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

[Pozzo]

Man that guy who sells the Mastermind watch has got to be making a killing off each sale. 65 bucks?!... I just ordered one >_>

Anybody have any breakthrough thoughts on staying consistent on RC (other than drilling consistently, which I will definitely do)? I am all over the place.

Same

- Refer directly to the text. I used to seriously overestimate the amount of 'interpretation' they require of you. Four of the answers are absolutely incorrect and one is absolutely correct for a reason that can be specifically identified in the text itself.
- Pay very close attention to the specific wording of the answer choices. A lot of the trickier questions have very subtle wording variations to trip you up.

^this

Also, I found the LSAT Trainer tips on RC to be hugely helpful, paramount being read for structure above all else and not getting wrapped around the technical details of the passage.

[Shemp]

Being eligible for accommodations and not taking them would be evidence of poor judgement, because you would basically be accepting a test that is rigged against you when you don't have to. I know that the eligibility criteria have been loosened in the past couple years after LSAC lost a lawsuit. Some people might want to argue that the current criteria are somehow unfair, but I would bet that none of us here have the kind of expertise to make an educated judgement on that. It is also possible that the accommodations granted should be more customized to a test taker's individual situation, instead of what seems to be the blanket time and a half that most people get. Short of another lawsuit, none of us have the ability to change any of that.

Regardless of what your disability is, you're going to need some kind of diagnosis that provides evidence that you would be at a disadvantage if you took the test without accommodations. What the accommodation is designed to do is to put people with disabilities back on even footing, not provide an advantage. The system may not do exactly that, but you're not making up a diagnosis out of thin air, you're not offering any input on the way the system works, and you're not trying to cheat and get an unfair leg up on anybody else. All you're trying to do is work within the system to make sure that you get as fair a deal as possible, and there is absolutely no shame in it.

[Mikey]

Just got blindsided with the e-mail that accommodated test takers are taking the 5 section exam like everyone else.

fantastic.

I saw that. I wonder how those with accommodations will adjust to this change if they've been PTing the whole time with only 4.

I've been doing 5 section PTs anyways cause I thought I could beat my ADHD and just take the exam like the rest of you guys in here. But, once I accepted my limitations that I'm not as fast or capable as most of you in here I broke down and applied so I could do my best. Honestly, I'm ashamed of myself that I can't do my best under normal time constraints. But, I have to put my ego/pride aside and just accept I am what I am and that I need a testing accommodation.

Once I applied for them I didn't PT and just drilled. I'm starting up again with PT 62 on Monday, we'll see if I can sit still for 6 hours w/ 1 15 minute break...i really do hope there's a second break in there somewhere and maybe i can bring a second bag w/ food...

Sorry you feel that way I do think they should give you guys an additional break at the very least though.

I mean, I shouldn't care what other people think of me having accommodations (which is the root of me feeling ashamed of myself) for an exam when others don't..but it bothers me to some extent that people might think i'm just making it all up so I can have more time and study less (I actually study more now that I know I have confirmed my accommodations) I hate working twice as hard to understand stuff that normal people can get in 1-2 passes it might take me 4-5. But it is what it is.

Hey, just do what you're supposed to do for yourself and not anyone else. Something I learned is that the faster you stop caring about what others think about you, the quicker you'll be happier. I'm not saying you're not happy, not at all, it's just that we as people always seem to worry about being judged. And something most people don't realize is that the society we live in, we are always going to be criticized no matter what we do and don't do, so why not just do whatever we want to do if that's the case? You need accomodations, don't be ashamed of it at all, it's who you are and there's nothing more to do than just accept it and take it for what it is. I'm sure you can do very well on the exam so just do you, and make the LSAT your bitch!! You got this!

[Alexandros]

Being eligible for accommodations and not taking them would be evidence of poor judgement, because you would basically be accepting a test that is rigged against you when you don't have to. I know that the eligibility criteria have been loosened in the past couple years after LSAC lost a lawsuit. Some people might want to argue that the current criteria are somehow unfair, but I would bet that none of us here have the kind of expertise to make an educated judgement on that. It is also possible that the accommodations granted should be more customized to a test taker's individual situation, instead of what seems to be the blanket time and a half that most people get. Short of another lawsuit, none of us have the ability to change any of that.

