How to Start Studying Forum

[Shasta]

Hey guys! I couldn't find this in any posts so sorry if it's already been covered. How exactly did y'all start studying for the lsat? I'm taking a blueprint course in a month but would rather begin before that. I plan on taking the sept. lsat. I bought the 3 powerscore books. Did y'all just start reading through them? And should I go through them one at a time? Any other books recommended? And could someone please post a link where to buy the old lsat book with the actual old exams? NYU is my top choice school and my gpa is right at the 25th so I am serious about studying for the lsat. Also, I'm a stem major - will they look at this when looking at my gpa and why it isn't higher? Sorry for so many question & thanks for any advice!

[ph14]

Work through each of the Powerscore books (LG and LR are more important than RC). Here's a link to purchase practice tests (look also at "Customers Also Buy ..." for more): http://www.amazon.com/10-Actual-Officia ... 0979305047. Undergrad major isn't important. Focus on getting about NYU's 75th LSAT percentile.

[Clyde Frog]

Work through each of the Powerscore books (LG and LR are more important than RC). Here's a link to purchase practice tests (look also at "Customers Also Buy ..." for more): http://www.amazon.com/10-Actual-Officia ... 0979305047. Undergrad major isn't important. Focus on getting about NYU's 75th LSAT percentile.

Do you even HLS?

[ph14]

Work through each of the Powerscore books (LG and LR are more important than RC). Here's a link to purchase practice tests (look also at "Customers Also Buy ..." for more): http://www.amazon.com/10-Actual-Officia ... 0979305047. Undergrad major isn't important. Focus on getting about NYU's 75th LSAT percentile.

Do you even HLS?

Not anymore.

[TrunksFan1]

Hey Shasta, thanks for posting. I'm in your boat right now as well. I'm a sophomore in college (rising junior), and I am also interested in NYU. I am confident that by the time I graduate I can hit a 3.8 GPA. I stared off shaky my first year, but have now hit above NYU's 25th Gpa percentile at the close of this year. I am just starting to look at the LSAT now as well. I purchased the PS LG Bible and will be picking up the LR Bible this week as well. I figured that I could get a feel for the games and questions now. Then, I might enroll in a summer course with Kaplan or Test Masters to expose me to drills and Practice Test opportunities. Then, once I return to college in the fall, I would keep practicing. Once the test draws closer, in the weeks before it, I would try to get some 1 on 1 tutoring with an agency like Advantage to fine-tune whatever remaining issues I might be experiencing with the test. Then, hopefully I will be ready to slay the beast on game day lol. Does this seem like a sound course of action?

[WaltGrace83]

Hey Shasta, thanks for posting. I'm in your boat right now as well. I'm a sophomore in college (rising junior), and I am also interested in NYU. I am confident that by the time I graduate I can hit a 3.8 GPA. I stared off shaky my first year, but have now hit above NYU's 25th Gpa percentile at the close of this year. I am just starting to look at the LSAT now as well. I purchased the PS LG Bible and will be picking up the LR Bible this week as well. I figured that I could get a feel for the games and questions now. Then, I might enroll in a summer course with Kaplan or Test Masters to expose me to drills and Practice Test opportunities. Then, once I return to college in the fall, I would keep practicing. Once the test draws closer, in the weeks before it, I would try to get some 1 on 1 tutoring with an agency like Advantage to fine-tune whatever remaining issues I might be experiencing with the test. Then, hopefully I will be ready to slay the beast on game day lol. Does this seem like a sound course of action?

^ Kaplan is an absolute shit show. Have I taken one of their classes? No. Do I know several Kaplan instructors who got a 163-165 and are deemed adequate to teach a group of students? Yes.

Unless the instructors scored in the 99th percentile, I personally wouldn't trust them. Don't consider yourself an "expert" if you haven't even got a score to prove it (just my opinion though and others may disagree).

I'd strongly recommend to not even worry about the LSAT until one get's a GPA comfortably above the 75th percentile. You can always change an LSAT score - a GPA is permanent and I wouldn't want to sacrifice anything for it. That's what I did and I am REALLY glad I did. Having an upper 3.9x basically just means I am 100 questions away from going to any school I want.

