6 Weeks Away: Getting from 165-170(ish) Forum

[TMC116]

Ok so we are about 6 weeks away from the LSAT. I am PTing in the mid 160s and need to push it to 170 (or at the very least a 168).

I'm going -7 on LR combined (sometimes -6), -5 on RC, and -4/-5 on LG. Given that i have a 3.7, i need a 170ish to get into T14 and have a shot at T10.

I'm predicting that the advice will be "focus on logic games".

I figure that if i can get LG down to -0 or -1, i'll hit 170 (since the average curve for October tests is -12). So is it possible to get to -1 or -0 in 6 weeks? And, if so, how do i do it?

[Manhattan LSAT Noah]

I wouldn't just focus on games. You've got points on the table in each section. Cleaning up each section by 1 or 2 points may be easier to achieve.

Are you doing serious review of your work? Replaying questions, games and passages to iron in the way you want to think about the LSAT?

[TMC116]

Are you doing serious review of your work? Replaying questions, games and passages to iron in the way you want to think about the LSAT?

I'm spending a ton of time post-test to write out every explanation for questions i get wrong or am unsure of. I don't go back and redo them though (i probably should start doing that).

Most of the time when i look over a question, i find that i miss it because i read to quickly or that i just misread something. At least 80% of the LR questions i miss are questions that i get down to 50/50.

I feel like that's such a cop-out though for review. "Rushing", "Reading too fast", and "being careless" aren't very helpful for taking new PTs or doing sections. It's frustrating b/c during review i look back and wonder "why on earth did i choose this answer choice over the right one?"

I have done the LR and LG bible and am currently doing the Manhattan RC book (which is fantastic). I understand all the concepts. I don't know what's wrong. I get it 100% in the abstract sense, always finish the section, and i am very rarely confused on a LR question. Any tips for getting over the hump?

I really really really appreciate the help btw. This has been frustrating me for some time...

[Manhattan LSAT Noah]

I think you're going to get there - you've got time to do plenty of preptests.

Here are some ideas to shake up your prep - perhaps you're doing some of them already.

For LG, replay, replay, replay

For LR, don't compare answers to each other, compare them to the stimulus.

For RC, increase your level of deferrment - don't fall in love with answers, really go and look for the wrong ones.

Glad you like our RC book.

[Eichörnchen]

Are you doing serious review of your work? Replaying questions, games and passages to iron in the way you want to think about the LSAT?

I'm spending a ton of time post-test to write out every explanation for questions i get wrong or am unsure of. I don't go back and redo them though (i probably should start doing that).

Most of the time when i look over a question, i find that i miss it because i read to quickly or that i just misread something. At least 80% of the LR questions i miss are questions that i get down to 50/50.

I feel like that's such a cop-out though for review. "Rushing", "Reading too fast", and "being careless" aren't very helpful for taking new PTs or doing sections. It's frustrating b/c during review i look back and wonder "why on earth did i choose this answer choice over the right one?"

I have done the LR and LG bible and am currently doing the Manhattan RC book (which is fantastic). I understand all the concepts. I don't know what's wrong. I get it 100% in the abstract sense, always finish the section, and i am very rarely confused on a LR question. Any tips for getting over the hump?

I really really really appreciate the help btw. This has been frustrating me for some time...

Have you been keeping track of the types that you are getting wrong? LG is my weak spot, and I did the PS LGB twice, but getting the MLSAT LG Guide has made a big difference for me and has kind of gotten me out of a rut in terms of habits that didn't work for me (and if 'pure sequencing' gives you issues the MLSAT book is a must. It went from my worst type to my best type in about two days). *

Pay attention to the LRs you are getting wrong and try to see if there is a pattern - it doesn't even need to be an official "type", like parallel flaw. It could be that you tend to get science-based LRs wrong, or, as in my case, notice that you get LRs comparing percentages/real numbers wrong.

