. Forum

[somedeadman]

Going t14 for free is a great goal to have from the outset.

Why do you recommend the trainer over the manhattan book?

I'd recommend the Manhattan books. I think the trainer works more as a supplement to cover your bases.

So it's worth getting? I've scored a 169 and have taken most practice tests twice already...looking for something new which might uncover something I've missed

No, in your case the only way to go is drilling and full length PT's.

Not worth reading through at all?

[20170322]

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[somedeadman]

Going t14 for free is a great goal to have from the outset.

Why do you recommend the trainer over the manhattan book?

I'd recommend the Manhattan books. I think the trainer works more as a supplement to cover your bases.

So it's worth getting? I've scored a 169 and have taken most practice tests twice already...looking for something new which might uncover something I've missed

No, in your case the only way to go is drilling and full length PT's.

Not worth reading through at all?

You're at 169. What's your goal, 172? 174? At this level, the only way you're going to get better is brute force. Do the test so many times that nothing could throw you off. You don't need strategy, you need muscle memory.

I'd like to be competitive for a t14 fullride, and it looks like I'll need a 173+ with my gpa. I've gotten as high as a 172 on a fresh test, and perfect on some retakes. I recently read the manhattan book for the first time, and I thought it was helpful

[thewhalefish]

Bumperino. Plus I think this is one of the best guides. Even though it lacks some LR and RC stuff, it is incredibly easy to read and understand. This is good stuff.

[Alexandros]

Bumperino. Plus I think this is one of the best guides. Even though it lacks some LR and RC stuff, it is incredibly easy to read and understand. This is good stuff.

This is, in fact, the best guide.

[universe112]

I got 172 on the February exam but am retaking in June. 172 was on the lower end of my PT range. Would you change the guide at all for someone who has exhausted almost all of the PTs?

[Like_Spike]

Just wanted to say thanks for the sleep schedule recommendation. I'm not sure of your reason, but I've been taking medication for ADD for years and years now, but even though I do I still have horrible brain fog for the first 2-3 hours after I wake up. Doesn't matter if I run, take my medication, take a cold shower, etc. My brain just needs a few hours to reach full capacity. Considering I'll being taking the exam at 8:30am, I'm glad to know waking up a number of hours before the exam isn't viewed as abjectly insane by everyone else.

[PrezRand]

Bumperino. Plus I think this is one of the best guides. Even though it lacks some LR and RC stuff, it is incredibly easy to read and understand. This is good stuff.

This is, in fact, the best guide.

Cosine only because I made dis thread happen

[20170322]

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[nimbus cloud]

Just wanted to say thanks for the sleep schedule recommendation. I'm not sure of your reason, but I've been taking medication for ADD for years and years now, but even though I do I still have horrible brain fog for the first 2-3 hours after I wake up. Doesn't matter if I run, take my medication, take a cold shower, etc. My brain just needs a few hours to reach full capacity. Considering I'll being taking the exam at 8:30am, I'm glad to know waking up a number of hours before the exam isn't viewed as abjectly insane by everyone else.

You probably know this already, but consider taking it in June. It is the only one that starts at 12:30pm.

[NavyNuke]

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[Like_Spike]

Just wanted to say thanks for the sleep schedule recommendation. I'm not sure of your reason, but I've been taking medication for ADD for years and years now, but even though I do I still have horrible brain fog for the first 2-3 hours after I wake up. Doesn't matter if I run, take my medication, take a cold shower, etc. My brain just needs a few hours to reach full capacity. Considering I'll being taking the exam at 8:30am, I'm glad to know waking up a number of hours before the exam isn't viewed as abjectly insane by everyone else.

You probably know this already, but consider taking it in June. It is the only one that starts at 12:30pm.

Believe me, I wish I could. My grad program + assistantship is just so time consuming that I barely have enough time as it is. Planning to begin studying in mid-April until September while I'm free of any other commitments. It looks like I'll have to adjust my sleep schedule similar to SweetTort's unfortunately.

