June 2011 Study Group Forum

[LawQ5]

I am on my third day of studying. Slowly getting through the LG Bible. Currently on pg. 57. However I feel as though going through the pages I am not absorbing setup methods since every time you practice a new question its a complete new setup one never done before.

I know I have three months left to study, but my question is how long should it take me to get through the book knowing the principles of game setup down cold? Seems at the pace I am going its going to take at least maybe 2-3 weeks just get through the book. This is without knowing whether I would have game setup methods down cold. Most likely will be studying an average six hours a day five days a week. Insight?

Drill, drill, drill, and then drill some more. There is absolutely no point in going through the book just to get through it and not have the concepts down pat. If it takes another month of practice, then use it. I scanned all of the practice questions and mini-drills into my computer and print them out for quick practice all the time.

Also thought I would point out that there are many members here that have gone through the Bibles multiple times, so don't worry about catching it all 100% the first time. A lot of seeing how you can grow is doing practice problems and then finding your weak areas and working on them.

Have you checked out something like the LSAT Blog? Or tried getting the practice tests grouped by type? It might help the information sink in if you continually practice them in sets.

HTH!

This is helpful advice

and to JohnMKeynes: It took me 3 weeks to get through most of the LG bible (studying 6 days a week 2 hours a day mostly ) but I did all the practice questions and some extra questions and stuff... I still have a few of the misc. chapters at the end to review but I skipped ahead and went to the LR bible this week. I was worried about it taking me so long too

[LawQ5]

How are people fitting in studying with work and other commitments? I see people working full time and going to school full time Kudos to them, man.

I have a sports commitment and I am practically dead at the end of the day. I was studying before at night but I'm seriously going to have to move it to the morning or work in some lunch time studying or something

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

How are people fitting in studying with work and other commitments? I see people working full time and going to school full time Kudos to them, man.

I have a sports commitment and I am practically dead at the end of the day. I was studying before at night but I'm seriously going to have to move it to the morning or work in some lunch time studying or something

Time always seems to be a crunch. This semester I knew I would be freak studying for the LSAT so I arranged to only have class Tuesday and Thursday and work MWF. This gives me the opportunity to study both mornings and night MWF, as well as serious time on the weekends. When I am studying for the LSAT, switching back to the undergrad homework seems pretty easy and I can luckily get it done quick. When I first hear of pending assignments in my coursework, I do them immediately so I can devote that extra time to the LSAT. Sit down for a few minutes and carve out a precise schedule of when you can devote time to the LSAT. You got it!

[vissidarte27]

Hi guys.

I'm sure you've had an influx of people after the release of February scores -- count me among them. My disappointing 163 qualifies me for a definite retake; I need a 170. So, I'm here.

*waves*

[99.9luft]

Hi guys.

I'm sure you've had an influx of people after the release of February scores -- count me among them. My disappointing 163 qualifies me for a definite retake; I need a 170. So, I'm here.

*waves*

what's up girl, hate to see you ITT (you know what i mean...).

so, welcome.

[vissidarte27]

Hi guys.

I'm sure you've had an influx of people after the release of February scores -- count me among them. My disappointing 163 qualifies me for a definite retake; I need a 170. So, I'm here.

*waves*

what's up girl, hate to see you ITT (you know what i mean...).

so, welcome.

Thanks.

Life conspired against me last time -- you should SEE the addendum I could write with all of the crazy, awful things that happened to me in the month preceding the test -- but hopefully June will be better.

My last six or so PTs were all in the 170s (including a 176), so I know I have the ability. It's just a matter now of not choking on test day and doing dumb things (I ran out of time on both LG and RC and random bubbled 8 or 9 questions -- that has NEVER happened before).

Onward and upward, I guess.

[geverett]

I am going to buy a bottle of fine wine when I break the 170 mark. Any words of advice on the individual sections?

[Eichörnchen]

I am going to buy a bottle of fine wine when I break the 170 mark. Any words of advice on the individual sections?

Haha I'm not the only one who already has their 170-PT mark reward planned! (Mine is to finally go to a gigantic used book store in my area that I've never gone to. Legend has it that they give you a copy of a map of the store upon entrance...this will be followed by a trip to mexican town to gorge. My plans are decidedly dorkier and less sophisticated than yours

[Firework11]

Do the virtual course. Trust me you won't regret it. I did it with PS last year and it rocked. Get Ron as your instructor.

Edit: Coming to give the course a chance! (Princeton Review)

[Yeags]

I'm having a major LSAT block. Things were going fine with 4 section timed practices until I took a week break for midterms. Now I'm having trouble sitting through 4 sections, I always feel sleepy after the 2nd section. Help!

Does anyone have any suggestions regarding food coma? When should you eat for the afternoon test?

