The Official June 2014 Study Group Forum

[famousblueraincoat]

What should we be PTing around by now?

Have you guys taken any pts lately to see where you are at? what scores did you get??

Wouldn't it depend on how far along you are in your prep? I haven't even started really PTing yet.

I have not started yet either, but I was just wondering if some one took one just to see his/her progress.

Honestly, my current study schedule wont have me PT'ing regularly until the last week of february/first week of March.

Same. I haven't even gotten to RC in the Trainer.

Is anyone else considering teaching the LSAT? I'm not quite at 170+ yet, but it seems like a fun job. More motivation to do well in June!

[mist4bison]

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[famousblueraincoat]

What should we be PTing around by now?

Have you guys taken any pts lately to see where you are at? what scores did you get??

I don't plan on PTing consistently until the beginning of March, but I will take a "diagnostic" tomorrow or Monday and another one on Feb 17th (3 day weekends, yo). I'll post what I get. Hopefully it isn't too dismal.

Does anyone have a suggestion on whether my first PT should be timed or untimed?

Timed would give you the best idea of how you would perform on an actual administration of the test. But given that you've got lots of time, do you really need to know how you'd do if the test was on Monday?

I think Mike Kim suggests taking it untimed but timing yourself. That way you can focus on accuracy, but still be aware of how long it takes you to arrive at the right answers.

[mist4bison]

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[10052014]

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[law_dawg18]

What should we be PTing around by now?

Have you guys taken any pts lately to see where you are at? what scores did you get??

I don't plan on PTing consistently until the beginning of March, but I will take a "diagnostic" tomorrow or Monday and another one on Feb 17th (3 day weekends, yo). I'll post what I get. Hopefully it isn't too dismal.

Does anyone have a suggestion on whether my first PT should be timed or untimed?

Timed would give you the best idea of how you would perform on an actual administration of the test. But given that you've got lots of time, do you really need to know how you'd do if the test was on Monday?

I think Mike Kim suggests taking it untimed but timing yourself. That way you can focus on accuracy, but still be aware of how long it takes you to arrive at the right answers.

That sounds like a good idea. I think I'll do that, just so I know how far I can get into a section with the allotted time, but also allowing myself to accurately determine my skill level and where I should focus most of my studying. Thanks

Alright I'm new to this thread, but what does everyone's routine look like? The consensus around the internet and from a buddy of mine on his way to Northwestern (on scholarship) seems to be 3 or so months of intense studying> 6 months.
EDIT- so yeah, what are you doing and why/how are your results

[alexrodriguez]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... xNGOmxkL4I

All we have to do is study for the LSAT. So let's work hard at it.

[WaltGrace83]

Alright I'm new to this thread, but what does everyone's routine look like? The consensus around the internet and from a buddy of mine on his way to Northwestern (on scholarship) seems to be 3 or so months of intense studying> 6 months.
EDIT- so yeah, what are you doing and why/how are your results

Ehhhhh. I am not so sure about this. I think it is better to really take your time and not rush (not to exactly saying that 3 months would be rushing but I think it would be). You are developing a new mindset. One of the challenges of the LSAT is breaking down the logic you THINK you have for actual logic. This takes time and intensity is not always conducive to really changing your mindset. Usually a slow, gradual, process is best.

I, myself, am going with the slow gradual process. I am not worried about my schedule. Yes I am planning on taking it in June but if I am not ready I am not going to. There is no point to rush this process only to try to "cram in" studying. The LSAT is something that takes time and diligence.

[famousblueraincoat]

Alright I'm new to this thread, but what does everyone's routine look like? The consensus around the internet and from a buddy of mine on his way to Northwestern (on scholarship) seems to be 3 or so months of intense studying> 6 months.
EDIT- so yeah, what are you doing and why/how are your results

It really depends on the person. Some people only need 2 months, others 12, others 6, etc. Also depends on if you're studying properly (not just "intensely").

I'm working full-time M-F, so I'm following the 16-week LSAT Trainer study schedule and trying to pace myself. I don't always have 25 hours/week to study. If everything goes as planned I'll finish the Trainer in April. So all of May will be dedicated to eliminating any remaining weaknesses and taking practice tests with simulated test conditions.

I don't think any of us have started taking practice tests yet (?), but definitely seeing results in understanding each section. Especially LG. Which is so fun when you know what you're doing !

