I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE. Forum

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longlivetheking

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I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by longlivetheking » Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:45 pm

Hi there,

i've been studying intensively for about 4 months now. here's my progress

PTing around 172-174. I can't seem to break through this. Is this my limit? should i stop and just be content with this score? Here's the breakdown of my scores

LG: Consistently -0. I can kill the easy linear/grouping questions in about 3-4 minutes. leaving me time with the harder ones. for most games i have been able to kill them in under 7 minutes with the occasional weirdo taking me over 10 minutes but i had enough time in the bank for me to draw

RC: probably my most inconsistent section. sometimes the answers are just SO FREAKING CLOSE. I'm slightly ok for timing but it still feels a little rushed time-wise. Also there are many questions where I'm not sure. How do i improve on this? Is there a way to be solid on each question? going from -2 to -5 on this section

LR: My greatest problem are strengthen/weaken questions. especially when they appear in the q16-25. especially in the recent tests, i've noticed the answer choices never stand out. sometimes there are numerous no-effect questions and its hard not to have this nagging voice in your head saying "hey this may be right!". Also sometimes there might be semi-weakeners and ok weakeners. its amazingly difficult to separate this. going from -0 to -3 for both LR sections.

I'm registered for Feb. I have 2 shots more for the LSAT. I'm applying 2013. Should i wait for june when i'm truly ready for the 177+ score or get a 170+ first and aim 177 for june/oct.

Thank you in advance for your replies/advice. I love this site and if i can get a score 177+ i swear i'm going to write a guide to help everyone out sharing some of my insights i've accumulated studying for this bloody test.

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ManOfTheMinute

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by ManOfTheMinute » Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:47 pm

longlivetheking wrote:Hi there,

i've been studying intensively for about 4 months now. here's my progress

PTing around 172-174. I can't seem to break through this. Is this my limit? should i stop and just be content with this score? Here's the breakdown of my scores

LG: Consistently -0. I can kill the easy linear/grouping questions in about 3-4 minutes. leaving me time with the harder ones. for most games i have been able to kill them in under 7 minutes with the occasional weirdo taking me over 10 minutes but i had enough time in the bank for me to draw

RC: probably my most inconsistent section. sometimes the answers are just SO FREAKING CLOSE. I'm slightly ok for timing but it still feels a little rushed time-wise. Also there are many questions where I'm not sure. How do i improve on this? Is there a way to be solid on each question? going from -2 to -5 on this section

LR: My greatest problem are strengthen/weaken questions. especially when they appear in the q16-25. especially in the recent tests, i've noticed the answer choices never stand out. sometimes there are numerous no-effect questions and its hard not to have this nagging voice in your head saying "hey this may be right!". Also sometimes there might be semi-weakeners and ok weakeners. its amazingly difficult to separate this. going from -0 to -3 for both LR sections.

I'm registered for Feb. I have 2 shots more for the LSAT. I'm applying 2013. Should i wait for june when i'm truly ready for the 177+ score or get a 170+ first and aim 177 for june/oct.

Thank you in advance for your replies/advice. I love this site and if i can get a score 177+ i swear i'm going to write a guide to help everyone out sharing some of my insights i've accumulated studying for this bloody test.
Just write a kickass PS.

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longlivetheking

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by longlivetheking » Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:58 pm

ManOfTheMinute wrote:
longlivetheking wrote:Hi there,

i've been studying intensively for about 4 months now. here's my progress

PTing around 172-174. I can't seem to break through this. Is this my limit? should i stop and just be content with this score? Here's the breakdown of my scores

LG: Consistently -0. I can kill the easy linear/grouping questions in about 3-4 minutes. leaving me time with the harder ones. for most games i have been able to kill them in under 7 minutes with the occasional weirdo taking me over 10 minutes but i had enough time in the bank for me to draw

RC: probably my most inconsistent section. sometimes the answers are just SO FREAKING CLOSE. I'm slightly ok for timing but it still feels a little rushed time-wise. Also there are many questions where I'm not sure. How do i improve on this? Is there a way to be solid on each question? going from -2 to -5 on this section

LR: My greatest problem are strengthen/weaken questions. especially when they appear in the q16-25. especially in the recent tests, i've noticed the answer choices never stand out. sometimes there are numerous no-effect questions and its hard not to have this nagging voice in your head saying "hey this may be right!". Also sometimes there might be semi-weakeners and ok weakeners. its amazingly difficult to separate this. going from -0 to -3 for both LR sections.