[99.9luft]

I'm having a major LSAT block. Things were going fine with 4 section timed practices until I took a week break for midterms. Now I'm having trouble sitting through 4 sections, I always feel sleepy after the 2nd section. Help!

Does anyone have any suggestions regarding food coma? When should you eat for the afternoon test?

2 hrs before the test or in a sufficient time to be able to poop it out (most likely at the test center within an hour of getting there.

i will be dealing with major brain freeze circa 3pm myself, so gotta NOT wake up early from now on (another example of the LSAT messing with one's lifestyle).

[99.9luft]

Hi guys.

I'm sure you've had an influx of people after the release of February scores -- count me among them. My disappointing 163 qualifies me for a definite retake; I need a 170. So, I'm here.

*waves*

what's up girl, hate to see you ITT (you know what i mean...).

so, welcome.

Thanks.

Life conspired against me last time -- you should SEE the addendum I could write with all of the crazy, awful things that happened to me in the month preceding the test -- but hopefully June will be better.

My last six or so PTs were all in the 170s (including a 176), so I know I have the ability. It's just a matter now of not choking on test day and doing dumb things (I ran out of time on both LG and RC and random bubbled 8 or 9 questions -- that has NEVER happened before).

Onward and upward, I guess.

Sorry to hear about the misfortuntes. I had a similar experience in Oct when i ran out of time (after over-analyzing LR and RC). My highest is still a 175 from the fall, almost like yours. It's just a matter of mental focus and nerves training. The knowledge is there (the hard part's done).

[pkpop]

So for everyone in the study group this past sunday, I think I posted the link on the article here on TLS about conditional reasoning.
If not --> http://www.top-law-schools.com/conditio ... oning.html

What I mentioned was that this helped me out a lot in the beginning especially when I was learning to diagram LG. If anything, it's good for a review of necessary vs. sufficient which is crucial for all parts of the LSAT.
I actually just finished the "advanced conditionals lab" that comes with the study group package and it is pretty good for extra practice in diagramming, especially after reading the article above. For those who learn better by hearing a voice rather than just reading, it might help ya out.

Word of warning though... when it comes to "unless" statements, I'm very ingrained with the unless equation (negate the sufficient, UNLESS is necessary modifier), and the way the lab goes over it (changing unless to "if not" and the focus on "general state of affairs unless something happens" could be very confusing to some.

For example: UNLESS he has been doing it wrong the whole time, pkpop is decent at conditional logic.

I'd diagram this ~ Decent -> Doing it wrong / with contrapositive ( ~doing it wrong -> decent)

Where the lab would want you to diagram it:
~ doing it wrong -> decent / with contrapositive ( ~ decent -> doing it wrong)

So I'd say find out whatever works best and doesn't confuse you, and if I have been doing it wrong the whole time, then please point it out cause it could be a huge breakthrough for me.

(edit for word changes.)

[minnbills]

Just finished PT 60- I took it once before the Oct. test, so the score doesn't really mean much. This was my first PT since the Oct. test though. The score doens't really mean much because of that but I was pleased.

LR -3
LG -1
LR -1
RC -5 Ran out of time, had the last question right but didn't have enough time so I didn't count it. Was pretty tired by this section.

Even on a retake coming in cold after a few months, a 171s not a bad mark. I'm taking a fresh PT tomorrow so we'll see!

[Manhattan LSAT Noah]

So for everyone in the study group this past sunday, I think I posted the link on the article here on TLS about conditional reasoning.
If not --> http://www.top-law-schools.com/conditio ... oning.html

What I mentioned was that this helped me out a lot in the beginning especially when I was learning to diagram LG. If anything, it's good for a review of necessary vs. sufficient which is crucial for all parts of the LSAT.
I actually just finished the "advanced conditionals lab" that comes with the study group package and it is pretty good for extra practice in diagramming, especially after reading the article above. For those who learn better by hearing a voice rather than just reading, it might help ya out.

Word of warning though... when it comes to "unless" statements, I'm very ingrained with the unless equation (negate the sufficient, UNLESS is necessary modifier), and the way the lab goes over it (changing unless to "if not" and the focus on "general state of affairs unless something happens" could be very confusing to some.

For example: UNLESS he has been doing it wrong the whole time, pkpop is decent at conditional logic.

I'd diagram this ~ Decent -> Doing it wrong / with contrapositive ( ~doing it wrong -> decent)

Where the lab would want you to diagram it:
~ doing it wrong -> decent / with contrapositive ( ~ decent -> doing it wrong)

So I'd say find out whatever works best and doesn't confuse you, and if I have been doing it wrong the whole time, then please point it out cause it could be a huge breakthrough for me.

(edit for word changes.)

Hey! I'm glad the lab worked for you. I hope the grandma voice didn't turn you off If any of the other folks in the group can't find it - it's in the starter kit tab - look for the icon with all the question marks and logical statements.

