December 2013 LSAT Study Group Forum

[echamberlin8]

Hello, all! So, I have pushed back the LSAT countless times. I recently withdrew from the October LSAT, because I wasn't nearly ready enough. But I'm sick of working as a paralegal at a big DC law firm, so I'm dying to go to law school next year! This is where the December LSAT comes in. I really want to nail it. I've scored as high as 165 on PTs before, after only having taken 5 total (this was last year). Haven't taken a full length PT in the entire year of 2013 yet (I don't think), but I'm going to take one this weekend.

This is what my study plan currently looks like: read a chapter from each Bible (Logic Games Bible, etc.). I do problems in my Kaplan Mastery Practice book (the "Big Blue Book") relating to what I just read, usually timed. After I finish the Bibles (almost done), I will go through all of the Manhattan books, then I will do the LSAT Trainer. I'm going to start taking two PTs a week.

What else would you guys recommend in terms of studying? I want to start doing only 5-section PTs, but I'm not sure where to get the experimental section from. Maybe use PTs 1-20 for the experimental sections, and then start with 20-39 for the rest of the sections?

Any other tips you guys recommend?

By the way, my name is Edward, so I'd just like to introduce myself in here and hopefully keep posting in here for motivation. As I said earlier, I work full-time as a paralegal at a BigLaw firm in DC, which can sometimes make it hard to study, but I'm trying to really dig in and nail the LsAT. My only fear is that I will be applying a little bit late, since I'm taking the December LSAT. But I REALLY don't want to wait another year (already worked here for almost 2 years).

[HardenUp]

Checking in. Prepping for December, applying this cycle. Been a TLSer ever since a friend of mine introduced me to the site a couple of years ago during her app cycle. As such, I subscribed to the general consensus on self-studying (not knocking it at all- it's good advice for most) and have tried purely self-studying on and off since I graduated in 2011--been through the PS bibles, drilled LR, taken a few PTs, etc. But I always felt like I was lacking the discipline to really knock it out of the park. So now I'm enrolled in a Testmasters course that started this week and I already feel 100% better and more motivated. The combination of the class (structure, lessons with instructor, homework, scheduled PTs) and the drills I already do on my own seems like the right way to go for me. So, here's hoping we all kill it

Hey,

As you said you've been on and off beginning in '11. Are there any areas that you have seen to be more difficult or found a key to? I'm just asking because multiple years could help develop or witness something that we (some who haven't been for more than a few month) could benefit from.

Thanks!

[alecks]

My study schedule looks like this:

M, T, W, Th, F (usually one day off)
Study 7 pm - 10 pm (or some strange combination of 3 hours of studying)

Sa, Su
Study 8-10 hours (sry, guy I was kind of dating)

so I'm doing ~25-30 hours a week. that's with working 9-6 M-F.

It's not like I can budget more time in, if I wake up at 6 am and study (I've tried) I don't actually do any "good" studying, so I've given that up, same goes with trying to study past 10.

This week I'm gonna start taking one PT a week, and I'm looking to finish up my Blueprint online class by the last week of October, at which point I'll start doing PTs twice a week or maybe more???

This look normal??? Think I can gain a 15 point improvement? I'm taking a PT on Sunday after my initial diagnostic of a 155... god help me if I don't improve after studying like this for a month!

[toshiroh]

If I started the 7sage complete course, the one for 179, do you think I would be able to complete it? I just need to tighten up on the more advanced LR and LGs. I work full time, from 8-5, but study from 6-12 every weeknight, and all day on weekends?

Yes. Careful not to burnout/overwork yourself, though.

I'm trying not to overwork myself, but when I'm not studying, I feel like I should be and then I feel guilty and yeah.... I'll start to cut back mid november, as I'll mostly be taking PTs and reviewing little concepts here and there.

[Trevsauce]

ive drilled games for the past year and have a binder full of them but i still cannot manage to get over 19 or 20 right on them. I also seem to have plateaued and cannot improve past 167, its like im guarrenteed to miss 3-4 on the LR and 3-4 on the reading. Is this my pinnacle or can i move forward?

[cookiecrisp]

ive drilled games for the past year and have a binder full of them but i still cannot manage to get over 19 or 20 right on them. I also seem to have plateaued and cannot improve past 167, its like im guarrenteed to miss 3-4 on the LR and 3-4 on the reading. Is this my pinnacle or can i move forward?

You can move forward. You are doing something wrong. You need to figure out what that is and fix it. You aren't doing that. Find your weakness and learn it. Understand what you are getting wrong and why. Understand which answer is right and why the other answers are wrong. Blind Review.

[tbesancon]

I hate feeling guilty when I'm not studying. We're still two months out and I recognize that I need to be studying every day (which I am) but I constantly feel guilty when I have free time I don't spend it wrapped up in an RC passage or a game. The last time I studied for this test I suffered from major burn out and I'm trying to avoid that problem this time. My studying has been so much more productive and I am scoring higher than I ever have before, and I know that this is partly due to my study schedule. I just hate that even when I take a PT in the morning, and score really well on it, I still feel guilty if I don't spend the whole rest of my day studying. Any one else get like this?

