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Scored w/ in Drexel's 25th - 75th on my 1st attempt in June. Balanced RC/LR scores and weaker LG score




But I wanna be like....




Thoughts?

How did you study?

KMart wrote:How did you study?

By telling myself today would be the day I would really start, and then going to Wawa for a cup of coffee instead. Watched some vids on various subjects (e.g. formal logic, sequencing LG games, etc. Completed 4 full length timed tests.) That sorta thing.

IWantToBeAFarmer wrote:

KMart wrote:How did you study?

By telling myself today would be the day I would really start, and then going to Wawa for a cup of coffee instead. Watched some vids on various subjects (e.g. formal logic, sequencing LG games, etc. Completed 4 full length timed tests.) That sorta thing.

You need to study a lot more with some different review materials. Cambridge provides LSAT packets you can use to drill different question types. I found the Bibles most helpful, but other people recommend different things.

KMart wrote:You need to study a lot more with some different review materials. Cambridge provides LSAT packets you can use to drill different question types. I found the Bibles most helpful, but other people recommend different things.

Ah, cool cool. How many hours you recommend I put in per day? Figure I've got some free time. Sounds like you're telling me to not just go w/ one publisher, but use various sources to study. 'Bout right?

IWantToBeAFarmer wrote:

KMart wrote:You need to study a lot more with some different review materials. Cambridge provides LSAT packets you can use to drill different question types. I found the Bibles most helpful, but other people recommend different things.

Ah, cool cool. How many hours you recommend I put in per day? Figure I've got some free time. Sounds like you're telling me to not just go w/ one publisher, but use various sources to study. 'Bout right?

The LSAT takes a lot of work for almost everyone. I would treat it like a job as much as you can. It wouldn't be crazy to treat it like a 30-40/week job for a few months, people who score highly on the exam often put in this type of work to do so.

In terms of hours per day of studying, it really depends on your schedule and structure of your days/how much control you have over your schedule. Ideally, I would want to study from 8/9AM-12/1PM every day with a break, since the Oct exam is in the morning. Maybe another session in the evening as well, but I think after you cross the 4 hour threshold for the day, then it's better to break studying up into smaller and more focused chunks of time, since you are already doing LSAT for more time than you will be on test day. Anything more than 8 hours in a day total is probably overkill, however.

What's your daily schedule like from now until your exam?

IWantToBeAFarmer wrote:

KMart wrote:You need to study a lot more with some different review materials. Cambridge provides LSAT packets you can use to drill different question types. I found the Bibles most helpful, but other people recommend different things.

Ah, cool cool. How many hours you recommend I put in per day? Figure I've got some free time. Sounds like you're telling me to not just go w/ one publisher, but use various sources to study. 'Bout right?

I did, sort of. The packets don't really analyze the questions and answers like the Bibles do. The packets are there to offer questions grouped by type and sorted by difficulty for you to work through. Practice makes perfect.

Everyone studies for different lengths each day and it's contingent on so many external factors. Are you taking in October? How much time do you have per day? How much can you handle per day? How much improve do you want?

A high score, generally, requires more effort. It's up to you to pick how much you'd like each day and what works for you. I did about 4 hours/day and 6 days a week the first time around and for my other attempts dropped to about 2-3hours but 7 days/week.

BlueprintJason wrote:
The LSAT takes a lot of work for almost everyone. I would treat it like a job as much as you can. It wouldn't be crazy to treat it like a 30-40/week job for a few months, people who score highly on the exam often put in this type of work to do so.

In terms of hours per day of studying, it really depends on your schedule and structure of your days/how much control you have over your schedule. Ideally, I would want to study from 8/9AM-12/1PM every day with a break, since the Oct exam is in the morning. Maybe another session in the evening as well, but I think after you cross the 4 hour threshold for the day, then it's better to break studying up into smaller and more focused chunks of time, since you are already doing LSAT for more time than you will be on test day. Anything more than 8 hours in a day total is probably overkill, however.

What's your daily schedule like from now until your exam?

Thx for the reply! And wow... didn't know that much time was required. I'm flexible at the moment so it sounds like I should be preparing for the exam like it's a full time job. Definitely don't want to have to take the exam a 3rd time.

KMart wrote: I did, sort of. The packets don't really analyze the questions and answers like the Bibles do. The packets are there to offer questions grouped by type and sorted by difficulty for you to work through. Practice makes perfect.

