Don't Give Up Forum

[alexrodriguez]

You have to fight for it!

I scored a 153 in June.

I scored a 156 in September.

Today I scored a 171. This has been my highest score yet. You have no idea how happy I am right now. Scoring a 170+ seemed impossible forever. One question at a time... that's all you can do.

Just work hard. Get to a point where you don't care anymore and just focus on doing your best. That's where I'm at right now. I'm not overanalyzing the logic... I'm just doing what makes sense. I'm not drilling hundreds of questions each day and acting like a madman, but I went through that! and maybe that's why I'm at where I'm at today! Now, I'm eating, I'm sleeping, I'm enjoying my life and I just happen to take two practice tests a week. Thats it. I have some study partners in real life and they have been extremely helpful. I'm sure there are plenty of people in your area that are studying just as hard as you are. Find them. Become friends with them. You'll be better for it.

There has been such a drastic evolution here. I remember coming to these forums like a lost little puppy and honestly, right now, I feel like I could teach this stuff. I'm there. I'm getting to that point. I could 180 this test. It's so possible. I'm not going to because I'm taking in December no questions asked, but there is only so much they can fool you with.

I did the first game in like 3 minutes today. I'm at a point where I know what they are going to ask before they ask it. You can't overthink LR. Be precise, but don't overthink it. RC- Get a good read. Thats the most important thing you can do. Understand what is going on. Do that and they can't possibly fool you. Not too much anyway.

I've come to enjoy the LSAT. I sort of think of it as a sport where I'm competing against my own previous stupidity. You only get better with repetition. I'm sure you have something in your life that you are extremely gifted at... the LSAT can be one of those things, but you have to work for it. Everyone is going to start off scoring differently, but its those who put in the most effort who are going to see the most improvement.

I believe in you. Tell me you're going to score high. Tell me you're going to take the exam three times if that's what it takes to score a 170+ I don't care what law school you want to go to... score high... prove to yourself that you can do it... I know you can.. and I know this because I did it... and I'm just a regular dude

for me... it doesn't matter what I score in December... I did what I set out to do

170+

I couldn't have done it without TLS... not even remotely possible... you all kept pushing me to do better... and as much as I often hated some of your comments... it led me here... to this moment

[CardozoLaw09]

Congrats!

I hope the 171 wasn't a retake though...

[KanGaHru]

Nice job my friend! Very inspirational post. Keep it up and kill the December test!!! Congrats

[Rigo]

Congrats. I hope it translates on your retake.

[mud415]

Congrats! Keep up the good work -- After studying for such a sustained period of time, what would your recommendations be concerning the best LG, LR, RC guides and books out there? Did you drill extensively from Cambridge as well? Did you take a review course that you thought established a good foundation or do you stand behind the self-study approach like so many on this forum do?

[alexrodriguez]

Congrats! Keep up the good work -- After studying for such a sustained period of time, what would your recommendations be concerning the best LG, LR, RC guides and books out there? Did you drill extensively from Cambridge as well? Did you take a review course that you thought established a good foundation or do you stand behind the self-study approach like so many on this forum do?

It's hard to point to any one thing...

I have all the books. powerscore / manhattan / trainer
I have two guides from steve of the lsatblog
I have 7sage
I have Cambridge
I took a testmasters course.
I bought a subscription to the Economist
I did lots of practice tests with someone who scores consistently above 170+ who helped with review (pretty much a tutor/friend)

It was a very slow progression. I've been studying for about a year and a half now. Just about everything that others have told you about effectively studying... I have done... at one point I was even doing sudoku puzzles in my spare time...

i was in in the military stationed on an island out in the middle of nowhere... most of my good study habits were picked up here because there was literally nothing to do... studying for 8, 9, 10 hours a day wasn't that big of a deal. that sort of thing might be hard to develop when you're already in a set routine living at home surrounded by the usual. luckily, when I got back to the states I was still able to push forward... I think making the transition from a normal life to an LSAT life is the key ingredient here

[mud415]

Congrats! Keep up the good work -- After studying for such a sustained period of time, what would your recommendations be concerning the best LG, LR, RC guides and books out there? Did you drill extensively from Cambridge as well? Did you take a review course that you thought established a good foundation or do you stand behind the self-study approach like so many on this forum do?

