JUNE 2013 Study Group / Study Partner Thread Forum

[Chambo]

@noodly and deputydog

Thanks for the input, gents. I'll give this a shot. Games have always been my Achilles' heel. Zones unhinged me in October. I'm not sure why I've never picked up on them the way others have. Lord knows I have put the time in, which makes me think I'm either missing something fundamental or I just don't have the firepower in my head. Ironically, LR has been pretty natural to pick up and RC is just kinda like an annoying little wiener section that I hate going through but can grin and bear. I feel like I've been doing better in games as of late, but we'll see what the next couple weeks bring.

[MKX]

Almost done with the LR PSB. I've taken my time with it because it was my worst section. Drilling and going through the book helped so much. So many improvements. I still have the Logic Game bible to get through, but every PT I take I average 2-3 wrong on LG so I guess I just 'get' them, hoping that after I finish the LGB I will be getting -0s on LG.

RC is my worst section by far now. LR used to be worse, but that has gotten so much better. I did the RC bible and such. Although I have improved, I still struggle when doing 4 sections, probably due to burn out. Starting to drill them though because it's usually the same type of questions that I have trouble with. Taking sections from old PTs and practicing with those.

[Chambo]

Well, I did four more timed sections of LG today after yesterday's piss-poor performance.

LG 29: -0 (2:30 left)
LG 30: -0 (1:30 left)
LG 31: -0 (1:30 left)
LG 32: -1 (0:20 left)

And that -1 on LG 32 was a careless error in transferring my answers from book to scantron. Admitted, a lot of this was made easier because I remembered how I diagrammed the more awkward games last time (i.e. the construction game in 31) but the same could be said for the games I did yesterday. Maybe these are just easier or more straightforward games?

One major thing that I think helped was crushing the first games in each section... Yesterday I was getting them in 7-9 minutes. Today it was 4-6 minutes. This left me more time invest in the tougher games. Either way, I'm unsure what to make of everything.

[NoodleyOne]

Well, I did four more timed sections of LG today after yesterday's piss-poor performance.

LG 29: -0 (2:30 left)
LG 30: -0 (1:30 left)
LG 31: -0 (1:30 left)
LG 32: -1 (0:20 left)

And that -1 on LG 32 was a careless error in transferring my answers from book to scantron. Admitted, a lot of this was made easier because I remembered how I diagrammed the more awkward games last time (i.e. the construction game in 31) but the same could be said for the games I did yesterday. Maybe these are just easier or more straightforward games?

One major thing that I think helped was crushing the first games in each section... Yesterday I was getting them in 7-9 minutes. Today it was 4-6 minutes. This left me more time invest in the tougher games. Either way, I'm unsure what to make of everything.

The thing is, you still have a ton of time, so it's not something I would stress over. No matter how you did today, you know that LG is something to keep working on. I would use LG as your extra section and do different drills for particular game types and whatnot until you are knocking out -0s with time to go to the bathroom after.

[okaygo]

Do you guys find that in RC sections the last passage is usually the hardest? Do you think that it would be worthwhile to start with that passage and then work backwards?

[wtrc]

Do you guys find that in RC sections the last passage is usually the hardest? Do you think that it would be worthwhile to start with that passage and then work backwards?

It's like LG I think. The last is harder than the first, not always the hardest. To me the first 2 are easiest, then the 3rd and 4th are harder, sometimes the 3rd harder than the 4th.

Re starting with the last: don't do that IMO. Each point on the LSAT, whether its from the first passage or the last, counts the same. I'm assuming timing is an issue for RC, and focusing on the tough passage and not getting to easier ones seems like it would backfire. Interested if anyone disagrees though.

[okaygo]

Timing isn't really an issue. I just tend to get panicked because the last one is harder than other RC passages and end up missing more questions, but I normally finish this section with about 7 - 10 minutes to spare (without bubbling).

[Squintz805]

Took PT 38 Yesterday

LR-A -2 (35:50)
LG -2 (40:30) *Fucked up on Last Game, normally takes me around 35 minutes to complete
RC -10 (55:00)
LR-B -2 (39:20)

Raw: 84 / Scaled: 167

So obviously this is not an accurate representation of how I would do come test day, but with nearly 7 weeks before June it gives me a lot of confidence.

