171 on 2nd PT - Looking for advice on next steps Forum

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sailcar

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171 on 2nd PT - Looking for advice on next steps

Post by sailcar » Wed Mar 22, 2017 7:47 pm

Hi all,

I am taking the June LSAT and looking for advice on what to do next in my study process. I scored a 162 on my diagnostic in January (-9 LG, -9 LR, -1 RC) and am almost finished working through the LSAT Trainer. I recently took my first PT since the diagnostic and got a 171 with -7 LG, -6 LR, and and -0 RC.

Before the PT, I was thinking about taking a class or subscribing to the 7sage curriculum since they seem to be good for LG. But now I'm thinking it might not be a worthwhile use of time to jump into another curriculum. I feel like I have the basics of LG diagramming down but am struggling with timing. My LR misses are mostly concentrated on the harder questions but no specific type, so I think with practice I should be able to refine my score on that. On the last PT, I went -5 on the first LR section and -1 on the second, so I wonder if that was also just a matter of warming up.

What should be my next step after I finish the LSAT Trainer? Should I jump straight into taking PTs and blind reviewing? Or should I buy all the old LSATs first and work through every LG? Or do both at the same time?

If it helps, my original goal score was 173, but I want to aim as high as possible since I think I have the potential to and am looking at top schools.

Thanks! