The Official September 2017 Study Group Forum

[chewinggum]

Any suggestions on what helped the most with LR? I'm currently using PS (which really helped with LG) but LR could still improve!

I'm struggling with formal logic in particular

I tried to see if there's anything on this thread but everyone's deleting their posts lol

For Formal Logic, I found Powerscore's chapters on logic from the LR Bible to very helpful--I think one of them was chapter 13. I went over the two chapters several times. Also, taking PTs and typing up answers to all missed LR questions and reviewing them was very helpful. Reading the question first helped me with accuracy also.

I'll try this! Thanks!

[meemaw]

General update:

Ughhh I'm working full time and my study plans have flown out the window... I wanted to do 15 hours a week but I can hardly manage 3 or 4. But the good news is I did the practice RC passages in Powerscore last weekend and literally got -2 out of 5 passages all under 8.45. Under 8:45 by like 1+ minutes. I'm feeling good. I think a little more practice will smooth out to -0 to give me room for error.

My LG fluctuate between perfect accuracy and under 8:45 and 15 min + on some of the grouping games. I am planning to take a PT to highlight problem areas

I've neglected LR so must work on that as well.

At this point, I have a few more practice passages in the RC Bible until I'm done with all review books and I will start on rechallenge sections and actual PTs. I feel like this working full time thing will prevent me from actually registering for September but maybe if I can kick myself enough I can pull together a decent score. < 3 months left...is a score of 175 realistic while working? We'll see...

[Ira Hayes]

Piggy backing on the update:
LG is going better. Went -6 on a packet which I know isn't great but it is a leg up from my -9 of last week. RC is still around -3/4 a section, sometimes I have really bad passages and I have kind of been avoiding LR this weekend. When should I take a practice test? I was thinking July 1st

[abujabal]

Frustratingly, did worse on a Blind Review of a test than I did on it in actuality, which is weird. Also totally collapsed on the logic games here so that's getting drilled this week:

PT 8

LR1: -7 (-8 BR)
LG: -3
RC: -1
LR2: -6 (-6 BR)

Overall: 167 (166 BR fml)

It's worth noting that of the 13 questions I got wrong across the aggregate LR sections, 7 were not flagged for Blind Review. Of the 6 I got wrong on the actual test, I got all wrong on the Blind Review as well. Clearly my Blind Review approach is lacking. Any tips on that?

I'm moving into the "1 PT/week" mindset, and will likely shift to 2/wk in mid-July. Does anyone have a quick link to the order in which tests should be taken? I know I should get out of the early LSAT range ASAP and shift to more relevant stuff, but I can't seem to find the guidance after searching on what tests to take in what order.

Thanks y'all - time to review all of these LRs and order me an LR Bible...

[Anon-e-miss]

Frustratingly, did worse on a Blind Review of a test than I did on it in actuality, which is weird. Also totally collapsed on the logic Does anyone have a quick link to the order in which tests should be taken?

Also curious about this

[meemaw]

Piggy backing on the update:
LG is going better. Went -6 on a packet which I know isn't great but it is a leg up from my -9 of last week. RC is still around -3/4 a section, sometimes I have really bad passages and I have kind of been avoiding LR this weekend. When should I take a practice test? I was thinking July 1st

You should take one after you finish reviewing everything you've missed in your packet. I'm taking one this week! It will be my first since my diag so I'm sort of excited/anxious. You should use zen of 180 when you do take it. It will tell you what to focus on after.

[meemaw]

DOes anyone know when the new bundle of PT comes out? I believe it's 71 to 80

[Hulk412]

Frustratingly, did worse on a Blind Review of a test than I did on it in actuality, which is weird. Also totally collapsed on the logic games here so that's getting drilled this week:

PT 8

LR1: -7 (-8 BR)
LG: -3
RC: -1
LR2: -6 (-6 BR)

Overall: 167 (166 BR fml)

It's worth noting that of the 13 questions I got wrong across the aggregate LR sections, 7 were not flagged for Blind Review. Of the 6 I got wrong on the actual test, I got all wrong on the Blind Review as well. Clearly my Blind Review approach is lacking. Any tips on that?

I'm moving into the "1 PT/week" mindset, and will likely shift to 2/wk in mid-July. Does anyone have a quick link to the order in which tests should be taken? I know I should get out of the early LSAT range ASAP and shift to more relevant stuff, but I can't seem to find the guidance after searching on what tests to take in what order.

Thanks y'all - time to review all of these LRs and order me an LR Bible...

Noob question
Say you aren't able to finish a section in time are you counting the missed ones -7 of a section if you didn't get to it or just the ones you did actually miss on? Also what is blind review?, thanks.

