Hardest LSAT Section Forum

[plywood]

What does everyone think the hardest section is on the LSAT, besides the obvious writing sample, of course? I have to go with games because of the time factor mostly. I simply cannot finish the games in time to get through them all without guessing on at least five questions. Unfortunately, I missed all five on the June LSAT and dropped out of the 170 range.

[kn6542]

For me, it's RC. I've got the games down ok, mostly because I read the LG bible and practiced them constantly until they were cake.
I still don't know how I'm gonna get the RC down. I've improved, but if my last test is any indication, I'm screwed.

[thisabyssisbliss]

i think games is the biggest question mark. I find that sometimes I can go through all the games quickly and easily and sometimes there is one game that I get stuck on (although this happens less now then it used to).

Other than that I really don't find one section to be harder than the other.

[bumblebeechewna]

I thought it was RC...but the light bulb came on for that section all of a sudden-so I will have to go with LR...that thing hates me

[brand2new]

How long did it take for that light bulb to work bumble? I've been doing RC for about a month and I go up and down from -3 to -8. I know I'm able to do it, but for some reason I just goof on some tests.

[bumblebeechewna]

I took a week off and had the most fun-the next time I took a test -1... (from then it's been no more than 4) from -8+ before...crazy considering I figured that fun would have killed many brain cells

[Pyke]

Meh - I find R.C. the hardest in that improvement is most difficult.

Games is easy, writing is a joke.

[cantaboot]

do you have any tips on improving the game section?
my bible will arrive tomorrow....

yes, rc is difficult, but i lose about 4-5 every time. as i do very well in lr, i only need to manage the games ..... my target is 170 or above.

[M20009]

The first section. Once you get past it, you're ready to roll.

[wesleybs]

I agree with misfit, the first section is always the hardest for me unless its LG. I pray that the first section of the Sept 29 test is LG.

[TaliaT]

LR is above and beyond the most difficult section for me. I get too involved in what im reading and not so much what the question stem is asking.

[wolverine37]

I think it is the last section, especially if you haven't eaten anything all day.

[Mosel]

The first section. Once you get past it, you're ready to roll.

Agree. The lion's share of my mistakes always comes from my first section. This always tempts me to try a section before I take a diagnostic, but for some reason that scares me--not sure why.

[HonoluluHopeful]

For me, first section seems harder, unless it's games.

Might be better to warm up with some questions before the test.

[Pyke]

I did warm up on test day, I nailed all but 3 before the break too.

I got murdered after the break (42/52 right), but still.

[prach]

all of the sections are equally hard for me. i suck at everything.

[plywood]

The last section was very difficult to remain focused on. The last 10 problems were ridiculous. Has anyone tried this program called EyeQ? My fiancee got it and I have used for about two weeks now and can read about three times faster. This has helped my RC go from about 4/5 misses to 0/1.

[dagomuscles]

Has anyone tried this program called EyeQ

I just checked out their website and my eyes are going crazy. WTH, is this stuff for real?

I did the demo and it said I read 305 wpm. After the little exercise drill with the objects and words going all over the place, it listed me as reading at 405 wpm. Those exercises made my eyes feel like their about to fly out of their sockets.

p.s. - When I started preparing for the LSAT, LG was the hardest and RC the easiest (although, easiest doesn't imply good at). Now RC is my toughest section and LG my easiest (barely missing any, just a matter of timing).

[Denny Crane]

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[Denny Crane]

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[HonoluluHopeful]

Pyke, what do you attribute your after-break decline to?

[roman]

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[Pyke]

Pyke, what do you attribute your after-break decline to?

Fatigue, I think.

I had:

Logic Games (-1)
R.C. Experimental
L.R. (-2)
-
L.R. (-5)
R.C. (-5)

While I'm not strong at L.R., -2 is a personal best in an LR section, but still. Also, in retrospect after doing the L.R. bible, I think I got shell game mistakes in the middle of the second L.R. section, even though I nailed the particularly tough questions between them.

[Rosstafarian]

Hand downs, LG. I just took a practice test, and missed 2 on the first LR, 3 on the second, 0 on RC, and 12 (no, it's not a typo) on LG. (If you were wondering, it came out to a 166)

I can do the games, but just not in 35 minutes. I end up getting stuck for too long on certain games and then guessing. Any ideas on how to increase my speed?

At this point, I'm thinking that I may just intentionally skip the game that looks the hardest. If I get all other LG questions correct and keep consistent on my current RC and LR performance, that puts me at about a 170-171.

[149!Harvard]

The best way to improve on LG (and this is my strongest section now) is just to practice tons of LG sections so you can learn (a) the different diagrams/sketches for the five game types and (b) how to deduce quickly. A good clean diagram is crucial to LG success. Make sure you learn the five types of games: Sequencing, Loose Sequencing, Matching, Grouping (Distribution), and Grouping (Selection). And then sometimes there's a Hybrid of these types (but not often.) After you learn to diagram these five games (which will happen once you practice a lot of LG sections) you'll also slowly learn to deduce more quickly. The brain can learn to think faster if given enough practice. The problem with deduction for many people is they can't deduce fast enough (or at all on some problems.) But once you get clean diagrams down, you'll also become better at deducing key pieces of information in the game, such as eliminating certain entities which may automatically be knocked out, or finding that one set of entities will only have maybe one or two combinations, etc. Once you become good at deduction, the questions will basically solve themselves.

I think a lot of people get discouraged on LG because they feel like their brain can't do the problems fast enough. The good news is that the brain can learn to think faster as you practice. It learns to build new pathways which transfer information much more quickly. And finally, as you practice more and more, you're gonna find you may even miss more than 12 problems. You may do really horribly as you try to figure out various deduction patterns. But eventually it will click, and your mind will automatically resort to finding these patterns of deduction out of habit.