The Official June 2014 Study Group Forum

[O Captain My Captain]

Just scored a 163 non-timed! My best yet.

LG -0
LR -8
LR -12
RC -4

I finished the Manhattan RC guide a few days ago! I think it helped. I was at like -12 to -14 previously.

[10052014]

.

[O Captain My Captain]

jaylawyer,

what kind of score are you at right now non-timed?

I think you should take PT 21 at a leisurely pace and see where you're at.

I'd like to see how my score stands up to yours. I feel like you'd be at a 165 or 166.

Give it a shot.

Also, you never responded to my message.

[WaltGrace83]

I started the LSAT trainer on Monday. I read through the introductions (chapter 1-4) which I really enjoyed. Now I am working on Chapter 5. I am working on that chapter for a third day straight today but I really want to make sure I have a solid foundation and so I am going to take as long as I need to really make sure I understand every little detail of these first few LR chapters. I'll check back in a few days from now

[alexrodriguez]

keep it up waltgrace

[WaltGrace83]

Also, I just got my final grades in today for my final semester at college. I will have a 3.98. This LSAT is the only thing keeping me away from debtless T14 glory/YSH.

EDIT: don't quote that please.

[alexrodriguez]

well you're in good shape with that gpa

[Tyr]

My finals are finished for this semester so now is the time for me to really commit to my study plan (1 section per day out of The LSAT Trainer). I finished Chapter 5 yesterday (flaws). It's interesting that as soon as you get a taste for one section, the book jumps to something else (Chapter 6 is games). I suppose it keeps stuff fresher in your mind as you cover all the material.

Another observation about The LSAT Trainer; it seems to focus much less on the mechanics of problem solving and more on the mental process. What I mean by that is, unlike PS Bibles, it looks at a LR problem and tells you how to think about the problem rather than identifying the problem as "Category X" and solving "Category X" according to "Process X." This should be an interesting process.

It almost makes me want to bust into a little Aladdin and sing "A Whole New World" except with an LSAT twist.

[Bully]

My finals are finished for this semester so now is the time for me to really commit to my study plan (1 section per day out of The LSAT Trainer). I finished Chapter 5 yesterday (flaws). It's interesting that as soon as you get a taste for one section, the book jumps to something else (Chapter 6 is games). I suppose it keeps stuff fresher in your mind as you cover all the material.

Another observation about The LSAT Trainer; it seems to focus much less on the mechanics of problem solving and more on the mental process. What I mean by that is, unlike PS Bibles, it looks at a LR problem and tells you how to think about the problem rather than identifying the problem as "Category X" and solving "Category X" according to "Process X." This should be an interesting process.

It almost makes me want to bust into a little Aladdin and sing "A Whole New World" except with an LSAT twist.

Chapter 6 is Logical Reasoning: A piece equals-not the puzzle.. The next 3 chapters will go into depth about how to identify various type of argument flaws and help you better solve LR questions. Chapter 10 is when LG starts. I just finished up Chapter 9 (LR Flaw Review) last night.

[afnajjerh]

My finals are finished for this semester so now is the time for me to really commit to my study plan (1 section per day out of The LSAT Trainer). I finished Chapter 5 yesterday (flaws). It's interesting that as soon as you get a taste for one section, the book jumps to something else (Chapter 6 is games). I suppose it keeps stuff fresher in your mind as you cover all the material.

Another observation about The LSAT Trainer; it seems to focus much less on the mechanics of problem solving and more on the mental process. What I mean by that is, unlike PS Bibles, it looks at a LR problem and tells you how to think about the problem rather than identifying the problem as "Category X" and solving "Category X" according to "Process X." This should be an interesting process.

It almost makes me want to bust into a little Aladdin and sing "A Whole New World" except with an LSAT twist.

One of my biggest problems with PS LR was that it was too rigid and rule intense. That method works great for games, but I felt it was too confusing for LR. Manhatten did a better job, and I am starting Trainer now since I have heard it is the best at training you how to think.