I'm registered for Feb. I have 2 shots more for the LSAT. I'm applying 2013. Should i wait for june when i'm truly ready for the 177+ score or get a 170+ first and aim 177 for june/oct.

Thank you in advance for your replies/advice. I love this site and if i can get a score 177+ i swear i'm going to write a guide to help everyone out sharing some of my insights i've accumulated studying for this bloody test.
Just write a kickass PS.
That is exactly what your avatar would have said to me.

Chowfun

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by Chowfun » Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:07 pm

Sorry I can't help you, but I want to say I would die to be have a pt score of 172-174. I don't even fully understand LR, but I've only been studying for two days now... but I hope in 4 months I am where you are! Even though you want a 177. I think you should be proud to earn those other scores. (Although I'm not trying to say you aren't proud.. lol)

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TheMostDangerousLG

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by TheMostDangerousLG » Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:22 pm

longlivetheking wrote:Hi there,

i've been studying intensively for about 4 months now. here's my progress

PTing around 172-174. I can't seem to break through this. Is this my limit? should i stop and just be content with this score? Here's the breakdown of my scores

LG: Consistently -0. I can kill the easy linear/grouping questions in about 3-4 minutes. leaving me time with the harder ones. for most games i have been able to kill them in under 7 minutes with the occasional weirdo taking me over 10 minutes but i had enough time in the bank for me to draw

RC: probably my most inconsistent section. sometimes the answers are just SO FREAKING CLOSE. I'm slightly ok for timing but it still feels a little rushed time-wise. Also there are many questions where I'm not sure. How do i improve on this? Is there a way to be solid on each question? going from -2 to -5 on this section

LR: My greatest problem are strengthen/weaken questions. especially when they appear in the q16-25. especially in the recent tests, i've noticed the answer choices never stand out. sometimes there are numerous no-effect questions and its hard not to have this nagging voice in your head saying "hey this may be right!". Also sometimes there might be semi-weakeners and ok weakeners. its amazingly difficult to separate this. going from -0 to -3 for both LR sections.

I'm registered for Feb. I have 2 shots more for the LSAT. I'm applying 2013. Should i wait for june when i'm truly ready for the 177+ score or get a 170+ first and aim 177 for june/oct.

Thank you in advance for your replies/advice. I love this site and if i can get a score 177+ i swear i'm going to write a guide to help everyone out sharing some of my insights i've accumulated studying for this bloody test.
I don't know how helpful this is, but when I'm stuck on a strengthen/weaken Q, I try to take a moment to really compare the conclusion to the most appealing answer choices. That is, I make sure to isolate the conclusion, and then consider whether X answer choice really would have an impact or whether (if I was the person making the conclusion), I'd be able to point out that the strengthen/weaken choice doesn't really take out or bolster my argument. The degree of strengthening/weakening also doesn't matter, you have to remember that four choices have no impact (or the opposite effect)- only one will actually affect the conclusion of the argument in the right way.

Sorry I don't have any particularly brilliant advice. X\

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Legallybronzed180

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by Legallybronzed180 » Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:40 pm

Right now the feb test os a week away so if u r taking feb my advice wld be to tighten lr and get it down to none wrong as opposed to rc which takes longer to see improvement. If you go minus 0 lr and games you should be fine .

I hear you about strengthen and weaken questions they can be hard because the answer can just slightly weaken therefore it's harder to predict the answer and it can be subtle so harder to see. Also a correct answer can bring in new information.