*Noah did not pay me to say this

[vahopeful2012]

I'm taking the October LSAT as well and just started studying intensely for it about 2-3 weeks ago (I know, I didn't give myself as much time as I should have). I'm hitting that 165-170 mark as well, with around the same scores: -8 on LR, -3 on RC and -3 on LG. I'm having trouble with LR... the best I've ever done is -6!

I think you're going to get there - you've got time to do plenty of preptests.

Here are some ideas to shake up your prep - perhaps you're doing some of them already.

For LG, replay, replay, replay

For LR, don't compare answers to each other, compare them to the stimulus.

For RC, increase your level of deferrment - don't fall in love with answers, really go and look for the wrong ones.

Glad you like our RC book.

Manhattan LSAT Noah, I'm still having difficulty with this. When I narrow it down to two answers, it's almost inevitable that I compare. How do you suggest I stop doing that? LR is obviously the largest section so I need to really work on it to feel good about breaking the 170 mark.

And I still don't know if I'm doing "serious review" the right way...

[hereyago]

Are you doing serious review of your work? Replaying questions, games and passages to iron in the way you want to think about the LSAT?

I'm spending a ton of time post-test to write out every explanation for questions i get wrong or am unsure of. I don't go back and redo them though (i probably should start doing that).

Most of the time when i look over a question, i find that i miss it because i read to quickly or that i just misread something. At least 80% of the LR questions i miss are questions that i get down to 50/50.

I feel like that's such a cop-out though for review. "Rushing", "Reading too fast", and "being careless" aren't very helpful for taking new PTs or doing sections. It's frustrating b/c during review i look back and wonder "why on earth did i choose this answer choice over the right one?"

I have done the LR and LG bible and am currently doing the Manhattan RC book (which is fantastic). I understand all the concepts. I don't know what's wrong. I get it 100% in the abstract sense, always finish the section, and i am very rarely confused on a LR question. Any tips for getting over the hump?

I really really really appreciate the help btw. This has been frustrating me for some time...

Have you been keeping track of the types that you are getting wrong? LG is my weak spot, and I did the PS LGB twice, but getting the MLSAT LG Guide has made a big difference for me and has kind of gotten me out of a rut in terms of habits that didn't work for me (and if 'pure sequencing' gives you issues the MLSAT book is a must. It went from my worst type to my best type in about two days). *

Pay attention to the LRs you are getting wrong and try to see if there is a pattern - it doesn't even need to be an official "type", like parallel flaw. It could be that you tend to get science-based LRs wrong, or, as in my case, notice that you get LRs comparing percentages/real numbers wrong.

*Noah did not pay me to say this

I second this statement about the pure sequencing types. LGB pure sequencing strat gets pretty complicated. MLSAT pure sequencing strat makes it so easy that I'm going through pure sequencing games in like 3 minutes or under with -0.

You should get the MLSAT book and use it. It only takes about a day to learn the pure sequencing strat for MLSAT.

[Manhattan LSAT Noah]

I'm taking the October LSAT as well and just started studying intensely for it about 2-3 weeks ago (I know, I didn't give myself as much time as I should have). I'm hitting that 165-170 mark as well, with around the same scores: -8 on LR, -3 on RC and -3 on LG. I'm having trouble with LR... the best I've ever done is -6!

I think you're going to get there - you've got time to do plenty of preptests.

Here are some ideas to shake up your prep - perhaps you're doing some of them already.

For LG, replay, replay, replay

For LR, don't compare answers to each other, compare them to the stimulus.

For RC, increase your level of deferrment - don't fall in love with answers, really go and look for the wrong ones.

Glad you like our RC book.

Manhattan LSAT Noah, I'm still having difficulty with this. When I narrow it down to two answers, it's almost inevitable that I compare. How do you suggest I stop doing that? LR is obviously the largest section so I need to really work on it to feel good about breaking the 170 mark.

And I still don't know if I'm doing "serious review" the right way...

Here are some more ideas about reviewing your work.

The down-to-two blues are tough, but you can crack them. Honestly, you've just started out, so you haven't had time to integrate everything you've been exposed to. Keep analyzing wrong answers and it'll come.