Has anyone experienced a huge increase in RC? Forum

[jason8821]

I am talking like 8-10+ in raw score from diagnostic. my very first diagnostic, I got a 10/27 in RC it was and still is my worst section, the second test I took I got a 15/16 there, and haven't budged, and this was like two weeks later. Since then I have read Nova's test prep a few times, and done considerable practice.

I just want to know if would be better for me to scrap on on RC minus the occasional economist,new yorker, Sci-American read and focus on doing extra well on the other three sections.

If you did make a huge leap, how did you do it?

[Huluba23]

Do tons of practice questions and really understand why the answer is what it is

[Atlas LSAT Teacher]

I've seen people make substantial leaps by evaluating how they read, aligning their reading style with what the LSAT is testing, and focusing on why the wrong answers are wrong.

[JayTal]

+1

I went from missing 6 in June to 0 in Sept. Just slow down and read critically. Between June and Sept I did enough practice tests where it became pretty easy to tell which answers were the trap answers. My advice to everyone is just do as many RC passages as you can and ACTUALLY review why you got the one wrong that you did.

[jason8821]

Atlas, by substantial leaps are you talking about 8-10+ points. Despite being within the realm of possibility, it seems that one would have to literally practice reading for a substantial period of time, maybe 6 months or more.

I am a very pensive reader, and so I tend to over think a lot of questions, what techniques have these people used?

[Atlas LSAT Teacher]

As a chastened shill poster here, I hesitate to say this, but the people I'm talking about are people who have used our approach. However, that's only because most of the people I work with use our approach! (Geeky logic joke). However, here are two tips:

1. When reviewing your practice tests, find the line numbers that support each answer choice. This is particularly crucial for inference questions. Also categorize each wrong answer (out of scope, unsupported, contradicted, too extreme . . .)

2. Defer judgment when looking at answer choices. If you like (B), start looking for a better answer. The LSAT test-writers are so talented at creating tempting wrong answers.

I hope that help.

[jason8821]

As a chastened shill poster here, I hesitate to say this, but the people I'm talking about are people who have used our approach. However, that's only because most of the people I work with use our approach! (Geeky logic joke). However, here are two tips:

1. When reviewing your practice tests, find the line numbers that support each answer choice. This is particularly crucial for inference questions. Also categorize each wrong answer (out of scope, unsupported, contradicted, too extreme . . .)

2. Defer judgment when looking at answer choices. If you like (B), start looking for a better answer. The LSAT test-writers are so talented at creating tempting wrong answers.

I hope that help.

It certainly does. Thank you

[tomwatts]

More important things have been said above, but I figure I'll toss in a TPR tidbit: Have a good idea what you're looking for in the answers before you look at the answer choices, if the question is specific enough that you can do that. (I mean, obviously, "Which of the following can most reasonably be inferred from the passage?" isn't specific enough, but "What is the author's attitude towards the critics in line 23?" is.) This cuts down on the distraction as you go through tempting wrong answers.

I've probably told this story on this forum before, but I had one student consistently get 60% right, 60% right, 60% right, over and over again on the RC, and then he jumped up to consistently 80% right. I asked him what he did, and he said, sort of sheepishly, "This might sound silly, but I just psych myself up before each reading passage. I think, 'Oh boy, now I get to read about Native Canadian legal problems!' or whatever." And this got him 5 or 6 more questions right on each section.

[cubswin]

I gradually increased my RC score with just about every PT I took. It happens. -2 on real test. No prep materials for RC either (just used LG and LR bibles).

[sweet02215]

I went from 10+ wrong to under 6 after partially using voyager's techniques and some of my own. it's definitely doable

[jason8821]

More important things have been said above, but I figure I'll toss in a TPR tidbit: Have a good idea what you're looking for in the answers before you look at the answer choices, if the question is specific enough that you can do that. (I mean, obviously, "Which of the following can most reasonably be inferred from the passage?" isn't specific enough, but "What is the author's attitude towards the critics in line 23?" is.) This cuts down on the distraction as you go through tempting wrong answers.

I've probably told this story on this forum before, but I had one student consistently get 60% right, 60% right, 60% right, over and over again on the RC, and then he jumped up to consistently 80% right. I asked him what he did, and he said, sort of sheepishly, "This might sound silly, but I just psych myself up before each reading passage. I think, 'Oh boy, now I get to read about Native Canadian legal problems!' or whatever." And this got him 5 or 6 more questions right on each section.

That definitely gives me some hope. I feel as though I understand RC enough to better, but I just can't immerse myself in the passages enough. I use to be prescribed adderall, and although I have no interest in taking it again, I honestly believe that would add 2-3 points to my raw score in reading comp if nothing else.

