What do I do next? Forum

[KylieMorrison]

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[St.Remy]

Try sitting down and just doing a few LR sections, or better yet do some drills for the question types that you find to be the most difficult. They spend some time going over the answers and identifying why each response is either correct or incorrect. Just taking PT after PT won't always increase your score, you have to also focus in on your weak points. Having read the bibles you should have a general idea of what question types were the most difficult for you, so go back and reread those sections and make sure you have them down pat. Since you already sound like you're comfortable with the games section LR is going to be the area that will net you the most additional points.

[Jeffort]

Consider finding and hiring a good experienced tutor that will diagnose your issues and get you doing what you need to do to fix them.

[KylieMorrison]

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[Jeffort]

St. Remy: I am going over the prep tests I have taken and am writing down all of the questions I got wrong then why each answer choice is wrong or right. So far, the ones I have missed are pretty scattered so it's hard to focus on one area of questions but I'm hoping that learning from my mistakes will improve all of the areas. Thanks for your advice.

Jeffort: Unfortunately, I live in a small town that limits my options of tutors and classes. I had to travel 2 hours to take the Powerscore class. I thought about distance tutoring over the phone but I cannot afford prices of $100+ an hour.

You definitely should keep going over tests you've already done to figure out what your major commonly repeated errors/weaknesses are. Do that a good amount right now before you burn through the remaining fresh preptests you haven't done yet. If you really go through and itemize your mistakes/problem areas you will find consistent patterns. It's never totally random or scattered with people that have been prepping.

Obviously LR is your major problem section. When you go through and itemize the questions you missed you need to go past just tallying them up by question type. You also should write down things per question like "careless reading, misread something. Read too fast cuz was running out of time. Didn't recognize problem had conditional reasoning and/or picked the mistaken reversal answer/messed up the diagram, etc. etc." with everything and anything you can remember/think of that caused you to miss each question.

Getting from your current range 154-158 to 160+ by the October test date is do-able if you re-adjust your prep/study approach away from just doing the timed test 'churn and burn' routine and instead figure out how to refocus it onto mastering the LR section. You may need to improve/expand/fix your current understanding of common concepts like conditional reasoning, cause and effect, commonly repeated methods and flawed methods of reasoning, etc.

When you approach LR questions where the stimulus is an argument (which is most LR questions), do you carefully break down the argument so that you are clear about the reasoning structure being employed to arrive at the conclusion before jumping to the answer choices? or do you just kinda read the argument and dive right into the answer choices?

[KylieMorrison]

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[KylieMorrison]

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[Richie Tenenbaum]

I am having a mental breakdown! I have taken 4 more test:

PT 49 154
PT 50 155
PT 51 153
PT 52 155

and I just can't seem to raise my score. I am going over all the wrong answers and even going over the ones I got right but werent sure. I even started using the SOS method with my last 3 tests. When I retake the test untimed my scored ranged from 162-165. I thought this method would help but I havent seen any benefits.

A few weeks ago I was so motivated and new I could conquer this but now I am having my doubts. I have always been a good test taker so I just don't understand why I'm not improving any.

I need help! I'm getting desperate!

Advice on LR: If you're still missing 10+ per LR section, do the following: Make sure you're being accurate on the first 10-15 questions you answer. If you are finishing the section, you need to stop trying to do so and slow down. Try allotting yourself 5 questions you just don't answer (they will probably be in the 15-25 range). After you finish the section, go back and do those questions untimed and spend as much as needed to determine what MUST be the correct answer, since the 4 other answers have something absolutely wrong with them (doesn't matter if it's a minor or major hole, the still kills it off as a correct answer).

It's useful to extend your time for sections were pacing is an issue (which will usually be all sections) and work backwards towards the allotted time, but it's a bit late in the game to try that.

[CanadianWolf]

PowerScore's Weekend Course includes 19 hours of taped lessons that should include material not covered in the short course. You also have online assistance (via email) from PowerScore that should help if you identify problem areas. Plus you can take the Weekend Course again without charge according to their website. Also reread the LR Bible.

[KylieMorrison]

I have already watched all of the taped lessons and have read the LR bible twice. I am so stuck on what I need to do next besides take practice tests and review them...

[rjh456]

What's your timing like? Are you finishing with more than 3 or 4 minutes to spare? Or do you think maybe you're missing those questions because you're rushing? When I get the timing right, I can usually go -0/-3. Try doing the first 10 questions in 10 minutes, and then work up to 15 questions in 15 minutes. If you're finishing with surplus time, maybe you're going too quickly through the trickier problems at the end of the section. Those last ten questions can sometimes require every last shred of time and attention you can devote to them.

Another thing I think that is important with LR is to anticipate where a particular question could go. You need to find the holes before you hit the answer choices, especially with assumption questions and flaw questions. It really helps to recognize the possibilities before the test writers start trying to throw you off with tempting answer choices.

When you're down to two answer choices, make sure you're comparing language and details with a fine tooth comb. There's always a reason one answer choice isn't right, even if the credited response is only the least awful.

If you're missing a particular question type more than any other, buy one of the question type packs from cambridge lsat. I really really struggled with conditionals and formal logic at first and that question pack really helped.

Also, If you haven't already, I would register for the December test too. At the very least it'll take some pressure off the Oct test...

[casper13]

I have already watched all of the taped lessons and have read the LR bible twice. I am so stuck on what I need to do next besides take practice tests and review them...

Bolded is the answer to all.
There is no wax on wax off about the LSAT, you learn by doing.

[Jeffort]

I have already watched all of the taped lessons and have read the LR bible twice. I am so stuck on what I need to do next besides take practice tests and review them...

Bolded is the answer to all.
There is no wax on wax off about the LSAT, you learn by doing.

Incorrect. You have to improve your understanding of what is being tested and improve your skills/ability levels with that stuff and how to approach the test to improve your performance level on practice tests. Otherwise you are just spinning your wheels and burning through test materials.