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

[Mikey]

PT 60

LR1: -14
LG: -4 (game 3, the 2nd rule tripped me out)
LR2: -12
RC: -7 (for me this was the positive take away...)

------
63/101 -> 154


BR:
LR1: -7
LG: -1
LR2: -8
RC: -7 (idk wtf happened, have to go back and look)
--------
77/100 -> 162


I really, really, REALLY have to work on flaw questions, NA questions, Science & law passages..at this rate I don't think I'll be able to sit for the September exam

Like Alex said, it's all part of the process. You do great one day, shitty the next, then next thing you know you'll become more consistent. -4 in LG ain't so bad for not really knowing how to do a game. I looked at game 3 just now and remember it gave me trouble when I first did it. Once you figure out what the limited rules mean though and you mess around with some diagrams, I think the game becomes a lot more simple than what it appears to be.

[Alexandros]

PT 60

LR1: -14
LG: -4 (game 3, the 2nd rule tripped me out)
LR2: -12
RC: -7 (for me this was the positive take away...)

------
63/101 -> 154


BR:
LR1: -7
LG: -1
LR2: -8
RC: -7 (idk wtf happened, have to go back and look)
--------
77/100 -> 162


I really, really, REALLY have to work on flaw questions, NA questions, Science & law passages..at this rate I don't think I'll be able to sit for the September exam

Like Alex said, it's all part of the process. You do great one day, shitty the next, then next thing you know you'll become more consistent. -4 in LG ain't so bad for not really knowing how to do a game. I looked at game 3 just now and remember it gave me trouble when I first did it. Once you figure out what the limited rules mean though and you mess around with some diagrams, I think the game becomes a lot more simple than what it appears to be.

^ Exactly.
And, I mean, we've all been there at one point or another. Low scores can give you an idea of your weaknesses right now, but they don't tell you your potential.
And great job on LG!

[Alexandros]

I realized I rushed into the games 2 and 3 on 62 head-on without making, or even attempting to make, any inferences up front. (definitely not the first time that's happened on a PT...) The games really aren't that difficult and if I had made some fairly simple, basic inferences at the beginning, they would have bee much easier. I also tried to set up game 3 by person, which was a terrible idea and made the game ridiculously difficult. I really don't know what inspired me to do that.

No matter how off I was feeling, that shouldn't have happened. If I had my shit together, that could have easily been a 180.

I think I'm going to have to sideline RC for a bit and really hone in on LG and LR. Getting LR to 100% accuracy - systematically doing sets with every ambiguous or incorrect answer going on the word doc - and uh going back to Logic Games 101 for a little while. Set-up drills and fake games.

[galeatus]

PT31 today, have been drilling LG for like 4 hours today before starting on the PT, and felt absolutely drained at the end of S4...and guess what.

LG: -1
LR: -0
LR2: -1
RC: -3
-5 -> 178

3rd PT in a row now where I felt completely shit and destroyed after the PT and the result turned out to be great, is this a thing?

[ngogirl12]

PT 60



I really, really, REALLY have to work on flaw questions, NA questions, Science & law passages..at this rate I don't think I'll be able to sit for the September exam

Don't feel bad. In her webinar, Alison (173) said she scored some really low scores, but after those scores you need a couple hours to indulge in you, get a cupcake-watch something a tv show perhaps-to do something to feel your sorrow, but then wake up the next morning and go hard core again. She said it is these bad scores that help a person get through the tough times in a PT/LSAT experience, each one is a learning lesson to not let a setback mess you up throughout the test, it could have been a harder test. She said those experiences is what got her through the LG section of the December 2015 test and not give up because she had a hard section.

I think maybe you could rewatch the videos for those question types and drill them if you have question sets, and see where you went wrong with the game. Maybe drill the hell out of it.

Honestly, I'm having doubts about whether I'll make September too because I'm still going through the curriculum (starting LG today) and I still have yet to take a PT. I'm aiming for September and might end up taking both or just December, it really depends on what my PT is once I start taking them.

[Alexandros]

PT31 today, have been drilling LG for like 4 hours today before starting on the PT, and felt absolutely drained at the end of S4...and guess what.

LG: -1
LR: -0
LR2: -1
RC: -3
-5 -> 178

3rd PT in a row now where I felt completely shit and destroyed after the PT and the result turned out to be great, is this a thing?

