December 2011 LSAT Study Group Forum

[SA1928]

Only a few of us in they study room right now -- anyone else coming?

[noleknight16]

Took PT55 tonight. WTF was up with that reading comprehension section???

[tonton]

Took PT55 tonight. WTF was up with that reading comprehension section???

exactly what I was thinking yesterday!!

[Olive]

PT 52
LR -4
LG -1
RC -3
LR -2
90/171

PT 55
LR -2
RC -2
LR -0
LG -2
94/174

I finished all section in PT 55 early and didn't give my time to double check answers with my extra time on purpose. I felt really good about RC and I have to express my utmost appreciation to Manhattan LSAT for this - I've been reading their RC Strategy book and I highly, highly recommend it. I feel much more comfortable with RC now though I still have to work on perfecting it.

I'm already getting jittery about freaking out on test day and not having enough time on LG and RC. I think LR is getting easier for me, though I missed a lot in PT 52 and I still can't get it down to a consistent -0.

Any thoughts on LR? I know parallel are my weakspot.

Good luck in these last few weeks, guys!

[SA1928]

Hey everybody! There is a PT 53 review on Thursday night at 8pm for anyone who is interested! Last time we each just brought the questions we wanted to go over/struggled with and went through each of those, so if you want we can do it like that or another way...hope to see you all on Thursday night!

[Olive]

Hey everybody! There is a PT 53 review on Thursday night at 8pm for anyone who is interested! Last time we each just brought the questions we wanted to go over/struggled with and went through each of those, so if you want we can do it like that or another way...hope to see you all on Thursday night!

I'll be there!

[GirlStop]

Hey everybody! There is a PT 53 review on Thursday night at 8pm for anyone who is interested! Last time we each just brought the questions we wanted to go over/struggled with and went through each of those, so if you want we can do it like that or another way...hope to see you all on Thursday night!

I'll be there!

+1

[barneytrouble]

lol so I decided to start PT 58 while my gf was catching up on glee to practice for any possible test day distractions and it has not gone well so far! -4 on LR1, -7 on RC. Haven't even missed 11 TOTAL on a PT in like 2 months. Praying for no distracting incidents December 3rd.

[noleknight16]

Can't get out of the 164-167 range. My range is fine if I actually score that for most of the schools I want to go to, but I'm afraid I'll underperform on the real thing. I wish I could hit the 170s.

[barneytrouble]

lol so I decided to start PT 58 while my gf was catching up on glee to practice for any possible test day distractions and it has not gone well so far! -4 on LR1, -7 on RC. Haven't even missed 11 TOTAL on a PT in like 2 months. Praying for no distracting incidents December 3rd.

(miscount, only missed 6 RC)

PT58
LR1: -4
RC: -6
(then moved to other, quieter room)
LG: -0
LR2: -0

Phewwww. 91 raw/171 scaled. Still my lowest PT in like the last 5 but after those first 2, I was predicting a 165 or something and reconsidering whether or not taking December was a good idea haha. Please god let me have a silent testing room.

This also made me start thinking about what I am going to do pre-test on Dec 3rd... Like constructing an "LSAT warmup" type thing... I'm thinking 1 of each LR question type, 1 medium difficulty game, and 1 easy passage? Anyone have anything yet?

[iamrobk]

Can't get out of the 164-167 range. My range is fine if I actually score that for most of the schools I want to go to, but I'm afraid I'll underperform on the real thing. I wish I could hit the 170s.

Ah I was stuck there for a while too prior to the October test. I don't think I hit 170 (which was the highest I ever got on a PT) until... 2 weeks before the test, I think (and I got a 171). I'd suggest focusing on your worst section (mine was LR) the most, and then spend a lot of time on whatever your best section is (mine was LG) and aim to -0 it. It's what helped me gain those few extra points in the last 2-3 weeks, anyway.

[SA1928]

Took PT55 tonight. WTF was up with that reading comprehension section???

exactly what I was thinking yesterday!!

Ugh, the first two sections of 55 crushed my confidence today I have been trying to alternate tests with drilling because I am still struggling with finishing LR/RC on time. Anyone else find a way to overcome timing issues? I am working at just getting better at each question type, so hopefully that will translate to speed...one day.

[Olive]

This also made me start thinking about what I am going to do pre-test on Dec 3rd... Like constructing an "LSAT warmup" type thing... I'm thinking 1 of each LR question type, 1 medium difficulty game, and 1 easy passage? Anyone have anything yet?

I was thinking the same thing. I've marked up LRs of each question type that were good examples of easy 'traps' and am going to make a section of them and do them at home the day off, in addition to a game and a passage.

Last time I came to the test center early to settle my nerves, and I brought flashcards with advice and tips on them and read through them a few times in the hall before I entered the room.

[noleknight16]

Took PT55 tonight. WTF was up with that reading comprehension section???

exactly what I was thinking yesterday!!

Ugh, the first two sections of 55 crushed my confidence today I have been trying to alternate tests with drilling because I am still struggling with finishing LR/RC on time. Anyone else find a way to overcome timing issues? I am working at just getting better at each question type, so hopefully that will translate to speed...one day.