[Clyde Frog]

Work through each of the Powerscore books (LG and LR are more important than RC). Here's a link to purchase practice tests (look also at "Customers Also Buy ..." for more): http://www.amazon.com/10-Actual-Officia ... 0979305047. Undergrad major isn't important. Focus on getting about NYU's 75th LSAT percentile.

Do you even HLS?

Not anymore.

Congrats on graduation

[Shasta]

Thank everyone for replying - Trunksfan glad to know someone else is in my situation. I'm a rising senior and have so many hours so it's hard to raise it quickly. I like the idea of 1:1 tutoring but it's so expensive and the bibles I bought plus the blueprint course is already over budget for me. But if I have question types that keep getting me I'll invest in some 1:1 in the couple weeks right before the lsat. Your plan sounds good to me though! Espec since you have senior year, I wish I had started studying a year ago. As far as reading the powerscore books do y'all think I should read one at a time or several at once?

[alexrodriguez]

Thank everyone for replying - Trunksfan glad to know someone else is in my situation. I'm a rising senior and have so many hours so it's hard to raise it quickly. I like the idea of 1:1 tutoring but it's so expensive and the bibles I bought plus the blueprint course is already over budget for me. But if I have question types that keep getting me I'll invest in some 1:1 in the couple weeks right before the lsat. Your plan sounds good to me though! Espec since you have senior year, I wish I had started studying a year ago. As far as reading the powerscore books do y'all think I should read one at a time or several at once?

Doesn't matter as long as you are absorbing the information.

[lawschool2014hopeful]

Hey Shasta, thanks for posting. I'm in your boat right now as well. I'm a sophomore in college (rising junior), and I am also interested in NYU. I am confident that by the time I graduate I can hit a 3.8 GPA. I stared off shaky my first year, but have now hit above NYU's 25th Gpa percentile at the close of this year. I am just starting to look at the LSAT now as well. I purchased the PS LG Bible and will be picking up the LR Bible this week as well. I figured that I could get a feel for the games and questions now. Then, I might enroll in a summer course with Kaplan or Test Masters to expose me to drills and Practice Test opportunities. Then, once I return to college in the fall, I would keep practicing. Once the test draws closer, in the weeks before it, I would try to get some 1 on 1 tutoring with an agency like Advantage to fine-tune whatever remaining issues I might be experiencing with the test. Then, hopefully I will be ready to slay the beast on game day lol. Does this seem like a sound course of action?

^ Kaplan is an absolute shit show. Have I taken one of their classes? No. Do I know several Kaplan instructors who got a 163-165 and are deemed adequate to teach a group of students? Yes.

Unless the instructors scored in the 99th percentile, I personally wouldn't trust them. Don't consider yourself an "expert" if you haven't even got a score to prove it (just my opinion though and others may disagree).

I'd strongly recommend to not even worry about the LSAT until one get's a GPA comfortably above the 75th percentile. You can always change an LSAT score - a GPA is permanent and I wouldn't want to sacrifice anything for it. That's what I did and I am REALLY glad I did. Having an upper 3.9x basically just means I am 100 questions away from going to any school I want.

I know you have good intentions, but you ought to follow through with your own advice.

[Splitter1415]

I've only used the power score books and all the PTs available. In addition, I read a lot in general and used the TOEFL reading questions in order to prepare for RC. Now I wish I had purchased the Manhattan LSAT books, especially the LR one earlier. I'm recommending the books to every single classmate I'm tutoring. Good luck!

[jaysan150]

About how many daily hours do y'all suggest to study a day ? For a person starting out ?

[Splitter1415]

3-4 hours a day. Stop when you get tired.

[unodostres]

4-5 is good. after that break. quality v quantity

[jaysan150]

So it isn't wise to study 2 hours of quality material ?

[berkeleynick]

So it isn't wise to study 2 hours of quality material ?

It isn't not wise, but depending on when you want to take the LSAT and your level of absorption and natural ability, it may be insufficient time to reach the score you want. If you're studying for 6 months, 5 hours a day is overkill IMO.