The Official December 2014 Study Group Forum

[pta]

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[Shakawkaw]

How was everyone's day of studying?

Really bad. Thanks for reminding me, Nlee.

No problem. Don't want us to get TOO distracted.

Where do you live, Nlee?

[hopeboaltberkeley]

You can refer to me as a human. Gender is a social construct anyway. (I iz a lady.)

I feel that. I'm not sure any major can prepare you adequately enough for the LSATs. Even as a philosophy major, I feel so inadequate sometimes. I think taking formal logic helped, a little. But even that course feels like it was ages ago. And I read a ton of dense material for my courses and RC still gets me every time. I guess that's one of the cool things about the LSATs.

One tip I have implemented into RC is trying to become interested in the topic discussed in the passage. Sounds simple enough, but I REALLY try to act as if I'm totally interested in whatever science hypothesis or artist X's contributions etc etc. Seems to be working thus far. Finding it easier to read for structure and have been killing it on RC passages for my class hw. lol

Yes! I try to do that too re: making it interesting. I think my problem is I get bogged down in the details and then it starts to jumble in my head.

When you say read for structure (I've been putting RC off/have not looked at a passage since Sept.) do you mean like, summarizing the MP of each paragraph and noting details like authors VP and stuff? I'm trying to figure out the best way of making notations and what to read for without overdoing it.

If you get a strong sense of the main point of the passage early on you might have a better sense of what details to pay attention to as you move through the paragraphs.

Probably an obvious point, but worth stating

[justabitunusual]

Double Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies from Subway are 180

eta: saying 180, means we're staying on topic

[Shakawkaw]

If you get a strong sense of the main point of the passage early on you might have a better sense of what details to pay attention to as you move through the paragraphs.

Probably an obvious point, but worth stating

Yeah, that's a good point. A lot of the time I read a passage and think it's about one thing and then by the 3rd para it shifts and I'm like wtf just happened. And then I get flustered.

[pta]

Post removed...

[justabitunusual]

I bought Flaw Q's, Nec. Ass (s/o to Colonel again), Sufficient Ass, Conditional, and Difficult. Mostly cos those were my problem areas. When I do individual sections/PT, I might buy more.

Didn't buy the packets with like less than 50 q's cos that's dumb and I can do that myself. S/o to Colonel being dumb.

bot dat whole packet for all of em three hundo down the drain

i wish i was rich

[gatesome]

the only Cambridge packet i bought is the Difficult LR packet (400+ questions)

though i may eventually buy the difficult LG packet too

aside from that i just use PTs and the 7sage problem sets

[IsThisForReal]

i wish i was rich

[nlee10]

How was everyone's day of studying?

Really bad. Thanks for reminding me, Nlee.

No problem. Don't want us to get TOO distracted.

Where do you live, Nlee?

California, lol

[idissent]

Re: RC, the topic or main point of the passage is always in the first paragraph or the very beginning of the second. Beyond that, I pay attention to opinion of the author and anyone else important in the passage (the scientists, the artists, the Native Americans, whatever), and just try to get through it as quickly as possible. Once you know the main point and the author's opinion, you can usually easily answer at least half of the questions, then go back for the more detailed ones.

Also, question: what's the consensus on pting. Should I try best replicate test day conditions (I can probably get into the classroom I'd be testing in since it's on campus) or should I try to work with the most distractions (like at starbucks) or a combination of the two?

[justabitunusual]

didn't do much today but drilled a Parallel Flaw packet ... still have some work to do but made progress. Diagramming faster now.

Ugh, parallel q's are da worrrrst.

Did you guys buy the Cambridge bundle for each section? Or buy individual?

the only Cambridge packet i bought is the Difficult LR packet (400+ questions)

though i may eventually buy the difficult LG packet too

aside from that i just use PTs and the 7sage problem sets

this sounds good too . . .