It's clear you know it, but don't sweat which way you get into the unless statements since both ideas get you to the same place. Whatever works. pkpop is indeed decent at conditional logic.

[Yeags]

I'm having a major LSAT block. Things were going fine with 4 section timed practices until I took a week break for midterms. Now I'm having trouble sitting through 4 sections, I always feel sleepy after the 2nd section. Help!

Does anyone have any suggestions regarding food coma? When should you eat for the afternoon test?

2 hrs before the test or in a sufficient time to be able to poop it out (most likely at the test center within an hour of getting there.

i will be dealing with major brain freeze circa 3pm myself, so gotta NOT wake up early from now on (another example of the LSAT messing with one's lifestyle).

lol you have fast bowel movement! I think I'll be too nervous to no.2 at the test center. I've never taken an official standardized test in the afternoon, they're all in the mornings. so definitely have to adjust to taking a long test in the afternoon...

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

Well everyone, I think we all know what Sunday marks...3 months till D-Day (well, it's on a Monday but you get the idea). I know everyone is working on the 10 Hardest Games but I thought it would be of good use if a lot of us took the same PT Sunday if at all possible. If anyone is interested lemme know

[99.9luft]

done with the 'hardest' games. Got -0 on Zephyr Airlines and the clinics. All others either -1/-2. Then re-did all to get them all right.

The flasks game (pt12, g4), imo is more challenging than some of these. I also enjoyed it the most, too (nerdy alchemy fun!)

Kinda 'over' the games. Won't be able to join the group this Sun, probably. Will switch to RC starting next week. LR in another. After that, 30PTs. Boom.

ETA: 93 days left, bitches.

[LawQ5]

done with the 'hardest' games. Got -0 on Zephyr Airlines and the clinics. All others either -1/-2. Then re-did all to get them all right.

The flasks game (pt12, g4), imo is more challenging than some of these. I also enjoyed it the most, too (nerdy alchemy fun!)

Kinda 'over' the games. Won't be able to join the group this Sun, probably. Will switch to RC starting next week. LR in another. After that, 30PTs. Boom.

ETA: 93 days left, bitches.

Are you retaking or is this your first time?

[99.9luft]

done with the 'hardest' games. Got -0 on Zephyr Airlines and the clinics. All others either -1/-2. Then re-did all to get them all right.

The flasks game (pt12, g4), imo is more challenging than some of these. I also enjoyed it the most, too (nerdy alchemy fun!)

Kinda 'over' the games. Won't be able to join the group this Sun, probably. Will switch to RC starting next week. LR in another. After that, 30PTs. Boom.

ETA: 93 days left, bitches.

Are you retaking or is this your first time?

re-taking. 170s or bust!

[geverett]

What logic game are we going over tomorrow?

[Yassig]

What logic game are we going over tomorrow?

The first 2 of LSAT Blog's 10 Hardest Logic Games.

[pkpop]

For all those who have been taking preptests, how are you reviewing them? I know there are a few articles on here that talk about test review, but I'm looking for a new way to approach - specifically for the LR and RC sections.

Do you guys review the WHOLE test, cut out just wrong or iffy questions, type everything up, or write in the test book?

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

For all those who have been taking preptests, how are you reviewing them? I know there are a few articles on here that talk about test review, but I'm looking for a new way to approach - specifically for the LR and RC sections.

Do you guys review the WHOLE test, cut out just wrong or iffy questions, type everything up, or write in the test book?

Right after I finish those sections I take the sections untimed and then check answers for timed/untimed. I check which questions I got right and wasn't 100% confident and every one I missed. Usually, I type or write out: 1. What makes the response I chose wrong? 2. Why is the credited response correct? 3. When I was working on this question, what error did I make to choose the wrong answer? 4. How could I have thought about this question differently to identify the credited response?

My LR is slowly creepin up

[minnbills]

Just finished PT 39.

Lg -5
LR -4
RC -5
LR -4

raw score of 82 for a 166. Not terrible, but not good either. Took two sections, then a break, then finished.

On LG, I couldn't tell if "number of spaces separating A from B" meant counting only the spaces between A and B or if it should include spaces beneath A and B, like this:

A_ _ _ B

Should it be 3 or 5? In review I determined it was 3, just those between. Cost me two points on this PT, but hopefully this lesson will stick.

My LR and RC scores are within my consistent average of 3-6 wrong per section. I need to find a way to drive down my LG mistakes, it's unacceptable that I continue to have problems there.


If I can drive down LG to a -0 to -2 range and then get a bit more out of each of the other sections, I should be where I need to be.

I'm also taking 32:00 sections, I finished a bit beneath that mark on each one, so that's a good sign. One of my major goals for the June test is to diminish test day nerves, I think pushing myself to go faster will help me simulate nerves.