First Practice Test Forum

[TrojanHopeful]

Took my first practice test at Testmasters today. Scored a 152. The only prep I have done up to this point is the Reading Comprehension Bible.

Games was horrible...got 3 right. I performed quite well on logical reasoning but didn't finish the last 5-6 questions on either section (out of the ones I did do I only missed 2 or 3). Reading comprehension was, well, reading comprehension (couldn't finish in time); I finished three passages and scored -0, -1, -1. It seems that my main problem (other than games at this point) is speed.

My games score does not concern me too much at this point, as it appears to be very learnable. I definitely need to work on FOCUSING; I constantly found myself watching the clock, being concerned how other people were progressing (seeing how fast they were answering), etc. This obviously resulted in me re-reading certain questions multiple times...not good.

I'm hoping that with plenty of practice and discipline, I will be able to reach the 170 mark.

Comments?

[CalBear2011]

A 152 diagnostic is awesome especially with only getting 3 right in the LG section. I was pretty much where you are at with the games when I first started studying and now I barely miss any LG questions at all--it's my best section. Also you will get better at LR with repetition by going over the PT's and getting familiar with the question types. If you haven't already get the Logic Games Bible its the best on the market. Also the Logical Reasoning Bible helped me tremendously with LR.

[094320]

..

[3ThrowAway99]

How long do you have to study? Not to be discouraging, but while I think it is possible it will be very difficult. It sounds like it will all depend on how well you can learn the games. I never got to where I wanted to with the games even after a lot of study, though I could have been more organized in my study of game types and approaches to each type. I studied quite a bit over an extended period of time, and although I didn't have a really clear diagnostic (didn't time myself at the very start and did section by section when I first saw the LSAT) my sense is that my true first cold LSAT would have been mid-150s (I was high 150s without any real study from what I remember when I did time myself, though that was still section by section). I basically gained 10 points or so from hypothetical mid-150s completely cold test, but if I had gotten more consistent with LG I should have been in 170s range (and on practices I would tend to score that if I did okay on the LG section- on the real test I got -9 LG, but still scored over 165).

I kind of want to retake just because I believe I have a 170+ score in me (and obviously that would change my school prospects), but at this point I am committed to starting law school this fall.

[servinDizzert]

Took my first practice test at Testmasters today. Scored a 152. The only prep I have done up to this point is the Reading Comprehension Bible.

Games was horrible...got 3 right. I performed quite well on logical reasoning but didn't finish the last 5-6 questions on either section (out of the ones I did do I only missed 2 or 3). Reading comprehension was, well, reading comprehension (couldn't finish in time); I finished three passages and scored -0, -1, -1. It seems that my main problem (other than games at this point) is speed.

My games score does not concern me too much at this point, as it appears to be very learnable. I definitely need to work on FOCUSING; I constantly found myself watching the clock, being concerned how other people were progressing (seeing how fast they were answering), etc. This obviously resulted in me re-reading certain questions multiple times...not good.

I'm hoping that with plenty of practice and discipline, I will be able to reach the 170 mark.

Comments?

Would you say the RC bible helped you significantly with those awesome scores?!?!?!

[3|ink]

Took my first practice test at Testmasters today. Scored a 152. The only prep I have done up to this point is the Reading Comprehension Bible.

Games was horrible...got 3 right. I performed quite well on logical reasoning but didn't finish the last 5-6 questions on either section (out of the ones I did do I only missed 2 or 3). Reading comprehension was, well, reading comprehension (couldn't finish in time); I finished three passages and scored -0, -1, -1. It seems that my main problem (other than games at this point) is speed.

My games score does not concern me too much at this point, as it appears to be very learnable. I definitely need to work on FOCUSING; I constantly found myself watching the clock, being concerned how other people were progressing (seeing how fast they were answering), etc. This obviously resulted in me re-reading certain questions multiple times...not good.

I'm hoping that with plenty of practice and discipline, I will be able to reach the 170 mark.

Comments?

Would you say the RC bible helped you significantly with those awesome scores?!?!?!

I would also like to know the ansewr to this.

The advice has been pretty good on this thread so far. Get the LG bible immediately.

[TrojanHopeful]

A 152 diagnostic is awesome especially with only getting 3 right in the LG section. I was pretty much where you are at with the games when I first started studying and now I barely miss any LG questions at all--it's my best section. Also you will get better at LR with repetition by going over the PT's and getting familiar with the question types. If you haven't already get the Logic Games Bible its the best on the market. Also the Logical Reasoning Bible helped me tremendously with LR.

I hope to be in the same boat as you when it comes to improving on the LG section. It is reassuring to hear everyone say that LG can be greatly improved upon.

I actually purchased all the bibles at the same time (bought it as the trilogy). Not sure why I studied reading comprehension first; I think it would have been more efficient to go through the LR bible first. The reading comprehension bible gave me a few pointers in attacking the RC section (what to exactly look for, tips on notating, trends by the lsat). Some of these tips you can probably find here on TLS. If it helps just a little it's worth it, right? Put it this way: if I were to do it again, I would still read the RC bible. I should add that I never tried to do a reading comprehension passage prior to reading the RC bible; so I can’t honestly say how much it helped.

I plan on taking the October test. My plan of attack is to complete the Testmasters class I just started while also going through the remaining two Powerscore bibles. In order to try and improve on speed for RC, I plan on reading articles (while making notations as I would on LSAT passages) from...what else, the Economist and Scientific American. I also plan on doing a couple of LSAT passages a week from Kaplan’s Big Orange Book.

As far as focusing…like everyone said, practice, practice, practice…I just hope I can keep my mind from being distracted.
If I’m not making the progress I hope for by September, I’ll go ahead and postpone until December; I have no problem waiting a year and applying early for the next application cycle.