A few Pre-Lsat questions? Forum

[boaltlaw]

I'm going to be free this summer, so I thought now would be a good time to study LSAT.

Just about to finish my 2nd year of UG (im at a uc school on quarter system).

1. Is 3 months (roughly) enough to spend studying so I can take it in September? Should I wait until dec lsat to take it?
2. Is 19 too young to start studying for LSAT (I'll turn 20 in mid-summer, but still)?

I have raised enough cash to take a blueprint prep course and I really want to start studying for LSAT because I'll be free this summer and it's the only thing I'm missing from my app except good WE, which I wont get bc I'm going k-Jd

If anyone has advice or suggestions or answers to my questions they would be well appreciated. I just want to start now because my gpa is +4.0 and I want to be able to retake in the event that I don't do well (though the plan is to get it high in 1 shot)

[rebexness]

Don't waste your money on a class.

[boaltlaw]

reason?

[rebexness]

reason?

You can spend $300 on all the PTs, buy some prep books, and save the other $1500+ for liquor.

[flash21]

I took the online 7sage course but I had a really low diagnostic that I was overcoming (and am in the process of), so it helped getting a lot of the fundamental knowledge that I wouldnt have got otherwise so ingrained, and also helped supplement the books. its also very cheap (I think like 200 dollars). not sure how much blueprint is but i know they have an online thing similar to 7sage that I heard is pretty good too .

[CFC1524]

I swear by 7sage (obviously anecdotal, but I improved from a 160 diagnostic to consistently hitting 172+ after taking the beginner course). I've also heard good things about velocity.

Have you taken a diagnostic? It will probably be painful, but it's worth it to get an idea where you need to improve. If you're intuitively good at LR and RC (-3 on both), then I'd say you can probably just buy the Powerscore LG Bible or the Manhattan LG. Work through either book and then take as many PT's as possible. If you're more than -5 on LR and RC, then I'd suggest working through a course (7sage or velocity, not Kaplan).

[berkeleynick]

Age itself isn't a big factor - you've been in college for two years now, so you have the capability to do well if you study. A course is not necessary to score well on the LSAT, all you need is a few books, lots of practice tests, and access to the internet. I think courses are generally best for those who really do not have the required self-discipline to study and need to in essence spend a ton of money on something and realize they better study or risk having thrown away a ton of cash. You just need a good schedule (you can find many online and adjust them to your needs), books (I recommend Manhattan LSAT but Powerscore is good too and their methods pretty similar, I just like Manhattan better because I think the books are more engaging and look prettier [and they have an awesome forum], and the RC book is better too [and they just released a new edition with lots of updates]), official practice tests (save the most recent ones for later use as full-length exams), and utilize forums like this one and Manhattan LSAT's for questions you don't understand for in-depth explanations - I've found that to be incredibly helpful in studying and getting to understand how the LSAT writers write questions and the nuances to attractive wrong answers that often trip people up. And lastly, 7sage has generously provided a video explanation for every logic game ever released by LSAC so use them to get a good understanding of games you had difficulty with (I just watch them on my iPhone, and the app also comes with a proctor and LSAT grader which is cool). Good luck!

[ManoftheHour]

reason?

You can spend $300 on all the PTs, buy some prep books, and save the other $1500+ for liquor.

[jkhalfa]

Take a diagnostic. Go print out the June 2007 test or whatever it is from the LSAC website, set aside a block of time where you won't be distracted, and take it while following the official time constraints.

If you get 160 or higher, don't bother with a class. For obvious business reasons, classes are focused on getting 140-150s people 5-10 points, not pushing 160s people into the 170s.

Your diagnostic will also tell you how much work you'll have to do. If you get a high score, then Sept might be good; if you need more time, you might want to push back your test date.

Age doesn't matter.

[boaltlaw]

i took the june 2007 a few months ago, didnt really take it too seriously, guessd on the last few bc I had to go.

throughout the test people were slamming doors, listening to music, playing games. so it was hard to concentrate, but i still managed a 155....not sure how to proceed. I think my diagnostic wouldve been around 158-160 if i had better conditions. as of now, I want to go to the 170's. dont really know how to proceed.....

[jkhalfa]

If you're reasonably disciplined, I'd still go the self-study route (especially if, like many people, you most struggled with LG, which is the easiest to improve). A class would give you structure and keep you motivated, but that's a great price to pay for something you should be able to give yourself for free.

I recommend perusing some LSAT threads here, especially TLS1776's story of how he achieved a 180. The other "how I scored a 180" articles are good too. Obviously reading these won't significantly improve your score, but I find them motivating and think they give you a good overview of the prep process and an informative window into the minds of the top scorers.

Then, if you choose to self-study, hit up Amazon for some books. Personally, I started out with the LSAC Superprep, which is one of the few official commentaries on the test, and now I'm working through the LSAT Trainer, a comprehensive guide. I have the Powerscore LG Bible and Manhattan LR for later, as well as almost every preptest. I'd say the preptests and the Bible are must-haves, but you'll have to decide for yourself what other materials you want. I think a diverse group of books from different companies is best so you are familiar with different approaches, but some prefer a more unified method.