Still blowing LG -- WTF! Please help Forum

[afLSAT]

Hi all.

Despite hours of LG practice on the games from the first 20 tests, I still find myself _blowing_ the LG as I move into tests 30-60. Your advice would be much appreciated.

- I typically go between -0 and -3 on each RC
- I go between -1 and -4 on each LR, and occasionally -0. (I'm working on ironing out my flaws here, and hopefully they'll recede as I continue to do the tests.)
- I'm pretty comfortable with the LG from the 1st 20 tests, but that's probably because I have done them so many times!
- I'm able to figure out the later LG games in untimed conditions, but it usually takes me 12 - 18 minutes to finish a game.
- Under timed conditions when it comes to LG, I've been finding that my mind goes almost _completely blank_. I can barely finish one or two games, and usually end up with -10 at least.
- I've done the LGB a couple of times already; when I'm reading it now, it feels like, "I know, I know already!" So I'm not sure what it has left to offer.

My goal is a 173 or higher. I really want to go to NYU -- one might say it's my top and only school (at least for purposes of setting goals). My average is a 167 or so, but I've scored in the high 170's a couple of times when I did well on LG. I know that LG is the only thing holding me back, and it's supposed to be easy to learn, but I just can't figure out how to improve.

- Here are the tests I have left to do between now and the October test:

29-36
46
49
50-56
59

I'm planning on taking a test every other day and reviewing the work on the off days.

Any suggestions or encouragement that you can guys provide would be MUCH appreciated.

Thanks!

[joemoviebuff]

If you haven't read the Bible, read the Bible.

[hijodehombre]

If you haven't read the Bible, read the Bible.

particulary the advice it offers for those who may be considering not finishing all four games

[afLSAT]

I've read it, and it's very helpful -- it seems that if I finish 3 games perfectly and score within the middle or top of my capacity on the other sections, I can score in the low- or mid-170's. But recently I've been having even completing two games -- it's like my mind is going blank. It's just strange because LG is widely known as the most learnable section, and although I've made progress, I feel like I've hit a wall for the moment. . .

Just wondering how I can maximize my time going into the home stretch. Is there something I should be reviewing before going into the last tests, or just hit em hard and review them as I go?

[2011Law]

Hey I'm in a similar spot OP, though I'm not taking until Dec so I have more time, which makes me happy for now (we'll see when letters come in how happy I'll be). I can do RC and LR timed at about -6/7 and -4/5. Then comes LG. I actually just finished the bible one week today and have so far done 6 games from Next 10 and am doing 4 today. On the 6 games done so far, I have usually taken about 50 mins (usually something like 2*10mins,2*15mins), with 6/7 wrong. On the 4th game I got 3 wrong and took only 40 mins, and I naturally thought I was a God that was starting to get it, but then the next 2 were the same as usual. My plan is simply to carefully go over why I got each one wrong or took so long/had problems with some (I circle those) and then try again with a next set of games (I don't plan on redoing any sections).

Planning to take a PT every other day for a month is kind of unrealistic. You could burn out after a week or two (or worse, right before test day). If I were in your position, I'd skip 29-36 since its actually around test 40 or so that you really see games become easier (as they are now) and LR harder (as they are now) and also you need to make sure to get some practice with the comparative reading, which starts with June 2007 (free online) and PT 52.

[3|ink]

This happened to me the other week.

Is it a particular game type that is troubling you? The key is to do the game again after the test and learn the most efficient way to solve the game. Exp. I was destroyed by that music store game in PT 31. It is an in-and-out grouping game. The lesson I learned from my mistakes there is that you just have to remember to keep your eye on those sufficient conditions (and their contrapositive counterparts) when dealing with games like that. Make a point of taking a lesson from every game you fail to complete. You may eventually find yourself at an advantage over those who claim to never hit dead-ends.

[afLSAT]

Thank you guys for the advice . . . It was actually that PT31 game that almost made me puke the other day. I haven't been able to find a particular type of game that screws me up in actual practice . . . Here's a graph from the tracking spreadsheet. As you can see from the graph (God, I've always wanted to say that), I do pretty well on most questions. Grouping In/Out might be a weak spot, and maybe Sequencing, but I think there's only one game included in that sample. (It only represents a week or two of practice.) So really the big problem is time . . . I'm trying to figure out how to get faster without running out of tests to practice.

--ImageRemoved--

Is it generally considered that one test every other day is too much? Didn't realize that . . . I will go back and try to get a better picture of my failures on the past LGs.

2011Law, good luck . . . keep it up. Have you done the LR Bible yet? It was great at defining certain vague terms used by the testmakers that has helped me get to -2/3 on the LG's. It even helped with LG, a little bit, because all the Sufficient/Necessary stuff is applicable.

[Sandro]

I am the same way. I will usually have 1 game that I completely miss sending me to -8+ land. Rest of the games I usually do okay.

[pattymac]

Ditto. Wondering if its just worth it to knock down the three easiest games, guess on the last game and try to get -6.

[Sandro]

Ditto. Wondering if its just worth it to knock down the three easiest games, guess on the last game and try to get -6.

Word. Atleast having 3-5 mins for the last game could allow for some educated guessing. Although if I start improving in LG I might take a shot at all 4. A -3 or below would smash me into the 170s I think.