[blueportero31]

Hey guys, been lurking for a bit and decided to officially check in! Took the Oct test but looking to make a big improvement in June. Was inconsistent in my studying and only took a handful of timed PT's beforehand. As was pretty much inevitable: hit a tough game, got flustered about it and stumbled my way into the low 160's. This time going to spend much much more time drilling and PT'ing (especially in all kinds of distracting conditions) and looking to TLS to keep me accountable for it.

Only used powerscore materials for Oct and looking to diversify this time around w/ Trainer, Manhattan Series and the Cambridge bundles. Going to be working full-time so its going to be a lot of the early morning/weekend study grind.

Goal is T14 and really want T10 so with a rather pedestrian 3.56 I'm aiming for that 173+

Looking forward to being much more active here in the new year!

[flash21]

Just scored a 163 non-timed! My best yet.

LG -0
LR -8
LR -12
RC -4

I finished the Manhattan RC guide a few days ago! I think it helped. I was at like -12 to -14 previously.

nice. - now you just have to work on that LR, lol

jay i am very interested to see in what you get for an untimed test - it sounds like you are extremely good already at LSAT

[flash21]

guys I am beginning to do very well on reading comp untimed (getting -1 or -0 a lot of the time) - - i know this is no big deal really but my reading comp was very bad in the past. if i had to guess i bet im spending like 12 mins or maybe more on a passage but i am working on fixing that. i ofen find that i really mull over 1-2 questions for literally minutes. I only do this for drilling, im quite aware that on a real lsat i would not have the time to do that and finish the passages on time, but its just for good practice. im hoping to recognize how right answers look and speed through the passages faster.

[WaltGrace83]

guys I am beginning to do very well on reading comp untimed (getting -1 or -0 a lot of the time) - - i know this is no big deal really but my reading comp was very bad in the past. if i had to guess i bet im spending like 12 mins or maybe more on a passage but i am working on fixing that. i ofen find that i really mull over 1-2 questions for literally minutes. I only do this for drilling, im quite aware that on a real lsat i would not have the time to do that and finish the passages on time, but its just for good practice. im hoping to recognize how right answers look and speed through the passages faster.

What have you done/been doing to improve?

Hey guys, been lurking for a bit and decided to officially check in! Took the Oct test but looking to make a big improvement in June. Was inconsistent in my studying and only took a handful of timed PT's beforehand. As was pretty much inevitable: hit a tough game, got flustered about it and stumbled my way into the low 160's. This time going to spend much much more time drilling and PT'ing (especially in all kinds of distracting conditions) and looking to TLS to keep me accountable for it.

Only used powerscore materials for Oct and looking to diversify this time around w/ Trainer, Manhattan Series and the Cambridge bundles. Going to be working full-time so its going to be a lot of the early morning/weekend study grind.

Goal is T14 and really want T10 so with a rather pedestrian 3.56 I'm aiming for that 173+

Looking forward to being much more active here in the new year!

We are looking forward to having you here! Hopefully with the little bit of accountability/motivation/awesomeness that this community provides, we will all get a 173+

[flash21]

guys I am beginning to do very well on reading comp untimed (getting -1 or -0 a lot of the time) - - i know this is no big deal really but my reading comp was very bad in the past. if i had to guess i bet im spending like 12 mins or maybe more on a passage but i am working on fixing that. i ofen find that i really mull over 1-2 questions for literally minutes. I only do this for drilling, im quite aware that on a real lsat i would not have the time to do that and finish the passages on time, but its just for good practice. im hoping to recognize how right answers look and speed through the passages faster.

What have you done/been doing to improve?

Hey guys, been lurking for a bit and decided to officially check in! Took the Oct test but looking to make a big improvement in June. Was inconsistent in my studying and only took a handful of timed PT's beforehand. As was pretty much inevitable: hit a tough game, got flustered about it and stumbled my way into the low 160's. This time going to spend much much more time drilling and PT'ing (especially in all kinds of distracting conditions) and looking to TLS to keep me accountable for it.

