Extend Testmasters Online or 7Sage Starter? Forum

[dsanch]

Hi all-

I'm new to this forum and currently studying for the Dec 2015 LSAT although not applying until next year's cycle. I am wrapping up the Testmasters course at the end of September. My plan for second half of September through November is to focus much more on practice tests, with drilling problematic question types/concepts in between. I have a schedule worked out where I will take about 35-40 PT's by the time I'm near test day. I have the PT's already, but I am wondering if I should supplement my PT's with the 7sage starter pack for $179 or pay the $700 to extend my online access with Testmasters.

With TM, I feel like the main benefit is the Academic Support. As far as answer keys, I can simply screenshot before may access ends or I hear I can request keys for no extra cost. The problem is I have only used Academic Support once or twice throughout the course so far. Usually if I get a question wrong, I can see my mistake with just a little more analysis or often I can find a good explanation on Manhattan Prep. I also know 7Sage has a lot of explanations for LR in their pack too.

7Sage is a better deal, and I like that I can have access to extra videos to explain a specific concept more in-depth if I am struggling with it. I feel like TM's videos are pretty general and I have understood/taken good notes on the material throughout the class. My big concern with 7Sage is if I am wasting my $$ and potentially screwing myself by exposing myself to 7Sage's methods. How different is it from TM's? I like TM's methods, but I feel like sometimes its just not in-depth enough.

I am really starting to realize that TM targets the 150s/low 160s crowd, and I am shooting for 170+. TM was valuable in the beginning, especially with LG, when I really needed the foundational concepts explained, but as the course goes on I feel like I take less and less from the lessons.

I guess my question is if any of you have experience with one or the other and what your thoughts are? I also would like to know anyone's opinions on buying the 7Sage pack with ~3 months to go, when I will be more focused on PT's.

As an Fyi, I am scoring in the mid 165-167 range currently.

Thanks!

[GospelLeague]

Currently I'm taking TM too, and I decide to extend TM if I decide to retake Dec. Right now I'm scoring between 166-168, shooting for 170+
For me it's not really about the method, but the way I'm thinking. Usually the way I think matters, instead of a particular method. That being said, my weakness is certain kinds of LR and RC. So I use Academic Support a lot of times every day to make every question clear, and make sure I think on the right track. In this way, I do think Academic Support helps.

IMO, no company can help you achieve 170+. All those methods, properly learned, can guarantee a 160+. To score higher, you need a certain kind of "epiphany", and this comes with tons of practice.

[seashell.economy]

LG bibles are the best study tool out there.

[ChinaCat]

I've never used Testmasters, so I can't comment on that, but I did use 7sage. I got the starter course, but I didn't treat it as a class, I just picked the materials I thought would be most useful, and skipped the rest. Like you, I had about 3 months left before the test, or a little less, and I was focusing mostly on PTs and drilling logic games. I liked 7sage a lot. However, the most useful part of 7sage, at least for me, was probably the free part, the method JY recommends for mastering logic games, along with his logic games explanation videos. But a lot of the course materials for logic games were helpful too. I can't comment on the LR or RC materials as I never used those.

7sage has since changed, and you now only get access to the easiest problem sets with the starter course, and it doesn't come with the PDFs anymore because of LSAC's new rules. I think these two things reduce the course's value significantly, especially if you're only missing the more difficult questions.

Regarding your worry about learning 7sage's methods, I don't think that will be a problem. For logic games, I blended the methods from the powerscore bible and 7sage, and it didn't hurt me at all. I suppose it could be different for RC or LR, I didn't really study for those sections aside from taking full PTs. But I think you will be fine.

[Harry_Pluxen]

Hi all-

I'm new to this forum and currently studying for the Dec 2015 LSAT although not applying until next year's cycle. I am wrapping up the Testmasters course at the end of September. My plan for second half of September through November is to focus much more on practice tests, with drilling problematic question types/concepts in between. I have a schedule worked out where I will take about 35-40 PT's by the time I'm near test day. I have the PT's already, but I am wondering if I should supplement my PT's with the 7sage starter pack for $179 or pay the $700 to extend my online access with Testmasters.

With TM, I feel like the main benefit is the Academic Support. As far as answer keys, I can simply screenshot before may access ends or I hear I can request keys for no extra cost. The problem is I have only used Academic Support once or twice throughout the course so far. Usually if I get a question wrong, I can see my mistake with just a little more analysis or often I can find a good explanation on Manhattan Prep. I also know 7Sage has a lot of explanations for LR in their pack too.

7Sage is a better deal, and I like that I can have access to extra videos to explain a specific concept more in-depth if I am struggling with it. I feel like TM's videos are pretty general and I have understood/taken good notes on the material throughout the class. My big concern with 7Sage is if I am wasting my $$ and potentially screwing myself by exposing myself to 7Sage's methods. How different is it from TM's? I like TM's methods, but I feel like sometimes its just not in-depth enough.

I am really starting to realize that TM targets the 150s/low 160s crowd, and I am shooting for 170+. TM was valuable in the beginning, especially with LG, when I really needed the foundational concepts explained, but as the course goes on I feel like I take less and less from the lessons.

I guess my question is if any of you have experience with one or the other and what your thoughts are? I also would like to know anyone's opinions on buying the 7Sage pack with ~3 months to go, when I will be more focused on PT's.

As an Fyi, I am scoring in the mid 165-167 range currently.

Thanks!

I can't speak for test masters, but I can say that 7 sage was worth the $ I dished out for it. I got the ultimate package, which was the highest in terms of value at the time. Now, however, they have an ultimate +, which is slightly more expensive and has some new material.

7 sage does a fantastic job with LG, probably the best out there along with the Powerscore LGB.

Their LR is very good too. The curriculum is a bit short, but provides all that you need, IMO. They also have video explanations for all questions that provide specific methods for clearly attacking each question, clearly explaining why each correct answer is correct, why each incorrect answer is incorrect, why you might think that incorrect answers and correct and why you might not realize the correct answer is in fact correct.

Their RC is a bit limited, I would perhaps look elsewhere for help on that.

Also, there is one important footnote. Because of the LSAC licensing policy that was instituted in April this year, there are no more PDF files. This is a bummer with 7 sage since all of their prep material (full length PTs and quizzes for specific question types) were available only as PDF files.

[dsanch]

All of this information has been very helpful, 7Sage is definitely looking more appealing to me. Its a bummer they no longer include PT's in their price but if the LR and LG curriculum is worth it, thats definitely where I will be needing more guidance as I PT the last few months. I have lots of practice problems sorted by question type from TM, and 40+ PT's I have purchased because I know how crucial they are. So I am not as concerned about that.

Thanks everyone!

[lpadr009]

I'm taking TM right now and I do not plan on extending it. If anything, I may try the 7sage packet you mention so I can get some explanations, but I doubt I will need anything else

[mynameismyname]

7sage was the best decision I made in LSAT prep. I got the ultimate package back when it came with PTs. I know nothing about TM but 7sage ultimate helped me a lot