It's hard to point to any one thing...

I have all the books. powerscore / manhattan / trainer
I have two guides from steve of the lsatblog
I have 7sage
I have Cambridge
I took a testmasters course.
I bought a subscription to the Economist
I did lots of practice tests with someone who scores consistently above 170+ who helped with review (pretty much a tutor/friend)

It was a very slow progression. I've been studying for about a year and a half now. Just about everything that others have told you about effectively studying... I have done... at one point I was even doing sudoku puzzles in my spare time...

i was in in the military stationed on an island out in the middle of nowhere... most of my good study habits were picked up here because there was literally nothing to do... studying for 8, 9, 10 hours a day wasn't that big of a deal. that sort of thing might be hard to develop when you're already in a set routine living at home surrounded by the usual. luckily, when I got back to the states I was still able to push forward... I think making the transition from a normal life to an LSAT life is the key ingredient here

Thanks for the thorough response -- I have been studying on and off for about that long as well (I sat for the October 2013 LSAT and scored just a little bit above your first two initial scores) and am definitely in need of some structured LSAT prep as I am planning to sit for the June 2015 exam, giving me roughly ~6 months

I thought the Manhattan LSAT & Trainer were definitely helpful, but I'm looking into a possible move into Blueprint material. It sounds like you definitely recommend an "all-out" mentality to the test then (correct me if I'm wrong). Did you ever burn out like I have these last few months? What did you do to unwind that helped?

[Yeezus]

Good for you man, it is certainly well deserved. You always seemed like one of the hardest workers on TLS. I got 166 in June and September, and now I'm ready to get that 170+ in December. It WILL happen.

[nibstheking]

You rock!

Thanks for the inspiration, I have a renewed sense of hope in myself.

[nibstheking]

Is there anything you would recommend for improving reading speed and comprehension on RC?

My accuracy is getting better, however, if I speed up, I just end up making mistakes.

I'm trying to read the Economist and Scientific American each day. I'm also delving into a different range of literature on my spare time, something I usually wouldn't do.

[jlk411]

Congrats and thanks for the daily dose of inspiration!

[alexrodriguez]

Is there anything you would recommend for improving reading speed and comprehension on RC?

My accuracy is getting better, however, if I speed up, I just end up making mistakes.

I'm trying to read the Economist and Scientific American each day. I'm also delving into a different range of literature on my spare time, something I usually wouldn't do.

You want to read passages without thinking about anything else. This include thinking about the pace in which you are reading. I also think you shouldn't have some notion about what you should be underlining, circling, marking, and whatever else you may end up doing because some prep company told you to. I hardly note anything, and I can clearly remember where I need to look for certain information.

You want to read at a comfortable pace. I do think everyone can improve upon that comfortable pace though. That could take a few days or a couple of months depending on who you are.

I scored a 170 today! I had my best RC section ever. I went -4 all together and whats also awesome is that I went -3 in the RC experimental.

You'll get there. Keep reading. Stay focused.

[ltowns1]

That's freaking awesome dude! Congrats...here is to you getin a 170+ in December, and thank you for your service as well

[Aurelius85]

Way to go! You and so many others like you are proof that you indeed beat this exam. Like you I'm taking a lot of time to really learn everything I'm going to be tested on. It's definitely a grind but after a while you're just on auto-pilot and you prepping becomes part of your daily routine. Thanks for the encouragement. I hope you get into all your choices.