Regardless of what your disability is, you're going to need some kind of diagnosis that provides evidence that you would be at a disadvantage if you took the test without accommodations. What the accommodation is designed to do is to put people with disabilities back on even footing, not provide an advantage. The system may not do exactly that, but you're not making up a diagnosis out of thin air, you're not offering any input on the way the system works, and you're not trying to cheat and get an unfair leg up on anybody else. All you're trying to do is work within the system to make sure that you get as fair a deal as possible, and there is absolutely no shame in it.

Well said.

[Shemp]

As soon as I wrote that I went outside, accidentally weedwacked a yellow jacket nest, and got stung on my elbow and face. If my elbow swells up too much I'm going to ask for accommodations in the form of a personal eunuch to fill in my answer sheet.

[proteinshake]

NYU's median LSAT is the same -- 169 (according to someone who went to orientation)

[JessiCAL]

Hi Everyone,

I have a couple questions re: drilling questions, and need some advice!

1) Any recommendations for how to drill LR questions on certain types of reasoning/flaws/stimulus templates? (eg: C&E reasoning, or stimuli that have piece =! puzzle type flaws (per the Trainer)).

2) When you drill (and review) LR problems, how "deep" do you dig in during your review? For example, do you try to ID question types that cause you trouble? Types of reasoning structures/flaws? Do you try to reduce stimuli down to certain reasoning structure templates? Do you study what LSAC typically uses as wrong ACs? Or does your review moreso involve "I missed this Q because I did x/y/z wrong"?
I've been drilling LR for a while now, esp the subjective-type Q's (flaws, assumptions, strengthen/weaken) in order to build up my skills and habits, but in the last PT I took (Superprep B), my LR score got worse!

3) On a related note, how deeply do you review LG? I'm not sure if I'm really seeing the patterns that (are supposed to) emerge from studying LG, and I just don't know if I'm not digging deep enough or not. For example, I see patterns in the game types, types of rules that are used, use of randoms to split antiblocks, etc. However, I can not for the life of me finish LG in time and feel like there's something that I'm missing. What kinds of patterns should I be looking for and finding?

I'm spending a lot of time reviewing, but sometimes I think that I'm making things harder on myself and I just don't know how "deeply" to review a problem. TLSers, please impart your words of wisdom!

Sorry for the long post, and TIA!

[Mikey]

1) Any recommendations for how to drill LR questions on certain types of reasoning/flaws/stimulus templates? (eg: C&E reasoning, or stimuli that have piece =! puzzle type flaws (per the Trainer)).
Well I have no clue what you mean by puzzle type flaws since I didn't look at the trainer. BUT, some general advice for flaw questions would be to familiarize yourself with some of the common flaws that the LSAT likes to use (correlation/causation mistaking, attributing a characteristic of a part to the whole, etc.). Along with that, really just keep doing a ton of flaw questions, that's all you can really do honestly.

2) When you drill (and review) LR problems, how "deep" do you dig in during your review? For example, do you try to ID question types that cause you trouble? Types of reasoning structures/flaws? Do you try to reduce stimuli down to certain reasoning structure templates? Do you study what LSAC typically uses as wrong ACs? Or does your review moreso involve "I missed this Q because I did x/y/z wrong"?
I've been drilling LR for a while now, esp the subjective-type Q's (flaws, assumptions, strengthen/weaken) in order to build up my skills and habits, but in the last PT I took (Superprep B), my LR score got worse!
When I review for LR, I don't just review the questions I got wrong or felt iffy on, I review everything including the ones I was 100% certain on. If I didn't attempt to anticipate (or failed to) the correct answer choice or even just a general idea to head into the answer choices with, I force myself during review to make anticipations and to figure out what is wrong with the argument before looking at the answers. (e.g. making sure that I find out wtf a flaw questions' argument's major flaw is)

