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Checking in. I need some help formulating a study plan.

Started studying in February 2012 by registering for a Kaplan Advantage on-site course. That ended around April - I ended up seeing a bunch of random questions during class and took 4 PT's from the 50's. Took a break for two weeks and then got back to it mid-May. Spent the next three weeks alternating between taking a PT one day and reviewing it the next day. I admittedly started slacking on the "reviewing" part. By June 11th, I had gone through PT's 66-50. My last five scores leading up to the June test were 162, 162, 164, 171, 167. Then...

June 2012: 160
LR1: -5 (1 strengthen except, 2 principle, 1 paradox, 1 inference)
RC: -7 (-3 in passage #1 [all inference questions], -2 in passage #2 [both inference questions], -1 in passage #3 [inference question], & -1 in passage #4 [detail question])
LR2: -4 (1 assumption, 1 paradox, 1 point at issue, 1 parallel)
LG: -10 (-3 in game #1, -3 in game #2, -1 in game #3, -3 in game #4)

Then I got super busy (summer internship, school started again in August, add other excuses here) and didn't start studying again until 2 weeks before October 6th. During that time, I did sections individually from PT's 46, 45, and 39. I also retook PT 64. Scored 168 on PT 64, and when adding up the sections from 46 & 45, I scored 167 both times. (Didn't finish all of 39's sections, but I was only missing -2/-3 per section.) Got cocky, walked out of October's administration feeling really good. Then...

October 2012: 159
RC: -8 (-1 in African American actor passage [an inference question], -2 in !Kung passage [both inference questions], -3 in plants passage [1 inference question and 2 "comparative" questions], & -2 in sovereign power passage [both inference])
LR1: -6 (1 inference, 2 role of statement, 1 flaw, & 2 blind guesses)
LG: -7 (-5 in Zones [I ran out of time & guessed], -1 in professor lectures [a "which CANNOT" question], & -1 in stores [another "which CANNOT" question])
LR2: -6 (2 inference, 1 principle, 1 role of the statement, 1 method of argument, 1 paradox)

I'm shooting for a 168. I have clean copies of PT's 1-67. I realistically have ~3 hours per day on weekdays and 24 hours per day on weekends free to study. (Plus 11/21-11/23 completely free.) Thoughts?

(P.S. Thank you SO MUCH to anyone who reads through all of this and has suggestions for me. I realize it's a lot of info...)

Good luck to everyone here from Oct. chats. It was awesome waiting with all of you.
I know that feeling of scoring below your latest PT low-end score range, much less your average.

For most of you here, it isn't about learning something new. It's about getting back to test-ready shape and just counting the days until you have another crack at it. I spent a year between my tests and at the end of the day, the only change I made to my testing style was to read slower and make sure that I understand as much (hopefully all) of the passage as I can before I get to the questions in RC.



I realized my study-plan was really active for about 22 days so maybe it can give you some perspective when studying for Dec. from Oct.
Using the Oct re-takers thread, I jotted down a brief recap of how I studied (It was very reactionary and not a set rigid plan) if you guys are interested. My weak point was RC>>>LR>LG

September 13-19:
I started off with a relatively new PT (50+) and did it un-timed but still with a sense of urgency to finish as fast as I can without sacrificing accuracy. Review afterwards.

Everything I took, I reviewed afterwards.

Few days later, took another full PT. Realized RC is still my weak-point. Realized LG is my strong-suit but I gave up 2 points on test day so I need to sure-up that.

Printed out 10 LG and 10 RC sections from 35-58 pts randomly.

Each study day I would attempt to get 3 of each done, but generally I would call it quits after 2 (3 or 4 total sections completed). Review all mistakes + uncertainties.

After about 4 LG sections, I realized I should shift focus to RC alone. Finished 8 RCs and 4 LG total, then stopped.