[Alexandros]

Just wanted to say thanks for the sleep schedule recommendation. I'm not sure of your reason, but I've been taking medication for ADD for years and years now, but even though I do I still have horrible brain fog for the first 2-3 hours after I wake up. Doesn't matter if I run, take my medication, take a cold shower, etc. My brain just needs a few hours to reach full capacity. Considering I'll being taking the exam at 8:30am, I'm glad to know waking up a number of hours before the exam isn't viewed as abjectly insane by everyone else.

You probably know this already, but consider taking it in June. It is the only one that starts at 12:30pm.

Believe me, I wish I could. My grad program + assistantship is just so time consuming that I barely have enough time as it is. Planning to begin studying in mid-April until September while I'm free of any other commitments. It looks like I'll have to adjust my sleep schedule similar to SweetTort's unfortunately.

Jumping in to say +1000 on the sleep schedule thing. I'm the biggest night owl, not a morning person at all, also get huge brain fog in the morning. Couldn't go as extreme as Tort but managed to do 10pm-5/6am for most of the summer, and woke up around 4:30am on test day. It's frustrating but doable, and imo definitely a good idea.

Also - for me at least, RC was where I was most susceptible to brain fog. If you're feeling extremely masochistic, timed RC passages in the morning before coffee is a great endurance exercise.

[20170322]

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[Alexandros]

Just wanted to say thanks for the sleep schedule recommendation. I'm not sure of your reason, but I've been taking medication for ADD for years and years now, but even though I do I still have horrible brain fog for the first 2-3 hours after I wake up. Doesn't matter if I run, take my medication, take a cold shower, etc. My brain just needs a few hours to reach full capacity. Considering I'll being taking the exam at 8:30am, I'm glad to know waking up a number of hours before the exam isn't viewed as abjectly insane by everyone else.

You probably know this already, but consider taking it in June. It is the only one that starts at 12:30pm.

Believe me, I wish I could. My grad program + assistantship is just so time consuming that I barely have enough time as it is. Planning to begin studying in mid-April until September while I'm free of any other commitments. It looks like I'll have to adjust my sleep schedule similar to SweetTort's unfortunately.

Jumping in to say +1000 on the sleep schedule thing. I'm the biggest night owl, not a morning person at all, also get huge brain fog in the morning. Couldn't go as extreme as Tort but managed to do 10pm-5/6am for most of the summer, and woke up around 4:30am on test day. It's frustrating but doable, and imo definitely a good idea.

Also - for me at least, RC was where I was most susceptible to brain fog. If you're feeling extremely masochistic, timed RC passages in the morning before coffee is a great endurance exercise.

To be fair, the sleep thing didn't help me at fucking all because I didn't sleep the night before.

Yeah, neither did I - got about two hours.
I think it was useful, though, because I got used to waking up early and getting in the same routine every morning, even if I was behind on sleep day-of.

[20170322]

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[WeightliftingThinker]

SweetTort’s Guide to the LSAT


Table of Contents:

1. About me
2. Materials
3. Planning
4. LG
5. LR
6. RC
7. Miscellaneous

1. About me

I attended college with one goal—go to a t14 for free. This was likely a terrible plan, as I boxed myself in and eliminated a lot of non-legal options. On the bright side, I had a clearer idea of what it took to win the admissions game than my peers did. The formula? GPA plus LSAT. Since there’s likely not much left that can be done about your GPA at this point, you owe it to yourself to give 100% at the LSAT.
I took my first diagnostic midway through freshman year, because I was (and still am) a spazz. I got a 164, with a lot missed on LG. I lightly studied here and there, registered for the LSAT twice, and postponed twice. Finally, I decided to stop screwing around and to take one full summer to study. I did so, and got a 174 on the real thing. This was 3-4 points below my average, because I didn’t sleep at all the night before, so I’ll talk about situational factors in section 7.
Now, I’ll be attending a t10 for free in the fall, all because of one stupid test. There are many guides out there far more helpful than mine will be, so take mine with a fistful of salt. TLS has given me so much over the past four years, that I want to contribute to the hivemind in any way I can.


