The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers Forum
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
Hi Noodley,I like your guide much better than any other ,I have a question about tests,I exhausted all the tests ,have no fresh ones left,so when I retake and score higher, even though I go through the normal process of elimination ,pick up the right one w line references,however I worry that my score may not be accurate,can u advise me how to deal w that?
- ManoftheHour
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
Anyone other than Noodley have any success with this strat? I am also retaking (for 3rd time) in October, so I have some time till then
I plan on reapplying next cycle at this time ( unless I get in off waitlists). I can raise my score by at least 10 points which would put me mid 160s. That is a conservative estimate since I raised my score previously from 147 to 152 between Oct and Dec.
Would this strat be useful for that long of a study period? I need to make an improvement in Oct since this will be my last retake.
Thanks
I plan on reapplying next cycle at this time ( unless I get in off waitlists). I can raise my score by at least 10 points which would put me mid 160s. That is a conservative estimate since I raised my score previously from 147 to 152 between Oct and Dec.
Would this strat be useful for that long of a study period? I need to make an improvement in Oct since this will be my last retake.
Thanks
- hannnahbb
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
I would highly recommend the general strategy of tracking your statistics with a program like lsatqa.com (I think it is) if not for pinpointing errors (mine were consistently inconsistent) then for confidence and mental strategy. I really think that once you get into the 170's it has little to do with actual "knowledge" as much as it is confidence and repitition. I bombed in December because I knew that if I didn't kill it I was done for the whole cycle and would have to sit out another cycle. I work in golf coaching -- a game that is considered 90% mental at a high level -- and I see so many similarities in this test. You can't let "test day pressure" deter you at all. You need to "channel" that energy and anxiety in a positive way on test day, knowing you have the skills and the experience to rock it. For me, the best way to do this was to have the data on lsatqa.com right in front of me, showing my range of scores, average scores. It really calmed me down and let me get into place where rather than collapse under the pressure I could perform. Just to note -- you don't want the nerves to go away! You better be damn nervous on the LSAT because that shows you care and that you perceive it as important. Those who know this is why they are elevated will do grand, those who freak out will not perform to the best of their ability. I know there are people out there who do not need this advice, but as a pretty anxious guy it was necessary. Gluck
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
All I have are the .mobi of the exams
how would I be able to use them for drilling LR? for LG and RC I can print out the specific passage/game suggested for drilling a particular type
but for LR I am unable to copy/paste so I would unfortunately have to print out the entire page it is on , along with the associate problems that are not the type I am drilling. Should I just do this?
or just read the problems off my computer screen and write answer on paper? or just make it easy and spend the $$$$$$ on cambridge volumes? ( even though I have the exams in .mobi)
Thanks
how would I be able to use them for drilling LR? for LG and RC I can print out the specific passage/game suggested for drilling a particular type
but for LR I am unable to copy/paste so I would unfortunately have to print out the entire page it is on , along with the associate problems that are not the type I am drilling. Should I just do this?
or just read the problems off my computer screen and write answer on paper? or just make it easy and spend the $$$$$$ on cambridge volumes? ( even though I have the exams in .mobi)
Thanks
- TheMostDangerousLG
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
This is really silly, but do you have any tips for shaking off regret from the last take and restarting studying? I put in about 150 solid hours on my first take, and while I definitely felt like there was more prep to do and improvement to be had, I still expected to do better on my first take (I scored about 4 points lower than the average of my last ten or so tests, and around the average for my *total* study period, which sucks, because that average obviously included a lot of crappy earlier scores). Particularly given that I already received a reasonably high score and am aiming for very high 170s to 180, I'm nervous I won't able to improve. It was SO disheartening to see that my efforts and potential didn't translate on test day.
Now I want to retake; my applications are super late, so I'm likely to not get into even the lower end of schools I'd be willing to attend. And I know I'm capable of far better! I think this test is conquerable. But given that things didn't go as planned, and I have no idea of knowing what went wrong (ugh, damn you, February test!), I'm just struggling to bring myself back to my books.
TL;DR: I put in a lot of effort the first time and things didn't go as they should have for unknown reasons; do you have any recommendations for motivating myself for a retake, given that I'm afraid I'll put in another hundred hours and end up disappointed again?
Now I want to retake; my applications are super late, so I'm likely to not get into even the lower end of schools I'd be willing to attend. And I know I'm capable of far better! I think this test is conquerable. But given that things didn't go as planned, and I have no idea of knowing what went wrong (ugh, damn you, February test!), I'm just struggling to bring myself back to my books.
