Tips on how to get from 165-170? Forum

[Typhoon24]

Hey guys,

This is my 6th month of studying for the LSAT and my 5th week of prep testing. I've read (over and over) all of the powerscore and manhattan books and have applied as much as I can into practice. I've drilled every single LR question from prep test 1-40 and have taken 10 timed prep tests by now, thoroughly reviewing each one for any faults and actively striving to improve on each one. My scores ranged anywhere from 161 (5th PT) and 174 (4th PT, lol), but the past 3 tests have indeed been in the 165 range (166,165,165). I want to consistently PT in the 170s by the time the June LSAT comes around and I'm sure I can; Right now I'm looking for all the help I can get. I usually go -0 to -2 on games, anywhere from -3 to -6 each on LR, and -5 to -8 on RC.

My question is this: is there anything else I can do to improve my game, or will a score improvement come as I keep up what I'm doing and take more and more timed prep tests? I plan on doing about 19-20 more.

[CardozoLaw09]

Interested in this as well

[totoro]

Sounds like you're on the right path. I would suggest taking more PT's though, since you still have several months before the June test. I would think 30 PT's is minimum for most people to feel very comfortable with the test, though taking ~50 PT's gives you much more room to improve.

Several suggestions to make the jump to 170:

Aim for -0 on LG.... watch youtube videos for solutions, figure out the best and fastest way to approach each question. LG is the most controllable section. Drill games like crazy.

For RC, Manhattan's is the best method. Though I find the "scale" analogy is unnecessary. My only other suggestion is to read dense reading materials in your spare time, like the Economist.

For LR, either find a study buddy or use Manhattan's online answer forum. Make sure you understand why each answer is wrong. I also highly recommend buying Cambridge LR packets if you haven't already - there are about 12 different question types and they require you to approach them in different ways. It really helps LR improvement to drill by question type rather than the "mixed bag" that you get with taking PT's.

Finally, is timing an issue for you? Try to figure out how to maximize your points in 35 minutes. If you're too slow right now, generally taking more PT's solves that issue.

Also, just a note about the mentality you should take, really aim to master this test (aim for 180). Your PT range should be higher than 170 so that you feel confident walking into the exam knowing you can at least bag a 170. This is the ideal.

[bp shinners]

When reviewing tests in the 165-170 range, you really need to focus on finding the tricks the LSAT uses to get you to pick the wrong answer. At that point, you understand the basics enough that you don't really need to improve them. However, they're still getting you to fall for their shenanigans a lot.

After evaluating the correct and incorrect answers, explaining why they're right/wrong, answer these:
1) What about the wrong answer made me think it was right? The LSAT uses the same tricks to make a wrong answer appealing. If you can figure out which of these tricks you fall for, you can start avoiding them. Common ones include logical force mismatches (especially using words that we don't typically associate with logical force, like independent) and equivocations (words that most English-speakers use interchangeably but in reality have different meanings).
2) What about the right answer made me think it was wrong? The LSAT uses the same tricks to "hide" the right answers. You ruled out the correct answer for a reason; remember what that reason was, figure out why it doesn't actually make the answer wrong, and figure out how to no do it in the future.