DAMN. Congrats!
Out of curiosity, are you in a different time zone or a really early riser? (4 hours of LG drilling and an entire PT by noon is impressive!)

[34iplaw]

30 out of 80 parallel flawed methods done (30 right so far)...going to try to do another 20-30 then do some 4Fs. Again, another library where people cannot modulate their voices. It's the circulation desk again. Ridiculous.

Not really a fan of some museum night guard question. I feel like I wouldn't really think of it as flawed if not a 4F or 5F. Got it right fairly easily and quickly/confidently...but yeah.

[galeatus]

DAMN. Congrats!
Out of curiosity, are you in a different time zone or a really early riser? (4 hours of LG drilling and an entire PT by noon is impressive!)

Thanks !
Would love to say that I'm a hard-working early riser except I'm just not....In GMT+8 so 12 hours ahead.

[Alexandros]

DAMN. Congrats!
Out of curiosity, are you in a different time zone or a really early riser? (4 hours of LG drilling and an entire PT by noon is impressive!)

Thanks !
Would love to say that I'm a hard-working early riser except I'm just not....In GMT+8 so 12 hours ahead.

Haha, okay, that makes much more sense!

[Alexandros]

Anyone else struggle with 62.2.23?

[+] Spoiler

Got it right and I guess C is the best answer out of them, but I didn't get that the pesticide has been shown to harm children, only that the implication that it potentially could.

I also thought 62.2.15 was a weird question.
Eta: and the last four questions of 22.2 are pretty brutal imo. My doc of weird LR qs is expanding...

[20170322]

About 6 weeks until test day. Worried I'm not putting in enough time. Guess we'll find out.

[abcdefg1234567]

PT 60

LR1: -14
LG: -4 (game 3, the 2nd rule tripped me out)
LR2: -12
RC: -7 (for me this was the positive take away...)

------
63/101 -> 154


BR:
LR1: -7
LG: -1
LR2: -8
RC: -7 (idk wtf happened, have to go back and look)
--------
77/100 -> 162


I really, really, REALLY have to work on flaw questions, NA questions, Science & law passages..at this rate I don't think I'll be able to sit for the September exam

I used to score almost exactly like you. Best at LG (-2 to -4) worse on RC (-7 to -10) and fuckmylife on LR (-10 to -15 each!)
I lurked pretty heavily on the June study group thread and posted infrequently. The best advice I read was to first, be certain of the argument. More often than not, they are only two sentences long and not the complicated. The problem is that they get convoluted with background info, definitions, sentence structure etc. Start by labeling premises and conclusions but, with the exception of FL and longer arguments, you'll want to eventually be able to keep track in your head. Next, figure out what is wrong. All LSAT arguments have flaws... Not some, ALL. Sometimes they are obvious, sometimes not. Regardless, you will improve accuracy and timing if you are able to spot issues and come up with solutions ("prephrase") before reading the answer choices, which will allow you to spend extra time on the most difficult questions. When not taking a PT, most of my studying is spent on reading longer stims, organizing the argument in my mind, finding holes, and making up my own questions and answers.

Not only have I seen an improvement in LR, but it has also helped me with timing and accuracy in RC. Give it a shot, or don't. Just thought I'd let you know what worked for me.

[abcdefg1234567]

I've just finished reviewing PT 53 and wanted to get some opinions. I am troubled by LR2 Q16. Reason being that the correct answer requires an assumption that is not common sense (at least in my opinion).

[+] Spoiler

P1: Preschoolers develop strict systems, which help them learn.
P2: Preschoolers are always intensely curious about something new in their world.

C: Teaching preschoolers is not especially difficult.

Q: Weaken
CA: Children intensely curious about things have short attention spans.

Seems to me that characteristic doesn't have obvious implications, and is certainly not common sense. I have never seen this on any other questions and wonder what everyone else thinks.

[Mikey]

Did a timed RC section during my break. Scored it on 7sage and went -14. Yeah I don't know.

[Pozzo]

.

[tofuspeedstar]

Thanks all. Will def look into the suggestions given today.

[SunDevil14]

Burn out is real, how do you guys deal with stress and anxiety?

I think my desire to do well, and the pressure I am putting on myself is effecting my performance.