When you are stuck between two answers choices that seem similar go back and re read the question be nit picky look at every word. Sometimes a qualifier , just one word, can make one answer right and one wrong . Ask yourself how would this strengthen or weaken my conclusion. Remember it doesn't have to totally destroy or bolster the argument it can be slight.

For example I was doing pt47 section 1 question 22 the passage was not hard just none of the answers seemed to really weaken the argument. So I went back and re read and the answer choices. The right answer was very subtle and weakened the argument slightly. But I asked myself if the opposite were true would it strengthen my argument. If it would then then it would weaken my conclusion
You have to read carefully pick up On every word and think while you read . And for weaken strengthen questions be open to something subtle and not so obvious.

gobosox

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by gobosox » Thu Jan 31, 2013 3:43 pm

longlivetheking wrote:Hi there,

i've been studying intensively for about 4 months now. here's my progress

PTing around 172-174. I can't seem to break through this. Is this my limit? should i stop and just be content with this score? Here's the breakdown of my scores

LG: Consistently -0. I can kill the easy linear/grouping questions in about 3-4 minutes. leaving me time with the harder ones. for most games i have been able to kill them in under 7 minutes with the occasional weirdo taking me over 10 minutes but i had enough time in the bank for me to draw

RC: probably my most inconsistent section. sometimes the answers are just SO FREAKING CLOSE. I'm slightly ok for timing but it still feels a little rushed time-wise. Also there are many questions where I'm not sure. How do i improve on this? Is there a way to be solid on each question? going from -2 to -5 on this section

LR: My greatest problem are strengthen/weaken questions. especially when they appear in the q16-25. especially in the recent tests, i've noticed the answer choices never stand out. sometimes there are numerous no-effect questions and its hard not to have this nagging voice in your head saying "hey this may be right!". Also sometimes there might be semi-weakeners and ok weakeners. its amazingly difficult to separate this. going from -0 to -3 for both LR sections.

I'm registered for Feb. I have 2 shots more for the LSAT. I'm applying 2013. Should i wait for june when i'm truly ready for the 177+ score or get a 170+ first and aim 177 for june/oct.

Thank you in advance for your replies/advice. I love this site and if i can get a score 177+ i swear i'm going to write a guide to help everyone out sharing some of my insights i've accumulated studying for this bloody test.
For what it's worth I got lunch with my pre-law dean yesterday and he told me anything over 170 really doesn't matter for law schools-- that yeah, it's nice, but it's not what everyone makes it out to be.

I'm sure it will elicit vehement responses from TLS, but worth keeping in mind to not worry about it too much-- just do your job, do the best you can, and let the chips fall where they may.

It's a crapshoot anyway.

Theopliske8711

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by Theopliske8711 » Thu Jan 31, 2013 3:49 pm

gobosox wrote:
longlivetheking wrote:Hi there,

i've been studying intensively for about 4 months now. here's my progress

PTing around 172-174. I can't seem to break through this. Is this my limit? should i stop and just be content with this score? Here's the breakdown of my scores

LG: Consistently -0. I can kill the easy linear/grouping questions in about 3-4 minutes. leaving me time with the harder ones. for most games i have been able to kill them in under 7 minutes with the occasional weirdo taking me over 10 minutes but i had enough time in the bank for me to draw

RC: probably my most inconsistent section. sometimes the answers are just SO FREAKING CLOSE. I'm slightly ok for timing but it still feels a little rushed time-wise. Also there are many questions where I'm not sure. How do i improve on this? Is there a way to be solid on each question? going from -2 to -5 on this section

LR: My greatest problem are strengthen/weaken questions. especially when they appear in the q16-25. especially in the recent tests, i've noticed the answer choices never stand out. sometimes there are numerous no-effect questions and its hard not to have this nagging voice in your head saying "hey this may be right!". Also sometimes there might be semi-weakeners and ok weakeners. its amazingly difficult to separate this. going from -0 to -3 for both LR sections.

I'm registered for Feb. I have 2 shots more for the LSAT. I'm applying 2013. Should i wait for june when i'm truly ready for the 177+ score or get a 170+ first and aim 177 for june/oct.

