October 2010 Test Prep Forum

[txsunshine]

Hey all, best of luck on the LSAT prep. I just started a Kaplan course and my diagnostic was 165 (December 2008 exam). TLSers don't seem to be fond of Kaplan but it worked best with my schedule and I'm fairly self-motivated. I'll let you know what I think of the course as time progresses. My weakest section is the Analytical Reasoning. If I can get that section down I'm sure I can hit target range (169+). I'm thinking about buying those bibles but I don't want to confuse the strategies I learn at Kaplan with whatever those books recommend. Any thoughts?

[Patriot1208]

Hey all, best of luck on the LSAT prep. I just started a Kaplan course and my diagnostic was 165 (December 2008 exam). TLSers don't seem to be fond of Kaplan but it worked best with my schedule and I'm fairly self-motivated. I'll let you know what I think of the course as time progresses. My weakest section is the Analytical Reasoning. If I can get that section down I'm sure I can hit target range (169+). I'm thinking about buying those bibles but I don't want to confuse the strategies I learn at Kaplan with whatever those books recommend. Any thoughts?

I'm working through the logic games bible and doing kaplan advanced. And although i'm only a little into it so far it has been beneficial seeing the difference in the two. I'm developing some sort of hybrid of the two strategies currently I think as I figure out what works best for me.

[kineticx]

Oh man. I've had insomnia for two days, and around 4 am this morning, I started wondering what would happen if I had insomnia the night before the LSAT... Needless to say, I will include some melatonin and red wine in my night-before regimen.

[northwood]

Right now, I am breaking up the 10 series of LSATS for individual question type practice ( LR and Games). Should I save the most recent pts for use towards the end ( last month) of studying to better gauge my score. Or does it not really matter which ones I do last.

By the way,. I am also taking the princeton live online class to help with the foundations and general skill building. Is it a good idea to use the lgb and lrb to help solidify the concepts, or am i setting myself up for failure ( I am using the lgb right now- havent opened the lrb yet) because of the different publishers and theories behind them?

THanks and good luck to all!!@( We wont need it in october tho)

[LSAT Blog]

Right now, I am breaking up the 10 series of LSATS for individual question type practice ( LR and Games). Should I save the most recent pts for use towards the end ( last month) of studying to better gauge my score. Or does it not really matter which ones I do last.

Save the most recent ones for last to better gauge your score since the LSAT has evolved over time.

Learn and make your mistakes on the earlier ones - perhaps PrepTests 29-38 (and earlier) for untimed practice (or individual section practice). Then, you can use the more recent ones for full-length timed exams.

[lamentable]

For the past two weeks I've been doing mostly logic games with minor improvement in answers right/time management. I am thinking of doing some LR work to revive me a bit (I've been doing 3-6 hours per day, Monday throguh Friday). LG can get to be too much. Has anyone noticed an increase in one section after prep in other sections?

[faexylona]

I have been studying since last Monday, and I have a headache. I took Friday and Sunday off, and it seemed to help, but the headache came back today. My progress is going along in LR. So far it is my weakest section. It seems since last Tuesday, I am improving in getting the answers right, slowly. I am still taking my time, and not worrying too much about speed. I realized that I must know how to answer the problem and know why my answers are wrong before I can start on improving my speed.

As for the logic game section, so far it seems it is my best section. We will see how it goes. The second session of my prep class will begin today. Anyways, thank you for the encouragement you all showed me.

[lamentable]

Faexylona, it would be a good idea to include some sort of physical activity into your studying. I need to start doing the same. Without it, I've been sort of dazed.

[hotdog123]

I set aside so much time (5 months) to study that I have definitely made physical fitness a priority in my study routine.

I find that, at minimum, I need to work out about .25 hours for every hour I study to remain sane.

[FuManChusco]

I set aside so much time (5 months) to study that I have definitely made physical fitness a priority in my study routine.

I find that, at minimum, I need to work out about .25 hours for every hour I study to remain sane.

I have to ask. Why wouldn't you just put 15 minutes?

[hotdog123]

I set aside so much time (5 months) to study that I have definitely made physical fitness a priority in my study routine.

I find that, at minimum, I need to work out about .25 hours for every hour I study to remain sane.

I have to ask. Why wouldn't you just put 15 minutes?

Because I had the metric "hours" stuck on my brain at the moment.

Plus I figured people were smart enough to do the math.

[brickman]

I set aside so much time (5 months) to study that I have definitely made physical fitness a priority in my study routine.

I find that, at minimum, I need to work out about .25 hours for every hour I study to remain sane.

b/c it's never to early to learn how to track your time in fractions in preparation for the billable hour.

