Study Tips with less than 3 weeks??? Forum

[thomasjmai22]

Hey All,

I am currently studying with the Blue Print books (no longer have the videos) and it is A LOT to get through. Grant it, I have studied for the LSAT before Bibles and BP, but there is too much material in these Blue Print books to go through each chapter again. I only have the LG Bible and 2 books of practice tests from LSAC.

Is anyone familiar with the Blue Print Books at all? I think I need to restructure my study plan and focus more on the each question type and each type of reading passage. My LG skills are better than my LR skills. I get usually -2 or -4 on the LG. The LR, I was at -6 or so and have dipped a bit (possibly burned out). I am probably average with RC, but it varies from -4 to nearly -10. I have been studying every single day including the the weekends as well as my lunch breaks at work.

I have gone through all question types and games before, but this has been an 8 week refresher for me so far since I studied early last year. With the test less than 3 weeks away, what would be my best strategy at this time?

More specifically, the LR questions I get wrong are not difficult to recognize when I check the correct answers. I have those "how did I not see that" or "why on earth would I have picked that answer" type moments. But there are also questions that I don't immediately comprehend when reviewing the answers. The question types I get wrong are random so it is difficult to be able to pinpoint my weaknesses.

Back to the study materials that I am currently using! Should I skip through and hit on all LR lessons of the BP books and take a full PT test or should I equally go through LR, RC and LG (in order of priority) and then take practice tests by sections in the same order? I don't have money to purchase any of the other Bibles at this time so I have to work with what I have. I think I will skip the BP book homework sections and be more dependent on full PT's.

Also, this morning I started a PT and I got half of the LR section wrong. I immediately put down the book and stepped away with the assumption that I am just burned out and I am possibly over thinking the questions at the moment. Sorry for the lengthy post, but I figured I would get better replies if I clarified everything.

Thanks in advance for any tips and advice!

[03152016]

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[thomasjmai22]

Well I had the LG Bible and then purchased the BP online program last year. Took the test, did bad due to many factors. Since I still had the BP books, I figured they could still be useful. I am PTing in the low to mid 150's and I am targeting 160. I have about 10-15 PT's left. The only thing is since I have been going through everything in the BP books, I sometimes recognize a question or two. I know that is unavoidable, but I should factor that in my current PT scores.

Just to give you an idea on what I have been doing so far, I review the incorrect questions online with a full explanation if I cannot figure it out on my own. I suppose I am mostly drilling sections. The BP books explain question types but not actual questions. That's obviously what the video portion is for. Not the most effective method, but my only method.

[itachiuchiha]

Well I had the LG Bible and then purchased the BP online program last year. Took the test, did bad due to many factors. Since I still had the BP books, I figured they could still be useful. I am PTing in the low to mid 150's and I am targeting 160. I have about 10-15 PT's left. The only thing is since I have been going through everything in the BP books, I sometimes recognize a question or two. I know that is unavoidable, but I should factor that in my current PT scores.

Just to give you an idea on what I have been doing so far, I review the incorrect questions online with a full explanation if I cannot figure it out on my own. I suppose I am mostly drilling sections. The BP books explain question types but not actual questions. That's obviously what the video portion is for. Not the most effective method, but my only method.

postpone if you are PTing in the 150s

[thomasjmai22]

If I did postpone until June, should I stop using the BP books and get the Bibles when I can afford to?

[itachiuchiha]

If I did postpone until June, should I stop using the BP books and get the Bibles when I can afford to?

I got brand new all 3 bibles for 35$ on ebay, all BRAND NEW
Definitely get em
Or MLSAT

[03152016]

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[thomasjmai22]

If I did postpone until June, should I stop using the BP books and get the Bibles when I can afford to?

I got brand new all 3 bibles for 35$ on ebay, all BRAND NEW
Definitely get em
Or MLSAT

I checked on ebay and the cheapest for all 3 was $90. You got one hell of a deal for $35.

[thomasjmai22]

If I did postpone until June, should I stop using the BP books and get the Bibles when I can afford to?

I got brand new all 3 bibles for 35$ on ebay, all BRAND NEW
Definitely get em
Or MLSAT

Wow, that's an amazing deal! OP, check eBay (or the TLS buying/selling forum). If you don't mind reading a book on your computer or smartphone, you can get the Manhattan guides for 10 bucks a pop in the Kindle store.

Well I had the LG Bible and then purchased the BP online program last year. Took the test, did bad due to many factors. Since I still had the BP books, I figured they could still be useful. I am PTing in the low to mid 150's and I am targeting 160. I have about 10-15 PT's left. The only thing is since I have been going through everything in the BP books, I sometimes recognize a question or two. I know that is unavoidable, but I should factor that in my current PT scores.

Just to give you an idea on what I have been doing so far, I review the incorrect questions online with a full explanation if I cannot figure it out on my own. I suppose I am mostly drilling sections. The BP books explain question types but not actual questions. That's obviously what the video portion is for. Not the most effective method, but my only method.

Personally, I think you'd be well served switching over to PowerScore/MLSAT. Are you open to postponing until June? If so, you have plenty of time to start fresh: reading the PS/MLSAT guides, drilling with older tests, and getting a couple of months of PT/review in. If you're set on taking it in February, I'd suggest you analyze your past PTs to find the question types you struggle with. Make those areas your focus for the next week, then complete all of the remaining fresh PTs you have left as timed, 5-section tests.

I was pretty set on taking the February test for this cycle. I know it's late, but I have some applications pending until my Feb. score. If I take it in June, I will be looking at the 2014 cycle instead and I really don't want to wait another year. I just took a PT and got a 155. LR is killing me right now which is frustrating because I do understand the question types and I know what to look for, but I always get stuck with two appealing answers. Sigh...

I think I will take your advice on that. Looks like nothing but LR all week! As I mentioned earlier that when I do review the LR questions I got wrong, it makes sense to me. I understand why my incorrect answer is wrong and why the correct answer choice is a better fit. I simply keep making the same mistakes. Have you ever dealt with this at all? If so, what do you think I can do to reinforce proper reasoning? I realize the pattern of logic is the same within a given question type but I think I may be over analyzing the wording, perhaps. I'm really not sure so I'm just speculating at this point.

[thomasjmai22]

So I thought that if you are absent on test day that it does not count against you. Oh was I mistaken. I took it last year Feb. and I was not able to retake the Oct. 12 so I was absent. This is really making me rethink things and I may consider taking it in June now with this being my last chance for a while. I will drill away at LR all week and if I don't start hitting in the 160's on full PT's, I may need to postpone.