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I am buying prep material today and would like your input on which route to go: buy all three Manhattan (Atlas) study guides--RC, LG, LR--or go with the bibles (LG and LR) + Atlas RC?

why?

I've heard great things about the bibles but read a few things about atlas/manhattan that sounds appealing or is just really good advertising.

Have you taken a course or is this a beginning of your self-study?

99.9luft wrote:Have you taken a course or is this a beginning of your self-study?

I took Kaplan....twice....but I did not study nearly enough and it showed on my first take (157). I do not want to take a course this time around. This summer I know I'll have more than enough time on my hands to study for the exam...my college friends are all moving back home (out of state), no sport I care for is in season, don't have a gf, only have to work and play basketball 3-4 days a week.

99.9luft wrote:Have you taken a course or is this a beginning of your self-study?

Nice avatar btw, great album--most definitely the most unappreciated Beatle.

nshapkar wrote:

99.9luft wrote:Have you taken a course or is this a beginning of your self-study?

I took Kaplan....twice....but I did not study nearly enough and it showed on my first take (157). I do not want to take a course this time around. This summer I know I'll have more than enough time on my hands to study for the exam...my college friends are all moving back home (out of state), no sport I care for is in season, don't have a gf, only have to work and play basketball 3-4 days a week.

I have taken Atlas and can vouch for it. They are awesome. First diagnostic was 153, score on test day was 166. Now, while a 166 is horrid to some of the smugaholics on this site, the 13 point increase was thanks in huge part to the Atlas teachers. PM if you have any questions about who to take etc. (Also, they have free coffee k-cups. HUGE PLUS)

nshapkar wrote:

99.9luft wrote:Have you taken a course or is this a beginning of your self-study?

I took Kaplan....twice....but I did not study nearly enough and it showed on my first take (157). I do not want to take a course this time around. This summer I know I'll have more than enough time on my hands to study for the exam...my college friends are all moving back home (out of state), no sport I care for is in season, don't have a gf, only have to work and play basketball 3-4 days a week.

The only cause for concern I have regarding this is your past experience with Kaplan. Atlas approaches certain logic games with a style unique to them, so, if you think you may have a difficult time transitioning you may want to give it some thought. Honestly, I think it would be a solvable problem.

ok. I'm not familiar with kaplan's methodology, so i can't exactly say which is more compatible with it - MLSAT or the Bibles. Personally, I have taken blueprint a while ago and in my self-study these were the most useful (in order of usefulness/unique insight).

1. Manhattan RC guide
2. Manhattan LR guide
3. LRB
4. LGB
5. Manhattan LG guide

The RCB was not useful enough to make the list. Also, if you buy the Manhattan guide(s), you get a free hour of tutoring (which was helpful for me a couple of months ago). The bibles were not as helpful to me because they largely repeated blueprint curriculum. Good luck!

nshapkar wrote:

99.9luft wrote:Have you taken a course or is this a beginning of your self-study?

Nice avatar btw, great album--most definitely the most unappreciated Beatle.

Thanks
Absolutely.
Love George!

I liked the LRB and LGB but I just used them based on this site's recommendation and have no actual comparison with anything else. Basically my advice isn't really all that helpful because I have no experience with the Manhattan stuff.

Atlas RC book is AWESOME!

rocon7383 wrote:

nshapkar wrote:

99.9luft wrote:Have you taken a course or is this a beginning of your self-study?

I took Kaplan....twice....but I did not study nearly enough and it showed on my first take (157). I do not want to take a course this time around. This summer I know I'll have more than enough time on my hands to study for the exam...my college friends are all moving back home (out of state), no sport I care for is in season, don't have a gf, only have to work and play basketball 3-4 days a week.

The only cause for concern I have regarding this is your past experience with Kaplan. Atlas approaches certain logic games with a style unique to them, so, if you think you may have a difficult time transitioning you may want to give it some thought. Honestly, I think it would be a solvable problem.

I used the LGB a little before I started the class and did not have a hard time switching my approach, although I think it was a bad idea (kaplan's method sucks).

Manhattan LSAT is awesome. They've got a great straightforward method that is not at all gimmicky. Plus, they are great to work with. I can't compare to the Bibles, because I didn't use them, but I really can't say enough good things about Atlas/Manhattan. I did the online course, but I also think the books can stand on their own if you aren't looking for the structure/support of instructor-led. Good luck with whatever you decide!

For me Manhattan/Atlas was superior to the Bibles. The Manhattan guides are also much shorter in terms of pages, as they get to the point quickly, while still being thorough.

Who knew this thread would turn out to be a Manhattan circle-jerk. Let alone in the holy land of the bibles - TLS.

99.9luft wrote:Who knew this thread would turn out to be a Manhattan circle-jerk. Let alone in the holy land of the bibles - TLS.

hahahaha so true. Just like "retake, ED UVA," bibles are synonymous with TLS

99.9luft wrote:Who knew this thread would turn out to be a Manhattan circle-jerk. Let alone in the holy land of the bibles - TLS.

99.9luft, funny thing - everyone who advocated Manhattan (with the exception of you) has <25 posts. wtf lol

I am thoroughly convinced that if you know both of the bibles and are halfway decent at RC, then you can make a 170. That said, you really have to drill those bibles. It just takes willpower, that's all it is.

I've vote bibles. Manhattan books are a bare-bones way to prepare for the LSAT. Their books are super thin, and it seems like they're trying to make some $ without paying LSAC licensing fees.

Their business strategy worked with the GMAT - GMAC doesn't release tests so it made sense then to write problems themselves.

However, the LSAT is best studied with actual LSAC problems, something that the Manhattan strat guides don't provide AT ALL!

glewz wrote:

99.9luft wrote:Who knew this thread would turn out to be a Manhattan circle-jerk. Let alone in the holy land of the bibles - TLS.

99.9luft, funny thing - everyone who advocated Manhattan (with the exception of you) has <25 posts. wtf lol

dude I've noticed the same thing and not just in this forum but in others as well. I went to the other forum that one poster linked to, and from there I checked out various manhattan v. bible forums and it was the same story--people advocating atlas with <30 total posts...and many of them sounded the same.

CONSPIRACY THEORY!

gbpackerbacker wrote:I am thoroughly convinced that if you know both of the bibles and are halfway decent at RC, then you can make a 170. That said, you really have to drill those bibles. It just takes willpower, that's all it is.

Do you know the bibles? What was your score?

nshapkar wrote:

glewz wrote:

99.9luft wrote:Who knew this thread would turn out to be a Manhattan circle-jerk. Let alone in the holy land of the bibles - TLS.

99.9luft, funny thing - everyone who advocated Manhattan (with the exception of you) has <25 posts. wtf lol

dude I've noticed the same thing and not just in this forum but in others as well. I went to the other forum that one poster linked to, and from there I checked out various manhattan v. bible forums and it was the same story--people advocating atlas with <30 total posts...and many of them sounded the same.

CONSPIRACY THEORY!

lol it's pretty common knowledge that these test prep companies, especially manhattan, monitor TLS and similar forums. pretty lame if you ask me...

My diag was 159. Used the bibles scored a 163. Retook with Manhattan after a month of studying scored a 170.

There isn't one study routine that fits all.


That being said, if you are trying to increase from the high 150s, I would probably go with the Bibles.

glewz wrote:

99.9luft wrote:Who knew this thread would turn out to be a Manhattan circle-jerk. Let alone in the holy land of the bibles - TLS.

99.9luft, funny thing - everyone who advocated Manhattan (with the exception of you) has <25 posts. wtf lol

yeah. Interesting theory, not at all true, but interesting.