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Need LR Advice...seriously failing

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:46 pm
by wjun15
Okay so I've been studying from my LR and LG Bible for about a month and I thought I had improved on both. But I took a timed practice test 44 and was devastated with my:

26 LR Question Incorrect (total)!!!!!!
I missed 10 on the first and 16 on the second...wow.

My LG is almost perfect and RC is about a -7, but how in the world am I gonna get my LR improved to -5 on each section? It seems like when I read the LR paragraphs, I seem to reread a lot because I didnt understand the paragraph the first time around. And also, when I get a subject I don't know about, my confidence goes down. Is there ANYONE on this board that scored a worse LR than me? This is devastating!

btw I am shooting for around a 162+...

Also taking a Powerscore class starting early April.

whoops (i meant 26 instead of 22)!

Re: Need LR Advice...seriously failing

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:59 pm
by yoni45
wjun15 wrote:Okay so I've been studying from my LR and LG Bible for about a month and I thought I had improved on both. But I took a timed practice test 44 and was devastated with my:

22 LR Question Incorrect (total)!!!!!!
I missed 10 on the first and 16 on the second...wow.

My LG is almost perfect and RC is about a -7, but how in the world am I gonna get my LR improved to -5 on each section? It seems like when I read the LR paragraphs, I seem to reread a lot because I didnt understand the paragraph the first time around. And also, when I get a subject I don't know about, my confidence goes down. Is there ANYONE on this board that scored a worse LR than me? This is devastating!

btw I am shooting for around a 162+...

Also taking a Powerscore class starting early April.
Relax, slow down, and read closely the first time around. Focus on dissecting the relevant argument whenever possible before hitting the answer choices.

I find people more often take a dip in their scores before they start improving -- keep at it, but do it properly. You'll get your results soon enough... =)

Re: Need LR Advice...seriously failing

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:16 pm
by wjun15

Code: Select all

Relax, slow down, and read closely the first time around. Focus on dissecting the relevant argument whenever possible before hitting the answer choices.

I find people more often take a dip in their scores before they start improving -- keep at it, but do it properly. You'll get your results soon enough... =)

When I take it untimed i usually get like a -5 on each section. But when its timed, I tend to skim over the answer choices but not concentrate on each answer. Its like Im hoping that the next answer choice will be the right one or something.

And also, is it important that you underline the conclusion every time?

Re: Need LR Advice...seriously failing

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:20 pm
by youpiiz
go through the bible.. it will help you approach lr in a more systemic way, which i think helps a lot. underlining the conclusion could be helpful, but mostly try to develop your own way of marking things, preferably in time-efficient manner. just put some work in, guessing from how you do on the other section, i think youll be justttt fine.

Re: Need LR Advice...seriously failing

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:22 pm
by PDaddy
wjun15 wrote:Okay so I've been studying from my LR and LG Bible for about a month and I thought I had improved on both. But I took a timed practice test 44 and was devastated with my:

22 LR Question Incorrect (total)!!!!!!
I missed 10 on the first and 16 on the second...wow.

My LG is almost perfect and RC is about a -7, but how in the world am I gonna get my LR improved to -5 on each section? It seems like when I read the LR paragraphs, I seem to reread a lot because I didnt understand the paragraph the first time around. And also, when I get a subject I don't know about, my confidence goes down. Is there ANYONE on this board that scored a worse LR than me? This is devastating!

btw I am shooting for around a 162+...

Also taking a Powerscore class starting early April.
It's possible that you're suffering from "overload" if you are putting in too many hours. It's different for everyone. Try studying in short bursts. That may help. Don't be discouraged.

Re: Need LR Advice...seriously failing

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:42 pm
by yoni45
wjun15 wrote:When I take it untimed i usually get like a -5 on each section. But when its timed, I tend to skim over the answer choices but not concentrate on each answer. Its like Im hoping that the next answer choice will be the right one or something.

And also, is it important that you underline the conclusion every time?
Well, for the first part -- don't. :P

Every answer choice is important, and you have to be careful with all of them.

As far as underlining the conclusion, it can be helpful, but not necessary -- but make sure you have a clear idea about what the conclusion is regardless (and the basis on which it was derived)...

Re: Need LR Advice...seriously failing

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:26 pm
by spearnreel
wjun15 wrote: 22 LR Question Incorrect (total)!!!!!!
I missed 10 on the first and 16 on the second...wow.
10+16=25 not 22?

Re: Need LR Advice...seriously failing

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:28 pm
by tigrelis
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Re: Need LR Advice...seriously failing

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:58 pm
by Shrimps
Thank God LSAT does not have a math section like GMAT.

Re: Need LR Advice...seriously failing

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:04 pm
by lebob
ROFL that is some fuzzy math *haha good humored laughing* :lol:


In seriousness, I think your powerscore class should help you big time for the LR.

Re: Need LR Advice...seriously failing

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:09 pm
by skip james
wjun15 wrote:

Code: Select all

Relax, slow down, and read closely the first time around. Focus on dissecting the relevant argument whenever possible before hitting the answer choices.

I find people more often take a dip in their scores before they start improving -- keep at it, but do it properly. You'll get your results soon enough... =)

When I take it untimed i usually get like a -5 on each section. But when its timed, I tend to skim over the answer choices but not concentrate on each answer. Its like Im hoping that the next answer choice will be the right one or something.

And also, is it important that you underline the conclusion every time?
The conclusion is the core of the argument, when in doubt, read the conclusion, then read it again, then read it again. Make sure you understand it, since the correct answer for strengthen/weaken/justify/assumption questions will stand in some sort of relation to the conclusion.

I used to do this kooky method of skimming the argument to find the conclusion, reading the conclusion first, then figuring out what other parts of the stimulus were directly relevant to it. I still sorta can't help doing it now, I'm so used to it. Take an untimed test and try it out. Atlas has a pretty neat article on a similar concept.

http://www.atlaslsat.com/blog/index.php ... nt-engine/

Also, I'd work my way up to fully timed tests, the timing element is probably the hardest to master, and if you have a good idea of what you're supposed to do to get correct answers and then get better at doing that, then your time should naturally start diminishing. I took something like 20 prep tests untimed before I broke into timing. Though, to qualify my approach, I did try to reduce my section times each consecutive prep test even though it was untimed. Also, I don't advocate this strategy for everyone, it just worked for me and the way I personally learn things.