Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT... Forum
- LSAT Blog
- Posts: 1257
- Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2009 9:24 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
I update the schedules to include the newest PrepTests.
-
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun Oct 18, 2009 2:29 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
That's only a year ago. The test doesn't change that much.Norlan wrote:how effective is it given that it was posted in 2009?TonyStarks wrote:Is anybody else planning on using the 3 month plan offered here on the lsat blog?
http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/3- ... edule.html
Also, it's basically Pithypike's method, which is well respected around here.
-
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 7:37 am
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
1) What score did you get?
162, Dec 2009
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Kaplan LSAT, Kaplan LSAT Advanced, Kaplan LG workbook, LSAC SuperPrep
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
1 week, but really 3 days. I'm a 52 year old air traffic controller. I took leave from work Wednesday through Friday before the December 2009 LSAT and basically re-learned how to take standardized tests.
5) How many preptests did you do?
Around 6 or 7
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Spend at least another day just on Logic Games
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
I think people who have done well in other standardized tests like the SAT, GRE, etc. will probably not have any real problems with Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. It's just a matter of remembering how to do those kinds of tests and training yourself to really keep track of the time during the tests. I bought a cheap Casio analog watch just for the LSAT and wrote down the start time and end time on each practice test section. The Logic Games are where you can make a huge difference in the score. The LG section is just so different from the other tests like the SAT, that extra time practicing those will make a huge difference, I believe. I think my first preptest score was around 145, so I was able to improve my score almost 20 points through the practice test books.
I got accepted into UH's part-time program, so I'm happy with how things worked out.
162, Dec 2009
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Kaplan LSAT, Kaplan LSAT Advanced, Kaplan LG workbook, LSAC SuperPrep
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
1 week, but really 3 days. I'm a 52 year old air traffic controller. I took leave from work Wednesday through Friday before the December 2009 LSAT and basically re-learned how to take standardized tests.
5) How many preptests did you do?
Around 6 or 7
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Spend at least another day just on Logic Games
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
I think people who have done well in other standardized tests like the SAT, GRE, etc. will probably not have any real problems with Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. It's just a matter of remembering how to do those kinds of tests and training yourself to really keep track of the time during the tests. I bought a cheap Casio analog watch just for the LSAT and wrote down the start time and end time on each practice test section. The Logic Games are where you can make a huge difference in the score. The LG section is just so different from the other tests like the SAT, that extra time practicing those will make a huge difference, I believe. I think my first preptest score was around 145, so I was able to improve my score almost 20 points through the practice test books.
I got accepted into UH's part-time program, so I'm happy with how things worked out.
-
- Posts: 83
- Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:47 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
Wow. That's exactly what I've done for every test (except my tests aren't from Cambridge LSAT ).Bryan wrote:
6) What would you change if you were to do it again? Probably nothing. Maybe I would have started emulating test conditions earlier. For the first few weeks, I wouldn't print off the PTs that I bought from Cambridge LSAT and I would just do the test on the computer, recording answers on Notepad. I became much more confident and efficient when I started printing off the PTs, using real bubbling sheets, and timing myself with an analog watch rather than my laptop or my cell phone.
I figure that because reading speed and comprehension are diminished when reading from a computer screen, the scores that I've received so far underestimate what I'd get on a paper test. I'm planning to do at least one test -- probably PT20 -- on paper before I take the actual test.
By the way, has anyone who has taken a PT on the computer noticed a score improvement after switching to paper?
-
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 6:27 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
Yes. But it's more than just switching to paper-- you have to try and replicate real conditions as best you can. That extends to timing, eating, drinking, noise, break, etc.hax123 wrote:
Wow. That's exactly what I've done for every test (except my tests aren't from Cambridge LSAT ).
I figure that because reading speed and comprehension are diminished when reading from a computer screen, the scores that I've received so far underestimate what I'd get on a paper test. I'm planning to do at least one test -- probably PT20 -- on paper before I take the actual test.
By the way, has anyone who has taken a PT on the computer noticed a score improvement after switching to paper?
Also, do more than one test on paper. There are some new issues when doing the test on paper (mainly space constraints on logic games and the possibility of misbubbling) and I think it takes a few tests to get used to those changes.