[BigA]

I'm wondering if your speed can improve with practice. I've only taken a couple practice tests. But so far I can barely get through the third passage. I answer a good percentage of questions right. So I really hope I could work up to getting through all four passages with the same accuracy. Anyone had this problem, and overcame it possibly?

[SJU2010]

I am talking like 8-10+ in raw score from diagnostic. my very first diagnostic, I got a 10/27 in RC it was and still is my worst section, the second test I took I got a 15/16 there, and haven't budged, and this was like two weeks later. Since then I have read Nova's test prep a few times, and done considerable practice.

I just want to know if would be better for me to scrap on on RC minus the occasional economist,new yorker, Sci-American read and focus on doing extra well on the other three sections.

If you did make a huge leap, how did you do it?

Yes I went from getting 12 wrong to getting 3 wrong. I used pithypikes strategy, and Kaplans suggestion of predicting where the passage is going. I did a full day (4-5 hours of practice). 1st I did not time myself just applied the techniques and then I did a 4 timed sections and today I got -3. ALSO A big help was going over the answers and checking every single answer (even if you get it right), reread each answer choice and check your study guides for why its wrong.

GLUCK

[jason8821]

I am talking like 8-10+ in raw score from diagnostic. my very first diagnostic, I got a 10/27 in RC it was and still is my worst section, the second test I took I got a 15/16 there, and haven't budged, and this was like two weeks later. Since then I have read Nova's test prep a few times, and done considerable practice.

I just want to know if would be better for me to scrap on on RC minus the occasional economist,new yorker, Sci-American read and focus on doing extra well on the other three sections.

If you did make a huge leap, how did you do it?

Yes I went from getting 12 wrong to getting 3 wrong. I used pithypikes strategy, and Kaplans suggestion of predicting where the passage is going. I did a full day (4-5 hours of practice). 1st I did not time myself just applied the techniques and then I did a 4 timed sections and today I got -3. ALSO A big help was going over the answers and checking every single answer (even if you get it right), reread each answer choice and check your study guides for why its wrong.

GLUCK

Thanks for the advice, it's good to hear from people who have made large leaps in this section.

[kurama20]

Using the powerscore method I went from -13 to -1 in 3 months.

[DavidYurman85]

tag-just beginning my prep.

[xiening]

I started with extreme bad at RCs, my lowest RC section practice could be worse than random guessing. Yes, like if I put all A i can be 1 or 2 points higher. But I end up with -6 on my real lsat (still a room for improving, but relatively acceptable score for RCs (at least in my opinion). The key for improve is that once you finish the reading, don't go to the question right away, spend at less 15 secs figure out what each paragraph was talking about, and MP for the whole passage.
Another big point is that I actually think if you really really hate a passage, in the real LSAT it is ok to skip it, and turn back after you done other three passages and may be a fresh mind. you will notice that most of the cases you may understand better by come back to read the second time.
The only alternative resources I think is good is Economists, but do not read as you read a magazine, be selective, choose some articles, maybe a front cover article, a finance passage, and a science/culutral passage on the end. read one by one, and ask yourself once you finished several paragraphs (like 4-6 paragraphs) stopped, without look at the paper, tried to think what exactly each paragraph is talking about. if there is a MP, what is it, how is it support? example? survey? quote from some famous ppl? The reason i suggest this practice is because you should treat it as the real RC passages, otherwise, what is the point to read the alternative resources. Maybe someone may argue to get familiar with the vocab, but again, we all knew the RC is testing the logic but not the vocab. (I didn't mention that I am not a native speaker, did I)
People may say RC is the least trainable section on the LSAT, I agreed! But it is not voilate my point, a significant improvement still possible. I hope you the best luck for the LSAT!!!!!!

[rptarget3000]

Using the powerscore method I went from -13 to -1 in 3 months.

Is powerscore's method incredibly different from Kaplan + some of the other methods suggested throughout the forum?

[5ky]

.

[jason8821]

Are the new ones that much more difficult, I mean I'v done some sections in the 40's and I score the same as in the 30's and below. When is the turning point for the hard RC ?

[xiening]

Are the new ones that much more difficult, I mean I'v done some sections in the 40's and I score the same as in the 30's and below. When is the turning point for the hard RC ?

I think after 2001 the RC becomes gradually more difficult. And the recent LSAT we do see some bullsh** reading comp passages: "basin of attraction" "walkers dancing" etc. By saying a passage is tough I mean it by two ways: A more challenge language system has been used and less straight forward answering choices. If you compare that "melting industry"(about the steel mills one, i remember is on 90s, I maybe wrong) and more recent LSAT science passage, you would find the questions and reading were absolutely more straight forward than now. So focus on the more recent passages will give you a better representative for the reading comp you will face on the real LSAT.
Best Luck for all of you potential takers! Cheers!!!!!!!!

[5ky]

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