[Dr. Dre]

I hate feeling guilty when I'm not studying. We're still two months out and I recognize that I need to be studying every day (which I am) but I constantly feel guilty when I have free time I don't spend it wrapped up in an RC passage or a game. The last time I studied for this test I suffered from major burn out and I'm trying to avoid that problem this time. My studying has been so much more productive and I am scoring higher than I ever have before, and I know that this is partly due to my study schedule. I just hate that even when I take a PT in the morning, and score really well on it, I still feel guilty if I don't spend the whole rest of my day studying. Any one else get like this?

yes I feel guilty when I'm not doing any LSAT studying. I feel like I'm a toTTTal loser failure.

(not flame)

[rebexness]

yes I feel guilty when I'm not doing any LSAT studying. I feel like I'm a toTTTal loser failure.

(not flame)

If you need a day off from studying, but don't want to feel guilty- I recommend doing PS/Why X work, research, etc.

[tbesancon]

I hate feeling guilty when I'm not studying. We're still two months out and I recognize that I need to be studying every day (which I am) but I constantly feel guilty when I have free time I don't spend it wrapped up in an RC passage or a game. The last time I studied for this test I suffered from major burn out and I'm trying to avoid that problem this time. My studying has been so much more productive and I am scoring higher than I ever have before, and I know that this is partly due to my study schedule. I just hate that even when I take a PT in the morning, and score really well on it, I still feel guilty if I don't spend the whole rest of my day studying. Any one else get like this?

yes I feel guilty when I'm not doing any LSAT studying. I feel like I'm a toTTTal loser failure.

(not flame)

lol no idea what a flame is, buddy.

[TripleX]

Hello, all! So, I have pushed back the LSAT countless times. I recently withdrew from the October LSAT, because I wasn't nearly ready enough. But I'm sick of working as a paralegal at a big DC law firm, so I'm dying to go to law school next year! This is where the December LSAT comes in. I really want to nail it. I've scored as high as 165 on PTs before, after only having taken 5 total (this was last year). Haven't taken a full length PT in the entire year of 2013 yet (I don't think), but I'm going to take one this weekend.

This is what my study plan currently looks like: read a chapter from each Bible (Logic Games Bible, etc.). I do problems in my Kaplan Mastery Practice book (the "Big Blue Book") relating to what I just read, usually timed. After I finish the Bibles (almost done), I will go through all of the Manhattan books, then I will do the LSAT Trainer. I'm going to start taking two PTs a week.

What else would you guys recommend in terms of studying? I want to start doing only 5-section PTs, but I'm not sure where to get the experimental section from. Maybe use PTs 1-20 for the experimental sections, and then start with 20-39 for the rest of the sections?

Any other tips you guys recommend?

By the way, my name is Edward, so I'd just like to introduce myself in here and hopefully keep posting in here for motivation. As I said earlier, I work full-time as a paralegal at a BigLaw firm in DC, which can sometimes make it hard to study, but I'm trying to really dig in and nail the LsAT. My only fear is that I will be applying a little bit late, since I'm taking the December LSAT. But I REALLY don't want to wait another year (already worked here for almost 2 years).

Rachel Zane is that you??

In all seriousness, I don't really see the point of working through the PS bibles and then learning a different method. If anything, I'd look at the 7sage stuff to complement the PS bibles and help explain answers to all the PT's you'll be doing.

The biggest thing I've found, and heard recommended, is reviewing your PT/ drill sections directly after you do them. This is why I found the 7sage LG explanations so amazing. I'd do a LG section, then, without even checking the answers. I'd watch the 4 corresponding videos explaining them by 7sage. As he goes through each game and question you get to see where you are making mistakes and missing key inferences.

Albeit this method is extremely time consuming, 35 minute LG section + 4 x (10-20 minute) videos = ~1.5 hours for a single LG section, I found it instrumental for improving.

[Dr. Dre]

I hate feeling guilty when I'm not studying. We're still two months out and I recognize that I need to be studying every day (which I am) but I constantly feel guilty when I have free time I don't spend it wrapped up in an RC passage or a game. The last time I studied for this test I suffered from major burn out and I'm trying to avoid that problem this time. My studying has been so much more productive and I am scoring higher than I ever have before, and I know that this is partly due to my study schedule. I just hate that even when I take a PT in the morning, and score really well on it, I still feel guilty if I don't spend the whole rest of my day studying. Any one else get like this?

yes I feel guilty when I'm not doing any LSAT studying. I feel like I'm a toTTTal loser failure.

