Rate this LSAT Study Plan (June 2016) Forum

[GoG9]

Hey everyone, first time poster long time lurker. Hoping for some feedback about whether my plan is realistic for my goal. Apologies in advance for the navel gazing. For starters,

Diagnostic (January) = 162
-1 RC, -15 LG, -9 LR [-25]

Most recent representative practice test = 168
-3 RC, -3 LG, -6 LR [-12]

Goal: 175+

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The aim for the next 2 months until June is to get my LR down to -1 or -2, which will probably take me most of April, and then attack logic games. (RC is not a problem for me, never studied RC and am confident I can get perfect or -1 with a little studying close to test date). My 'vision' for June is to get -2 on LG, -2 on LR, -0 RC.

What do people think of this plan? Is this going to get me there? Do I need to be doing something else entirely, or just *more*? There are ~70 days until the test date, FYI, 10 weeks.

-Study 6/7 days a week with one day off to recuperate
-Two timed tests with 4 sections a week
-One timed test with 5 sections a week
-The other 3 days, do 2 timed sections of LR or LG, AND redo questions I missed in the exams

I have already gone through Powerscore LR and LG Bible, and did a kaplan class ~16 months ago so been through those books too. Just ordered Manhattan LR b/c I didn't like Powerscore's book that much. Any other recommendations are appreciated.

Thanks

[Vandy2bforrealz]

Make it happen. Use all 3 takes if necessary. Get LORs early. Write essays early. Apply day 1 that apps open. Blanket t-20... Good luck...

There are many plans but execution is all that counts.

[Mikey]

Looks good, but remember to take that day off because 3 timed tests a week can be tiring.

[GoG9]

Looks good, but remember to take that day off because 3 timed tests a week can be tiring.

Thanks and point taken. I naturally have a day where I'm too busy to do any test work (Wed). I'm sure there will be a few weeks when I have travel or something else that makes me miss a second day here or there.

[GoG9]

Make it happen. Use all 3 takes if necessary. Get LORs early. Write essays early. Apply day 1 that apps open. Blanket t-20... Good luck...

There are many plans but execution is all that counts.

Thanks for the encouragement and 100% agreed.. I am fully committed to execution, but it would be nice to know that IF I do execute, THEN I will hit my goal... my uncertainty is whether this plan, if fully executed, will be enough..

[Vandy2bforrealz]

Your plan is definitely strong enough to work but to get a 175 you would need to be averaging 177-180 in practice over the 3 tests prior to the official test. One ridiculous game or unusual reading comprehension passage can destroy you. I believe it is 100% possible to foolproof logic games. Reading comprehension is mostly your natural reading ability and probably can't be drastically improved in 3 months (your -1 to -3 is amazing at this point). Logical reasoning is a beast but can be conquered by relentless drilling and testing. All in all, I believe your timeline is on the short end of the spectrum but a 175 is doable. I scored nowhere close to a 175 but my cycle ended up exactly how I desired it to.

[GoG9]

Your plan is definitely strong enough to work but to get a 175 you would need to be averaging 177-180 in practice over the 3 tests prior to the official test. One ridiculous game or unusual reading comprehension passage can destroy you. I believe it is 100% possible to foolproof logic games. Reading comprehension is mostly your natural reading ability and probably can't be drastically improved in 3 months (your -1 to -3 is amazing at this point). Logical reasoning is a beast but can be conquered by relentless drilling and testing. All in all, I believe your timeline is on the short end of the spectrum but a 175 is doable. I scored nowhere close to a 175 but my cycle ended up exactly how I desired it to.

That's a great point I hadn't considered. Is it very common to be a few points below your practice test average?

[Vandy2bforrealz]

Yes. I don't know many people who hit their average. Most score 1-3 points lower. If I had to guess I would think it is due to the stress of the reality of the test (this test can almost serve as the foundation for your entire legal career by determining what schools you can realistically attend), there are a ton of people in the room (plus annoying proctors constantly walking around near you in order to monitor the test), and noise (people coughing, leaving to cry during logic games or unusual bathroom patterns, paper dropping and erasing). And all that usually occurs simulataneously with the moment when you get a curveball logic game or a wtf reading passage... Practice better than you play. If 175 is really your goal make sure you can score above it consistently in practice. That way if things go wrong, you'll still have a little buffer.