I feel like my accuracy is improving but my timing is still slow and i've yet to finish any section. Is this normal in the beginning stages?

[abujabal]

Frustratingly, did worse on a Blind Review of a test than I did on it in actuality, which is weird. Also totally collapsed on the logic games here so that's getting drilled this week:
...

Noob question
Say you aren't able to finish a section in time are you counting the missed ones -7 of a section if you didn't get to it or just the ones you did actually miss on? Also what is blind review?, thanks.

I feel like my accuracy is improving but my timing is still slow and i've yet to finish any section. Is this normal in the beginning stages?

I am noting down where I went over time (in this particular section, I only got to question 17, and had to skip 3 questions before, so in reality my score should have been whatever I got right /17, but at this point I'm just focusing on getting the games perfect (or at least close to), before drilling for time. I'm keeping an eye on how long I take - average is roughly 40-45 minutes to get everything down, but my focus is still accuracy, while being cognizant of where I'm losing time (I'm double-checking a lot of answers, and I frequently find myself rereading the rules every now and again, which takes time).

Blind Review is best explained by this 7Sage video but think of it this way.

- As you take a section, there are questions that you have to take a bit of a leap on due to time issues/are not sure about. Mark those somehow.
- Before you grade the section, look at those questions and try to answer them correctly without any time pressure. Do not consider your previous answer while doing this. I find it helpful to look at a digital version of the test I took instead of my actual paper, so that I'm not influenced by the answer choices I previously eliminated
- Then and only then, grade your test. Ideally, there should be a positive difference between your actual score and your Blind Review score. Essentially the idea is being able to logically understand the answer to any question, and let time come later.

Accuracy is definitely more important than timing in the early stages. Keep an eye on it, and certainly don't let it get too out of hand, but with accuracy and practice your section times will come down. As you're in the early, habit-developing stages though, it could be worth being cognizant of where you're losing time that can be eliminated. What resources are you using to help you study?

[Rupert Pupkin]

Back from Vacay!!! Time to start crushing LSAT hard again

[dj9i27]

I'm either getting a 178 or 165 judging on my RC performance thus far. Consistency plz

[Mikey]

I'm either getting a 178 or 165 judging on my RC performance thus far. Consistency plz

I'm getting either a 140 or a 180 based on being focused or not.

focus pls

[dj9i27]

I'm either getting a 178 or 165 judging on my RC performance thus far. Consistency plz

I'm getting either a 140 or a 180 based on being focused or not.

focus pls

I've noticed around 1230am my focus goes to the. LR questions get harder, RC passages are more difficult to track. Probably because it's late but damn

Looking forward to next PT, aside from RC my digital lsat went well, especially for not doing any LG or RC up to that point.

[lurksoh4rd]

Update: halfway done w LG and LR bibles, haven't touched RC. Hoping to finish at least one of the two this week and am super anxious to get drillin.
You guys are killing it and I'm so excited for all of us!!

[Hulk412]

Frustratingly, did worse on a Blind Review of a test than I did on it in actuality, which is weird. Also totally collapsed on the logic games here so that's getting drilled this week:
...

Noob question
Say you aren't able to finish a section in time are you counting the missed ones -7 of a section if you didn't get to it or just the ones you did actually miss on? Also what is blind review?, thanks.

I feel like my accuracy is improving but my timing is still slow and i've yet to finish any section. Is this normal in the beginning stages?

I am noting down where I went over time (in this particular section, I only got to question 17, and had to skip 3 questions before, so in reality my score should have been whatever I got right /17, but at this point I'm just focusing on getting the games perfect (or at least close to), before drilling for time. I'm keeping an eye on how long I take - average is roughly 40-45 minutes to get everything down, but my focus is still accuracy, while being cognizant of where I'm losing time (I'm double-checking a lot of answers, and I frequently find myself rereading the rules every now and again, which takes time).

Blind Review is best explained by this 7Sage video but think of it this way.

- As you take a section, there are questions that you have to take a bit of a leap on due to time issues/are not sure about. Mark those somehow.
- Before you grade the section, look at those questions and try to answer them correctly without any time pressure. Do not consider your previous answer while doing this. I find it helpful to look at a digital version of the test I took instead of my actual paper, so that I'm not influenced by the answer choices I previously eliminated
- Then and only then, grade your test. Ideally, there should be a positive difference between your actual score and your Blind Review score. Essentially the idea is being able to logically understand the answer to any question, and let time come later.

Accuracy is definitely more important than timing in the early stages. Keep an eye on it, and certainly, don't let it get too out of hand, but with accuracy and practice your section times will come down. As you're in the early, habit-developing stages though, it could be worth being cognizant of where you're losing time that can be eliminated. What resources are you using to help you study?

