February 2013 LSAT Study Group Forum

[bre.kidman]

Ugh just practiced RC from 68 and 42, got -7 and -5 respectively. Any suggestions for last minute build up? this is getting crazy. I don't understand how I could have lost all those points. Argh. And now, a day before the test, I have time management issues.

Any advice for taking care of time and ANY suggestions in general for RC will be very very welcome. Really freaking out here.

thank you so much.

This happened to me the last two days, too, for what it's worth. I know I feel better hearing that I'm not the only one, anyhow. Judging by others' responses, maybe we're burnt out? RC is (for me) all about feeling confident and thinking about NOTHING but the passage and each question as it comes. It's like the zen section of the LSAT... or as close as one can possibly be to zen while maintaining time pressure

My plan/suggestion is to RELAX. Tonight after 7 PM and tomorrow morning, NO LSAT STUFF. Tomorrow evening, I'll do one or two sections. Saturday, bringing a few LG that I know I can KILL. Swagger in like a boss and then get perma-wasted until March! Huzzah!

[ws81086n]

You can add me into the list of people with shitty PT 68's:

RC: -3
LR: -5 wtf?
LG: -5
LR: -0

88/101=169 . Sigh. Frankly I thought this test was harder than a -12 curve. I realize that 12 is generous, but LG was very hard, RC was pretty challenging, LR 1 was challenging, and LR 2 wasn't so bad, but it wasn't easy or anything.

[ws81086n]

Praying for relative ordering and conditional grouping games come Saturday

I'll second that. We're overdue for a binary grouping, for sure.

[dusters]

Hmmm, not sure what to do here. I just took PT 68 and did pretty terrible. I honestly felt good during all of the sections (had 9 minutes left on the 2nd LR). Seriously contemplating waiting until June... Honestly though, the one that keeping me from doing that now is the fact that I am already a retaker and will have absolutely no new material to go through. I'm not freaking out at all, just want to make an informed choice. Any input?

RC: -6
LR1: -4
LR2: -4
LG: -0

Don't make a decision based on this PT alone. If your average is not a point or two above your target score, consider waiting until June. The number of retakes you will have left after this is also something to consider.

Also, retaking PTs will not hurt you. (I'm also a retaker.)

Right, and I get that retaking PTs doesn't hurt (I've seen the thread), but I really don't like having anything new/unseen to judge my progress.

Well, then I guess it depends on how badly you want to apply this cycle still. If you have no intentions on applying still and feel like you would be better off waiting until June, go right ahead.

[princeR]

You can add me into the list of people with shitty PT 68's:

RC: -3
LR: -5 wtf?
LG: -5
LR: -0

88/101=169 . Sigh. Frankly I thought this test was harder than a -12 curve. I realize that 12 is generous, but LG was very hard, RC was pretty challenging, LR 1 was challenging, and LR 2 wasn't so bad, but it wasn't easy or anything.

68.3.24; for this type of question, does anyone bother to take any contra-positives or is the answer simply going to be a perfect match? I wasted too much time on this.

[ws81086n]

You can add me into the list of people with shitty PT 68's:

RC: -3
LR: -5 wtf?
LG: -5
LR: -0

88/101=169 . Sigh. Frankly I thought this test was harder than a -12 curve. I realize that 12 is generous, but LG was very hard, RC was pretty challenging, LR 1 was challenging, and LR 2 wasn't so bad, but it wasn't easy or anything.

68.3.24; for this type of question, does anyone bother to take any contra-positives or is the answer simply going to be a perfect match? I wasted too much time on this.

Not entirely sure what you're getting at, but you can eliminate three of the answer choices right off the bat b\c they have different conclusion forms than the stimulus. Conclusion is in X--->-Y form, so (B) is out b\c of some, and (A) and (D) are out b\c they're in X--->Y form.

[dusters]

You can add me into the list of people with shitty PT 68's:

RC: -3
LR: -5 wtf?
LG: -5
LR: -0

88/101=169 . Sigh. Frankly I thought this test was harder than a -12 curve. I realize that 12 is generous, but LG was very hard, RC was pretty challenging, LR 1 was challenging, and LR 2 wasn't so bad, but it wasn't easy or anything.

68.3.24; for this type of question, does anyone bother to take any contra-positives or is the answer simply going to be a perfect match? I wasted too much time on this.

Well, you should always keep in mind the contrapositive, most of the time you shouldn't have to write it out though unless that really helps you out.. Right off the bat you can eliminate B because of "some," A and E because the arguments don't have any similar flaw. Once you get there a quick writing out of C shows you it matches up pretty well.

[ws81086n]

Anyone else taking 63 tomorrow, by any chance? Would be down to discuss it at some point if anyone who is taking it is down.

[ws81086n]

PT 57 LG: -1

Feel pretty good about this one, but I'm wondering why Dinos is so widely regarded as a killer game. Two of the colors are given and one of the slots has both color and dino type filled in. Seems easy enough for someone who's not a LG ace to more or less brute-force it, which is exactly what I did. Only took 11 minutes and I only missed one b/c of a careless mistake.