20: 6 RC sections - timed, but continue working if past 35 minutes
22: Full PT62
23: Full PT63
Realized I have neglected LR:
25: RC, LR, LR, RC, LR, LR, RC, LR, LR from 3 tests. (Very long day. Used for fatigue.)
28: Full PT49
29: Full PT50
Oct 01: PT64 (Previous LSAT)
02: LG, LR, LR, LG, LR, LG from 3 LSATs in the 50s
03: PT 65 (Fresh)
04: PT 66 (Fresh)
05: Light untimed review of RC passages I took this study session

I should note that I took a ~10 month break where I did 1 PT and read 50 pages of the AtlasRC book from Oct2011 to Sept2012 so that is a variable that is very different.
So I had a lot longer of a path to get back into test-ready mode and my burn-out capacity was also well rested.

sinfiery wrote:Good luck to everyone here from Oct. chats. It was awesome waiting with all of you.
I know that feeling of scoring below your latest PT low-end score range, much less your average.

For most of you here, it isn't about learning something new. It's about getting back to test-ready shape and just counting the days until you have another crack at it. I spent a year between my tests and at the end of the day, the only change I made to my testing style was to read slower and make sure that I understand as much (hopefully all) of the passage as I can before I get to the questions in RC.



I realized my study-plan was really active for about 22 days so maybe it can give you some perspective when studying for Dec. from Oct.
Using the Oct re-takers thread, I jotted down a brief recap of how I studied (It was very reactionary and not a set rigid plan) if you guys are interested. My weak point was RC>>>LR>LG

September 13-19:
I started off with a relatively new PT (50+) and did it un-timed but still with a sense of urgency to finish as fast as I can without sacrificing accuracy. Review afterwards.

Everything I took, I reviewed afterwards.

Few days later, took another full PT. Realized RC is still my weak-point. Realized LG is my strong-suit but I gave up 2 points on test day so I need to sure-up that.

Printed out 10 LG and 10 RC sections from 35-58 pts randomly.

Each study day I would attempt to get 3 of each done, but generally I would call it quits after 2 (3 or 4 total sections completed). Review all mistakes + uncertainties.

After about 4 LG sections, I realized I should shift focus to RC alone. Finished 8 RCs and 4 LG total, then stopped.

20: 6 RC sections - timed, but continue working if past 35 minutes
22: Full PT62
23: Full PT63
Realized I have neglected LR:
25: RC, LR, LR, RC, LR, LR, RC, LR, LR from 3 tests. (Very long day. Used for fatigue.)
28: Full PT49
29: Full PT50
Oct 01: PT64 (Previous LSAT)
02: LG, LR, LR, LG, LR, LG from 3 LSATs in the 50s
03: PT 65 (Fresh)
04: PT 66 (Fresh)
05: Light untimed review of RC passages I took this study session

I should note that I took a ~10 month break where I did 1 PT and read 50 pages of the AtlasRC book from Oct2011 to Sept2012 so that is a variable that is very different.
So I had a lot longer of a path to get back into test-ready mode and my burn-out capacity was also well rested.

Thanks, this is really helpful. That is exactly my order as far as problem sections so I imagine my studying will look a lot like this. I'll definitely use this as a guide. Thanks again!

Sugar Lumps wrote:

helpplease wrote:Hey guys, after much self-doubt and pure anger, I have decided to retake. Consistently scored 165-167s on PTs and ended up with a 161 for Oct--crushed me.

After reading this thread, though, I still have a question. I pretty much took all the recent PTs before exam day. What do you all do in that case? I have a bunch of material for drilling and reexamining everything I already went through, but don't we need to take at least some fresh PTs before December? I feel like if I take a PT I already did, I'd totally remember my answers and it would be very inaccurate.

Thoughts?!? I hope we all do amazingly in December!!

I think that you should go through your recent PTs and examine why each answer is correct or incorrect. And write it down. It'll help you examine where your mistakes are, so you can track your thought process through any new tests. And I'm sure there are plenty of old tests you can plow through once you've done that. Also, October 2012 once again.

You can also cut down your time from 35 minutes to 25 minutes per section.

So frustrating that I just scored higher on my new baseline test to start preparing for the retake then I did on my Oct 6th test, especially after not even doing this stuff for almost a month.

Clearly my biggest problems are in RC and LG. Went -5 -8 on LR, which for me is pretty good. I need to figure out a good strategy to master the other two sections, any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

desi, rizza, al, worm - we need to fuck up december.

