Help with LSAT plan with less than 2 weeks left. Forum

[chrijani]

With the September 27th LSAT quickly approaching, I need some assistance on how I can make the most out of these days. I have a big issue with the timing, I can finish it on time, but my scores drop... like dramatically. My last PT (64), I did it at the same time as the real LSAT with 5 sections and a proctor app. I scored a 161. I printed the test again fresh, did it again today untimed I scored a 173. This is not the first time that this has happened, but it is certainly the most dramatic. How can I get closer to my BR score over the next two weeks? My best section is LG, worst is RC and LR is kind of a crap shoot, I usually get like -4/-5 on one section but then BOMB the other LR section with -7/-9. My BR on LR is usually around -0/-2 and RC is still like -5 BR. So I guess my questions are,

1) Should I focus on more timed tests or more review? Right now I plan on doing a test every other day until a day or two before test day. Would it be better for me to maybe peel back a few tests to have a day or two more of drills or untimed sections?
2) What steps can be taken so that your timed score becomes closer to your BR score? I know sometimes I get it down to 2 answer choices and choose wrong, but there has to be something else im overlooking? I am sure this has happened before to someone, so I need help.
3) If my RC is typically -9/-10 on timed sections, should I just roll the dice on it on test day and primarily focus on maintaining a -0/-1 in LG and improving LR consistency? Or should I take the time to try and drill and improve my RC.

Ideally, I'd like to improve as much as I can, and I hate that I have to even have the option of rolling the dice on RC. But fact of the matter is, time is limited at this point and I need some suggestions or which areas I should focus on/what I can do to see the biggest improvement.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Rigo]

My best section is LG, worst is RC and LR is kind of a crap shoot, I usually get like -4/-5 on one section but then BOMB the other LR section with -7/-9. My BR on LR is usually around -0/-2 and RC is still like -5 BR.

The LSAT plays (for lack of a better term) the LR sections off of each other. So it's not that you "BOMBED" the second LR section. That section very well may have been harder.

1) Should I focus on more timed tests or more review? Right now I plan on doing a test every other day until a day or two before test day. Would it be better for me to maybe peel back a few tests to have a day or two more of drills or untimed sections?

Doing things untimed isn't really helpful at this point in the game since your problem is timing. You should be practicing timing. Drilling is good. Try knocking out the first 10 or so questions more quickly and see if your accuracy suffers. Play around with timing strategy a bit.

2) What steps can be taken so that your timed score becomes closer to your BR score? I know sometimes I get it down to 2 answer choices and choose wrong, but there has to be something else im overlooking? I am sure this has happened before to someone, so I need help.

Be very cognizant of what the actual argument is and what the stem is asking. Attractive answer choices won't do what the stem is asking you to do. An example: For NA questions, an answer choice that would be perfect for an SA question seems very appealing. However, the SA choice may do too much and be incorrect for a NA question. Pay close attention to what the stem is asking...always.

3) If my RC is typically -9/-10 on timed sections, should I just roll the dice on it on test day and primarily focus on maintaining a -0/-1 in LG and improving LR consistency? Or should I take the time to try and drill and improve my RC.

Hmm...this is a tough one. You definitely want to maintain you LG score, but work on forcing yourself to read RC passages faster or to not spend precious minutes vacillating between two attractive answer choices in a question. In RC, it's important to know when to move on.

Also, one last piece of advice. Practice skipping questions. If parallel flaw/reasoning questions take you a long time, then try skipping them without even attempting them. Each question is worth the same amount of points. Snatch up all the low hanging fruit first and then go back to the parallel questions later if time permits.

[Hand]

Dirigo establishing himself as the LSAT whisperer for the December administration

[ilikebaseball]

get on your knees and pray to whatever god you want

[dontdoitkid]

Dirigo's last piece of advice is very important - you can still score very well while skipping a question or two if it means salvaging the rest of the section. Always be aware of how far along you are compared to time remaining and whether or not you will actually be able to get anywhere if you dedicate another 15, 30, 45 seconds to a question. This is one of my greatest struggles - I lie to myself during the test, as my scumbag brain says "just a few more seconds and you can get this and still have a chance at a perfect section!" Of course, this rarely works out and I end up just hurting myself more. It takes a lot of guts to walk away, but more often then not you'll benefit from it. Be completely honest with yourself during the test, even if the truth can hurt a little.

Other than that, definitely focus on timing above all else. If we were further away from D-Day I'd say untimed was ok to learn skills, but you'll get the most benefit at this point by putting your efforts into efficiently working through a timed test.

In response to the RC - are your errors concentrated in any one question type? For example, I would say spend some time on that IF you notice a trend that you can immediately start correcting (i.e. making a better effort to be aware of the authors opinion during the article, or searching for the main point). Don't drop everything else to work on RC though. Good luck!

[Rigo]

Dirigo establishing himself as the LSAT whisperer for the December administration

hahaha

[chrijani]

Thank you everyone for the advice. As far as RC goes, I am actually not 100% sure what types of questions give me the most trouble, since the 7sage analytics only tell you the type of passages, and humanities & literature seem to be my worst topics. I know that inference questions in RC give me one heck of a time, I usually can narrow it down a bit, but I am never 100% confident after choosing.

Dirigo, thanks for the tips, I will continue to focus on timing. I do try to skip questions, which as the last poster said, is hard because my brain thinks that I've already committed and won't let it go, which I am working on. But, I have an issue with parallel questions, and its not getting them wrong. My issue is that they take time usually 2+ mins, BUT I actually get most of them right. Sometimes I will skip them completely if there at the end of the section and I am pressed for time, but I don't ever skip them in the beginning or middle. Am I going about this right? The thing is I have high accuracy with them, but at the same time they suck my time? Any thoughts?

[Rigo]

Dirigo, thanks for the tips, I will continue to focus on timing. I do try to skip questions, which as the last poster said, is hard because my brain thinks that I've already committed and won't let it go, which I am working on. But, I have an issue with parallel questions, and its not getting them wrong. My issue is that they take time usually 2+ mins, BUT I actually get most of them right. Sometimes I will skip them completely if there at the end of the section and I am pressed for time, but I don't ever skip them in the beginning or middle. Am I going about this right? The thing is I have high accuracy with them, but at the same time they suck my time? Any thoughts?

I just used parallel questions as an example of a time sink, because that's the case with most people. It seems to still be a time sink for you too, despite a higher accuracy with them.
It's good you get them right, but consider the cost. You have to improve on time SOMEWHERE and skipping time consuming questions is the easiest fix this close to the test. It's akin to telling people to skip rule substitution questions on LG.
Your adjustments all depend on how much faster you need to go. Can you give us a marker on how to judge your timing. About what question are you on 15 minutes in? With 5 minutes left?

[chrijani]

Okay, well my time for the first 10 questions seems to be fairly consistent.
After question 5- 6 mins in
After question 10- 11/12 mins in
There have been a few times where it has been higher than that but thats usually where I sit
After question 15 im usually 18-20 mins in
After question 20 im usually around 27-28 mins

Usually I can get Q25 complete with NO time left. If there are 26 questions, I straight up skip one question somewhere between 10-20, just because I can't ever get 26 questions in 35 minutes.
The types of questions that trip me up most seem to be tougher flaw questions, sometimes I get bogged down and justify/principle questions. I notice that conform to principle questions in some cases can crush my time, for instance on PT 64 LRS3, I straight up skipped question 18, but got it right in BR.