Only used powerscore materials for Oct and looking to diversify this time around w/ Trainer, Manhattan Series and the Cambridge bundles. Going to be working full-time so its going to be a lot of the early morning/weekend study grind.

Goal is T14 and really want T10 so with a rather pedestrian 3.56 I'm aiming for that 173+

Looking forward to being much more active here in the new year!

We are looking forward to having you here! Hopefully with the little bit of accountability/motivation/awesomeness that this community provides, we will all get a 173+

Hey. I go through a binder of passages I have (bought the package from cambridge) and then i go through them untimed, reading it parahraph and putting a summary beside. I then try to summ it all up in my head after and attack questions, refer back when necessary. when i get one wrong, I'll go back and i will look up the explaination and make sure i fully understand it. for some of them i will write out a word document of why i think certain answers are wrong or right, much like a lot of us do for LR so i can see my reasoning process and correct it. i have a feeling reading comp is not nearly as complicated as many of us make it out to be

[Straw_Mandible]

Hey. I go through a binder of passages I have (bought the package from cambridge) and then i go through them untimed, reading it parahraph and putting a summary beside. I then try to summ it all up in my head after and attack questions, refer back when necessary. when i get one wrong, I'll go back and i will look up the explaination and make sure i fully understand it. for some of them i will write out a word document of why i think certain answers are wrong or right, much like a lot of us do for LR so i can see my reasoning process and correct it. i have a feeling reading comp is not nearly as complicated as many of us make it out to be

When you say that you go back and "look up the explanation," I assume you mean that you rationalize your own explanation based on evidence that you either missed or misinterpreted in the passage, right?

The other possibility would be that you search for a prep company's explanation online, which I have had very little luck with--especially in RC. When you come across an answer choice that you are having trouble rationalizing, what do you do? I usually just lay the passage to rest, work on something else, and come back to it. I'm wondering if you have other strategies or other resources.

[flash21]

Hey. I go through a binder of passages I have (bought the package from cambridge) and then i go through them untimed, reading it parahraph and putting a summary beside. I then try to summ it all up in my head after and attack questions, refer back when necessary. when i get one wrong, I'll go back and i will look up the explaination and make sure i fully understand it. for some of them i will write out a word document of why i think certain answers are wrong or right, much like a lot of us do for LR so i can see my reasoning process and correct it. i have a feeling reading comp is not nearly as complicated as many of us make it out to be

When you say that you go back and "look up the explanation," I assume you mean that you rationalize your own explanation based on evidence that you either missed or misinterpreted in the passage, right?

The other possibility would be that you search for a prep company's explanation online, which I have had very little luck with--especially in RC. When you come across an answer choice that you are having trouble rationalizing, what do you do? I usually just lay the passage to rest, work on something else, and come back to it. I'm wondering if you have other strategies or other resources.

I have the PDF's of kaplan explainations that includer reading comprehension answers, but often times you can see for yourself why its wrong as well

[10052014]

.

[Straw_Mandible]

I have the PDF's of kaplan explainations that includer reading comprehension answers, but often times you can see for yourself why its wrong as well

But doesn't it scare you that they say "Kaplan" on them?
Haha, I just realized that I actually have these too (got them for free from a non-TLS-using friend), but I've been staying far far away from them because Kaplan is a disastrously inferior prep company.
Have you noticed anything wonky about the explanations? If not, I might give them a try the next time I get stuck.

For what it's worth, however, I think it would benefit us more to spend any amount time it takes to sort through the explanations on our own. As difficult as it often may be, this will force us to actively re-route our brains to align with the appropriate process for solving that type of question. Simply looking up an explanation (which may or may not be correct--knowing Kaplan) tells us the "what," but it doesn't help with the "how." If I were you, I would use that resource sparingly -- only when you've gone through the question a few times, and you're completely stumped. Better to DIY.

[flash21]

I have the PDF's of kaplan explainations that includer reading comprehension answers, but often times you can see for yourself why its wrong as well

But doesn't it scare you that they say "Kaplan" on them?
Haha, I just realized that I actually have these too (got them for free from a non-TLS-using friend), but I've been staying far far away from them because Kaplan is a disastrously inferior prep company.
Have you noticed anything wonky about the explanations? If not, I might give them a try the next time I get stuck.

