Donny Does The LSAT (Oct '10) Forum

[hotdog123]

This will be my personal study/practice diary/blog to avoid from dumping all my posts into the October prep thread.

April 18:
Prep Test #1 (54)
Score: 149
RC -14
LR -19
LG -10

Analysis: Completely disheartened. I tested a cold diagnostic in October of 2008 and got a 150. So after 4 months of study through a PR class about 14 months ago, apparently I've not only forgotten everything I learned and then some. Lovely.


June 17:
Prep Test #2 (52)
Score: 159
RC -8
LR -10
LG -8

Analysis: Holy shat. 10 points in 2 months. Two weeks of which I was very much drugged out of my mind recovering from surgery and unable to study. I owe this to the Power Score Bibles.


June 20:
Prep Test #3 (53)
Score: 159
RC -7
LR -12
LG -7

Analysis: I made a really dumb mistake in LG when I got to the final two problems, as I completely misdiagnosed which problem was the easier of the two remaining, I burned all my remaining time on it and got owned. I also lost an entire passage of RC due to time contraints.


June 24:
Prep Test #4 (50)
Score: 159
RC -13
LR -9
LG -2

Analysis: This should've been the test I broke 160 for the first time. I felt terrible slogging through the RC. It was the first section of the test and my mind felt fuzzy and cold. I knew I blew it before I even finished. The only thing that saved my score was an amazing LG, I finished it with time to spare, that is the *first* time I've ever done that.

[StrictlyLiable]

Are those actually PrepTests 1-4?

[cinefile 17]

Nice progress so far. Keep up the good work!

[hotdog123]

Are those actually PrepTests 1-4?

Actual test numbers are included in parenthesis.

[Ragged]

Donnie Darko?

[Richie Tenenbaum]

I would recommend setting aside a few of the more recent tests until closer to test day. Hope you keep on seeing progress and good luck.

[1991]

Donnie Darko?

+1

[hotdog123]

I would recommend setting aside a few of the more recent tests until closer to test day. Hope you keep on seeing progress and good luck.

Sound advice. I plan on starting at the bottom after my next test and working up to the 40s until test day.

[PlugInBaby]

What is your general study plan...just take practice tests?

[hotdog123]

What is your general study plan...just take practice tests?

I did the Bible series already, and I will review my notes from them as needed as I go through the tests.

After I finish a test, I go back and work on the questions I missed the next day.

[brickman]

you should try to keep some of the more recent preptests for last so that you are familiar with the trends in the test. Unless you are planning on running through all of the tests twice, I would stay start hitting the teens and twenties of the preptests sooner rather than later.

[hotdog123]

June 27:
5th Pre-Test (LSAT #47)
Score: 162
RC -9
LR -11
LG -0

Analysis: My first breakthrough after hitting a rut! I once again ran into time constraints on RC and felt generally uncomfortable throughout much of it, but I finished both LR sections with over 6+ minutes to spare (2nd LR I finished with 9 minutes to spare, which FLOORED me). I also scored my first perfect LG ever, and I did so by going back with the 3 minutes I had left and correcting two "rushed" errors. I've still got to work on my RC, and also I got a little cocky in LR and adopted a "if the answer jumps off the page at you, go with it" strategy of selecting answers (which is against everything my previous instructor taught me) at the expense of reading the remaining choices, which I'm sure bought me significant time, however, I don't feel like I made the best use of that remaining time, as opposed to LG, which I made full use of my extra time in. Overall, this was a great test. I am extremely pleased to head into July with this score in my pocket.

[TonyStark123]

Congratulations, you are clearly making great progress!! I am going to be following this thread carefully as I embark on a much more disciplined and rigorous studying course for the October exam than my somewhat rushed and half-hearted June effort.. Please keep us all posted!

[hotdog123]

July 1:
6th Pre-Test (LSAT #7)
Score: 162
RC -7
LR - 13
LG -6

Analysis: I was honestly expecting to drop down below 160 again. This test felt pretty bad. In my defense, I just traveled 1400 miles across the country yesterday so I'm totally beat and living out of my comfort zone, so to speak, and I've found that developing a "routine" is key to LSAT success. RC went fairly well, actually finished all 4 sections, wish I could say the same for LG though. Nothing spectacular, but I'll take it given the circumstances.

[hotdog123]

July 7:
7th Pre-test (LSAT #9)
Score: 162
RC -10
LR -6
LG -9
LR -3

Analysis:



I'm noticing a real pattern, anytime RC happens early in the test, I bomb it. I sunk far too much time into the 3rd passage, which I didn't get anything right on, and thus ran out of time on passage 4, which I also bombed. Dumb mistake, should've cut and run on passage 3 when I had the chance. Made the same mistake on LG, where I bogged down in game 3 (misread a rule ) and thus neglected game 4, essentially bombing them both. If I had picked my battles more carefully I could've busted 165 on this test. At least I didn't go backwards...