to go back or I need a refresher.

thanks! yea knocking out wrong answers is generally easy but where I am at now I have to re-read to chose between final 2 answers.

That's actually not bad. I've been with my tutor who recommends this and it's something that takes like 15-20 more seconds to get the right answer rather than thinking of what you just read. It gives you the ability to see it clearer. I usually waste more time by thinking what is more right when it's down to two choices.

(I do this when I hit the harder questions 13-19)

[loomstate]

PT 52 today: 165, 83 scaled. LR: -11, LG: -0, RC: -6. 4 sections, all on time.

Felt pretty disappointed after this one. Although now that I think of it it's not too bad. This was my first PT with normal time constraints - previous tests were with 38 minutes and 40 minute sections. I think some of the above conversation about narrowing down LR and then rereading when down to two would benefit me and I'm going to try it on PT54 which I'm taking Sat morning. I need to be more productive and drill more LR questions day to day leading up to test day. During a review I just did, my mistakes seem so silly! Hopefully the main cause was related to timing issues. Will review and drill some more tomorrow and PT Saturday morning 9:30!

[loomstate]

I'm plowing through the 7sage lessons right now. Hoping to start practice tests next week and do 1 a week day and 2 a weekend day.

LR still gives me the most trouble cause of the time (I find myself re-reading stimulus a lot). Does anyone notice significant difference in speed on LR after doing 15-20 practice tests? Or does anyone have additional tricks to avoid having to re-read stimulus?

I read it through and knock out the bad answers then reset and refresh (I'm still trying my best to do this). So I will read the stimulus twice.

But to answer your question... I read it slow. Guess that's all I can say. It's kinda like reading comp. I rarely go back and reread stuff when I'm in the answer choices. Unless the questions specifiCally tell me to go back or I need a refresher.

thanks! yea knocking out wrong answers is generally easy but where I am at now I have to re-read to chose between final 2 answers.

That's actually not bad. I've been with my tutor who recommends this and it's something that takes like 15-20 more seconds to get the right answer rather than thinking of what you just read. It gives you the ability to see it clearer. I usually waste more time by thinking what is more right when it's down to two choices.

(I do this when I hit the harder questions 13-19)

This is relevant to my interests, thanks for the convo!

[blackbirdfly]

Checking in (again!). I probably won't start seriously studying until I finish my applications (hopefully next week).

[unodostres]

Pt54 tomorrow. Lr experimental. Gunna wreck it.

[zhenders]

Progress updates, folks. How're we doing?

I've been PTing 176-177 for the past 3 or 4, but I just took PT53 and the RC ate my lunch; I think I rushed it, and it really cost me. That's the worst I've done on any RC (including my diagnostic), so this was a 171. I'm hoping that was a fluke test; we'll see. Regardless, we're right at 5 weeks out! How do we feel?

Also has anyone else been obsessively glued to the December Waiters thread?

[Miracle]

Progress updates, folks. How're we doing?

I've been PTing 176-177 for the past 3 or 4, but I just took PT53 and the RC ate my lunch; I think I rushed it, and it really cost me. That's the worst I've done on any RC (including my diagnostic), so this was a 171. I'm hoping that was a fluke test; we'll see. Regardless, we're right at 5 weeks out! How do we feel?

Also has anyone else been obsessively glued to the December Waiters thread?

I have. -14 curve. Pretty good!

[partoftheworld123]

Anyone got a tip for concentration issues? I always have trouble keeping myself 100% focused, even in the real test last month. I tried quietly whispering to myself as I read, but this got my screwed over in the real test after the guy next to me told me to shut the f**k up and we had a short argument during the test... So, any useful personal tips for those that can't focus for more than 30 seconds? Thanks.

[AOT]

Re-taker here. December's LG absolutely killed me, I went down -9. So disappointed, but I'm hoping that LG should be the easiest section to fix. Was PTing around 173 average, ended up with 167 in December. Hoping to spend next week really drilling LG then will see decide what to do from there. Don't have the $$ for the Manhattan packages. Any advice on what to do if you can't afford much in the way of prep materials?

I have all the prep tests on my laptop, so could just print all the logic games sections and do them that way.

[Miracle]

Re-taker here. December's LG absolutely killed me, I went down -9. So disappointed, but I'm hoping that LG should be the easiest section to fix. Was PTing around 173 average, ended up with 167 in December. Hoping to spend next week really drilling LG then will see decide what to do from there. Don't have the $$ for the Manhattan packages. Any advice on what to do if you can't afford much in the way of prep materials?

I have all the prep tests on my laptop, so could just print all the logic games sections and do them that way.

I'm so sorry to hear that. Are you applying this cycle?

[AOT]

Re-taker here. December's LG absolutely killed me, I went down -9. So disappointed, but I'm hoping that LG should be the easiest section to fix. Was PTing around 173 average, ended up with 167 in December. Hoping to spend next week really drilling LG then will see decide what to do from there. Don't have the $$ for the Manhattan packages. Any advice on what to do if you can't afford much in the way of prep materials?

I have all the prep tests on my laptop, so could just print all the logic games sections and do them that way.

I'm so sorry to hear that. Are you applying this cycle?

Thanks, but it's ok. I actually thought I'd messed up because I ran out of time in RC and had to completely guess the last 7 questions, so I was pretty prepared to be disappointed. Turns out I'm some sort of guessing genius though (only went down -3!).

I'm not sure really, still weighing up my options. The whole snow storm fiasco makes me think it might be worth applying to a few schools this cycle post Feb LSAT.

[Miracle]

Re-taker here. December's LG absolutely killed me, I went down -9. So disappointed, but I'm hoping that LG should be the easiest section to fix. Was PTing around 173 average, ended up with 167 in December. Hoping to spend next week really drilling LG then will see decide what to do from there. Don't have the $$ for the Manhattan packages. Any advice on what to do if you can't afford much in the way of prep materials?

I have all the prep tests on my laptop, so could just print all the logic games sections and do them that way.

I'm so sorry to hear that. Are you applying this cycle?

Thanks, but it's ok. I actually thought I'd messed up because I ran out of time in RC and had to completely guess the last 7 questions, so I was pretty prepared to be disappointed. Turns out I'm some sort of guessing genius though (only went down -3!).

I'm not sure really, still weighing up my options. The whole snow storm fiasco makes me think it might be worth applying to a few schools this cycle post Feb LSAT.

What snow fiasco? I am applying this cycle and some other people on here as well. I have one school that I really want to go to, and there were multiple people that got in last cycle with February score (170+). Besides that, I'm a splitter anyways and wpuld have gotten waitlisted at most schools anyways...I would have to wait out the whole cycle so I'm not giving up hope. I don't know how your numbers look like bit don't give up hope. I rather try and fail, then not try at all.