I wouldn't get too worked up over PT55. It was a tougher test with an unforgiving curve. I missed 18, which I was somewhat happy with, until I saw that was a 163. :O

Keep it up. We got only a couple weeks left. It's crunch time and I cannot wait for my 2nd shot at this test. Let's do it!!!!!!!!!!

[tonton]

!

Ugh, the first two sections of 55 crushed my confidence today I have been trying to alternate tests with drilling because I am still struggling with finishing LR/RC on time. Anyone else find a way to overcome timing issues? I am working at just getting better at each question type, so hopefully that will translate to speed...one day.

Keep your head SA1928, there's still sometime to get better. I found that I easily spend at most 40seconds on Assumption questions by looking at the conclusion of the argument, finding the phrase that is required to make an assumption in the conclusion, connecting it to the premise that wasn't really qualified in the argument and then looking for those two together in the answer choices, its not a sure thing, but it has worked for me 98% of the time. Most important to consider is that last week I posted a rant on one of the threads on TLS begging for help on assumption questions. Now I have an average of 1:42 mins at the end of each LR section.

[SA1928]

Thanks for the positive comments tonton and noleknight16! When I find myself struggling a lot, I can feel the nerves I had before the October test come back (I withdrew from that one because I didn't feel ready) and then I begin to panic that I am not going to be ready for this one! But, I neeeeeed to stay positive and keep focused. I reviewed PT 53 a little bit ago and my errors and realized that I understand them much better now than before, so I am obviously making some gains!

Also, if anyone is interested, we are doing a review of PT 53 right now in the study room The more the merrier!

[Olive]

Hey, guys! I'm having some trouble logging into the room. Hopefully I'll be there in a sec, though.

[calidancer2]

taking Oct 11 tomorrow morning (aiming to start it at 9:30 since that seems like a fairly "real" start time. hoping to do better than I did on it now that I don't feel burnout like I did for the Oct Test and feel like a lot of things really "clicked" for me. Fingers crossed! Still trying to keep nerves down, but I think retaking will already help me a lot since I know what to expect- dark room, teeny tiny desks, and not a lot of down time between sections (5-10 seconds).

[the_pakalypse]

taking Oct 11 tomorrow morning (aiming to start it at 9:30 since that seems like a fairly "real" start time. hoping to do better than I did on it now that I don't feel burnout like I did for the Oct Test and feel like a lot of things really "clicked" for me. Fingers crossed! Still trying to keep nerves down, but I think retaking will already help me a lot since I know what to expect- dark room, teeny tiny desks, and not a lot of down time between sections (5-10 seconds).

Really? Just 5-10 seconds??

[tmon]

taking Oct 11 tomorrow morning (aiming to start it at 9:30 since that seems like a fairly "real" start time. hoping to do better than I did on it now that I don't feel burnout like I did for the Oct Test and feel like a lot of things really "clicked" for me. Fingers crossed! Still trying to keep nerves down, but I think retaking will already help me a lot since I know what to expect- dark room, teeny tiny desks, and not a lot of down time between sections (5-10 seconds).

Really? Just 5-10 seconds??

Yes. If you aren't PTing with little to no time between sections you should now. That's one of the toughest parts, IMO because you'll probably have little or no time to mentally refresh yourself. Reset your watch, take a deep breath, then start the next section for the rest of your PTs and you'll be fine.

[calidancer2]

taking Oct 11 tomorrow morning (aiming to start it at 9:30 since that seems like a fairly "real" start time. hoping to do better than I did on it now that I don't feel burnout like I did for the Oct Test and feel like a lot of things really "clicked" for me. Fingers crossed! Still trying to keep nerves down, but I think retaking will already help me a lot since I know what to expect- dark room, teeny tiny desks, and not a lot of down time between sections (5-10 seconds).

Really? Just 5-10 seconds??

Yes. If you aren't PTing with little to no time between sections you should now. That's one of the toughest parts, IMO because you'll probably have little or no time to mentally refresh yourself. Reset your watch, take a deep breath, then start the next section for the rest of your PTs and you'll be fine.

Yep. My proctor for the Oct LSAT was killer. It was grueling and one of the reasons why I'm retaking. Also, just to complain a little more, the light over my seat was the ONLY one out in the entire testing room. Now I practice in semi-dark just to be ready for anything. Like tmon said- move your watch hand back, get ready, go!

[the_pakalypse]

About 2 weeks left.

Every morning in Africa a deer wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest deer or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter if you are a lion or a deer. When the Sun comes up, you'd better be running.

[Olive]

About 2 weeks left.

Every morning in Africa a deer wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest deer or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter if you are a lion or a deer. When the Sun comes up, you'd better be running.

Nice

[tmon]

About 2 weeks left.

Every morning in Africa a deer wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest deer or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter if you are a lion or a deer. When the Sun comes up, you'd better be running.

Nice

+1
Awesome quote.

[Olive]

PT 63
LR -3
LG -4
LR -4
RC -1

89/169

Not good. But I have a better idea of what I really need to start working on these last two weeks. The first two LGs were easy and I got very lazy and ended up running out of time on the last two questions. Ran out of time for two questions on the third LR. RC was rushed.