The Official December 2014 Study Group Forum

[Smallville]

I never notate. At most I will underline. RC has always been my best section though and even in my diagnostic I think I was -4.

Actually now that I think about it I have never read a single page of information about how to approach RC. I am thinking I should check out the related chapters in the Trainer to maybe get an extra point or two in Dec.

so jealous

[GreenTee]

I never notate. At most I will underline. RC has always been my best section though and even in my diagnostic I think I was -4.

Actually now that I think about it I have never read a single page of information about how to approach RC. I am thinking I should check out the related chapters in the Trainer to maybe get an extra point or two in Dec.

Just for contrast, my RC diagnostic score was SPS, and a year ago I had to rush my balls off to finish a section in 45 minutes. I got way more efficient with practice. Now I never struggle with time, and I go at worst -4, but usually -0 to -2. Eta: So what I'm saying is, keep at it. It gets easier.

Also, by notation, I meant just underlining/circling/starring. I never actually write any words on the page.

[mist4bison]

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[LSATneurotic]

I never notate. At most I will underline. RC has always been my best section though and even in my diagnostic I think I was -4.

Actually now that I think about it I have never read a single page of information about how to approach RC. I am thinking I should check out the related chapters in the Trainer to maybe get an extra point or two in Dec.

Just for contrast, my RC diagnostic score was SPS, and a year ago I had to rush my balls off to finish a section in 45 minutes. I got way more efficient with practice. Now I never struggle with time, and I go at worst -4, but usually -0 to -2. Eta: So what I'm saying is, keep at it. It gets easier.

Also, by notation, I meant just underlining/circling/starring. I never actually write any words on the page.

I just scratch out the parts of the passage I don't like and then work from there.

[GreenTee]

This is pretty encouraging. I'm at that point where I need ~45 mins to finish a section. I would be pretty set for a good score if I could fix my RC game. I know I need to practice more, but I don't want to because of how much I suck ha.

Yeah I feel you. I hated drilling RC at first. But you absolutely will not improve if you don't drill the fuck out of it. There are no shortcuts with RC. You actually have to put in the work to improve your reading ability.

[secadc11]

This is pretty encouraging. I'm at that point where I need ~45 mins to finish a section. I would be pretty set for a good score if I could fix my RC game. I know I need to practice more, but I don't want to because of how much I suck ha.

Yeah I feel you. I hated drilling RC at first. But you absolutely will not improve if you don't drill the fuck out of it. There are no shortcuts with RC. You actually have to put in the work to improve your reading ability.

You've probably all heard this before but it's good to read some nonfiction in your free time too. I think a particularly relevant one to logic/reasoning/etc. is The Signal and the Noise. It's very interesting, and ties in well to the skills needed to excel on the LSAT.

[GreenTee]

You've probably all heard this before but it's good to read some nonfiction in your free time too. I think a particularly relevant one to logic/reasoning/etc. is The Signal and the Noise. It's very interesting, and ties in well to the skills needed to excel on the LSAT.

^ Definitely good advice. But if you're logging hours, don't count it as part of your prep. There's no substitute for drilling real passages and questions.

[secadc11]

You've probably all heard this before but it's good to read some nonfiction in your free time too. I think a particularly relevant one to logic/reasoning/etc. is The Signal and the Noise. It's very interesting, and ties in well to the skills needed to excel on the LSAT.

^ Definitely good advice. But if you're logging hours, don't count it as part of your prep. There's no substitute for drilling real passages and questions.

Agreed.

[sfoglia]

You need to underline, at least. Annotating is a good idea, for organizational purposes. IMO the physical, bodily connection helps to maintain focus and concentration. At the minimum, your pencil should be in your hand, and you should be using the tip to trace beneath the words as you read, to prevent regression and fixation.

Also, try not to be so conscious of and deliberate in how fast you are reading. Your diverting your attention when you do, you are split between adjusting your speed and the actual act of reading. You don't need to be a speed-reader -0 on RC. When you read well, you don't generally NEED to return to the passage to select the right answer.

For reference, I'm usually no more than -2 on RC, but often -1 or -0. Although, went -3 on the September test.