[34iplaw]

Burn out is real, how do you guys deal with stress and anxiety?

I think my desire to do well, and the pressure I am putting on myself is effecting my performance.

Just remember that you can always retake it. Your life won't be ruined if you don't go to Law School this year, next year, or, in theory, ever.

Alternatively (and somewhat conversely), just remember how important it is. A 166 may get you where you want to go and a 164 probably will too, but a 172 could net you $100,000 or more at that same school. Almost everyone will never have an opportunity to make that type of money in two months. Ever. Hell, make it $30,000. The overwhelming majority of people will never have the opportunity to make $30,000 in two months.

[20170322]

Burn out is real, how do you guys deal with stress and anxiety?

I think my desire to do well, and the pressure I am putting on myself is effecting my performance.

Tbh I'm cutting back studying and convincing myself that this is a proctored PT and that the real test is in December.

[ngogirl12]

Did a timed RC section during my break. Scored it on 7sage and went -14. Yeah I don't know.

Are you still applying the Memory Method? Do you think making it squeeze within your break and the stress of work/background noises distracted you?

Maybe instead of squeezing in a RC at work, try doing it in the morning before you head out/after having a snack or dinner when you get home. Maybe try doing a LG section in your break instead of RC you don't need to expend as much concentration/energy/focus as the other two sections..

[Alexandros]

Anyone else a bit worried about using up all the material and not making target in September, so having to study for 2-3 months for December with no fresh material?
Trying not to think about that, but still.

[Mikey]

Did a timed RC section during my break. Scored it on 7sage and went -14. Yeah I don't know.

Are you still applying the Memory Method? Do you think making it squeeze within your break and the stress of work/background noises distracted you?

Maybe instead of squeezing in a RC at work, try doing it in the morning before you head out/after having a snack or dinner when you get home. Maybe try doing a LG section in your break instead of RC you don't need to expend as much concentration/energy/focus as the other two sections..

I mean I can focus during my break, that's not the problem. I do the memory method in a way. I don't flip over the page and write/think about the structure anymore though, I just finish the passage and quickly go over each main point of the paragraphs before going to the questions.

Idk, maybe I should go back to doing the memory method with flipping the page and doing that step again. I feel like I kind of lost my touch with RC like I had when I was seeing progress. Oh well, tough love.

[34iplaw]

Anyone else a bit worried about using up all the material and not making target in September, so having to study for 2-3 months for December with no fresh material?
Trying not to think about that, but still.

Personally, not really. I've been making a bank of most/all questions I missed (if it's an honest, wow I missed that one word or something really silly I typically don't bother) or taken too long on. I think there is tangible benefit to redoing material, especially ones you didn't understand.

I actually think someone would probably be better off going through 10 PTs and understanding every single right and wrong answer than doing 30-40 PTs with some tenuous understanding. Games may be a *mild* exception if some rare game type didn't appear. I don't really have evidence for that, but it's sort of a sneaking suspicion.

[Alexandros]

Anyone else a bit worried about using up all the material and not making target in September, so having to study for 2-3 months for December with no fresh material?
Trying not to think about that, but still.

Personally, not really. I've been making a bank of most/all questions I missed (if it's an honest, wow I missed that one word or something really silly I typically don't bother) or taken too long on. I think there is tangible benefit to redoing material, especially ones you didn't understand.

I actually think someone would probably be better off going through 10 PTs and understanding every single right and wrong answer than doing 30-40 PTs with some tenuous understanding. Games may be a *mild* exception if some rare game type didn't appear. I don't really have evidence for that, but it's sort of a sneaking suspicion.

I'm glad you think that. I definitely agree with what you're saying.
My concern is just that not having had the sensation of doing a unfamiliar PT, an unfamiliar LR set, LG set, RC set, in months, might set me off, or at least give me a false sense of security.

I mean, bloody hell, there's no use worrying about that. But I am anyways.

I guess one hypothesis - for which I have no support or evidence of whatsoever - If the old material is still so familiar that it's inflating my scores hugely and giving me a false sense of security, it's unlikely that I'll have already forgotten how to respond to material that's actually new.

[Alexandros]

Try to consciously slow down for these old games, do the big pause, and really think it through and work out inferences in the beginning, not just go on autopilot because I know I can.