Lastly, I guess you're implying that you are using the torrents. That's fine but make sure you buy a few of the recent tests, anyway. It might cost you 20 or 30 dollars but a few points on the LSAT can easily net you an extra 20 or 30 grand in scholarships. (and maybe extra millions in career earnings?) The consensus around here seems to be that the tests change noticeably after PT 40 so you want to get used to that new style before you write the real thing.
Want to continue reading?
Register now to search topics and post comments!
Absolutely FREE!
Already a member? Login
- Gemini
- Posts: 1944
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:23 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
I bought the Cambridge LSAT questions. Pllleease tell me how to change to PDF?!!?!Bryan wrote:http://www.cambridgelsat.com/productdet ... stions/336smithryan94 wrote:Seems that a lot of you have used the Cambridge LSAT "410 Most Difficult LR Questions" guide. I am having trouble finding this in my usual spots. Anyone want to pawn off their copy or point me in the right direction?
I don't think there is a hard copy. But you can just save to PDF, and then print sections at your leisure.
-
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 6:27 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
On a Mac, you can just click Save to PDF after you push print. On Windows, I found it more difficult. I tried to download some free software that claimed to switch it to PDF but I couldn't figure it out. Eventually, I just printed it to Microsoft OneNote (which should be a default option) and then from there I saved it as a PDF file.Gemini Hopeful wrote: I bought the Cambridge LSAT questions. Pllleease tell me how to change to PDF?!!?!
- SentinelsOfEvil
- Posts: 124
- Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 11:24 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
1) What score did you get?
179 (Jun '10)
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
None
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
After work and travelling (2-3 hrs every alternate day), for 1 month, just doing prep tests. Finally reviewed all incorrect answers (around 60 of them) the day before the test.
5) How many preptests did you do?
12-15 (All untimed)
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Can't think of anything
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
If you PT above 175 on one of your first 2 attempts, it probably means you don't need to improve on your concepts. You should just stick to doing prep tests as these will help improving your consistancy and help you get a score equivalent to your aptitiude
179 (Jun '10)
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
None
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
After work and travelling (2-3 hrs every alternate day), for 1 month, just doing prep tests. Finally reviewed all incorrect answers (around 60 of them) the day before the test.
5) How many preptests did you do?
12-15 (All untimed)
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Can't think of anything
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
If you PT above 175 on one of your first 2 attempts, it probably means you don't need to improve on your concepts. You should just stick to doing prep tests as these will help improving your consistancy and help you get a score equivalent to your aptitiude
- Anaconda
- Posts: 605
- Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2010 3:51 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
Won't let you save it on a mac, you really can only view it 3 times.Bryan wrote:On a Mac, you can just click Save to PDF after you push print. On Windows, I found it more difficult. I tried to download some free software that claimed to switch it to PDF but I couldn't figure it out. Eventually, I just printed it to Microsoft OneNote (which should be a default option) and then from there I saved it as a PDF file.Gemini Hopeful wrote: I bought the Cambridge LSAT questions. Pllleease tell me how to change to PDF?!!?!
- Precessional
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 4:06 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
1. Install free pdf program like CutePDF: http://www.cutepdf.com/Gemini Hopeful wrote:I bought the Cambridge LSAT questions. Pllleease tell me how to change to PDF?!!?!Bryan wrote:http://www.cambridgelsat.com/productdet ... stions/336smithryan94 wrote:Seems that a lot of you have used the Cambridge LSAT "410 Most Difficult LR Questions" guide. I am having trouble finding this in my usual spots. Anyone want to pawn off their copy or point me in the right direction?
I don't think there is a hard copy. But you can just save to PDF, and then print sections at your leisure.
2. Print. In the print window there is a bar to select printers, select the PDF distiller.
3. "Print." Save to file.
Being free, CutePDF's compression ratio sucks. If you're PDF-izing a document with colored pictures, the file-size would be friggin' huge. But it shoudln't be a problem with black/white text documnts.
-
- Posts: 383
- Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:15 am
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
Anaconda wrote:Won't let you save it on a mac, you really can only view it 3 times.Bryan wrote:On a Mac, you can just click Save to PDF after you push print. On Windows, I found it more difficult. I tried to download some free software that claimed to switch it to PDF but I couldn't figure it out. Eventually, I just printed it to Microsoft OneNote (which should be a default option) and then from there I saved it as a PDF file.Gemini Hopeful wrote: I bought the Cambridge LSAT questions. Pllleease tell me how to change to PDF?!!?!