TL;DR: I put in a lot of effort the first time and things didn't go as they should have for unknown reasons; do you have any recommendations for motivating myself for a retake, given that I'm afraid I'll put in another hundred hours and end up disappointed again?
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
You said yourself that there was more you could have done. Give yourself more time to study this time around and leave nothing on the table. Don't rush your study, take the LSAT when you are ready. Law school will be there next year or the year after. I'm no expert, but that is my take on it.TheMostDangerousLG wrote:This is really silly, but do you have any tips for shaking off regret from the last take and restarting studying? I put in about 150 solid hours on my first take, and while I definitely felt like there was more prep to do and improvement to be had, I still expected to do better on my first take (I scored about 4 points lower than the average of my last ten or so tests, and around the average for my *total* study period, which sucks, because that average obviously included a lot of crappy earlier scores). Particularly given that I already received a reasonably high score and am aiming for very high 170s to 180, I'm nervous I won't able to improve. It was SO disheartening to see that my efforts and potential didn't translate on test day.
Now I want to retake; my applications are super late, so I'm likely to not get into even the lower end of schools I'd be willing to attend. And I know I'm capable of far better! I think this test is conquerable. But given that things didn't go as planned, and I have no idea of knowing what went wrong (ugh, damn you, February test!), I'm just struggling to bring myself back to my books.
TL;DR: I put in a lot of effort the first time and things didn't go as they should have for unknown reasons; do you have any recommendations for motivating myself for a retake, given that I'm afraid I'll put in another hundred hours and end up disappointed again?
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- toshiroh
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
Did anyone see any solid results from this guide? Curious, because I was thinking about doing it for my Oct retake.
- sabanist
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
I basically followed this program without knowing it (Noodley and I took and retook the same tests) and I went from 170-177. Manhattan and drilling were the best things that ever happened to my study habits.toshiroh wrote:Did anyone see any solid results from this guide? Curious, because I was thinking about doing it for my Oct retake.
- NoodleyOne
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
In an odd way, I didn't really expect this to be a "guide" per se. I've never been a fan of rigid scheduling or structure, but more of a fluid approach. I don't think anything in here is reinventing the wheel though... it's more of an amalgamation of various pieces of advice I received on here from shinners and the MLSAT guys, as well as some things that worked for me personally. It was in response to people asking what I did to make me feel so confident after the October LSAT, but I do think the advice is sound. Still, as with anything in life, your mileage may vary.toshiroh wrote:Did anyone see any solid results from this guide? Curious, because I was thinking about doing it for my Oct retake.
- givemea180
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
This is my first reply on TLS, I'm planning on taking the LSAT in June of 2014. Noodley, are the powerscore LGB and LRB as good as the Manhattan books in your opinion? I'm trying to decide between the two brands.
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
For LR, I'm debating whether reading or glancing question first or stimulus first is right. It'd help to hear from real top scorers.
It'd be interesting to know if the question first for LR people handle RC similarly, ie by reading questions first.
It'd be interesting to know if the question first for LR people handle RC similarly, ie by reading questions first.
- Nova
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
Its unanimous that you should NEVER read the RC questions first. You wont be able to keep them all in your head and its a waste of time becasue every RC passage bascially asks the same questions.jmjm wrote:For LR, I'm debating whether reading or glancing question first or stimulus first is right. It'd help to hear from real top scorers.
It'd be interesting to know if the question first for LR people handle RC similarly, ie by reading questions first.
For LR:
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=189694
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=206994
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=125755
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=108140
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=108056
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=150508
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=181031
- Toby Ziegler
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- sabanist
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
I never read RC questions first, so I can't help there.jmjm wrote:For LR, I'm debating whether reading or glancing question first or stimulus first is right. It'd help to hear from real top scorers.
It'd be interesting to know if the question first for LR people handle RC similarly, ie by reading questions first.
I felt like learning to read the questions first when I studied for my retake helped me a lot on timing because I used to read the stimulus, read the question, and then re-read the stimulus with the framework of the question. It also helped with accuracy, because I'd know I'd be looking specifically for a flaw or a pattern to the reasoning right off the bat and not get sidetracked by superfluous statements. It made me feel a lot more confident in my answers (and may have been what broke the 170 plateau for me).
Definitely try both methods and see which one works best for you.
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- NoodleyOne
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
Just a head's up... I'm going to edit the OP in the next couple of days, expanding and clarifying some things that I've noticed in my time tutoring since taking the test, as well as from some of the questions you've sent me in PMs. I know I probably didn't get to all of them, and for that I apologize... when I have the time I reply, but I'm an absent-minded guy sometimes, so I forget. Anyway, hope anyone that checked this out had success and I was able to help with it. Anyway, edit coming within the next couple of days (for those who just know they bombed June and want to get a head start on October).