Everyone studies for different lengths each day and it's contingent on so many external factors. Are you taking in October? How much time do you have per day? How much can you handle per day? How much improve do you want?

A high score, generally, requires more effort. It's up to you to pick how much you'd like each day and what works for you. I did about 4 hours/day and 6 days a week the first time around and for my other attempts dropped to about 2-3hours but 7 days/week.

Good deal. Sounds like you aced it! Took it 2 or 3 times? I'm thinkn' of buying the PowerScore books too. I have a few Kaplan guides; they're not bad at all, especially for the value. I'm registered for the Oct 3rd exam... maybe I should postpone till the Dec date. Haven't decided yet. I'm flexible at the moment, but the other poster told me not to push beyond a certain point per day even if I've got the time 'cause I'll burn out, or something to that effect. He advised to keep each session under 4 hours. I'd be happy w/ 12+ point increase from my 1st attempt. Given my scores fall in the middle tier range that's probably very doable. I hear it's much tougher as the scores increase to eek out any +EV edges.

Long term, as odd as this may sound, I'll probably keep doing 1/2 hour - 1 hour / day or so, just to plus up. I know the only proven correlation is between LSAT scores and 1L grades, but I personally believe there's more to it than that. Worst case scenario is I'm wrong on that point, and I'll improve my speed and accuracy in determining where Peter and Suzanne sit at the table when Joe is forced into the 1st seat or whatever.

Thx for the advice!

Tomorrow I begin training for December's exam!

IWantToBeAFarmer wrote:

KMart wrote: I did, sort of. The packets don't really analyze the questions and answers like the Bibles do. The packets are there to offer questions grouped by type and sorted by difficulty for you to work through. Practice makes perfect.

Everyone studies for different lengths each day and it's contingent on so many external factors. Are you taking in October? How much time do you have per day? How much can you handle per day? How much improve do you want?

A high score, generally, requires more effort. It's up to you to pick how much you'd like each day and what works for you. I did about 4 hours/day and 6 days a week the first time around and for my other attempts dropped to about 2-3hours but 7 days/week.

Good deal. Sounds like you aced it! Took it 2 or 3 times? I'm thinkn' of buying the PowerScore books too. I have a few Kaplan guides; they're not bad at all, especially for the value. I'm registered for the Oct 3rd exam... maybe I should postpone till the Dec date. Haven't decided yet. I'm flexible at the moment, but the other poster told me not to push beyond a certain point per day even if I've got the time 'cause I'll burn out, or something to that effect. He advised to keep each session under 4 hours. I'd be happy w/ 12+ point increase from my 1st attempt. Given my scores fall in the middle tier range that's probably very doable. I hear it's much tougher as the scores increase to eek out any +EV edges.

Long term, as odd as this may sound, I'll probably keep doing 1/2 hour - 1 hour / day or so, just to plus up. I know the only proven correlation is between LSAT scores and 1L grades, but I personally believe there's more to it than that. Worst case scenario is I'm wrong on that point, and I'll improve my speed and accuracy in determining where Peter and Suzanne sit at the table when Joe is forced into the 1st seat or whatever.

I second the recommendation to buy the PowerScore books; LG and LR were great (didn't buy RC). If your schedule is flexible at the moment, definitely take advantage and max out your LSAT score! There are so many people who would kill to have the flexibility you have right now

Like Jason said, do be aware of burnout, but four hours a day isn't bad at all if you have the whole day free. Four hours is like a practice test + blind review of wrong answers. You should be taking practice tests regularly if you're serious about improving.

Drexel references, Wawa runs. True Philly right here.

Progress Update:

You can make huge gains with retaking. The first time I took the test after a halfassed month of bs studying. The second time I took an online course over about 9 weeks and scored 11 points higher. I needed the structure of a course, but it was worth it.

Good luck!

Dcc617 wrote:You can make huge gains with retaking. The first time I took the test after a halfassed month of bs studying. The second time I took an online course over about 9 weeks and scored 11 points higher. I needed the structure of a course, but it was worth it.

Good luck!

Thanks! I'm scheduled to retake in February at Villanova. I'm going to self study with Kaplan, The Princeton Review, McGraw Hill, and Barron's books. Committed to studying six hours per day Monday through Friday.

I was scheduled to take it this December, but something popped up and I wasn't able to hit the books late September and all of October.

Payed the $90 change of test day through LSAC. No big deal.