[jwaters]

Hey guys....long time reader but just joined today. I started out studying for the June2010 but with my class schedule I decided to put it off until October. I just started studying last week. So far I've gone through basic and advanced linear and pure sequencing games in the LGB and finished the corresponding games in The Next 10. Going to try to do the same for grouping and combo games this week. Good luck everyone..

[lamentable]

I set aside so much time (5 months) to study that I have definitely made physical fitness a priority in my study routine.

I find that, at minimum, I need to work out about .25 hours for every hour I study to remain sane.

b/c it's never to early to learn how to track your time in fractions in preparation for the billable hour.

+1.

[hotdog123]

I set aside so much time (5 months) to study that I have definitely made physical fitness a priority in my study routine.

I find that, at minimum, I need to work out about .25 hours for every hour I study to remain sane.

b/c it's never to early to learn how to track your time in fractions in preparation for the billable hour.

You know what, I didn't realize it, but that's how I bill my time at my current job already. No wonder I'm stuck on the hour metric.

[illmaticjones]

So far I've gone through basic and advanced linear and pure sequencing games in the LGB and finished the corresponding games in The Next 10. Going to try to do the same for grouping and combo games this week. Good luck everyone..

+1

This is going to be my second LSAT. Hopefully the Powerscore LGB coupled with about 12 Kaplan books will help me reach my goal of 167+ by oct. Good Luck everyone

[Underoath]

I am also taking the Kaplan prep course on July 31. It is the only prep course in my area (10 min away) that works with my schedule since the classes meet on weekends.

I have the Bibles and some other material that I will use in addition to Kaplan's methods. I will adjust the methods according to how I see fit.

I scored fairly low on the initial diagnostic so I am hoping to increase by 15 points!

[brickman]

I am also taking the Kaplan prep course on July 31. It is the only prep course in my area (10 min away) that works with my schedule since the classes meet on weekends.

I have the Bibles and some other material that I will use in addition to Kaplan's methods. I will adjust the methods according to how I see fit.

I scored fairly low on the initial diagnostic so I am hoping to increase by 15 points!

Perhaps the most adaptable preparatory course is your own! Ditch Kaplan, pick up Pithypike's 2-3 hours a day (or as it fits your schedule) and save yourself a few shekels and focus more intensely on a system that will be inherently more flexible.

[Underoath]

I am also taking the Kaplan prep course on July 31. It is the only prep course in my area (10 min away) that works with my schedule since the classes meet on weekends.

I have the Bibles and some other material that I will use in addition to Kaplan's methods. I will adjust the methods according to how I see fit.

I scored fairly low on the initial diagnostic so I am hoping to increase by 15 points!

Perhaps the most adaptable preparatory course is your own! Ditch Kaplan, pick up Pithypike's 2-3 hours a day (or as it fits your schedule) and save yourself a few shekels and focus more intensely on a system that will be inherently more flexible.

I can't study on my own. Too many external factors interrupting me and I'm not referring to the internet or my cell phone.

I rather take a prep course anyway because I can ask questions on a specific topic or game and get feedback rather than trying to decipher on my own why such and such question is correct.
In addition to kaplan I will be incorporating other study material as well.
If any of this is run on or grammatically incorrect its because I'm on my cell phone typing this.

And why do I feel the need to put that disclaimer there? You figure it out.

[FuManChusco]

I am also taking the Kaplan prep course on July 31. It is the only prep course in my area (10 min away) that works with my schedule since the classes meet on weekends.

I have the Bibles and some other material that I will use in addition to Kaplan's methods. I will adjust the methods according to how I see fit.

I scored fairly low on the initial diagnostic so I am hoping to increase by 15 points!

Perhaps the most adaptable preparatory course is your own! Ditch Kaplan, pick up Pithypike's 2-3 hours a day (or as it fits your schedule) and save yourself a few shekels and focus more intensely on a system that will be inherently more flexible.

I can't study on my own. Too many external factors interrupting me and I'm not referring to the internet or my cell phone.

I rather take a prep course anyway because I can ask questions on a specific topic or game and get feedback rather than trying to decipher on my own why such and such question is correct.
In addition to kaplan I will be incorporating other study material as well.
If any of this is run on or grammatically incorrect its because I'm on my cell phone typing this.

And why do I feel the need to put that disclaimer there? You figure it out.

TINTCR. That's a good thing. You do well on the LSAT by breaking it down and figuring out its language and structure. You'll learn much more figuring out questions by yourself, than you will by listening to someone tell you how it's done. Plus, if you do get stuck on a specific question, TLS is a great resource. People help others a lot. Just ask. Just my $.02, to each his own.