This is awesome. It's like most of my favorite people from the October thread decided to fail miserably just so they could take it in December with me. Score!

Lenahan3 wrote:This is awesome. It's like most of my favorite people from the October thread decided to fail miserably just so they could take it in December with me. Score!

+1

Lenahan3 wrote:This is awesome. It's like most of my favorite people from the October thread decided to fail miserably just so they could take it in December with me. Score!

You're welcome? Haha

99.9luft wrote:desi, rizza, al, worm - we need to fuck up december.

just gotta get us some of that sweet sweet jaundice

mrizza wrote:

99.9luft wrote:desi, rizza, al, worm - we need to fuck up december.

just gotta get us some of that sweet sweet jaundice

The key to a 175+ is clearly jaundice, drugs, and 11 RC sections per day. We can get there.

I'm taking my first PT Monday morning. I'm going to be taking PT's in a different place each day of the week, because I think all the studying in the library was a massive reason that I underperformed in October; I was simply out of my comfort zone.

Monday morning, 8:30 A.M. I will be taking PT 40 in the noisy hall of either the student union or the library instead of the silent upper halls of the library.

Will report in with results at that time.

desiballa21 wrote:

mrizza wrote:

99.9luft wrote:desi, rizza, al, worm - we need to fuck up december.

just gotta get us some of that sweet sweet jaundice

The key to a 175+ is clearly jaundice, drugs, and 11 RC sections per day. We can get there.

Truth.

Lenahan3 wrote:This is awesome. It's like most of my favorite people from the October thread decided to fail miserably just so they could take it in December with me. Score!

Glad to have you here too.

I'm taking one of my few remaining fresh PTs in 5 minutes, PT#15, to establish a new baseline. After reviewing it, I'll report back. And i'm also signing up for the Velocity LG course this afternoon and putting in several hours.

December LSAT, come at me bro.

99.9luft wrote:desi, rizza, al, worm - we need to fuck up december.

I took out $200 before I got my October LSAT email, specifically for drinking money.

I now have $2.83 in my wallet.

just took an untimed LG: -0

at least I know how to solve the problems. Unfortunately I went -10 on the real thing

I'm waiting until next cycle (probably February) to re-take, but I'll be studying along with you guys.

I know people recommended Velocity and Cambridge already, but I'd really, really recommend Powerscore LG and LR. PS LG helped me go from -7ish to -0 or maximum -1 on games, and PS LR is really well organized by type and has really awesome explanations for every question IMO.

Imo powerscore is overly concerned with classification, especially in LG. Also Manhattan's core approach is far superior to Powescores stim based approach.

I feel like a major problem for me was endurance so I will now be taking an experimental with every PT in hope that I can kick ass on all five sections. Has anyone here tried taking back to back PTs to help with endurance?

NoodleyOne wrote:Imo powerscore is overly concerned with classification, especially in LG. Also Manhattan's core approach is far superior to Powescores stim based approach.

I don't think your guide on Powerscore would be helpful to me -- to practice diagramming.

I took Kaplan, followed their road maps and my RC was always -7. I did it my way and it went to -2.

I think constraining your diagramming sometimes "herts".

But then again I went -7 on LG (granted there were 6 questions I didn't get to . . .)

Guys I neeed your help now pleeeaase!

PT 44

section 4 LR # 13


I'm stuck between A and D

I've actually been working down from number 25. I've gotten all right so far with ease so I'm surprised number 13 is tripping me up so bad.

To the people who have taken velocity, how long would it take to go through the course/start seeing gains? Would you recommend additional drills on top of taking the course? Have gone through MLSAT, Powerscore, and am decent but not great at games, going anywhere from -2 to -8. It's often just a time thing and I end up frozen on one game that takes too long and then fucks me over for the rest of the section.

Sucks because I know it's the most learnable section and yet I still haven't gotten my shit together on it. Any advice on whether it would be a good move for me to take the course would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

Poo-T wrote:Guys I neeed your help now pleeeaase!

PT 44

section 4 LR # 13


I'm stuck between A and D

I've actually been working down from number 25. I've gotten all right so far with ease so I'm surprised number 13 is tripping me up so bad.

No spoilers! I'm taking that test next week!