Thank you very much! I agree I am more focused on accuracy at this point than time or even considering finishing a section in time. I am currently taking the Fox LSAT on-demand online course which Nathan Fox (Instructor) sends you the materials for over like 20 tests and the course has videos where he records his classroom setting and goes over the section, questions, etc. as well as being reachable for any questions. So what the course of action right now is to complete a timed section each and every day no matter what followed by a review. So I can understand what I got wrong and why it was wrong as well as understand why the correct answer was right.

[littlewing67]

.

[dj9i27]

Did some Trainer RC chapters then did 5 RC passages in a row with the Cambridge packets and only got 1 stupid author's attitude question wrong because I didn't know the definition of a word.

Ok 3 more hours in the library...

wanna switch? i would be ecstatic to be in the library rn

[littlewing67]

.

[dj9i27]

Did some Trainer RC chapters then did 5 RC passages in a row with the Cambridge packets and only got 1 stupid author's attitude question wrong because I didn't know the definition of a word.

Ok 3 more hours in the library...

wanna switch? i would be ecstatic to be in the library rn

No thanks I <3 the library. I actually wake up excited to go, versus when I had a paralegal job.

I might change my tune once I start the science passages packet though.... ):

we are the same with lib and work but differ on preferred RC passage. Science ones are my forte, especially that one about brains. If we get a hard science RC in September I won't be mad, not another Ellien Grey tho

[Hulk412]

Did some Trainer RC chapters then did 5 RC passages in a row with the Cambridge packets and only got 1 stupid author's attitude question wrong because I didn't know the definition of a word.

Ok 3 more hours in the library...

wanna switch? i would be ecstatic to be in the library rn

No thanks I <3 the library. I actually wake up excited to go, versus when I had a paralegal job.

I might change my tune once I start the science passages packet though.... ):

we are the same with lib and work but differ on preferred RC passage. Science ones are my forte, especially that one about brains. If we get a hard science RC in September I won't be mad, not another Ellien Grey tho

What are you guys using as study material for RC? and strategy for it. It's my kryptonite

[abujabal]

Did some Trainer RC chapters then did 5 RC passages in a row with the Cambridge packets and only got 1 stupid author's attitude question wrong because I didn't know the definition of a word.

Ok 3 more hours in the library...

wanna switch? i would be ecstatic to be in the library rn

No thanks I <3 the library. I actually wake up excited to go, versus when I had a paralegal job.

I might change my tune once I start the science passages packet though.... ):

we are the same with lib and work but differ on preferred RC passage. Science ones are my forte, especially that one about brains. If we get a hard science RC in September I won't be mad, not another Ellien Grey tho

What are you guys using as study material for RC? and strategy for it. It's my kryptonite

Reading The Economist and Scientific American articles semi-regularly keeps me in shape for muddling through passages that I don't entirely understand.

[dj9i27]

Did some Trainer RC chapters then did 5 RC passages in a row with the Cambridge packets and only got 1 stupid author's attitude question wrong because I didn't know the definition of a word.

Ok 3 more hours in the library...

wanna switch? i would be ecstatic to be in the library rn

No thanks I <3 the library. I actually wake up excited to go, versus when I had a paralegal job.

I might change my tune once I start the science passages packet though.... ):

we are the same with lib and work but differ on preferred RC passage. Science ones are my forte, especially that one about brains. If we get a hard science RC in September I won't be mad, not another Ellien Grey tho

What are you guys using as study material for RC? and strategy for it. It's my kryptonite

Reading The Economist and Scientific American articles semi-regularly keeps me in shape for muddling through passages that I don't entirely understand.

this and rereading the questions and passages

[abujabal]

Does anyone have a quick link to the order in which tests should be taken? I know I should get out of the early LSAT range ASAP and shift to more relevant stuff, but I can't seem to find the guidance after searching on what tests to take in what order.

Hoping to bump this query as more of us shake off the weekend and get back into the studying groove, thanks all!

[twiix]

Does anyone have a quick link to the order in which tests should be taken? I know I should get out of the early LSAT range ASAP and shift to more relevant stuff, but I can't seem to find the guidance after searching on what tests to take in what order.

Hoping to bump this query as more of us shake off the weekend and get back into the studying groove, thanks all!

Use the 40s and 50s early.. maybe plan on 2 from each section until you have timing and stamina down (make it a 5 section test). If you have timing, skipping strategies, and stamina down, then move onto the 60s and 70s and take every other one (save some for a retake). Ezpz. There is no cookie cutter answer for this. You need to feel it out yourself depending on where you are performing.

[Alexandros]

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