Nonsense. You can save it on a mac. It is in fact easier to save them to PDF on a mac than on a PC. Just hit the print icon. When it asks you if you want to print, press yes. Next a box appears with a drop down menu that says PDF. Click this and click on "save to PDF".
It would not be worth it if you could not save the tests to PDF. They are yours after all, you paid for them. LSAC should be happy that your not getting the PDF files for free in the form of torrent files like 1000s of other people.
Remember, every mac has this feature built in. As a rule, if you can print it, you can save it as a pdf!
- ArchRoark
- Posts: 1000
- Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 2:53 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
1) What score did you get? 177
2) What books did you use? LRG LGB
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Powerscore Full length
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? 3-4months (well I had studied over a year earlier for about the same amount of time but never took the test and pretty much forgot everything by the time I picked up the books again).
5) How many preptests did you do? 37ish
6) What would you change if you were to do it again? Get exposed to more material
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
Learn the concepts fully then focus taking as many practice tests as you can that closely mimic the real conditions (administered during the time you plan to take the test, 5 sections, timed etc etc).
2) What books did you use? LRG LGB
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Powerscore Full length
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? 3-4months (well I had studied over a year earlier for about the same amount of time but never took the test and pretty much forgot everything by the time I picked up the books again).
5) How many preptests did you do? 37ish
6) What would you change if you were to do it again? Get exposed to more material
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
Learn the concepts fully then focus taking as many practice tests as you can that closely mimic the real conditions (administered during the time you plan to take the test, 5 sections, timed etc etc).
Last edited by ArchRoark on Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
- brickman
- Posts: 347
- Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2009 2:59 am
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
I know this is inappropriately placed, but the crowd of people who posted in this thread seems like a good bunch to ask. I know there wont be any "silver bullet" approach, but in terms of getting over plateaus, any suggestions?
Register now!
Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.
It's still FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2010 6:16 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
Any suggestions for who makes the best "fake" prep tests?
I took the June LSAT after a solid 4 months of studying, and was feeling pretty confident after consistently scoring 168+ on prep tests, however I had a pretty rough time of the test (too nervous even though I had tried my best to train myself out of it) and ended up with a 163. I will be re-taking in October, but my concern with hitting the books again is that I already took real prep tests 48-58. I'm weary to take earlier ones since I've heard difficulty of games/RC has shifted a bit over time. Any thoughts on where I can get full-length tests that are realistic enough to not mess me up??
I took the June LSAT after a solid 4 months of studying, and was feeling pretty confident after consistently scoring 168+ on prep tests, however I had a pretty rough time of the test (too nervous even though I had tried my best to train myself out of it) and ended up with a 163. I will be re-taking in October, but my concern with hitting the books again is that I already took real prep tests 48-58. I'm weary to take earlier ones since I've heard difficulty of games/RC has shifted a bit over time. Any thoughts on where I can get full-length tests that are realistic enough to not mess me up??
- Traciela
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 4:05 am
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
I think many people would agree with me that the PrepTests before PrepTest 48 are of greater quality than any "fake" LSAT tests that you may be able to find.mmastert wrote:Any suggestions for who makes the best "fake" prep tests?
I took the June LSAT after a solid 4 months of studying, and was feeling pretty confident after consistently scoring 168+ on prep tests, however I had a pretty rough time of the test (too nervous even though I had tried my best to train myself out of it) and ended up with a 163. I will be re-taking in October, but my concern with hitting the books again is that I already took real prep tests 48-58. I'm weary to take earlier ones since I've heard difficulty of games/RC has shifted a bit over time. Any thoughts on where I can get full-length tests that are realistic enough to not mess me up??
-
- Posts: 383
- Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:15 am
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
I'm pretty sure this should be in its own thread man.mmastert wrote:Any suggestions for who makes the best "fake" prep tests?
I took the June LSAT after a solid 4 months of studying, and was feeling pretty confident after consistently scoring 168+ on prep tests, however I had a pretty rough time of the test (too nervous even though I had tried my best to train myself out of it) and ended up with a 163. I will be re-taking in October, but my concern with hitting the books again is that I already took real prep tests 48-58. I'm weary to take earlier ones since I've heard difficulty of games/RC has shifted a bit over time. Any thoughts on where I can get full-length tests that are realistic enough to not mess me up??
Don't take fake LSAT tests, they suck and will lower your score. It is a myth that doing older practice tests will hurt your game. Only a few logic games from WAY back in the day, (early 90's) are so different from modern lsat that they will not give you any benefit.