3) On a related note, how deeply do you review LG? I'm not sure if I'm really seeing the patterns that (are supposed to) emerge from studying LG, and I just don't know if I'm not digging deep enough or not. For example, I see patterns in the game types, types of rules that are used, use of randoms to split antiblocks, etc. However, I can not for the life of me finish LG in time and feel like there's something that I'm missing. What kinds of patterns should I be looking for and finding?
For LG, all i really do is do a section/game, right after look at the correct answers and if I got anything wrong and/or took too long to do it, I will later on redo that section/game. Like, if I do an LG section, and do it in the exact 35 mins, and get even just 1 question wrong on, say, game 2, I'll redo that entire section in order to go -0 and beat my previous time. I was never able to finish the LG section in time, only 3 games at best, but because of this I believe this method has helped me a ton in being able to finish even if it is 35 mins on the dot.

[Mikey]

NYU's median LSAT is the same -- 169 (according to someone who went to orientation)

Hmm.. Interesting.. I feel like it's going to go to 170 very soon though..

[PhiladelphiaCollins]

I started working full time about 3 weeks ago, so I started trying to do tests on Wed/Sat with the Wednesday one being after work...anyways bad idea. My test last Saturday was a 165, my highest fresh score so far. My test last night was a 159, my lowest in about 2 months, so obviously I was pissed. Turns out today that a bubbling error on s1 screwed me out of about 7 marks.

My breakdown ended up being

LR1: -11
LG: -7
RC: -6
LR2: -5

On one hand, I'm a little relieved that it was just exhaustion/being drained that caused me to slip up like this, on the other hand I'm pretty pissed off that I fucked up like this at this stage in the game.

For people that are working full time - how are you doing PTs? So far I've being only testing on Saturday's (until recently) and I was a little worried about underprepping. However, I feel that taking a PT after work isn't the best test of my true abilities.

[tofuspeedstar]

Being eligible for accommodations and not taking them would be evidence of poor judgement, because you would basically be accepting a test that is rigged against you when you don't have to. I know that the eligibility criteria have been loosened in the past couple years after LSAC lost a lawsuit. Some people might want to argue that the current criteria are somehow unfair, but I would bet that none of us here have the kind of expertise to make an educated judgement on that. It is also possible that the accommodations granted should be more customized to a test taker's individual situation, instead of what seems to be the blanket time and a half that most people get. Short of another lawsuit, none of us have the ability to change any of that.

Regardless of what your disability is, you're going to need some kind of diagnosis that provides evidence that you would be at a disadvantage if you took the test without accommodations. What the accommodation is designed to do is to put people with disabilities back on even footing, not provide an advantage. The system may not do exactly that, but you're not making up a diagnosis out of thin air, you're not offering any input on the way the system works, and you're not trying to cheat and get an unfair leg up on anybody else. All you're trying to do is work within the system to make sure that you get as fair a deal as possible, and there is absolutely no shame in it.

I've attempted to take the exam without accommodations and failed miserably. I tried my best.

[Instrumental]

I re-did an older RC section I took. Did better than the first time I went through it, but the kicker is that only one of the six were ones I got wrong the first time. Basically my brain hates me.

[ashrice13]

I started working full time about 3 weeks ago, so I started trying to do tests on Wed/Sat with the Wednesday one being after work...anyways bad idea. My test last Saturday was a 165, my highest fresh score so far. My test last night was a 159, my lowest in about 2 months, so obviously I was pissed. Turns out today that a bubbling error on s1 screwed me out of about 7 marks.

My breakdown ended up being

LR1: -11
LG: -7
RC: -6
LR2: -5

On one hand, I'm a little relieved that it was just exhaustion/being drained that caused me to slip up like this, on the other hand I'm pretty pissed off that I fucked up like this at this stage in the game.

For people that are working full time - how are you doing PTs? So far I've being only testing on Saturday's (until recently) and I was a little worried about underprepping. However, I feel that taking a PT after work isn't the best test of my true abilities.

I've recently ramped up also. I've been doing 2 pts during the week and one on the weekend. Every day in between I BR and/or drill. Usually leave Friday after work and one weekend day open to prevent burnout. I personally haven't noticed a difference in scores from weekdays to weekend...but others recommended waking up early to do some prep before work to counteract the post work issue. Not sure how early you have to be there or if that's feasible.

