NLE 2011 LSAT Log Forum

[NLE 2011]

I have already signed up to take the LSAT in October. I have been prepping/studying for the week. I have been using the LGB so far and I just started using the LRB about two days ago. The photocopier has been my best friend and will continue to be my best friend right up until test day.

I've been looking for the RCB in the bookstores but I can't seem to find it, so I think I'm just going to order it online. I'm very very impressed with powerscore's methods, so I have faith that RCB will be helpful as well.

Since it has only been a week, my progress probably doesn't look that impressive but I'm learning and improving. Here is where I am at so far.

Logic Games
I have just finished up Chapter 2 of the Logic Games Bible. I have made multiple photocopies of the practice games at the end of the chapter and I do different games on different days. I always make sure I don't do the same game two days in a row.

I also made multiple photocopies of the diagramming drills and I've really come a long way with my diagrams. Since I started taking more time with my diagrams accounting for multiple possibilities, my scores on the basic linear games has gone up. I'm only missing 1 or 2 per game. While that is an improvement from where I was at originally, it still isn't acceptable to me. I want to miss zero. I also have a firm handle on solving for truth (Must be True, Could be True, Not Necessarily True, Cannot be True). That 0-100 scale for determining truth is absolutely genius! It's been at least two days since I have done all of those practice games at the end of chapter 2, so I will do all of them at least one more time before moving on to chapter 3.

I'm also super hard on myself when I get questions wrong. I just sit there and break down each question and answer choice to find out why I got a question wrong. I don't know if that is a bad thing or maybe it's just my competitive nature, but I have set my standards pretty high. I tolerate nothing but perfection and I will do everything I can to achieve it.

I'm also good at question order. I'm getting all of the global questions right and getting them right quickly because of the improved quality of my diagrams. However, I need to do a better job of making sure I make note of every single Not Law. That will get me into trouble on some of the much harder games.


Logic Reasoning
I also just finished Chapter 2 of the LRB. I'm pretty good at identifying premises and conclusions (which really isn't something that is too difficult to do). I'm also good at identifying weak and strong arguments and I've been doing a good job of explaining why a given LSAT argument is "weak". I just need to do a better job of timing myself. Hopefully that will come with practice.

Reading Comprehension
I haven't done anything for this yet. As I stated earlier, I'm going to order the RC Bible, but until it gets here, I'm just going to read anything and everything I can get my hands on. I've noticed that many of the posters on here have suggested reading things such as the Economist, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times.


Overall, I'm spending about 4-5 hours of high quality study time/day. I'm probably going to increase that number to about 6. Anymore and I might get burnt out, so I know I have to be careful there.

Starting today, I'm going to keep a daily log of everything I do and critique myself as I go along. I'm open to all kinds of criticism/encouragement.

[jwaters]

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[NLE 2011]

Good luck. Do you have any preptests to practice games with so you don't have to just use the ones at the end of the chapters in LGB?

Thanks! Yeah, I have the Kaplan Mastery Book and Pacing Practice, The official LSAT Super Prep, and two of three '10 series. I'm going to probably order more stuff and try and get my hands on anything I can find. Right now, I'm just doing the games at the end of the LGB chapter because they have explanations of each question. Once I'm comfortable enough with figuring out what I have done wrong on my own (which I am already getting pretty good at), I'm going to start using photocopying games from Mastery and Pacing books. I'm at the point now where I always give myself 8:45 for each LG. I'm getting all but one of the questions finished within that time frame, so I need to really improve my pacing. That will come with practice, I imagine. I've read that once you start to notice the patterns to the games, that will help save time as well. Hopefully I get to that point relatively soon.

Same thing goes for LR. I will also probably do the same thing for RC.

[NLE 2011]

July 19
Just finished Chapter 3 of LRB. On the "identify question stem drill", I missed 2 questions, but for my first time through, I guess it's alright. I need to gain more confidence, so I will be reviewing Chapter 3 at least once more this evening. Same thing goes for the "Except and Least" drill. I only missed one on this drill, but I still need to have more confidence in identifying the question stem. Overall, Chapter 3 was definitely smooth and pretty easy to get through. I just need to make sure I get as much info from the Chapter as possible before I move on to Chapter 4, which deals with "Must be True" Questions.

My plan for the rest of my LSAT study time today is to go through the 8 logic games at the end of chapter 2 in the LGB. I'm going to quickly review everything that I have learned thus far, and then attempt the LG in two parts. Part I = the first four LGs and Part II= the second four LGs. After that, I will re-read Chapter 3 of the LRB.