Just starting LSAT prep Forum

[nooblaw12]

Hi everyone,

I am just starting my LSAT prep and planning on taking the February LSAT. I've already done a cold diagnostic and received a 146 (room for A LOT of improvement). Other than that, I haven't done anything. Should I start my LSAT prep with a general LSAT book (Kaplan, Princeton Review etc.) and then ease my way into the specific sections through the PowerScore bibles? Or is it better to start strong with a specific section and master each section this way? I'm worried that the PowerScore books won't be as useful to me because I am rather new to the LSAT.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[Nova]

IMO, you should read Powerscore/Manhattan cover to cover first. Then drill/pt and reference the guides as necessary.

You are planning to be class of 2017, right?

[nooblaw12]

Yes, class of 2017 is the current plan. Thank you for your reply! Do you think it's necessary to buy both Manhattan and PowerScore? I've heard PowerScore works well for LR and LG and Manhattan for RC. Also, do you think it's better to work on the LSAT section by section (ie read LG bible and work on LG sections) or work on the LSAT as a whole (read all the guides and take entire PTs)?

[nooblaw12]

Also, I want to note that I will be working full-time. Therefore, I will generally only have evenings and weekends available. I'm trying to figure out the best strategy for me to tackle the LSAT.

[cc.celina]

+1 to Powerscore and Manhattan. If you're not taking till February, it's worth it to invest in both (if you must choose, Powerscore for LG and Manhattan for RC, not sure which is better for LR).

If you're working full time, make sure to set up a regular study schedule that you can stick to. Since you have weekends available, you're going to want to start off studying in ~4 hour blocks on those days, if you can afford the time. It helps get you in the rhythm of thinking in long chunks early on.

Work on each section for a little while before you start moving on to taking PTs. Since it is so far away, you run the risk of running out of materials, so you want to start taking them when you have a basic handle on how each section works before you start working on PTs as a whole. (You don't have to do this for TOO long, just until you have a pretty good accuracy rate on the drills in the books.)

Good luck!

[CorkBoard]

Run through PS and Manhattan (Manhattan is better, IMO). Get a study schedule down either on your own or from LSATblog.

And drill, drill, drill.

[nooblaw12]

Are their drilling exercises provided in the Manhattan and PowerScore books? or do you mean drill on sections from the prep tests? Sorry, I just ordered these books on Amazon so I don't have a copy yet!