For what it's worth, however, I think it would benefit us more to spend any amount time it takes to sort through the explanations on our own. As difficult as it often may be, this will force us to actively re-route our brains to align with the appropriate process for solving that type of question. Simply looking up an explanation (which may or may not be correct--knowing Kaplan) tells us the "what," but it doesn't help with the "how." If I were you, I would use that resource sparingly -- only when you've gone through the question a few times, and you're completely stumped. Better to DIY.

Agreed. If i am absolutely stumped I'll use them. Yes they are terrible sometimes, other times the explanations work just fine.

Good advice I read from Mike Kim -- once you find the answer to a question, walk yourself backwards through the thought process and imagine how you would have solved it more efficiently next time.

[Straw_Mandible]

Good advice I read from Mike Kim -- once you find the answer to a question, walk yourself backwards through the thought process and imagine how you would have solved it more efficiently next time.

That's great advice. (Isn't Mike just the best?) Of course, it's more effective if that 'backwards walk' involves figuring out the reasoning as well as the process. That way, it keeps you honest. Sometimes when I look at an explanation, I have to prevent myself from just saying "Wow, that's so obvious--clearly this was a dumb mistake that I'll try to avoid next time." But in real time, there was a reason I picked the answer that I did, and I need to train myself out of whatever faulty line of reasoning I used to get there.

[flash21]

Good advice I read from Mike Kim -- once you find the answer to a question, walk yourself backwards through the thought process and imagine how you would have solved it more efficiently next time.

That's great advice. (Isn't Mike just the best?) Of course, it's more effective if that 'backwards walk' involves figuring out the reasoning as well as the process. That way, it keeps you honest. Sometimes when I look at an explanation, I have to prevent myself from just saying "Wow, that's so obvious--clearly this was a dumb mistake that I'll try to avoid next time." But in real time, there was a reason I picked the answer that I did, and I need to train myself out of whatever faulty line of reasoning I used to get there.

Yes he is the man. I suggest seriously just writing out in a word document for especially hard questions why you're getting rid of certain answers and why you're keeping others. this helped me sooo much, and you can see in real time what your thought patterns were like at that moment and how to correct it. makes this backwards walking technique so much easier.

[Nonconsecutive]

Just scored a 163 non-timed! My best yet.

LG -0
LR -8
LR -12
RC -4

I finished the Manhattan RC guide a few days ago! I think it helped. I was at like -12 to -14 previously.

Congrats on the RC improvement! That's pretty huge for that section.

[KDLMaj]

But doesn't it scare you that they say "Kaplan" on them?
Haha, I just realized that I actually have these too (got them for free from a non-TLS-using friend), but I've been staying far far away from them because Kaplan is a disastrously inferior prep company.
Have you noticed anything wonky about the explanations? If not, I might give them a try the next time I get stuck.

Old Kaplan explanations for RC and LR are really spotty. Sometimes they're solid, but there's a lot of garbage in them. New explanations are generally great. If you're going to use Kaplan explanations, focus on tests from the last few years. (Mid-50s+)

I know it's sacrilege to say anything other than "KAPLAN IS HORRIBLE!", but 99% of people who talk trash about them either have no direct experience with them, or they haven't had any direct experience with them in 5 years. Mostly it's just recycled opinions. You read about how horrible something is often enough, and you're going to start to agree.

By the same token, people who swoon at the PowerScore Bibles just because they're...THE BIBLES!!11! are equally unrealistic. They're great books, don't get me wrong (some of the best out there). But they were never the panacea for all that folks on these boards liked to pretend they were.

Beware advice based on rumor-filled eacho chambers

[WaltGrace83]

I have a feeling that by the end of this 6 month period, I will know exactly where all the best study spots are in my hometown. I read somewhere that studying in the same place will hinder focus and increase distraction. I have been going to a different library everyday this week. What about you guys?