[sfoglia]

I never actually write any words on the page.

I usually write a few words when I've made some connection I want to be sure to retain.

But, I distracted myself by drawing a figure for one of the Sept. figures. I started to draw a clock, went "WTF am I doing, I never draw things?!" went to erase it, decided instead to turn my pencil over and scratch it out, then got annoyed by how sloppy it looked.

[secadc11]

You need to underline, at least. Annotating is a good idea, for organizational purposes. IMO the physical, bodily connection helps to maintain focus and concentration. At the minimum, your pencil should be in your hand, and you should be using the tip to trace beneath the words as you read, to prevent regression and fixation.

Also, try not to be so conscious of and deliberate in how fast you are reading. Your diverting your attention when you do, you are split between adjusting your speed and the actual act of reading. You don't need to be a speed-reader -0 on RC. When you read well, you don't generally NEED to return to the passage to select the right answer.

For reference, I'm usually no more than -2 on RC, but often -1 or -0. Although, went -3 on the September test.

I think it's just a matter of your strengths/weaknesses. When I do underline, it is really just to slow myself down as I am a particularly fast reader and underlining forces me to go a little slower.

However, as I said before, I have been around -2/-3 now which is only a little better than my diagnostic back in May. So, maybe I do need to get notating more.

[Rigo]

[nlee10]

You guys are RC gods. Bless me with your talents.

[JackelJ]

I think I would throw a party if I went -3 or less on RC, the best I've done on a PT is -6. Any tips on how to stay focused when reading the passages? I find my mind wondering a lot or just zoning out entirely. Obviously I know being an active reader would help and I need to drill, but does anyone have any specific tips that work for them?

[GreenTee]

I never actually write any words on the page.

I usually write a few words when I've made some connection I want to be sure to retain.

But, I distracted myself by drawing a figure for one of the Sept. figures. I started to draw a clock, went "WTF am I doing, I never draw things?!" went to erase it, decided instead to turn my pencil over and scratch it out, then got annoyed by how sloppy it looked.

Fogs, this is hilarious. I actually did the exact same thing. I don't even remember what passage that was, but I remember drawing a clock, being confused about why I was drawing a clock, and trying to scratch it out.

Test day brain is a strange place to be.

[Smallville]

I think I would throw a party if I went -3 or less on RC

+1

[secadc11]

Woah. Just did a LG to warm up.
PT 46 (never before seen) & completed it in only 22:30. -0.
I was super insecure during it because I kept thinking "wow I am flying through this. I have to be missing something." Nope. Man how I wish I could borrow time from LG for RC.

Nice job! I am just the opposite... finishing RC with 10+ mins to burn and always dreaming of adding that to LG.

[Rigo]

[secadc11]

Woah. Just did a LG to warm up.
PT 46 (never before seen) & completed it in only 22:30. -0.
I was super insecure during it because I kept thinking "wow I am flying through this. I have to be missing something." Nope. Man how I wish I could borrow time from LG for RC.

Nice job! I am just the opposite... finishing RC with 10+ mins to burn and always dreaming of adding that to LG.

I'd be willing to trade you a few minutes.

Done!

[Rigo]

[GreenTee]

How the heck is it even possible to complete RC in 25 mins??!

Seriously. With that kind of accuracy? This is inhuman.

I finished Sept RC in around 29. Missed around twice as many questions as I usually do. My test day goal in Dec is to take my sweet ass time and use all 35 of my precious RC minutes.

[nlee10]

How the heck is it even possible to complete RC in 25 mins??!

Carefully.

[secadc11]

How the heck is it even possible to complete RC in 25 mins??!

Carefully.

Haha you guys are great.

I will admit that the hardcore science passages slow me down now and then! They tend not to mesh well with my seriously liberal arts background.

[mist4bison]

.

[Smallville]

How the heck is it even possible to complete RC in 25 mins??!

Carefully.

Haha you guys are great.

I will admit that the hardcore science passages slow me down now and then! They tend not to mesh well with my seriously liberal arts background.

yeah, takes him a whole 28 minutes instead...