Need help raising a 169 a few points Forum

[tigersaresexy]

I've been stagnant at a 169 on every PT I've taken for weeks. It's uncanny actually...

I'm aiming for a 172+ so I'm hopeful about my chances to raise my score a few points in the next 5 weeks, but the fact that i'm not progressing is starting to worry me.

My breakdown for questions wrong

LG: 0-2
LR: 1-3
RC: 4-7

Obviously the section I need to work on is RC, but somehow I just don't seem to be improving in it. My timing is getting better, at first I didn't get to the last passage, now I get them all done but my accuracy isn't really improving. My LR timing keeps improving (I finish every section around 5-7 minutes early) but I still seem to get a couple wrong every time. LG is my favorite section, mainly because I like math, but my timing on it seems to vary depending on the individual section, sometimes I find myself struggling to finish, I also occasionally make a careless error or two.

Any thoughts on how I can raise my score a couple points and break through the 172 barrier? My GPA isn't that great so I really need to wow someone with my LSAT score.

[Nooblarzlarz]

How quickly are you getting through the RC passage? It should ideally take 2-2.5 minutes which gives you about 6 mins for the questions. Is it a certain question or passage type that's getting you?

[KingofSplitters55]

Ironically, same situation here. Stuck at around 169/170, aiming for the October test date, with LG being always -0 or -1, LR being ~-2 to -4, and RC being pretty horrid (-5 to -8). I like math as well, and having been an econ major in college I did very little reading - perhaps that is now getting reflected in the RC score. Would appreciate tips as well!

In my case for RC, my main cause of point-loss seems to be not being able to discern what exactly the main purpose or point of the passage and/or paragraphs are. Often times they seem very garbled and arbitrary and kind of just 'flow along', rather than compared to LR where it's clear-cut and with minimal distracting/irrelevant information.

[tigersaresexy]

Since I posted this, I've started using Voyager's RC technique on some untimed passages, I've gotten pretty much all the questions right. So KingofSplitters, I recommend you try it if you haven't already.

I think the questions that give me the most grief are the "The _____'s reasoning in paragraph 3 is most analogous to which of the following"

I never get those questions right. I find the analogies extremely weak and I think it's just such a bizarre question in the context of RC.

[Tiago Splitter]

LG: 0-2

This is a concern. You really need to be at -0 every time. Get faster on the easy games so you can move a little more slowly through the tougher ones. Tighten up the LR by drilling the question types you missed.

[KingofSplitters55]

Since I posted this, I've started using Voyager's RC technique on some untimed passages, I've gotten pretty much all the questions right. So KingofSplitters, I recommend you try it if you haven't already.

I think the questions that give me the most grief are the "The _____'s reasoning in paragraph 3 is most analogous to which of the following"

I never get those questions right. I find the analogies extremely weak and I think it's just such a bizarre question in the context of RC.

Thanks - I'll check his strategy out and see how it works.

[bp shinners]

How are you reviewing your RC? Most people don't have a good strategy for that.

[jcccc]

Was in an exact same situation couple months in my prep. Like you said, uncanny would be the ideal word to describe it. Then I randomly started scoring 175+ out of nowhere. My advice is keep going and keep trying different RC strategies. I must have tried over 5+ different RC tactics until I found the right one.

[itsanemily]

How are you reviewing your RC? Most people don't have a good strategy for that.

How would you suggest reviewing RC? I am struggling with this section as well, and would really appreciate more guidance.

[tigersaresexy]

How are you reviewing your RC? Most people don't have a good strategy for that.

How would you suggest reviewing RC? I am struggling with this section as well, and would really appreciate more guidance.

Yes this please!

LG: 0-2

This is a concern. You really need to be at -0 every time. Get faster on the easy games so you can move a little more slowly through the tougher ones. Tighten up the LR by drilling the question types you missed.

I've been mercilessly drilling LG since I read this.

[bp shinners]

How are you reviewing your RC? Most people don't have a good strategy for that.

How would you suggest reviewing RC? I am struggling with this section as well, and would really appreciate more guidance.

Step 1: Go back and find the parts of the passage that invalidate your incorrect answers and validate the correct ones.
Step 2: Check your tagging of the passage. If any of the notations you made did not help you answer a question, categorize the role of what you tagged. In the future, don't tag things with similar roles.
Step 3: Check each question against your tags. If there was a question that you did not have a single notation to help you find the answer, figure out the role of the piece of information that would've helped you answer it and tag it in the future.
Step 4: Check each answer choice against the question type. Note the logical force and vocabulary, and find patterns between those elements of the answer choices and the type of question being asked.

This is bare-bones, but a great start.