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
Noticed this distinction tested in pt-23 S3 Q13.NoodleyOne wrote: You want to be able to teach the first time takers for your administration why question X isn’t B, because B is a premise booster, while D may seem out of scope it actually provides a correlation that a similar situation could produce a similar result, thereby strengthening the reasoning.
What's the basis for lsat weighing one link (in the chain of an argument) over the other? It seems such intricate priority assignments, in this case correlation over premise booster, are lsat specific and neednot be true in general. Not sure if there's a listing of these useful points to remember for LR.
- CyanIdes Of March
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
I think I've decided today I'm going to retake the LSAT (although just the thought makes me cringe a little bit), going to use this guide to help me break that last barrier to a 175.
- LeCanada
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
I was directed to this guide as an LSAT rookie and I just want to say how detailed it is. Thank you Noodle, as this whole post is a wealth of knowledge in learning how to prepare. Solid gold.
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
NoodleyOne wrote:
For LR, also use the Manhattan Guide. Spend a lot of time internalizing the first 6 chapters. If you get those down, the test just becomes cake. Supplement each section with heavy, heavy drilling from the LR packets. I can’t stress the drilling enough. The goal is to become so familiar with the question types that you’re aware of the common tricks they throw at you. Have a reason for eliminating every answer, and know why you’re selecting the correct one. Drill, drill, and then when you’re done drilling, drill some more. Your goal here is complete familiarity with the LR section. You want to be able to teach the first time takers for your administration why question X isn’t B, because B is a premise booster, while D may seem out of scope it actually provides a correlation that a similar situation could produce a similar result, thereby strengthening the reasoning.
By drilling, do you mean doing LR sections from the preptests in isolation from a full PT? or do the manhattan guides come with drills and 'packets' to work on?
After my first write, I made the mistake of jumping through PTs to work on certain sections so I have some torn up PTs and now while considering a re-write, I don't know what to use to increase my scores. I do still have a lot of PT sections, just not necessarily complete tests.
Currently my LR is about -3 to -5 per section, LG is -0 to -2 per section, and RC is about -5 to -7.. and I've been stalled at this for a little while now with little improvement.
I was reading another thread about how to increase RC scores by heavy drilling of tests and practice with harder reading such as the economist. I'll implement that strategy to try and increase RC.
LG I have the least amount of problems with, I can continue practicing to ensure a -0 on every test I do, but I have the structure down and very rarely have trouble with a LG section.
LR is what I am struggling to improve. I leisurely went through the PS LR bible to the sections I thought I had the most trouble with, but I plan on going through it cover to cover this time around. Do you have any advice on increasing my score in LR?
Thank you Noodley.
- the_pakalypse
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
Hey man,
I used your guide quite a bit in conjunction with a bunch of other resources. I lucked out in that this curve was -2 for a 180.
But I did it -- thanks for the guide. I thought you would appreciate knowing that!
Maybe I'll write my own guide, so others can learn from me like I learned from all of you.
I used your guide quite a bit in conjunction with a bunch of other resources. I lucked out in that this curve was -2 for a 180.
But I did it -- thanks for the guide. I thought you would appreciate knowing that!
Maybe I'll write my own guide, so others can learn from me like I learned from all of you.
- Balthy
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
the_pakalypse wrote:Hey man,
I used your guide quite a bit in conjunction with a bunch of other resources. I lucked out in that this curve was -2 for a 180.
But I did it -- thanks for the guide. I thought you would appreciate knowing that!
Maybe I'll write my own guide, so others can learn from me like I learned from all of you.
If you could also contribute to that "great advice for scoring 160+" thread, that would be great. I'm like incredibly jealous of you, but I'm taking my first LSAT in October and posts like this motivate the hell out of me (so thanks!).
- Mr. Frodo
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Re: The NoodleyOne's Foolproof Guide to a 179 for Retakers
I ended up taking the same test as Noodley and did a lot of the same stuff he proposed here, and now I will be at Penn in the fall. Yes, this works!sabanist wrote:I basically followed this program without knowing it (Noodley and I took and retook the same tests) and I went from 170-177. Manhattan and drilling were the best things that ever happened to my study habits.toshiroh wrote:Did anyone see any solid results from this guide? Curious, because I was thinking about doing it for my Oct retake.
Seriously? What are you waiting for?
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