Also I've been taking a few days off here and there during the week to give me a break/let me PT on a fresh non-work mind a little more often. If you have some PTO saved up, I've found that helpful.

[PhiladelphiaCollins]

I started working full time about 3 weeks ago, so I started trying to do tests on Wed/Sat with the Wednesday one being after work...anyways bad idea. My test last Saturday was a 165, my highest fresh score so far. My test last night was a 159, my lowest in about 2 months, so obviously I was pissed. Turns out today that a bubbling error on s1 screwed me out of about 7 marks.

My breakdown ended up being

LR1: -11
LG: -7
RC: -6
LR2: -5

On one hand, I'm a little relieved that it was just exhaustion/being drained that caused me to slip up like this, on the other hand I'm pretty pissed off that I fucked up like this at this stage in the game.

For people that are working full time - how are you doing PTs? So far I've being only testing on Saturday's (until recently) and I was a little worried about underprepping. However, I feel that taking a PT after work isn't the best test of my true abilities.

I've recently ramped up also. I've been doing 2 pts during the week and one on the weekend. Every day in between I BR and/or drill. Usually leave Friday after work and one weekend day open to prevent burnout. I personally haven't noticed a difference in scores from weekdays to weekend...but others recommended waking up early to do some prep before work to counteract the post work issue. Not sure how early you have to be there or if that's feasible.

Also I've been taking a few days off here and there during the week to give me a break/let me PT on a fresh non-work mind a little more often. If you have some PTO saved up, I've found that helpful.

Yeah I have about a 45 minute commute to work so I try to at least BR both ways on the train. Unfortunately I started about 3 weeks ago so no PTO for me haha.

3 tests a week though, goddamn that's impressive with working FT, it takes me a solid 2 night to BR each PT after work. I'm the same otherwise though. I try to leave 2 out of Friday/Saturday/Sunday off to prevent burnout. I'm thinking I'll continue with the 2 a week for now and if red flags start to come up I'll really re-evaluate September.

[Mikey]

Yeah I have about a 45 minute commute to work so I try to at least BR both ways on the train. Unfortunately I started about 3 weeks ago so no PTO for me haha.

Amen to that. My commute to and from school is about an hour and a half or two hours if tons of traffic. I always take advantage of the shitty commuting situation to BR on the bus, saves time from when I get home and continue!

[ashrice13]

Yeah I have about a 45 minute commute to work so I try to at least BR both ways on the train. Unfortunately I started about 3 weeks ago so no PTO for me haha.

3 tests a week though, goddamn that's impressive with working FT, it takes me a solid 2 night to BR each PT after work. I'm the same otherwise though. I try to leave 2 out of Friday/Saturday/Sunday off to prevent burnout. I'm thinking I'll continue with the 2 a week for now and if red flags start to come up I'll really re-evaluate September.

Sorry! I totally missed the part where you said you've been there for 3 weeks!

Don't be too impressed...this is my recent ramp up mode. i haven't been doing 3 PTs a week for very long...we'll see how long it lasts haha.

You got this, though! Preventing burnout Is key...I definitely reached a burnout point before because I felt like I needed to study every single day but I study more effectively if I'm not crazy stressed when I do it. Yesterday was a really stressful day at work. I was planning on PTing but I decided not to and to do it today instead. I knew I would bomb it in the mood I was in and all that would do is kill my confidence. To me, that's where the work/study balance is most important...you have to be able to cut yourself some slack (that's true for people working and people in school I think).

[proteinshake]

sigh, thought did well on the RC on PT 72 and performed around my average, but didn't:

Score 169

RC -6
LG -0 (experimental from PT 57, with mauve dinosaurs )
LR -2
LR -4
LG -2

missed like 3 or 4 LR questions I got right during BR cause I didn't really read all the answer choices carefully enough. gotta stop being so inconsistent on RC though.

[Mikey]

sigh, thought did well on the RC on PT 72 and performed around my average, but didn't:

Score 169

RC -6
LR -2
LR -4
LG -2

missed like 3 or 4 LR questions I got right during BR cause I didn't really read all the answer choices carefully enough. gotta stop being so inconsistent on RC though.