[justabitunusual]

i wish i was rich

[Shakawkaw]

Re: RC, the topic or main point of the passage is always in the first paragraph or the very beginning of the second. Beyond that, I pay attention to opinion of the author and anyone else important in the passage (the scientists, the artists, the Native Americans, whatever), and just try to get through it as quickly as possible. Once you know the main point and the author's opinion, you can usually easily answer at least half of the questions, then go back for the more detailed ones.

Also, question: what's the consensus on pting. Should I try best replicate test day conditions (I can probably get into the classroom I'd be testing in since it's on campus) or should I try to work with the most distractions (like at starbucks) or a combination of the two?

Okay - so let's say a passage is critiquing a bill. First para is general info. Second is pro's. Third is cons. And the fourth is the author going HAM on a whole different alternative to the bill. Would the MP just be "Author be critiquing" OR would it be "Author is going HAM and the bill is bogus?" That's the kind of switch up I'm talking about. Maybe I'm just not paying enough attention.

Re 2nd q: Depends on what you are usually distracted by. For me, I like studying around other people because I get distracted by people moving in my peripherals. Like, if bitches are flipping pages, I have to look. Someone walks in? Yup, I'm gunna make eye contact with you. Starbucks is nice but sometimes I get loopy af because the ventilation can be bad. TC will not smell like delicious coffee.

[Shakawkaw]

Hey guys - what are the 7sage problem sets?

[Shakawkaw]

i wish i was rich

PM for info about getting a sugar daddy.

[IsThisForReal]

i wish i was rich

PM for info about getting a sugar daddy.

Colonel, if you are rich I might be able to forgo the truck requirement.

[gatesome]

Hey guys - what are the 7sage problem sets?

i bought the 7sage course (the starter version) and each question type comes with a problem set after the lessons (more problem sets/PTs for upgraded versions of the course)

[Shakawkaw]

Hey guys - what are the 7sage problem sets?

i bought the 7sage course (the starter version) and each question type comes with a problem set after the lessons (more problem sets/PTs for upgraded versions of the course)

Oh, so you gotta pay for dat. Thanks, that's all I wanted to know.

[idissent]

Re: RC, the topic or main point of the passage is always in the first paragraph or the very beginning of the second. Beyond that, I pay attention to opinion of the author and anyone else important in the passage (the scientists, the artists, the Native Americans, whatever), and just try to get through it as quickly as possible. Once you know the main point and the author's opinion, you can usually easily answer at least half of the questions, then go back for the more detailed ones.

Also, question: what's the consensus on pting. Should I try best replicate test day conditions (I can probably get into the classroom I'd be testing in since it's on campus) or should I try to work with the most distractions (like at starbucks) or a combination of the two?

Okay - so let's say a passage is critiquing a bill. First para is general info. Second is pro's. Third is cons. And the fourth is the author going HAM on a whole different alternative to the bill. Would the MP just be "Author be critiquing" OR would it be "Author is going HAM and the bill is bogus?" That's the kind of switch up I'm talking about. Maybe I'm just not paying enough attention.

Re 2nd q: Depends on what you are usually distracted by. For me, I like studying around other people because I get distracted by people moving in my peripherals. Like, if bitches are flipping pages, I have to look. Someone walks in? Yup, I'm gunna make eye contact with you. Starbucks is nice but sometimes I get loopy af because the ventilation can be bad. TC will not smell like delicious coffee.

So, in this situation, the first paragraph will essentially tell us that there's a problem with the bill. That's the main point of the passage. The author's opinion is also something that they usually pull questions about, so if they're talking major shit about this bill, even if it's at the end of the paragraph, that's important to pick up, since there are questions about author opinion at least once. Usually, I'll note that like okay paragraph 2 is pros, paragraph 3 is cons and move on. If a question is going to pick on that, you'll know exactly where in the passage to go to, and it's nbd because it's just a few lines.

For me, it's a lot easier to not internalize much beyond the main point and the author and main player's (if relevant) opinion. Once you've got that, you've got like 4/7 questions, which saves time for the ones you have to go back to. Once you've gotten a feel for what the passages look like, it's a lot easier to get the main point and POVs and get through them really quickly.