Thank you in advance for your replies/advice. I love this site and if i can get a score 177+ i swear i'm going to write a guide to help everyone out sharing some of my insights i've accumulated studying for this bloody test.
For what it's worth I got lunch with my pre-law dean yesterday and he told me anything over 170 really doesn't matter for law schools-- that yeah, it's nice, but it's not what everyone makes it out to be.

I'm sure it will elicit vehement responses from TLS, but worth keeping in mind to not worry about it too much-- just do your job, do the best you can, and let the chips fall where they may.

It's a crapshoot anyway.
From what I know the record on pre-law advisors isn't all that great.

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mindarmed

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by mindarmed » Thu Jan 31, 2013 3:54 pm

I decided not to disclose my score to my pre-law adviser because he's a know nothing that advises people to go to SeTTTon Hall.

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delusional

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by delusional » Thu Jan 31, 2013 4:05 pm

You are in a great position, IMO. While it's true that LG is the most learnable, and you've maxed out on that, it seems that you are not "deficient" but are merely inconsistent in the other areas, so it's just a matter of pulling it all together.

1. Read the RC Bible. While it's true that RC is the hardest section to improve on systematically, the Bible lays out for you what the test is doing, what "elements" are there in a passage, and what questions are likely to arise from them. I was solid but inconsistent on RC, and the Bible helped make me consistent.

2. I was going to make a point about LR, but then I remembered that I had posted it already so I searched, and copied the following relevant ideas. The basic point is though that when you're just missing a few LR and RC, it's time to polish your consistency till it gleams, and learn the last little tricks at the bottom of LSAC's bag:
Like a few people have mentioned (one of whom got a 180) - you know you're getting close when you start to say "I've seen this question before" when you're halfway through the argument. For me, there was one rule that helped for LR - identify the conclusion. Once you know the conclusion, almost any question is 80% answered. On particularly tough conclusion pinpointing, it helps to flip the argument and the conclusion, i.e. when it's unclear if a or b is the conclusion, you say if a is true, does b necessarily follow? If b is true, does a necessarily follow?

Within the area of familiarity, there are a number of tricks that the LSAT throws at you that you might notice and file away. One that comes to mind is arguments that are eclectic - the passage consists of four or five sentences which don't seem related, and you struggle to figure it out, only it turns out that all the necessary information is in sentences 2,3, and 5, and sentenced one and four are utterly unrelated. Another is sneaky degree changes - the passage says something about "some bicyclists" and the question is about "bicyclists". A good rule to remember is that the LSAT language is incredibly precise. If a word doesn't fit perfectly, without trying to bend the meaning a little - it's the wrong answer.

Another particularly sneaky trick is hiding part of the conclusion - saying something like "high-fat diets, rather than high cholesterol, have an effect on heart health." It's not very noticeable, but that just said that high cholesterol does not have an effect on heart health. If the test asked you what weakens the argument, evidence that high cholesterol affects heart health would weaken the argument.

The last major hurdle for me was focus. I had to build up mental stamina. At first, I refused to admit it to myself, but I realized after canceling October that I needed to be prepared for a FULL test without a second between sections, etc. And then I pushed myself to practice. At first, it was really hard. I tried to get through a section with no thoughts other than the questions in front of me. It was frustrating, especially in Barnes and Noble with a holiday crowd and holiday songs in my ears. But it opens everything up - if you're like me, you don't realize how much time you waste noticing the song that's playing, or the kids sitting next to you, but when you can focus, you finish everything much faster. By the time I got to the test, which fortunately was not in Barnes and Noble, I had gained a couple minutes on everything except LG, which gave me time to cure my misbubblephobia, and to rethink a couple toughies. And I only found out after the test that someone in the room had been escorted out for working on another section.

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RhymesLikeDimes

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by RhymesLikeDimes » Thu Jan 31, 2013 4:33 pm

My Pre-Law adviser told a girl that paying sticker for Albany Law was a good deal because it was in the state capital.

