LSAT Prep Question(s) - Please Help! Forum

[nosleeptillsuccess]

I have been studying for the LSAT for the past 4 days using the Princeton Review: Cracking the LSAT 2012 book and I haven't found it very useful. I'm registered to take the test in October, so I can't waste any time. I heard the Powerscore Bibles are amazing. I'm about to buy them.. I just need to know if I should purchase the workbooks also. I already have the 10 Actual LSATS and Superprep book. I also purchased a 1 year subscription from Alpha-Score.com(online tutoring videos). I'm finding the logic games difficult and PR:Cracking the LSAT book seemed to further discourage me on the subject. I'm debating on whether or not to attend a tutoring service from Powerscore or Testmasters (heard Kaplan and PR are no good) to keep me on a schedule so to speak, improve my confidence, and take the test in "real life conditions". I'm dedicating the next 3 months of my life to mastering the LSAT, so anyone with some useful input would be a great help.
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My situation:
1.) Just graduated from FAU with a BA in Finance (3.38 GPA)
2.) My goal is to attend Law School in NYC: NYU, Columbia, Fordham
3.) I just began studying 4 days ago and I'm willing to dedicate my life for the next 3 months to studying
4.) I'm trying to draw out an effective schedule to tackle the LSAT

Questions
1.) Should I purchase the workbooks along with the Bibles even though I already have 10 actual LSATS?
2.) Should I attend a prep course or is it meaningless?
3.) Is 3 months of hardcore studying enough?
4.) Any additional advice..

Oh, and thank you to anyone who helps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cc.celina]

1 - Buying the workbooks can't hurt. However, if you follow advice #4, they're probably not that necessary.
2 - The general wisdom is that your work ethic is really the main determinant of whether you should use a prep course. If you generally find that you can't stay focused, that you can't follow a study schedule on your own, etc, then a prep course is useful because it makes you do drills on schedule, etc. If you are generally disciplined, self-study is the way to go, because it allows you to focus on your weaknesses a lot more accurately.
3 - Yeah.
4 - YOU NEED MORE PREPTESTS. No way can you get by with only 10, especially the earliest 10. Especially since you have 3 months to dedicate your life to the test, you should be doing a lot of these under timed conditions until they don't faze you anymore. This is going to be your prime study tool. The Bibles are a good way to get introduced to the test and decide on some approaches when you tackle questions, but PTs are going to be where you test what you learned and really improve. You definitely need LSAC's book of 10 new preptests (with comparative reading), and I strongly suggest getting every PT from there up to 65 (or 66, if it's out by then).

If you are looking for a study schedule, check out Pithypike's, which is posted at the top of this forum.

Good luck!

[shifty_eyed]

1. You need more than ten PTs.
2. A class will probably help.
3. 3 months should be enough.
4. Buy all the practice tests on amazon. There are 3 books of ten and you can buy the rest individually.

ETA: scooped by celina

[ilovelawtays]

I am using the 4-Month Day0By-Day LSAT Blog Guide. Here's a link to a page where you can buy the three month:

http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/da ... uides.html

I've found it very helpful, and very affordable. My LG accuracy is already up, and my times are slowly coming down.

I estimate I will spend under $175 prepping for this test, instead of $1,200+ for a prep course. If the online lectures aren't that helpful for you, I'd almost suggest not paying for a prep course. A private tutor for a few sections? Maybe. But $1,200 to sit in a room with a bunch of other confused people? Eh.

These forums are also very helpful, as are the Powerscore Bibles. They really, really spell out why answers are correct or incorrect.

And +1 to buying more PTs instead of workbooks.

[Oscar85]

3 months should be enough to prepare for the LSAT, but you do need more prep tests. I would suggest going through the PWS bibles first (the logical reasoning + logic games one), and I suggest you get Manhattan for RC. People on this forum also suggest Manhattan's LR + LG for a more in-depth view at the reasoning and games section. I am currently completing the PWS logic games workbook, and so far I have found it really useful. It really helps to solidify the concepts that the bible demonstrates. However, I assume that by merely prepping and doing preptests you will naturally become more proficient, since a workbook, is, after all just a workbook. Superprep is good too, if only because it has detailed explanations for all questions, and it is written from the perspective of an LSAC test maker. I don't know about a course; I see them as structure for those who find themselves unable to sit down and do some independent studying...

[VasaVasori]

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[nosleeptillsuccess]

Thank you so much everyone. You have no idea how much I appreciate the input.

@VasaVasori - Yes I'm currently in Broward and I do often go down to Miami

[nosleeptillsuccess]

Since I just began studying, does anyone recommend that I go ahead and take a practice LSAT to see where I stand? Or should I go through the books and then take a few not timed?

[cc.celina]

Since I just began studying, does anyone recommend that I go ahead and take a practice LSAT to see where I stand? Or should I go through the books and then take a few not timed?

A lot of people take a cold diagnostic, but I suggest going through at least the LG bible a preliminary time so you have a rough idea of how to approach them. Then take a timed one, and analyze it for your weaknesses. Then go through the books thoroughly. Then work on accuracy with untimed tests for a while, and when you can get near 100% every time, go back to timed tests.