I need a study guide Forum

[russian_guy]

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[YaSvoboden]

Серьезно? Ты купил все это до того, как ты начал заниматься? If you really have 2-3 years to study, start by going through the bibles and other things that give you the base skills to do the tests. Take a test every 2-3 weeks or so to start and keep track of what you are missing etc. There is an awesome spreadsheet someone made recently on here for that.

Once you have a solid understanding of all of the question types start going through practice tests and reviewing like mad, referring back to your other books when you have questions.

Good luck getting a qualified individual to make a customized study plan for you that incorporates everything you bought and fits your timeline perfectly. And I hope you keep that fired up and ready to go attitude that made it seem like a good idea to buy all of these in the first place.

[soj]

PTs and LSAT-related Books I own:

I. Supplementary Books/Study prep material

1. Kaplan LSAT Logic Games Workout (Second Edition) [great for sequencing games practice, maybe more]
2. Kaplan LSAT 180 (2007-2008) [mostly for the RC section]
3. LSAT Logic Games by Rea.com [It has one or two Pattern games, great for practice]
4. Princeton Review LSAT Workout (2005) [it has a great section on formal logic]
5. Princeton Review 2009 LSAT [Most likely that I will use the 2 fake tests for the experimental sections]
6. Kaplan Strategy Sheet (2008 - comes with 5 other Kaplan course books)

I know the first 5 books actually suck, or so people think. But I will get as much out of them as I possibly can.

II. Main Study Prep material and PrepTests

1. Powerscore Logic Games Ultimate Setup
2. Powerscore Logic Games Workout
2. Powerscore LGB
3. Powerscore LRB
4. Powerscore RCB

5. Kaplan Pacing Practice 2006, 2007, 2008
6. Kaplan Endurance Practice 2005, 2007, 2008
7. Kaplan Mastery Practice 2008, 2009
8. Kaplan Homework Book 2008
9. Kaplan Lesson Book 2008
10. Kaplan Stratosphere Book 2007

11. 10 Actual
12. 10 More
13. 10 Next
14. SuperPrep 2004, 2007
15. Official PrepTest with Explanations (the February 1997 Test)
16. PTs: 41, 49-60, Official Sample (June 2007)
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Basically, I have all the PrepTests 1-60, 3 SuperPrep ones, 2007, and Official with Explanations. The total is 65 PTs.

As you can see, I spent a lot of money on the LSAT already. My hope is that it will pay off in the future.

With the amount of stuff that I have, I don't know where to start.

Can anyone create a comprehensive study guide specifically tailored for me? It should include all the books I own. I mean, if anyone feels bored...
I have about 2-3 years before I decide to go to law school. I am ready to be fully invested in this undertaking. I won't accept anything lower than 180. I am fired up and ready to go!

Thanks in advance

FTFY. With some prep books, less is more. You don't want their crappy questions screwing up your thinking.

As for the study schedule, depends on how much you are able and willing to commit each week. Start by doing lots of critical reading and reading the LSAT Blog's study schedules. If I had to pick, I'd start with the Bibles like the above guy said.

[russian_guy]

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[soj]

Fair enough, I don't. I thought they had real Qs mixed with fake Qs like PR, which I do own, but you're probably right. I still don't see how Kaplan could be useful, though, if you have the Bibles and all the real PTs. It's not like you're missing any real questions, and it's pretty much conventional TLS wisdom that PS >> Kaplan for explanations.

[russian_guy]

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[Eichörnchen]

Starting the LSAT years in advance?? Jeez, whatev Soj let him waste his time with kaplan

edit - I forgot to mention that soj has done his homework too. A hell of a lot of it I'd assume since he dominates. He is not "new" to the LSAT either

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

russian_guy: -3L with 0 LSAT experience
soj: 0L averaging 170+/PT.

Hmmm....

The obvious choice here is to take the former's advice. Better go out and buy PR and Kaplan workbooks or you're sunk, soj

[russian_guy]

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[soj]

I have to admit I mixed a bit of trolling in my post because I saw you were a -3L (lol srsly?). Most of us think it's a waste of time to start that early and you're probably better off focusing on improving reading skills and maximizing your GPA for now, but I'm sure there's at least part of us that wish we'd started earlier (not that early, mind you), especially as we draw nearer to test day.

There's nothing to be ashamed of in wanting to get the most out of every resource on something as important as the LSAT, and since you've already bought all the Kaplan books (and presumably can't return them), you might as well try to make the best use of them. Don't say no one warned you, though, if you discover that some of Kaplan's methods and explanations reinforce bad reasoning.

[russian_guy]

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[Jeffort]

I have to admit I mixed a bit of trolling in my post because I saw you were a -3L (lol srsly?). Most of us think it's a waste of time to start that early and you're probably better off focusing on improving reading skills and maximizing your GPA for now, but I'm sure there's at least part of us that wish we'd started earlier (not that early, mind you), especially as we draw nearer to test day.

There's nothing to be ashamed of in wanting to get the most out of every resource on something as important as the LSAT, and since you've already bought all the Kaplan books (and presumably can't return them), you might as well try to make the best use of them. Don't say no one warned you, though, if you discover that some of Kaplan's methods and explanations reinforce bad reasoning.