Just curious if anyone has some helpful pointers of how I should study/drill from here. The clock next to each section is how long it took me to naturally complete each section at my preferred pace. With the amount I miss on LR and LG and the time I'm getting on each section, I'm confident repetition and practice will naturally decrease my time come June.

For RC I'm seriously concerned though. If I go at my own comfortable place I usually miss 3-5 but it seriously takes me well over an hour. Where should I be putting my priorities and such for the next 7 weeks before June? I obviously know RC is my weakness but what has worked for everyone else in perfecting this section

[wtrc]

Took PT 38 Yesterday

LR-A -2 (35:50)
LG -2 (40:30) *Fucked up on Last Game, normally takes me around 35 minutes to complete
RC -10 (55:00)
LR-B -2 (39:20)

Raw: 84 / Scaled: 167

So obviously this is not an accurate representation of how I would do come test day, but with nearly 7 weeks before June it gives me a lot of confidence.

Just curious if anyone has some helpful pointers of how I should study/drill from here. The clock next to each section is how long it took me to naturally complete each section at my preferred pace. With the amount I miss on LR and LG and the time I'm getting on each section, I'm confident repetition and practice will naturally decrease my time come June.

For RC I'm seriously concerned though. If I go at my own comfortable place I usually miss 3-5 but it seriously takes me well over an hour. Where should I be putting my priorities and such for the next 7 weeks before June? I obviously know RC is my weakness but what has worked for everyone else in perfecting this section

1) Create an LSATQA account. See if you are missing certain question types, particularly in LR. Then drill those types from Cambridge.

2) Have you gone through the Bibles? That will help with timing

3) RC is hard to improve on, but it can be done. Go through Manhattan RC, and just drill old sections. Then review what you did wrong heavily and what you missed or why passages took you longer than they should have- did you get the authors main points and opinions easily?

Are you sure you want to take June? You seem to have a good sense of where you are at, but 6 weeks isn't that much time- have you considered doing October?

[Squintz805]

Im using LSATQA currently. Works wonders.

Been through both PS LRB and LGB, have reviewed. Looking at where I am right now I would love to take it in October but due to Time Constraints and Life Duties...it's gonna have to be June.

Do you think a 167 is doable come June? I'd be content with that

[Chambo]

Im using LSATQA currently. Works wonders.

Been through both PS LRB and LGB, have reviewed. Looking at where I am right now I would love to take it in October but due to Time Constraints and Life Duties...it's gonna have to be June.

Do you think a 167 is doable come June? I'd be content with that

That all depends. You have a lot of time, but it's hard to tell where you're really at unless you take strictly timed sections, and preferably a whole PT. Try limiting yourself to 35 minutes. It forces you to be a bit more decisive, which may help a bit. Also depends greatly on the time/quality of work you can put in.

[davyboy]

@noodly and deputydog

Thanks for the input, gents. I'll give this a shot. Games have always been my Achilles' heel. Zones unhinged me in October. I'm not sure why I've never picked up on them the way others have. Lord knows I have put the time in, which makes me think I'm either missing something fundamental or I just don't have the firepower in my head. Ironically, LR has been pretty natural to pick up and RC is just kinda like an annoying little wiener section that I hate going through but can grin and bear. I feel like I've been doing better in games as of late, but we'll see what the next couple weeks bring.

Just keep practicing and practicing them. Any spare 10 minutes you have in a day, work on a game. I went from -11 on games to -0. It's agreed upon that Games are the easiest section to improve on.

[owlblood]

hey guys! i've been putting off posting here for way too long!

i've been studying for the past couple of months but i officially paid my lsat for june yesterday so...
it's official now!

[lsatkid007]

Hey guys
I've just started to do timed sections. Soon as I hit the start button, I freeze and can't think straight. I can't seem to handle the pressure of time. Any tips????

Thanks

[patfeeney]

PT 54
Raw score 166.

Sec. 1 RC -6
Sec. 2 LR -1
Sec. 3 LG -5
Sec. 4 LR -2

The thing that really caught me was Game 4. The wording for ordering was totally confusing and threw me off for what would otherwise have been a standard linear game.