[somethingElse]

A lot of that shit can be countered by two things:

1) Take your PTs in as similar an environment to the real test as possible (physical location, time of day, amount of sections, length of breaks, mental approach, etc)

2) Rise to the occasion and belief in yourself, instead of thinking that you will underperform your PTs. Fuck that mindset. KNOW that you will do just as well on the real thing as you did on your PTs, because you've taken so many and know the test like the back of your hand. Don't buy into the whole "oh most people underperform so I probably will too." Thinking like that will literally make that outcome more likely.

[Blueprint Mithun]

Your plan is definitely strong enough to work but to get a 175 you would need to be averaging 177-180 in practice over the 3 tests prior to the official test. One ridiculous game or unusual reading comprehension passage can destroy you. I believe it is 100% possible to foolproof logic games. Reading comprehension is mostly your natural reading ability and probably can't be drastically improved in 3 months (your -1 to -3 is amazing at this point). Logical reasoning is a beast but can be conquered by relentless drilling and testing. All in all, I believe your timeline is on the short end of the spectrum but a 175 is doable. I scored nowhere close to a 175 but my cycle ended up exactly how I desired it to.

That's a great point I hadn't considered. Is it very common to be a few points below your practice test average?

Whether or not it's common, that's a destructive mindset to go into the test with. A lot of the point of the relentless preptesting is to build your confidence and familiarity with the LSAT. Yes, you'll almost definitely feel more nervous during the actual test, but that's something you have to prepare for. Spend 10 or 15 minutes a day learning basic meditation. Learn a few breathing exercises and practice them until they work. If you feel your nerves overcoming you or impeding your progress during a PT or the real test, take 10 seconds to breathe and recalibrate yourself. This becomes even more crucial as you're aiming for higher and higher scores.

LR is often the trickiest section in this regard. There are times when you'll feel less than 100% sure about your answer to a question, but you still have to move on, to keep your pace going. It's important to let these questions go, to not let them bother you as you do the rest of the section. Yes, you should be aware of the question, so that you can go back if you have time at the end. But each question is its own individual battle, and you can't let stress build up and bog you down.

Your plan is strong. I'd aim to get LG consistently down to -0, by repeating any games where you missed a question or took too long. Work on LR as much as possible, analyzing your weaknesses and mistakes as closely as possible. For RC, it's important to have a strategy for approaching passages that focuses on retrieving the big picture ideas, namely main point, author's attitude, structure, and major perspectives. Beyond that, it's just practice. Read magazine articles to keep your reading/analytical skills honed when you're tired of constant LSAT.

Good luck!

[GoG9]

Whether or not it's common, that's a destructive mindset to go into the test with. A lot of the point of the relentless preptesting is to build your confidence and familiarity with the LSAT. Yes, you'll almost definitely feel more nervous during the actual test, but that's something you have to prepare for. Spend 10 or 15 minutes a day learning basic meditation. Learn a few breathing exercises and practice them until they work. If you feel your nerves overcoming you or impeding your progress during a PT or the real test, take 10 seconds to breathe and recalibrate yourself. This becomes even more crucial as you're aiming for higher and higher scores.

LR is often the trickiest section in this regard. There are times when you'll feel less than 100% sure about your answer to a question, but you still have to move on, to keep your pace going. It's important to let these questions go, to not let them bother you as you do the rest of the section. Yes, you should be aware of the question, so that you can go back if you have time at the end. But each question is its own individual battle, and you can't let stress build up and bog you down.

Your plan is strong. I'd aim to get LG consistently down to -0, by repeating any games where you missed a question or took too long. Work on LR as much as possible, analyzing your weaknesses and mistakes as closely as possible. For RC, it's important to have a strategy for approaching passages that focuses on retrieving the big picture ideas, namely main point, author's attitude, structure, and major perspectives. Beyond that, it's just practice. Read magazine articles to keep your reading/analytical skills honed when you're tired of constant LSAT.

Good luck!

Super helpful! Thank you!!

[pittsburghpirates]

Think this will be a very good plan as long as you can stick with it. That said, if you feel yourself slowing down and hitting a wall in your prep, don't be afraid to take a few days off completely to let your brain recharge. This happened for me about a month and a half before the test and after I took some time off I found I actually did better down the stretch. Best of luck!

[RamTitan]

It's a good plan, but why do two 4 section tests a week? Make those 5 sections breh. Might as well do 3 full practice tests weekly.