Thanks for the warning, soj.

I am in graduate school now, and my UGPA was high enough, 3.89. Yeah, I had 4 Bs, f@#ked up my perfect GPA. For a foreign student it's good enough, imo. LSDAS makes it even higher, about 3.92 or so.

I have to assure you that the Kaplan books (except Kaplan 180 and Logic Games Workbook) contain no fake questions. NONE. Take my word for it.

Ruskie dude is correct, other than the 180 book, LG workbook and maybe one or two other OTC ones, almost all current Kaplan books now contain real LSAT questions. They started 'reforming' themselves that way several years ago, perhaps in part because of lost biz $$ due to bad PR from everyone on discussion boards talking smack about their stuff.

However, their strategies, methods and explanations still leave a lot to be desired and downright suck in many ways, especially their LG strategies, set-ups and such.

If you try to mix Kaplan games methods with PS LGB methods you'll notice a big difference and incompatibility between them.

[russian_guy]

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[Jeffort]

The Kaplan books we are talking about come from an LSAT Kaplan course. Not a retail kind of books, at all. In such a course, Kaplan uses only real PTs, no fake questions. I can open any page of these books and tell you what PT a question came from, from what section, etc.

Just because Kaplan sucks in general does not mean the books it puts its logo on also suck.

Yeah I know that most of the books you listed are from the course, with the 180 book being an exception since, as I described, it's an OTC bookstore book

I agreed with what you said about their books using real LSAT questions, so what's the problem?

As for whether they suck or not, Kaplan LSAT strategies, techniques and explanations are inferior. I've seen and read through their coursebooks, compared to other LSAT prep books available, they suck.

[Eichörnchen]

The Kaplan books we are talking about come from an LSAT Kaplan course. Not a retail kind of books, at all. In such a course, Kaplan uses only real PTs, no fake questions. I can open any page of these books and tell you what PT a question came from, from what section, etc.

Just because Kaplan sucks in general does not mean the books it puts its logo on also suck.

Yeah I know that most of the books you listed are from the course, with the 180 book being an exception since, as I described, it's an OTC bookstore book

I agreed with what you said about their books using real LSAT questions, so what's the problem?

As for whether they suck or not, Kaplan LSAT strategies, techniques and explanations are inferior. I've seen and read through their coursebooks, compared to other LSAT prep books available, they suck.

TITCR. I have all of the kaplan books because my friend took their course, so I think we all know what they are and are just offering our opinions as more experienced lsat-studiers than yourself. I dunno, the OP solicited advice from people who are more knowledgable about the LSAT than himself but it seems like he already is set on what he wants to do- so much luck OP I hope it all works out for the best.

[russian_guy]

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[Jeffort]

TITCR. I have all of the kaplan books because my friend took their course, so I think we all know what they are and are just offering our opinions as more experienced lsat-studiers than yourself. I dunno, the OP solicited advice from people who are more knowledgable about the LSAT than himself but it seems like he already is set on what he wants to do- so much luck OP I hope it all works out for the best.

I never said anything about being an experienced or inexperienced LSAT studier, or more/less knowledgeable about the LSAT. This is an unwarranted assumption. I've been around LSAT for quite awhile. All I want is a comprehensive LSAT study guide that will incorporate ALL of my prep materials.

Actually it is not an unwarranted assumption for somebody experienced with effective LSAT prep to make given the smorgasbord of prep materials from several different sources (that each have different points of view/methodologies/'how to' perspectives) you obtained and want to fully incorporate together.

Mixing and matching prep methods from several different teaching sources is a bad idea. Kaplan tells you to think about and do certain things one way, princeton review teaches you to do it differently with their strategies and approaches, Powerscore advocates their own set of approaches, techniques, strategies and methods that are different from Kaplan and PR, etc.

Your mistake is wanting to incorporate all of the various different methodologies and 'how to' points of view from several different sources into one unified approach. You'll run into conflict right away just with the simple LR issue of whether you should read the question stem first or the argument/stimulus first and that is just the tip of the iceberg of conflicting points of view you will encounter.

[gbpackerbacker]

All you need are the two popular bibles and a ton of preptests. That is it.

[Eichörnchen]

I never said anything about being an experienced or inexperienced LSAT studier, or more/less knowledgeable about the LSAT. This is an unwarranted assumption. I've been around LSAT for quite awhile. All I want is a comprehensive LSAT study guide that will incorporate ALL of my prep materials.

Such hearty lulz
Besides what was just outlined, let's boil it down to the simple fact that you are asking us to make you a years-long study guide for you to follow for your LSAT prep. If you were at a higher (or even the same) ability, familiarity and knowledge level, why would you ask us to craft your study plan? Wouldn't it seem stupid to follow a plan made by us if you are more knowledgeable, or have the same amount of LSAT knowledge (because you also have the additional knowledge of your personal study habits)?

And good luck finding someone to make a comprehensive, custom study guide for you. The stupid is too epic to be real. This combined with the dickish attitude that has permeated his entire thread is making me consider calling troll on this one.

[Giraffe]

устроили срач а толком ничего и не посоветовали.