You would be better off doing older tests than fake ones. Try some and see for yourself. Old tests don't bite.
- hv1
- Posts: 134
- Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 3:08 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
1) 164
2) Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, and every released official LSAT PrepTests, and this awesome iPhone app http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lsat-10- ... 42315?mt=8 (very cheap and the 10 tips will help)
3) None
4) 3 months, everyday, 150 problems a day, 3 - 5 hours a day
5) Nearly every released one.
6) Slow down a bit and not use every problem while getting good. See patterns earlier on so when you start devouring PrepTests you have the "room" to get even better. My score jumped into the 160s and I only had 4 PrepTests left.
7) Take your time with this test. Your brain is going to hurt but the time you spend on it will pay off. Shut off all distractions too or else you will not be able to focus.
2) Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, and every released official LSAT PrepTests, and this awesome iPhone app http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lsat-10- ... 42315?mt=8 (very cheap and the 10 tips will help)
3) None
4) 3 months, everyday, 150 problems a day, 3 - 5 hours a day
5) Nearly every released one.
6) Slow down a bit and not use every problem while getting good. See patterns earlier on so when you start devouring PrepTests you have the "room" to get even better. My score jumped into the 160s and I only had 4 PrepTests left.
7) Take your time with this test. Your brain is going to hurt but the time you spend on it will pay off. Shut off all distractions too or else you will not be able to focus.
Get unlimited access to all forums and topics
Register now!
I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2010 1:51 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
Get private/telephone tutoring and go over problems that you either (a) missed and can't figure out why or (b) got right but aren't sure why the answer you chose is clearly superior to the others. Ask questions and don't move on from a question until you understand it.brickman wrote:I know this is inappropriately placed, but the crowd of people who posted in this thread seems like a good bunch to ask. I know there wont be any "silver bullet" approach, but in terms of getting over plateaus, any suggestions?
I used TestMasters telephone tutoring for this. I haven't taken the actual test yet (1 week to go...), but it seems to have worked for me on the preptests. It helps to have someone else identify your weaknesses and push you out of your comfort zone, kind of like how in athletics it helps to have a coach or workout buddy.
- alex_cryp
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 10:40 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
1) What score did you get?
165
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Testmasters, Powerscore LGB
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
Testmasters full length
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
2 months--no job, no school
5) How many preptests did you do?
Testmasters focuses less on full length tests rather than repetitive practice. I saw every logic game ever invented, but didn't take most of them in prep test form. So I did about 8 prep tests plus all of the homework which was about 4-5 hours per day.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
I would give myself a bit more time. I was close to breaking past a plateau. I also would have saved more of the homework to take as full-length prep tests because it is important to take it timed.
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
I'm happy with my 165 since I was just accepted to UVA Law, but still wish I had had a couple more weeks--I know I could have done better given a bit more time.
165
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Testmasters, Powerscore LGB
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
Testmasters full length
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
2 months--no job, no school
5) How many preptests did you do?
Testmasters focuses less on full length tests rather than repetitive practice. I saw every logic game ever invented, but didn't take most of them in prep test form. So I did about 8 prep tests plus all of the homework which was about 4-5 hours per day.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
I would give myself a bit more time. I was close to breaking past a plateau. I also would have saved more of the homework to take as full-length prep tests because it is important to take it timed.
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
I'm happy with my 165 since I was just accepted to UVA Law, but still wish I had had a couple more weeks--I know I could have done better given a bit more time.
-
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2010 2:06 am
Re:
at least its not raining on us during the exam, maybe years later they'll do, to ''improve'' conditions )Framboise wrote:7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
Make sure you know about all of the weird LSAT regulations, e.g. no cell phones, no digital watches, no pens, no hoods, etc. etc.
-
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 12:42 am
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
1) What score did you get?
179
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Powerscore LGB, LRB
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
none
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
3 months working full time
5) How many preptests did you do?
around 30. Used around 10 just to familiarize myself with the test.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
During the test, do NOT think about the previous section. This was the biggest difference for me b/w PT's and the actual one. In the PTs eventhough i was taking 5 sections, I always knew which one didnt matter in the back of my head. In the actual test, I kept thinking about which one matters and which one doesnt. At section 5, when I realized my previous LG was experimental I was very disappointed, and kept thinking back to the LR section which I thought was experimental. I thought I misbubbled on one of the questions, and was so tempted to take a peek. Eventhough I had 5 minutes left on the last LG section, I ended up not checking over my unsure answers and thinking if I should go take a peek at the previous LR section. I think I might've corrected an answer in my LG if I hadnt done this. Big mistake. Don't do this.