(not flame)

lol no idea what a flame is, buddy.

it just means i'm being serious, brother

[toshiroh]

I just finished taking PT 53. Made some really idiot mistakes, but the great thing is I can clearly see why they're wrong. However, my score increased five points so yay. Could have increased even more if I didn't zone out on a RC passage.

[dasani13]

Holy shit it's been a tough day. Been trying to motivate myself to study for the last 2 hours.

[Miracle]

Holy shit it's been a tough day. Been trying to motivate myself to study for the last 2 hours.

+1 it's been such an unproductive day for me

[star fox]

You know that feelin where you really think you're nailing logic games and then you take a full section and bomb it? Doesn't feel good.

[vicpin5190]

I took PT 44 today. It was going alright until the last LR section which i totally ate it.

Went -5 on RC, -6 on LR#1, -0 on the Games, and -9 on LR. 162 score, raw score of 80, so my lowest point total off i guess on a PT.

Pretty frustrated, LR is not improving at all, and i'm doing so much drilling to try and get it right....

[action90]

My study schedule looks like this:

M, T, W, Th, F (usually one day off)
Study 7 pm - 10 pm (or some strange combination of 3 hours of studying)

Sa, Su
Study 8-10 hours (sry, guy I was kind of dating)

so I'm doing ~25-30 hours a week. that's with working 9-6 M-F.

It's not like I can budget more time in, if I wake up at 6 am and study (I've tried) I don't actually do any "good" studying, so I've given that up, same goes with trying to study past 10.

This week I'm gonna start taking one PT a week, and I'm looking to finish up my Blueprint online class by the last week of October, at which point I'll start doing PTs twice a week or maybe more???

This look normal??? Think I can gain a 15 point improvement? I'm taking a PT on Sunday after my initial diagnostic of a 155... god help me if I don't improve after studying like this for a month!

Honestly you're gonna need some rests. The LSAT is a mental challenge and your brain will need its appropriate rest. I found some of my best practice tests to be on days were I had not touched LSAT materials for 3-5 days

[action90]

I took PT 44 today. It was going alright until the last LR section which i totally ate it.

Went -5 on RC, -6 on LR#1, -0 on the Games, and -9 on LR. 162 score, raw score of 80, so my lowest point total off i guess on a PT.

Pretty frustrated, LR is not improving at all, and i'm doing so much drilling to try and get it right....

Review each and every LR question you get wrong. You have to understand why you got them wrong and what tricks you keep falling for. Knowing why you got certain ones wrong in just as important as knowing why some answer choices are right.

[action90]

You know that feelin where you really think you're nailing reading comprehension and then you take a full section and bomb it? Doesn't feel good.

[HeavenBeyond]

You know that feelin where you really think you're nailing reading comprehension and then you take a full section and bomb it? Doesn't feel good.

Had this happen yesterday

Looking back, I don't even know where my head was...

[vicpin5190]

I took PT 44 today. It was going alright until the last LR section which i totally ate it.

Went -5 on RC, -6 on LR#1, -0 on the Games, and -9 on LR. 162 score, raw score of 80, so my lowest point total off i guess on a PT.

Pretty frustrated, LR is not improving at all, and i'm doing so much drilling to try and get it right....

Review each and every LR question you get wrong. You have to understand why you got them wrong and what tricks you keep falling for. Knowing why you got certain ones wrong in just as important as knowing why some answer choices are right.

that's what i've been doing for the most part. i try and go through every question i got wrong (or picked correctly but hesitantly) and try and see why the correct answer is correct and why the others aren't, or understand why i missed it when it was a very clear answer. And i even try and take note of patterns, like when i miss questions in bunches in and then will go on streaks of getting a bunch right. I I know i'm struggling a little with conditional diagramming so i'm for sure going to go back and work that out in drilling, but i'm definitely doing the review process. My last 5 Pt's have all been between 161-165 range, i'm just tired of being stuck there. With less than 2 months to go i feel like i need to be at a way higher level right now to score where I want to score.

Maybe i should start typing out the wrong questions and such? idk, i'm just frustrated that i'm not seeing the same rapid improvement that i saw at the beginning.

[Dr. Dre]

You know that feelin where you really think you're nailing reading comprehension and then you take a full section and bomb it? Doesn't feel good.

i had the opposite experience where i thought i completely fucked up and actually did awesome

[HeavenBeyond]

You know that feelin where you really think you're nailing reading comprehension and then you take a full section and bomb it? Doesn't feel good.

i had the opposite experience where i thought i completely fucked up and actually did awesome

That's a little more positive!

[vicpin5190]

You know that feelin where you really think you're nailing reading comprehension and then you take a full section and bomb it? Doesn't feel good.

i had the opposite experience where i thought i completely fucked up and actually did awesome

This was the case for me on my last PT for reading comp, i thought i was doing awful and walked away with a respectable -5. Given it was PT 44 so i didn't have the comp passage, but during the actual timing i was pretty sure i was rocking a -15.

But then on LRs i was pretty sure I was having my best outing yet and then boom.