Anyone else have troubles with this question? Is there any other categorization for it other than linear?

Other than that, I had my best ever LR sections and a slight overall improvement in RC, although only by about 1 point.

[NoodleyOne]

Hey guys
I've just started to do timed sections. Soon as I hit the start button, I freeze and can't think straight. I can't seem to handle the pressure of time. Any tips????

Thanks

Suck it up.

Seriously. The time aspect is a serious part that you have to learn to deal with. The questions are no different timed than they are untimed, and the LSAT even eases you in by often giving you the easiest questions first. Trust the process and get your ass in gear.

[Squintz805]

That all depends. You have a lot of time, but it's hard to tell where you're really at unless you take strictly timed sections, and preferably a whole PT. Try limiting yourself to 35 minutes. It forces you to be a bit more decisive, which may help a bit. Also depends greatly on the time/quality of work you can put in.

I'll start doing timed PT's and see how that goes. thanks for the input everyone.

[wtrc]

Wake up
Check phone, email, Facebook, and TLS
Review RC passages/ LG games from yesterday evening
Go to work
Do RC passages/LG games
Maybe gym
Sleep

Repeat.

[davyboy]

Wrote PT59 last night.

Added an additional LR section in.

Went:

LG -2
LR -3
LR -2
RC - 11 OH MY GOD

RC was my final section and it was 930PM ( I work full time).

Hopefully on game day I won't fatigue like that.

[lsatkid007]

Hey guys
Would you negate "At least some of the generating facilities ......" to

"At least none of the generating facilities..."

Pt 13 Sec 4 #4 answer E

Thanks

[CardozoLaw09]

Hey guys
Would you negate "At least some of the generating facilities ......" to

"At least none of the generating facilities..."

Pt 13 Sec 4 #4 answer E

Thanks

Negated it would read "None of the generating facilities..."

"At least none" would mean there's at least 0, but that still leaves open the possibility of "some" which wouldn't change the original statement.

[Pneumonia]

What is a typical process/outcome for drilling LR? I have all Cambridge packets etc and went through maybe 20% of questions for types that were difficult for me a few months and found that helpful. However, I seem to have relapsed and am getting about -2 per again on PT's. I should have done more intensive drilling on the front end, but I still have some time so I'm just gonna go through all the packets.

Obviously this will be individually different, but do you guys go for 99% confidence intervals or 1:25/question averages? If a mix, how do you self enforce balance? Do your wrong answer percentages when drilling correspond to your PT averages (adjusted for type) or do you do much better/worse when drilling?

Fwiw I've been doing 30 question "sections" of a specific type and have found that helpful, however I'm unsure of how to judge my progress so I'm looking for some input from everyone else. thanks.

[NoodleyOne]

I think you judge your progress by how you do on actual PTs, not on how you do on the drilling. I personally didn't time myself while drilling (although I always go fast, so I guess it's a moot point), but I think you should be going for 100% confidence, but also reading the question and the answers in a more abstract way. This is how they try to misdirect me on NA questions, this is how they try to misdirect me on Weaken questions, this is what to look out for on Inference questions, etc. It's not about getting questions right as much as it's about getting a good feel for the question type in general.

And you may find yourself getting rusty on a particular type after you had gotten better earlier. I know that happened with me with NA, and I just went back and drilled it more.

[Chambo]

RC sections today

RC 25: -2
RC 26: -1
RC 27: -4

Well, at least I'm consistently inconsistent? I was slaughtered on the first passage of 27 (mass media effects on jury selection). I'm a bit distracted today, so maybe a clear head will yield better results tomorrow.

[NoodleyOne]

RC sections today

RC 25: -2
RC 26: -1
RC 27: -4

Well, at least I'm consistently inconsistent? I was slaughtered on the first passage of 27 (mass media effects on jury selection). I'm a bit distracted today, so maybe a clear head will yield better results tomorrow.

I've always been wild on RC, and didn't stabilize in the -0 to -2 range until about two to three weeks before the test. Keep working man, you'll do fine.

Edit: and do the obvious. Look for commonalities in your mistakes (are you missing big picture questions or specific questions or inference questions), and make sure you're balancing the timing well between reading and answering the questions. RC is more about refining your approach rather than learning the tricks, I think.