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
Don't get discouraged if your scores aren't improving. My scores actually went down a bit due to RC in the 40s preptest (thought they were very hard) and was discouraged but RC in the 50s were much better for me.
179
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Powerscore LGB, LRB
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
none
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
3 months working full time
5) How many preptests did you do?
around 30. Used around 10 just to familiarize myself with the test.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
During the test, do NOT think about the previous section. This was the biggest difference for me b/w PT's and the actual one. In the PTs eventhough i was taking 5 sections, I always knew which one didnt matter in the back of my head. In the actual test, I kept thinking about which one matters and which one doesnt. At section 5, when I realized my previous LG was experimental I was very disappointed, and kept thinking back to the LR section which I thought was experimental. I thought I misbubbled on one of the questions, and was so tempted to take a peek. Eventhough I had 5 minutes left on the last LG section, I ended up not checking over my unsure answers and thinking if I should go take a peek at the previous LR section. I think I might've corrected an answer in my LG if I hadnt done this. Big mistake. Don't do this.
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
Don't get discouraged if your scores aren't improving. My scores actually went down a bit due to RC in the 40s preptest (thought they were very hard) and was discouraged but RC in the 50s were much better for me.
Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.
Register now, it's still FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 835
- Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 1:56 am
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
1) What score did you get?
174
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Powerscore Logic Games Bible
Powerscore Logical Reasoning Bible
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None.
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
3 months. July and August while working 2-4 days a week, September while taking a full course load and working 1 full day a week, gross.
5) How many preptests did you do?
I think it ended up being around 27 full ones (as in all at once). I took way more than that in sections, though.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Review my LR a little bit more. Focus more on confidence in RC. I did well in RC but I would be shaking in my boots over which was the right answer. LR killed me, haha. I would also start more sequentially and since I felt really good about LG since I did ever LG section, I wish I had done all the questions available. That would have screwed me for a re-take, though.
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
Don't be afraid to take a couple days off, but try to practice a game or so every day. If you leave games alone for too long, it will bite you in the butt. Relax the week before the test. Get lots of sleep and get used to going to bed at 9pm. Seriously, best thing I did, I went to bed between 9-10 the whole couple weeks before the exam (had 8.30 classes anyways), and on the night of, I went to sleep at 9pm and while I tossed and turned, I got 3 hours of great sleep where I fell asleep right away at 9, I didn't start getting fidgety till midnight .
174
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Powerscore Logic Games Bible
Powerscore Logical Reasoning Bible
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None.
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
3 months. July and August while working 2-4 days a week, September while taking a full course load and working 1 full day a week, gross.
5) How many preptests did you do?
I think it ended up being around 27 full ones (as in all at once). I took way more than that in sections, though.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Review my LR a little bit more. Focus more on confidence in RC. I did well in RC but I would be shaking in my boots over which was the right answer. LR killed me, haha. I would also start more sequentially and since I felt really good about LG since I did ever LG section, I wish I had done all the questions available. That would have screwed me for a re-take, though.
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
Don't be afraid to take a couple days off, but try to practice a game or so every day. If you leave games alone for too long, it will bite you in the butt. Relax the week before the test. Get lots of sleep and get used to going to bed at 9pm. Seriously, best thing I did, I went to bed between 9-10 the whole couple weeks before the exam (had 8.30 classes anyways), and on the night of, I went to sleep at 9pm and while I tossed and turned, I got 3 hours of great sleep where I fell asleep right away at 9, I didn't start getting fidgety till midnight .
-
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Wed Sep 29, 2010 1:51 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
1) What score did you get?
175
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Powerscore LGB, Traciela Games Grouped by Type, Cambridge LSAT Difficult Questions, LSAC SuperPrep, official preptests. I found all of them useful.
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None. However, I did get a few hours of TestMasters telephone tutoring in the month before the test. That definitely helped.
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
I started prepping about 6 months before, but only very part time (3-5 hours on the weekend) until about 3 months before. The first 3 months I had a job. The last 3 months I did not have a job and was not in school. Doing LSAT prep full time may not be possible for everyone, but it's pretty ideal if you can manage it.