And if you actually needed confirmation of that, check out LSN for all the top schools: Nice cloud of green in the upper right corner that quickly fades to red and yellow as you move down the LSAT scale.

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longlivetheking

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by longlivetheking » Thu Jan 31, 2013 8:04 pm

gobosox wrote:
longlivetheking wrote:Hi there,

i've been studying intensively for about 4 months now. here's my progress

PTing around 172-174. I can't seem to break through this. Is this my limit? should i stop and just be content with this score? Here's the breakdown of my scores

LG: Consistently -0. I can kill the easy linear/grouping questions in about 3-4 minutes. leaving me time with the harder ones. for most games i have been able to kill them in under 7 minutes with the occasional weirdo taking me over 10 minutes but i had enough time in the bank for me to draw

RC: probably my most inconsistent section. sometimes the answers are just SO FREAKING CLOSE. I'm slightly ok for timing but it still feels a little rushed time-wise. Also there are many questions where I'm not sure. How do i improve on this? Is there a way to be solid on each question? going from -2 to -5 on this section

LR: My greatest problem are strengthen/weaken questions. especially when they appear in the q16-25. especially in the recent tests, i've noticed the answer choices never stand out. sometimes there are numerous no-effect questions and its hard not to have this nagging voice in your head saying "hey this may be right!". Also sometimes there might be semi-weakeners and ok weakeners. its amazingly difficult to separate this. going from -0 to -3 for both LR sections.

I'm registered for Feb. I have 2 shots more for the LSAT. I'm applying 2013. Should i wait for june when i'm truly ready for the 177+ score or get a 170+ first and aim 177 for june/oct.

Thank you in advance for your replies/advice. I love this site and if i can get a score 177+ i swear i'm going to write a guide to help everyone out sharing some of my insights i've accumulated studying for this bloody test.
For what it's worth I got lunch with my pre-law dean yesterday and he told me anything over 170 really doesn't matter for law schools-- that yeah, it's nice, but it's not what everyone makes it out to be.

I'm sure it will elicit vehement responses from TLS, but worth keeping in mind to not worry about it too much-- just do your job, do the best you can, and let the chips fall where they may.

It's a crapshoot anyway.
this guy needs to get fired.

splitmuch

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Re: I want a 177+ score. HELP ME PLEASE.

Post by splitmuch » Thu Jan 31, 2013 8:11 pm

Practice reading faster. I assume you don't do the read the answers first then read the passages thing? If you do just stop doing that.
longlivetheking wrote:Hi there,

i've been studying intensively for about 4 months now. here's my progress

PTing around 172-174. I can't seem to break through this. Is this my limit? should i stop and just be content with this score? Here's the breakdown of my scores

LG: Consistently -0. I can kill the easy linear/grouping questions in about 3-4 minutes. leaving me time with the harder ones. for most games i have been able to kill them in under 7 minutes with the occasional weirdo taking me over 10 minutes but i had enough time in the bank for me to draw

RC: probably my most inconsistent section. sometimes the answers are just SO FREAKING CLOSE. I'm slightly ok for timing but it still feels a little rushed time-wise. Also there are many questions where I'm not sure. How do i improve on this? Is there a way to be solid on each question? going from -2 to -5 on this section

LR: My greatest problem are strengthen/weaken questions. especially when they appear in the q16-25. especially in the recent tests, i've noticed the answer choices never stand out. sometimes there are numerous no-effect questions and its hard not to have this nagging voice in your head saying "hey this may be right!". Also sometimes there might be semi-weakeners and ok weakeners. its amazingly difficult to separate this. going from -0 to -3 for both LR sections.

I'm registered for Feb. I have 2 shots more for the LSAT. I'm applying 2013. Should i wait for june when i'm truly ready for the 177+ score or get a 170+ first and aim 177 for june/oct.

Thank you in advance for your replies/advice. I love this site and if i can get a score 177+ i swear i'm going to write a guide to help everyone out sharing some of my insights i've accumulated studying for this bloody test.

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