First Cold Diagnostic - Kaplan Online Forum

[Bobnoxious]

153...I probably need to do a lot of studying and take a course before the June LSAT.

This sucks!

[dowu]

153...I probably need to do a lot of studying and take a course before the June LSAT.

This sucks!

Please don't tell me you took the diagnostic online.

[Br3v]

I had like a 152 diagnostic. Increased about 20 points. Self study though, not kaplan.

[Bobnoxious]

I won't tell you I took it online, but I didn't take it off-line.

[dowu]

I won't tell you I took it online, but I didn't take it off-line.

Wut

[bbsg]

I won't tell you I took it online, but I didn't take it off-line.

[manofjustice]

153...I probably need to do a lot of studying and take a course before the June LSAT.

This sucks!

Please don't tell me you took the diagnostic online.

This.

edit: fine. We'll tell you. The diagnostic is designed to produce lower scores. That way, you "improve."

[Bobnoxious]

That seems unethical. Probably profitable until word spreads far enough, but still unethical.

I wondered if that might be a strategy for all of these test prep companies.

[manofjustice]

That seems unethical. Probably profitable until word spreads far enough, but still unethical.

I wondered if that might be a strategy for all of these test prep companies.

I don't think the effect is pronounced. But they're fake questions that are probably harder, is the anecdotal consensus. And they can't be held to a very high standard of accuracy; since they're fake questions, they don't go through the validation process as the real LSATs do.

[Instinctive]

That seems unethical. Probably profitable until word spreads far enough, but still unethical.

I wondered if that might be a strategy for all of these test prep companies.

I don't think the effect is pronounced. But they're fake questions that are probably harder, is the anecdotal consensus. And they can't be held to a very high standard of accuracy; since they're fake questions, they don't go through the validation process as the real LSATs do.

I'm fairly certain the Kaplan diagnostic is just PT 56. But I've been wrong before.

[dowu]

That seems unethical. Probably profitable until word spreads far enough, but still unethical.

I wondered if that might be a strategy for all of these test prep companies.

I don't think the effect is pronounced. But they're fake questions that are probably harder, is the anecdotal consensus. And they can't be held to a very high standard of accuracy; since they're fake questions, they don't go through the validation process as the real LSATs do.

I'm fairly certain the Kaplan diagnostic is just PT 56. But I've been wrong before.

Yeah, it's a real test (I took it). I just know that taking it online does close to nothing for you in terms of establishing a basis.

[TripTrip]

I would probably score 156 if I had to take the LSAT on a computer screen too.

[efin12]

DON'T take a Kaplan course. Save yourself the money and time. Self study works.

[dowu]

DON'T take a Kaplan course. Save yourself the money and time. Self study works.

This!!! Don't do Kaplan. It's a waste of money.

[drive4showLSAT4dough]

My cold diagnostic was a 149. Then took Kaplan. It did not help. Then I found TLS and self-studied my way to a 169. The magic ingredients are hard work and reviewing your mistakes, not paying for a couse.

[Elston Gunn]

DON'T take a Kaplan course. Save yourself the money and time. Self study works.

This!!! Don't do Kaplan. It's a waste of money.

[Bobnoxious]

I just ordered the LG and LR Bibles and workbooks for self study. I'll be taking the full PowerScore course this April.

[CyanIdes Of March]

I'm not even sure why prep courses exist when they have books and nearly every PT administered available. Especially at the high prices, I never even considered it.

[efin12]

I just ordered the LG and LR Bibles and workbooks for self study. I'll be taking the full PowerScore course this April.

Honestly, you're probably better off spending your money on a private tutor. Courses can only help you so much, and PS doesn't have the 170+ focus that Manhattan has. I self studied with PS and got a 167 in June. I self studied again for December, but this time with Manhattan and a private tutor and improved to a 173. If you insist on a course for the structure, you should at least supplement it with the Manhattan bundle. Those books focus on the core of the argument and explain subtle nuances of each of the different types of questions that I wasn't seeing the first time I took it.

[dowu]

Powerscore is dull and for peoe who need to learn the basics; they aren't worth it.

Manhattan's LSAT series are the shit. Foreal.

[Bobnoxious]

I've heard good things about PowerScore, TestMasters, and Manhattan. I'm in Memphis and the choice was between Kaplan and PowerScore. I'm just hoping that between my studying and preparing on my own and the classroom work/lecture/explanations/etc I'll be able to score at least a 165, with an actual goal of 170+. With a mortgage and a family I likely won't be picking a law school that's more than a 10 hour drive from home.

[Bobnoxious]

Logic Games killed me: -14

I wasn't real happy with LR either: -5 / -10

RC was just as bad as LR: -8

Once the materials come in I'll be starting on Logic Games until I get comfortable (-4 to -7) then switch to LR until I get some improvement, then just keep swapping them up after studying long enough to get a little more comfortable with each section. RC...not sure what to do there other than just practice, practice, practice.

[Bobnoxious]

That seems unethical. Probably profitable until word spreads far enough, but still unethical.

I wondered if that might be a strategy for all of these test prep companies.

I don't think the effect is pronounced. But they're fake questions that are probably harder, is the anecdotal consensus. And they can't be held to a very high standard of accuracy; since they're fake questions, they don't go through the validation process as the real LSATs do.

I'm fairly certain the Kaplan diagnostic is just PT 56. But I've been wrong before.

It was PT 56.

[albanach]

Logic Games killed me: -14

I wasn't real happy with LR either: -5 / -10

RC was just as bad as LR: -8

Once the materials come in I'll be starting on Logic Games until I get comfortable (-4 to -7) then switch to LR until I get some improvement, then just keep swapping them up after studying long enough to get a little more comfortable with each section. RC...not sure what to do there other than just practice, practice, practice.

Great news that you did badly on LG, since it is completely learnable. Do the work and you'll be disappointed if you don't hit -0 on game day.

-5 on one of your LR diagnostics is also pretty good.

I can't see why you'd sign up for a course. I'd think with work you can quickly move that sort of diagnostic up into the high 160s and from there into the 170s.

[Bobnoxious]

Logic Games killed me: -14

I wasn't real happy with LR either: -5 / -10

RC was just as bad as LR: -8

Once the materials come in I'll be starting on Logic Games until I get comfortable (-4 to -7) then switch to LR until I get some improvement, then just keep swapping them up after studying long enough to get a little more comfortable with each section. RC...not sure what to do there other than just practice, practice, practice.

Great news that you did badly on LG, since it is completely learnable. Do the work and you'll be disappointed if you don't hit -0 on game day.

-5 on one of your LR diagnostics is also pretty good.

I can't see why you'd sign up for a course. I'd think with work you can quickly move that sort of diagnostic up into the high 160s and from there into the 170s.

2 reasons

1) I don't trust my ability to manage my time well enough to do it on my own. I work 40+ hours a week in our family business, go to school full-time, practice a lot for the mock trial team, and have a wife, kids, and a house to deal with. 2) I generally enjoy and get a lot out of what's being taught in a classroom environment.

But your words are heartening, for sure. I'd love to be able to consistently score LG: -2 to -3 , LR: -2 to -4 (x2), and RC -2 to -4