5) How many preptests did you do?
16 4-section tests. 19 5-section tests. Every logic game ever at least once.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
- Use the Powerscore LRB. I was pretty good at LR from the start, and I definitely improved with practice and analysis of my errors, but I have a feeling my performance could have been even more solid and consistent if I'd had an explicit system to build off of like in LG.
- Not freak out the week before the test. Not freak out the day of the test. Not freak out during the test. (Especially the last one...panic cost me a LG question and hence a 177.)
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
- Use 5-Hour Energy! It really helps.
- Log your scores. The more detail the better.
- Get on an early schedule early. I started going to bed at 8pm every night (no exceptions on weekends) about a month before the test, and although it was a pain in the ass, I'm glad I did it.
- The more you prep the better. You cannot prep too much. Period. Case in point: I prepped most intensively for LG because it was initially my weakest section by far, but on the real thing I got only -1 despite a panic attack (and I missed that one *because of* the panic attack). I suspect this was because of my prep work -- LG was largely habit and instinct at that point. In contrast, LR turned out to be my weakest section on the real thing, which I attribute to the fact that I didn't prep LR nearly as intensively, which in turn was because I figured I was naturally pretty good at it. Oops. You cannot prep too much.
- Try to keep some perspective. Many people on TLS can realistically hope to hit or come close to a 180, and the way people talk it can be easy to start to think that a score in, say, the 160s is only a step above failure. For me, a bad day was when I got a 168-170, and at first it made me feel really bummed out when that happened. But at some point I realized that I was being absurd, and that those are still excellent scores, scores many people would be extremely thankful to have, scores that can get you in at some extremely good schools, and that I should be thankful that I had as much going for me as I did. Relatedly, it's important to keep in mind that the LSAT is not a general measure of your intelligence, let alone, say, your worth as a human being. What it measures is your ability at particular cognitive skills under particular, stressful conditions at a particular time of day, time in your life, etc. So, yeah. Perspective is good.
175
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Powerscore LGB, Traciela Games Grouped by Type, Cambridge LSAT Difficult Questions, LSAC SuperPrep, official preptests. I found all of them useful.
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None. However, I did get a few hours of TestMasters telephone tutoring in the month before the test. That definitely helped.
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
I started prepping about 6 months before, but only very part time (3-5 hours on the weekend) until about 3 months before. The first 3 months I had a job. The last 3 months I did not have a job and was not in school. Doing LSAT prep full time may not be possible for everyone, but it's pretty ideal if you can manage it.
5) How many preptests did you do?
16 4-section tests. 19 5-section tests. Every logic game ever at least once.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
- Use the Powerscore LRB. I was pretty good at LR from the start, and I definitely improved with practice and analysis of my errors, but I have a feeling my performance could have been even more solid and consistent if I'd had an explicit system to build off of like in LG.
- Not freak out the week before the test. Not freak out the day of the test. Not freak out during the test. (Especially the last one...panic cost me a LG question and hence a 177.)
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
- Use 5-Hour Energy! It really helps.
- Log your scores. The more detail the better.
- Get on an early schedule early. I started going to bed at 8pm every night (no exceptions on weekends) about a month before the test, and although it was a pain in the ass, I'm glad I did it.
- The more you prep the better. You cannot prep too much. Period. Case in point: I prepped most intensively for LG because it was initially my weakest section by far, but on the real thing I got only -1 despite a panic attack (and I missed that one *because of* the panic attack). I suspect this was because of my prep work -- LG was largely habit and instinct at that point. In contrast, LR turned out to be my weakest section on the real thing, which I attribute to the fact that I didn't prep LR nearly as intensively, which in turn was because I figured I was naturally pretty good at it. Oops. You cannot prep too much.
- Try to keep some perspective. Many people on TLS can realistically hope to hit or come close to a 180, and the way people talk it can be easy to start to think that a score in, say, the 160s is only a step above failure. For me, a bad day was when I got a 168-170, and at first it made me feel really bummed out when that happened. But at some point I realized that I was being absurd, and that those are still excellent scores, scores many people would be extremely thankful to have, scores that can get you in at some extremely good schools, and that I should be thankful that I had as much going for me as I did. Relatedly, it's important to keep in mind that the LSAT is not a general measure of your intelligence, let alone, say, your worth as a human being. What it measures is your ability at particular cognitive skills under particular, stressful conditions at a particular time of day, time in your life, etc. So, yeah. Perspective is good.