[justdoit11]

Congrats! Keep up the good work -- After studying for such a sustained period of time, what would your recommendations be concerning the best LG, LR, RC guides and books out there? Did you drill extensively from Cambridge as well? Did you take a review course that you thought established a good foundation or do you stand behind the self-study approach like so many on this forum do?

It's hard to point to any one thing...

I have all the books. powerscore / manhattan / trainer
I have two guides from steve of the lsatblog
I have 7sage
I have Cambridge
I took a testmasters course.
I bought a subscription to the Economist
I did lots of practice tests with someone who scores consistently above 170+ who helped with review (pretty much a tutor/friend)

It was a very slow progression. I've been studying for about a year and a half now. Just about everything that others have told you about effectively studying... I have done... at one point I was even doing sudoku puzzles in my spare time...

i was in in the military stationed on an island out in the middle of nowhere... most of my good study habits were picked up here because there was literally nothing to do... studying for 8, 9, 10 hours a day wasn't that big of a deal. that sort of thing might be hard to develop when you're already in a set routine living at home surrounded by the usual. luckily, when I got back to the states I was still able to push forward... I think making the transition from a normal life to an LSAT life is the key ingredient here

I have everything on this list except the friend scoring above 170 (I cant study with people anyway) and Im not in the military. BUT I did start a little lower than your june score so Im remaining hopeful. Thanks for this! What would you say to someone (aka me) who is consistently getting -4 to -7 on each LR section? After a section, I feel confident and then I get 5 wrong, a couple being those I changed answers after being stuck on two choices. this is frustrating

[alexrodriguez]

Congrats! Keep up the good work -- After studying for such a sustained period of time, what would your recommendations be concerning the best LG, LR, RC guides and books out there? Did you drill extensively from Cambridge as well? Did you take a review course that you thought established a good foundation or do you stand behind the self-study approach like so many on this forum do?

It's hard to point to any one thing...

I have all the books. powerscore / manhattan / trainer
I have two guides from steve of the lsatblog
I have 7sage
I have Cambridge
I took a testmasters course.
I bought a subscription to the Economist
I did lots of practice tests with someone who scores consistently above 170+ who helped with review (pretty much a tutor/friend)

It was a very slow progression. I've been studying for about a year and a half now. Just about everything that others have told you about effectively studying... I have done... at one point I was even doing sudoku puzzles in my spare time...

i was in in the military stationed on an island out in the middle of nowhere... most of my good study habits were picked up here because there was literally nothing to do... studying for 8, 9, 10 hours a day wasn't that big of a deal. that sort of thing might be hard to develop when you're already in a set routine living at home surrounded by the usual. luckily, when I got back to the states I was still able to push forward... I think making the transition from a normal life to an LSAT life is the key ingredient here

I have everything on this list except the friend scoring above 170 (I cant study with people anyway) and Im not in the military. BUT I did start a little lower than your june score so Im remaining hopeful. Thanks for this! What would you say to someone (aka me) who is consistently getting -4 to -7 on each LR section? After a section, I feel confident and then I get 5 wrong, a couple being those I changed answers after being stuck on two choices. this is frustrating

I think the first thing you need to do is understand why you picked the wrong answer. Try to understand what you were thinking. Let a few days pass by and come back to that question. I read somewhere on these forums about a guy who cut out every question he got wrong and had a stack of them he would review before going to bed. It's kind of extreme. I started doing this early in my prep and I realized I was cutting out too many questions lol. Later on though it can be really effective when you no longer have an excuse because you should know the material by now.

Another interesting thing- I messaged this girl who had scored a 170+ and was asking for advice. One thing she told me was that she did 18 Logic Games a day for about a month straight leading up to the exam. Her motivation inspired me. I'm guessing over all my prep I've done about 600 to 800 Logic Games.

[Clyde Frog]

Was just wondering, since you've been taking PTs since last year at a pretty high rate, are these tests you're taking now retakes?

Not sure that telling people not to listen to prep companies on RC is wise since some have very effective methods.