[natashka85]

PT 57 LG: -1

Feel pretty good about this one, but I'm wondering why Dinos is so widely regarded as a killer game. Two of the colors are given and one of the slots has both color and dino type filled in. Seems easy enough for someone who's not a LG ace to more or less brute-force it, which is exactly what I did. Only took 11 minutes and I only missed one b/c of a careless mistake.

i agree w you,i think it is much easier than the games in 67 ,i got all of them right but i screwed today the games section of 67,i took a break today and got cold i think if i wont get better till tmr then i am screwed,the best thing to do for the lsat is to work hard till u get a 180 then u take a break for 3 weeks and go to take the test,that way u kill it,and we all worked hard till burning ourselves ,now we are not fresh enough for this test.

[overperformer]

had a test in social psychology tonight. the professor was 10 minutes late. he asked us "what was your reaction when i was late? were you anxious to get started. or happy u had more time"

everyone said "happy for more time"

he said "well i was late to test a theory, and as expected, you gave the WRONG ANSWER! you all already know the material. if u know the material, then going over it again and again will only confuse you"

seems pretty relevant!

been doing lots and lots of LG's from the 60's PT tonight. I will never forgive myself if I screw up and LG. I think i've got this.

Tomorrow gotta work til 7. then just gona do some light LR and RC and get a good nights sleep.

p.s. dont make any plans in advance after the test. they can be distracting to concentration, at least for me it was, the only plan i have is going home and burning my prep books and PT printouts. this is my last go around

[chickpea]

the only plan i have is going home and burning my prep books and PT printouts. this is my last go around

+ 1

Also, still not entirely sure if I can actually take the test on Saturday. A lot of the testing centers in my state are closed but mine apparently isn't (yet). Here's to hoping this whole blizzard thing blows over.

[gobosox]

the only plan i have is going home and burning my prep books and PT printouts. this is my last go around

+ 1

Also, still not entirely sure if I can actually take the test on Saturday. A lot of the testing centers in my state are closed but mine apparently isn't (yet). Here's to hoping this whole blizzard thing blows over.

I am taking mine at BU-- saw that BU is closed Friday and Saturday. If I were to diagram this it would go something like:

LSAT --> BU Open.

Therefore

BU Closed --> No LSAT

I can safely assume, through LSAC's own drilled-in reasoning, that I will not be taking my exam on Saturday... *Sigh* I'll check the official website tomorrow morning, as I hear there will be an update in the a.m.

At least I have more time to get over my apparent recent burnout.

[ws81086n]

What happens in that situation, exactly? Do you take the religious observances version on Monday?

[beaver93]

For those who took PT 68 and can you explain RC 19 for me. I have been staring at it for a while and have no clue how it is D and not C.

[chickpea]

Sorry gobosox, that's kind of a pain. Well, perhaps the date change will work in your favor since you say you've been feeling kind of burnt out these past few says.

My testing site isn't listed as closed - we'll see what happens when LSAC updates the list of closed centers this morning. It's kind of frustrating now knowing if I'm taking the LSAT tomorrow morning or like two weeks from now...

I heard that LSAC usually reschedules tests a week or two later but I would prefer it if we could take it tomorrow or Monday. Guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.

[2x2Matrix]

For those who took PT 68 and can you explain RC 19 for me. I have been staring at it for a while and have no clue how it is D and not C.

I picked C as well. From what I gather, 48-51 says that Pin Factory is clearly applicable to railroads, so railroads have increasing returns, which counters the Invisible Hand theory, hence D.

C says there's an "increasing prevalence" of such industries, which is not inferable.

[dusters]

What happens in that situation, exactly? Do you take the religious observances version on Monday?

They will get a different test at a yet to determined different date I would imagine.

[Jcastro1]

I'm relaxing today. Though I want to put a knife through the heart of game 4 PT68 again. (excuse the colorful language but that game made zones and dinosaurs and stained glass look like children's sandbox.)

[chickpea]

Looks like there will be no LSAT for me this Saturday. I really hope they reschedule it soon. I'm a re-taker so I'm pretty much out of study material. How sure how to spend this next week (or two?).

Best of luck to those of you taking the test tomorrow! You guys will do great!

[beaver93]

For those who took PT 68 and can you explain RC 19 for me. I have been staring at it for a while and have no clue how it is D and not C.

I picked C as well. From what I gather, 48-51 says that Pin Factory is clearly applicable to railroads, so railroads have increasing returns, which counters the Invisible Hand theory, hence D.

C says there's an "increasing prevalence" of such industries, which is not inferable.

OK thanks.

[gobosox]

Looks like there will be no LSAT for me this Saturday. I really hope they reschedule it soon. I'm a re-taker so I'm pretty much out of study material. How sure how to spend this next week (or two?).

Best of luck to those of you taking the test tomorrow! You guys will do great!

Still haven't closed BU officially on LSAC, even though BU itself closed. I am planning on drinking lots of beer tonight in front of a fire to help weather the storm, so hopefully they update it soon.

Good luck to everyone not going through the blizzard of 2013... You'll all rock it! Thanks for all the support-- it's been great!!!

[TomThompson]

Some interesting stuff on how stress can benefit you going into tests: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/magaz ... ef=general

[Ambitious1]

are we allowed to bring mechanical pencils to the test? or strictly wooden?

[DLA]

are we allowed to bring mechanical pencils to the test? or strictly wooden?

They are pretty strict about wooden pencils. I wouldn't carry any mechanical ones just because I don't want to create any last minute anxieties.

On another note, did no LSAT stuff the whole morning. Just lay in bed and looked at covers for the Samsung Galaxy s3. Going to drill some LR, reread the RC bible and probably do the zones game again and then bed at 10:30pm.

Ahh I hope this works out well!