-
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 8:24 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
1) What score did you get?
174 (Oct 2010)
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Testmasters books plus the Official LSAT test prep book from LSAC
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
Testmasters class (full length) during the summer with Alex Morris (I liked her, but other people didn't)
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
Did all the hw assigned, and took the summer off after graduating to relax and just prep, also studied everyday for the 8 weeks leading up to the test doing 1-2 full length tests per week and on the other days just doing practice problems/sections. I always studied somewhere quiet, NOT at home because it's too easy to get distracted. I did all the full length tests in test conditions (5 sections, timer set to vibrate, analog watch, separate answer sheet, pencils etc). Always went over answers I got wrong to figure out why my answer was wrong and why the correct answer is right.
5) How many preptests did you do?
Testmasters says the program gives you all the LSAT questions out there and I think it's pretty much true. As for diagnostics/full length tests I did about 12 full length tests, and I reviewed all of them again because I was just running out of material towards the end.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
I think my prep was as good as it could be, but I probably need to be a little more careful during the test, esp the first section, which I did the worst on out of all my sections and I blame nerves. Still, I got -0 on LR which was my biggest worry so I guess it wasn't a wash.
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
You're gonna have off days every once in a while when you're studying, don't freak out too much, unless you keep getting the same things wrong. Bring enough pencils so you don't get irritated by dull points. And read carefully every single part of the question/answers. Many wrong answers you can eliminate if you pay attention to detail. That was probably my biggest problem. And make sure you set up a schedule to study for the month leading up to the test. It's too easy to slack off unless you buckle down and make sure you get through material.
Good luck to everyone .. it's hard for all of us!
174 (Oct 2010)
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Testmasters books plus the Official LSAT test prep book from LSAC
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
Testmasters class (full length) during the summer with Alex Morris (I liked her, but other people didn't)
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
Did all the hw assigned, and took the summer off after graduating to relax and just prep, also studied everyday for the 8 weeks leading up to the test doing 1-2 full length tests per week and on the other days just doing practice problems/sections. I always studied somewhere quiet, NOT at home because it's too easy to get distracted. I did all the full length tests in test conditions (5 sections, timer set to vibrate, analog watch, separate answer sheet, pencils etc). Always went over answers I got wrong to figure out why my answer was wrong and why the correct answer is right.
5) How many preptests did you do?
Testmasters says the program gives you all the LSAT questions out there and I think it's pretty much true. As for diagnostics/full length tests I did about 12 full length tests, and I reviewed all of them again because I was just running out of material towards the end.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
I think my prep was as good as it could be, but I probably need to be a little more careful during the test, esp the first section, which I did the worst on out of all my sections and I blame nerves. Still, I got -0 on LR which was my biggest worry so I guess it wasn't a wash.
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
You're gonna have off days every once in a while when you're studying, don't freak out too much, unless you keep getting the same things wrong. Bring enough pencils so you don't get irritated by dull points. And read carefully every single part of the question/answers. Many wrong answers you can eliminate if you pay attention to detail. That was probably my biggest problem. And make sure you set up a schedule to study for the month leading up to the test. It's too easy to slack off unless you buckle down and make sure you get through material.
Good luck to everyone .. it's hard for all of us!
-
- Posts: 204
- Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 5:21 pm
Re: Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT...
1) What score did you get?
173. My initial practice test (which I believe was from the Princeton Review) was a 164, and my PT's moved upward and settled around 171. Occasional 173s, and one lovely 175.
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
2011 Princeton Review (which I felt gave me a good introduction)
Powerscore Logic Games Bible
Powerscore Logical Reasoning Bible
Preptests up the yingyang
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None.
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
Just under four months. June through October, usually 1.5 hours per day. I work full time, with a 2.25 roundtrip commute every day, so I studied on the train, and occasionally at work during downtime. As my wife got more and more pregnant, it became difficult for me to do much, if any, studying at home. I'm ten years out of college.
5) How many preptests did you do?
Somewhere between 30-40, I believe. Ten of those were chopped up into sections per the suggestion of the lsatblog study guide. Many others were done in non-timed sections, but a lot were done fully-timed.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
I can't say that I would recommend having a baby a week before your LSAT. It divides one's concentration.