Not too bad for not being your best though. Wish I could get a 169 on a timed PT if that makes you feel better lol.

[proteinshake]

sigh, thought did well on the RC on PT 72 and performed around my average, but didn't:

Score 169

RC -6
LR -2
LR -4
LG -2

missed like 3 or 4 LR questions I got right during BR cause I didn't really read all the answer choices carefully enough. gotta stop being so inconsistent on RC though.

Not too bad for not being your best though. Wish I could get a 169 on a timed PT if that makes you feel better lol.

yeah, this is actually the first time I took a PT at the time the actual test will be (9:30), but I don't like making excuses other than "I dun fucked up" lol.

[Mikey]

sigh, thought did well on the RC on PT 72 and performed around my average, but didn't:

Score 169

RC -6
LR -2
LR -4
LG -2

missed like 3 or 4 LR questions I got right during BR cause I didn't really read all the answer choices carefully enough. gotta stop being so inconsistent on RC though.

Not too bad for not being your best though. Wish I could get a 169 on a timed PT if that makes you feel better lol.

yeah, this is actually the first time I took a PT at the time the actual test will be (9:30), but I don't like making excuses other than "I dun fucked up" lol.

Yeah I get you, lol. I got out of class early today so I'm heading home, will have some lunch and finally going to do PT 70

[amta]

took PT 68 last night. haven't scored it yet.

btw: i will probably be pushing to december.

[proteinshake]

sigh, thought did well on the RC on PT 72 and performed around my average, but didn't:

Score 169

RC -6
LR -2
LR -4
LG -2

missed like 3 or 4 LR questions I got right during BR cause I didn't really read all the answer choices carefully enough. gotta stop being so inconsistent on RC though.

Not too bad for not being your best though. Wish I could get a 169 on a timed PT if that makes you feel better lol.

yeah, this is actually the first time I took a PT at the time the actual test will be (9:30), but I don't like making excuses other than "I dun fucked up" lol.

Yeah I get you, lol. I got out of class early today so I'm heading home, will have some lunch and finally going to do PT 70

good luck! I'll probably be on the Xbox for most of today lolz, I find that the more break days I take, the better I perform (also I don't study the day after a PT aside from BR)

[Justice4Birdperson]

PT 69
LR1: -2
LG: -0
RC: -4
LR2: -2
Raw: 92
Scaled: 173

I don't know what happened with RC. I used to never do worse than -2. Now I'm consistently going -4. I need to devote more time to this but I'm traveling to Mexico every week between now and the test.

[Mikey]

sigh, thought did well on the RC on PT 72 and performed around my average, but didn't:

Score 169

RC -6
LR -2
LR -4
LG -2

missed like 3 or 4 LR questions I got right during BR cause I didn't really read all the answer choices carefully enough. gotta stop being so inconsistent on RC though.

Not too bad for not being your best though. Wish I could get a 169 on a timed PT if that makes you feel better lol.

yeah, this is actually the first time I took a PT at the time the actual test will be (9:30), but I don't like making excuses other than "I dun fucked up" lol.

Yeah I get you, lol. I got out of class early today so I'm heading home, will have some lunch and finally going to do PT 70

good luck! I'll probably be on the Xbox for most of today lolz, I find that the more break days I take, the better I perform (also I don't study the day after a PT aside from BR)

Change of plans.. AGAIN.. Looks like ill have to wait till tomorrow to take PT 70. I need to be available for when my grandfather comes back home from him eye doctors appointment in case surgery is done. Welp, I have some BRing to do from PT61's sections that I did yesterday so I guess I can do that in the mean time.

[Mikey]

PT 69
LR1: -2
LG: -0
RC: -4
LR2: -2
Raw: 92
Scaled: 173

I don't know what happened with RC. I used to never do worse than -2. Now I'm consistently going -4. I need to devote more time to this but I'm traveling to Mexico every week between now and the test.

Newer RC seems to be harder, so maybe there's that? Great score either way!!