2. Materials

Necessary:
- Every LSAT ever given (preferably in PDF format, with the first 30-something divided by type)
- Manhattan LR
- Manhattan RC
- Powerscore LG Bible
- Mike’s Trainer
- Every TLS guide on the LSAT

All in all, the test probably cost me 500 bucks in materials and printing. Which, when you consider the returns, isn’t too bad.



3. Planning

I think planning is one of the most underrated parts of LSAT prep, but you can definitely go overboard in your planning. What worked best for me was to schedule blocks of time for certain goals. Here’s an example day.

9-11: Drill
11-1: Lunch/chill
1-4: PT
4-7: Chill
7-8: Blind review

Obviously, adjust this as you see fit, but the basic point is to block out chunks of time for general objectives. Don’t plan the exact games you want to complete; similarly, don’t fail to plan and only study “when you have the time”. Update your plan as you recognize your strengths and weaknesses.

I recommend reading all of the guides on TLS before starting your study regimen. It’ll motivate you, and you can be assured that you’re studying in the most efficient way.


4. Logic Games

Logic games are, quite literally, free money. ANYONE can eventually get to -0 on LG with enough time. It started off as my worst section (I think -8 on my diagnostic) and it ended up being the only section I went -0 on on the real thing. Please, do NOT give up hope.

Stage 1: Divide the first 30-something tests’ logic games into subgroups (grouping, sequencing, etc). Print about 10 copies of each game. Do each game, one at a time, untimed. Go back, check your answers, understand what you did wrong. Don’t aim for perfection, just understanding.

Stage 2: Grab your 9 extra copies of each game. Do them one by one, timed, until you can complete the logic game under the 7sage recommended time AND with no incorrect. Literally, I would do the same game 7 times in a row sometimes until I got it mastered. Then, a week or two later, I’d do the game again, just to make sure I had internalized what I had learned. Don’t worry about “memorizing the game”. You’re building a skill, even if you’re repeating the same game.

Stage 3: Get all the logic games you just worked on, and print new sets as needed. Staple them into sets of 5, with a variety of difficulty levels in each. Then, finish each section in under 35 minutes with -0 on each. If you can do this, you’ll be able to get through the 4-section LG on the actual test without panicking about time.


It’s a slog. A brutal, brutal slog. But you’ll thank yourself when you start taking PT’s and realize you’re finishing LG with 10 minutes to spare.




5. Logical Reasoning

I have very little useful advice on logical reasoning, as it sort of just came naturally to me. Here, I’ll just leave a few vague thoughts that helped me with tricky questions.

- ALWAYS bracket the conclusion. Most questions center around the conclusion in some way; simply knowing what the conclusion is will often give away the answer.
- When in doubt, literally ask yourself, “Why do they think this?”
- Graph complicated ones the same way you would graph a logic game. Like, if AB unless C.


Also, this is a bit extreme, but I wrote out explanations for EVERY answer I got wrong. Ended up being a 100+ page word doc.



6. Reading Comprehension

This was the section that plagued me the most, and in the end kept me from getting a 177+. So, I can’t provide that much help.

Here are a few tips:

- I dual-diagrammed my RC, and that seemed to help. My first system of diagramming, done once-per-paragraph, is for structure. For instance, 2-3 words like “Background” or “1st Main Point”. The second system of diagramming is 2-3 words on the actual content, like “Nature represents unknown.” This will save you time later.
- The only other tip for this is to read faster, and to reference the text more. It’s far easier to look back and find the answer than to digest the passage completely and answer completely from memory.