[nshaikh]

I'm doing self study and as the poster above said, to each his own, I truly feel like it was the right decision for me. I like to fix my own schedule, have certain things around me to help my study environment i.e. cookies and music. But part of me does wishes that I had a personal tutor who would give me instant feedback the minute I have a question or need help. Anyway I realized at the end of the day anyone can explain it to me until their blue in the face,I myself need to understand it in my own terms and language.

Anywho, right now more than anything Logic Reasoning is killing me! I really do not see myself improving in it, at most whenever I tally up the score at the end of a LR section I either barely pass it by the minimum ( 12/25) or range at a 62% or 68% and if there are two LR sections on the LSAT.... yeah no hope for 160+ at all. I took a Princeton Free Practice Test and scored a 141. Did great on the LG but poorly on the LR.

I can safely say that LG is the only section I feel confident in.

108 days left to go to master LR.

Any tips on how anyone else overcomes roadblocks on LR?


P.S. Is there a study group for the Oct. LSAT going on? Maybe an online one?

[FuManChusco]

Right now more than anything Logic Reasoning is killing me! I really do not see myself improving in it, at most whenever I tally up the score at the end of a LR section I either barely pass it by the minimum ( 12/25) or range at a 62% or 68% and if there are two LR sections on the LSAT.... yeah no hope for 160+ at all. I took a Princeton Free Practice Test and scored a 141. Did great on the LG but poorly on the LR.

I can safely say that LG is the only section I feel confident in.

108 days left to go to master LR.

Any tips on how anyone else overcomes roadblocks on LR?


P.S. Is there a study group for the Oct. LSAT going on? Maybe an online one?

My diagnostic LR was like -10 combined so I had a good footing, but you just need to practice. Practice, practice, practice, and more practice. I read the Logical Reasoning Bible and then just did a ton of sections. First untimed, and then when I was averaging about -5 combined I moved to time sections. I probably did about 50-55 sections of LR between study and PTs. Not much else you can do, but familiarize yourself.

[nshaikh]

Right now more than anything Logic Reasoning is killing me! I really do not see myself improving in it, at most whenever I tally up the score at the end of a LR section I either barely pass it by the minimum ( 12/25) or range at a 62% or 68% and if there are two LR sections on the LSAT.... yeah no hope for 160+ at all. I took a Princeton Free Practice Test and scored a 141. Did great on the LG but poorly on the LR.

I can safely say that LG is the only section I feel confident in.

108 days left to go to master LR.

Any tips on how anyone else overcomes roadblocks on LR?


P.S. Is there a study group for the Oct. LSAT going on? Maybe an online one?

My diagnostic LR was like -10 combined so I had a good footing, but you just need to practice. Practice, practice, practice, and more practice. I read the Logical Reasoning Bible and then just did a ton of sections. First untimed, and then when I was averaging about -5 combined I moved to time sections. I probably did about 50-55 sections of LR between study and PTs. Not much else you can do, but familiarize yourself.

Thank you for advice. If you don't mind me asking, after how many tries of untimed sections did you finally decide to move to timed?

[FuManChusco]

Right now more than anything Logic Reasoning is killing me! I really do not see myself improving in it, at most whenever I tally up the score at the end of a LR section I either barely pass it by the minimum ( 12/25) or range at a 62% or 68% and if there are two LR sections on the LSAT.... yeah no hope for 160+ at all. I took a Princeton Free Practice Test and scored a 141. Did great on the LG but poorly on the LR.

I can safely say that LG is the only section I feel confident in.

108 days left to go to master LR.

Any tips on how anyone else overcomes roadblocks on LR?


P.S. Is there a study group for the Oct. LSAT going on? Maybe an online one?

My diagnostic LR was like -10 combined so I had a good footing, but you just need to practice. Practice, practice, practice, and more practice. I read the Logical Reasoning Bible and then just did a ton of sections. First untimed, and then when I was averaging about -5 combined I moved to time sections. I probably did about 50-55 sections of LR between study and PTs. Not much else you can do, but familiarize yourself.

Thank you for advice. If you don't mind me asking, after how many tries of untimed sections did you finally decide to move to timed?

I'd guess 10-15. I had every available PT and there's 2 LR sections in every one so I was worried about running out. I used the first book of the "10 Official LSAT Exams" for practice. Then I moved on to timed PTs.

[brickman]

for those who want to talk with other people prepping for the October LSAT via telephone please see:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=121459