[GreenTee]

.

[Colonel_funkadunk]

i wish i was rich

PM for info about getting a sugar daddy.

Colonel, if you are rich I might be able to forgo the truck requirement.

PM me

PM me

Call me mr steal yo thread

[nlee10]

Also, question: what's the consensus on pting. Should I try best replicate test day conditions (I can probably get into the classroom I'd be testing in since it's on campus) or should I try to work with the most distractions (like at starbucks) or a combination of the two?

One mistake I made before September was that I PT'd under the exact same conditions every time. I tried to mimic my test day routine as closely as possible. For two months leading up to the test, I woke up at the same time, ran the same loop, ate the same breakfast, did the same warm up, took the test in the testing center at 8:30 on the dot. I was crazy about keeping everything exactly the same.

Here's why it was a mistake: I only learned how to take a PT in exactly one mental state. Then test day rolls around, I'm nervous as fuck, and my entire practice routine is suddenly irrelevant. So I'm correcting that problem for December. I'm going to take PTs under many different conditions (less sleep, no exercise, after work, lots of food, no food, splitting headache, etc.) and in many different places (coffee shops, libraries, in my apartment, under the GW Bridge, etc). The point is to become flexible enough to not be thrown off by the test day twilight zone mindfuck. So change it up as much as you can.

Good tip on PTing. I think if I'm able to successfully PT in a loud Starbucks, I'll feel ready.

[justabitunusual]

One mistake I made before September was that I PT'd under the exact same conditions every time. I tried to mimic my test day routine as closely as possible. For two months leading up to the test, I woke up at the same time, ran the same loop, ate the same breakfast, did the same warm up, took the test in the testing center at 8:30 on the dot. I was crazy about keeping everything exactly the same.

Here's why it was a mistake: I only learned how to take a PT in exactly one mental state. Then test day rolls around, I'm nervous as fuck, and my entire practice routine is suddenly irrelevant. So I'm correcting that problem for December. I'm going to take PTs under many different conditions (less sleep, no exercise, after work, lots of food, no food, splitting headache, etc.) and in many different places (coffee shops, libraries, in my apartment, under the GW Bridge, etc). The point is to become flexible enough to not be thrown off by the test day twilight zone mindfuck. So change it up as much as you can.

I agree. Prior to taking the test in June, I took PT's at the coffee shop, the library, at home, during the day, but mostly at night when I was ab to fall asleep. The advantage was that on test day, I was very calm and even energized. Whereas in Sept., I was more routine in my PT locale, and times, and I was a lot more nervous and easily distracted. That could just be me and not a causal connection at all, but i do think changing it up helps.

[idissent]

Also, question: what's the consensus on pting. Should I try best replicate test day conditions (I can probably get into the classroom I'd be testing in since it's on campus) or should I try to work with the most distractions (like at starbucks) or a combination of the two?

One mistake I made before September was that I PT'd under the exact same conditions every time. I tried to mimic my test day routine as closely as possible. For two months leading up to the test, I woke up at the same time, ran the same loop, ate the same breakfast, did the same warm up, took the test in the testing center at 8:30 on the dot. I was crazy about keeping everything exactly the same.

Here's why it was a mistake: I only learned how to take a PT in exactly one mental state. Then test day rolls around, I'm nervous as fuck, and my entire practice routine is suddenly irrelevant. So I'm correcting that problem for December. I'm going to take PTs under many different conditions (less sleep, no exercise, after work, lots of food, no food, splitting headache, etc.) and in many different places (coffee shops, libraries, in my apartment, under the GW Bridge, etc). The point is to become flexible enough to not be thrown off by the test day twilight zone mindfuck. So change it up as much as you can.

That's what I figured. I was about the same, PTing at the same time every week and the like, so I'll plan on moving around a lot.

Thanks y'all!