I started out with the LG Bible, and then moved on to working exclusively LR afterward. I really should have kept my hand in better on LG's, as I started having trouble finishing LG sections in time. This showed itself come the test, where I ran out of time and cold guessed on two or three LG questions (and ultimately missed 3 in the section, lucky letter B!). On the other hand, I was solid on my LRs, and missed 2 on the first LR section and 0 on the second.
Coming to TLS afterward helped push me down the path of second guessing quite a lot, but I'm sure I would've travelled that road regardless.
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
My test site was 30 miles from my house, so I drove down the night before and stayed in a hotel. I took a long hot bath and was in bed by about 9:45. Woke up around 6, had a nice, carb-filled breakfast, and got to the site with plenty of time. I took the test on my old college campus, which was a morale booster, I think. I can also recommend caffinated water and a peanut butter and honey sandwich. Sugar tends to wear off quickly and leave me with a severe low, but caffeine and honey worked pretty well for me.
Bring your own watch, even if you're positive that the room will have a clock. I didn't, and was in the group that got moved from a classroom to a function hall in the school's chapel. While bright and airy with large tables, there were no clocks, and I ended up getting to the last section of RC (with 7 questions) as the proctor called 5 minutes remaining.
Review your PTs and PT sections and figure out why you got each question wrong. If you can't figure out why, just about every question has a walkthrough available online if you look for it.
Don't let yourself get too bummed when you rock a section that you later discern to be the experimental. Also be aware that different versions of the same test have different experimentals. I destroyed my experimental LG, then found out during break that someone else had two RC's, and so assumed that my RC was also experimental. I was very disappointed when I hit section 5 and had another LG waiting for me and that slowed me down a bit.
173. My initial practice test (which I believe was from the Princeton Review) was a 164, and my PT's moved upward and settled around 171. Occasional 173s, and one lovely 175.
2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
2011 Princeton Review (which I felt gave me a good introduction)
Powerscore Logic Games Bible
Powerscore Logical Reasoning Bible
Preptests up the yingyang
3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None.
4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
Just under four months. June through October, usually 1.5 hours per day. I work full time, with a 2.25 roundtrip commute every day, so I studied on the train, and occasionally at work during downtime. As my wife got more and more pregnant, it became difficult for me to do much, if any, studying at home. I'm ten years out of college.
5) How many preptests did you do?
Somewhere between 30-40, I believe. Ten of those were chopped up into sections per the suggestion of the lsatblog study guide. Many others were done in non-timed sections, but a lot were done fully-timed.
6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
I can't say that I would recommend having a baby a week before your LSAT. It divides one's concentration.
I started out with the LG Bible, and then moved on to working exclusively LR afterward. I really should have kept my hand in better on LG's, as I started having trouble finishing LG sections in time. This showed itself come the test, where I ran out of time and cold guessed on two or three LG questions (and ultimately missed 3 in the section, lucky letter B!). On the other hand, I was solid on my LRs, and missed 2 on the first LR section and 0 on the second.
Coming to TLS afterward helped push me down the path of second guessing quite a lot, but I'm sure I would've travelled that road regardless.
7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
My test site was 30 miles from my house, so I drove down the night before and stayed in a hotel. I took a long hot bath and was in bed by about 9:45. Woke up around 6, had a nice, carb-filled breakfast, and got to the site with plenty of time. I took the test on my old college campus, which was a morale booster, I think. I can also recommend caffinated water and a peanut butter and honey sandwich. Sugar tends to wear off quickly and leave me with a severe low, but caffeine and honey worked pretty well for me.
Bring your own watch, even if you're positive that the room will have a clock. I didn't, and was in the group that got moved from a classroom to a function hall in the school's chapel. While bright and airy with large tables, there were no clocks, and I ended up getting to the last section of RC (with 7 questions) as the proctor called 5 minutes remaining.
Review your PTs and PT sections and figure out why you got each question wrong. If you can't figure out why, just about every question has a walkthrough available online if you look for it.
Don't let yourself get too bummed when you rock a section that you later discern to be the experimental. Also be aware that different versions of the same test have different experimentals. I destroyed my experimental LG, then found out during break that someone else had two RC's, and so assumed that my RC was also experimental. I was very disappointed when I hit section 5 and had another LG waiting for me and that slowed me down a bit.
Seriously? What are you waiting for?
Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!
Already a member? Login