7. Miscellaneous

Anxiety: I struggle with anxiety, and it can sometimes close my brain off during high pressure exams. I recommend getting on medication if you feel you need it, or seeing a counselor. These aren’t just good for the LSAT, but good for your mental health generally. I think not dealing with my anxiety was part of the reason I underperformed.

Physical Fitness: I got into a good workout routine during my summer of LSAT prep, as well as eating a healthier diet. This really strengthened my mental and physical health, and helped with stamina.

Sleep Schedule: I started going to bed at 8pm and waking up at 4am. Highly recommend.

Vary Test Conditions: Take tests everywhere!!! Starbucks, library, outside, everywhere! Once you take a test in a crowded place on an unbalanced table, the real test will feel like a joke. Additionally, change the time constraints. I like 30 minute sections. Additionally, I started doing 8-section tests, which helped with endurance.





Overall, work hard, stay calm, and remember that you can ALWAYS retake.


Happy Hunger Games!

How many times per week did you exercise?

[twiix]

Just wanted to say thanks for the sleep schedule recommendation. I'm not sure of your reason, but I've been taking medication for ADD for years and years now, but even though I do I still have horrible brain fog for the first 2-3 hours after I wake up. Doesn't matter if I run, take my medication, take a cold shower, etc. My brain just needs a few hours to reach full capacity. Considering I'll being taking the exam at 8:30am, I'm glad to know waking up a number of hours before the exam isn't viewed as abjectly insane by everyone else.

You probably know this already, but consider taking it in June. It is the only one that starts at 12:30pm.

Believe me, I wish I could. My grad program + assistantship is just so time consuming that I barely have enough time as it is. Planning to begin studying in mid-April until September while I'm free of any other commitments. It looks like I'll have to adjust my sleep schedule similar to SweetTort's unfortunately.

Jumping in to say +1000 on the sleep schedule thing. I'm the biggest night owl, not a morning person at all, also get huge brain fog in the morning. Couldn't go as extreme as Tort but managed to do 10pm-5/6am for most of the summer, and woke up around 4:30am on test day. It's frustrating but doable, and imo definitely a good idea.

Also - for me at least, RC was where I was most susceptible to brain fog. If you're feeling extremely masochistic, timed RC passages in the morning before coffee is a great endurance exercise.

To be fair, the sleep thing didn't help me at fucking all because I didn't sleep the night before.

Yeah, neither did I - got about two hours.
I think it was useful, though, because I got used to waking up early and getting in the same routine every morning, even if I was behind on sleep day-of.

I also chugged a bottle of pesto bismol before. Literally best decision I've ever made.

As someone who has gotten into a routine of having my daily dump around 10 am every day for the last 2 years, the thought of test day is nerve wracking. My body always wants to use the bathroom at very inopportune times. If fasting for a week before the test was reasonable and would prevent that from happening, I would 100% be committed. Too bad the brain needs food to work properly. Bleh


On topic.. how would you (or anyone else who is referencing this guide) tie 7sage content in? My original strategy was go through the LSAT trainer at first; read through and do the exercises in the book until competed. After that go through the 7sage content and begin drilling question types as I get to their respective section in his course. (this could tie into the Manhattan books and LGB as necessary. Would likely use the early PT's for these drilling sessions) Once 7sage is done then PT 2-3 times per week with BR in between and more drilling as necessary. Does this strategy seem flawed? I'm currently doing the trainer at roughly 3 hours per night after work and then as long as I can on weekends. Stupid social commitments get in the way of everything on Sat/Sun though. Gonna stop having friends after a bachelor party this weekend though.

Fwiw I'm planning on sitting September and then again December if necessary. I'll hopefully end up a super splitter (goal of 174+) due to my awful GPA from my immature days of electrical engineering UG.

[nightie]

This guide is now gone?

[S.Picquery]

This guide is now gone?

The whole thing was quoted just a few comments above yours so it isn't gone. Might wanna copy/paste just in case, though.