[mist4bison]

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[mist4bison]

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[afnajjerh]

I know i've posted this before, but with the recent influx of people i thought i would try again. Anyone on here from the Dallas/North Texas area and want to meet up? I already have a good skype study partner but I'm thinking someone I can meet up with would help a lot as well.

[10052014]

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[10052014]

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[Louis1127]

I am starting to drill LR. Starting with flaw from PT 1-39 from Cambridge. I got through the level one difficulties and only missed like 6 out of 100. Got to level 2 difficulty and of the first 17, I have gotten 16 of them right BUT......

Most of the questions took me like five minutes. Like literally five minutes. I would have to read the stimulus multiple times and I could identify which answers were correct and which ones were incorrect as they relate to the premise-conclusion relationship, but it took me a long time to do this.

My question is: for all of you all that have drilled LR, were you really really really slow at first? And do you think with drilling that I will become significantly faster with time? It seems that describing arguments in abstract terms is something that is really hard to get faster at.

Also, maybe going through Manhattan LR would help. I jumped straight from the Trainer to drilling. I think I'll go through Manhattan LR this week. TLS seem sot love it.

[10052014]

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[WaltGrace83]

Well the time has come. I took a pt after months of studying and drilling.

Took pt 40 - and got a 165. quite disheartening...

LR -4
LG -0
LR -6
RC -6

As you can see, lr is killing me, even though I drilled all of cambridge.

The reason is that I got so nervous that I threw all my strategies out the window for the LR sections. I finished both sections in 27 minutes, so i reviewed some of my answers. But, that shows that I was rushing and not using the strategies I was supposed to.
For the next pt, I will make sure not to do that.


I believe that I will review it tomorrow, if not today.

Nah man, I think that is a GREAT "new diagnostic." This was your FIRST practice test since learning and drilling. I have no doubt you will improve with a little bit of endurance training a little bit of reevaluation. No one just drills and magically gets to a 170+. PTing will be your new drilling and you will see your increases.

I would be much more worried about the RC score. Weren't you going perfect for RC for the longest time?

EDIT: also, if you were finishing in 27 minutes why don't you slowwwww dowwnnnnn a bit. If the accuracy isn't there, it doesn't matter how fast you go!

I am confident that you are getting a 170+ man.

[10052014]

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[WaltGrace83]

look at my edit ^

[WaltGrace83]

Also, care to explain your "strategies?"

You were rockin' for a long time!

[10052014]

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[Nicolena.]

If anyone is having trouble with conditional logic or SA questions, there's some help on youtube. Theres this guy named James who reviews a decent amount of the SA questions from the Cambridge packet in videos (Videos 1-41).

Its called LifosInsitute on youtube.

He also covers conditional logic and some other concepts like combining statements that are parallel into one statement.

Ex. PT 24.3.19 (Video 38)

CONCLUSION: Some PT jobs <--> Walk to school

Combine - Premise to ACs to get the conclusion (basically checking your answer)
PREMISE: ALL ~ go home for Lunch --> Walk to School
AC: Some ~ go home for lunch <--> PT Jobs

COMBINATION: Some ~Walk to school <--> PT jobs

CONTRA: Some PT jobs <--> ~ Walk to school


I just thought some of the concepts in his videos are really easy to use for the test. Though he may not be mentioned on TLS and he is a bit corny, I think these concepts are really great, especially bc they are free.

HTH someone.

[Lsataddict175]

Posted this in a separate thread but wanted to get more opinions before I make a decision. Tomorrow I will be ordering a logic games book and I'm having trouble deciding between Blueprint and Powerscore. So far, most have recommended Powerscore. However, I've heard the book is more mechanical than Blueprint and I would really like something that's more intuitive. I can barely afford this book so it would bother me tremendously if I hear, after I order Powerscore, that Blueprint is indeed the better book. Did anyone here use Blueprint and find it really helpful? I'd really appreciate some replies.

Secondly, LG seems to be the bane of my existence. My accuracy is high but it's not unusual for me to spend around 15-20 minutes on a game. I just started prepping with the LSAT Trainer and find the book's approach to be mediocre at best (it's terrific for LR and RC though). Is it normal at this stage to be really slow at LG? I haven't read any book on LG besides the Trainer and have never drilled.

Lastly, I just began my LSAT studies now. I feel like crap. I promised myself that I wouldn't watch any of the football games today but I couldn't resist. Can't wait until football is finally over so that I can study 6-7 hours on Sundays.

[flash21]

jaylawyer = beastmode

[10052014]

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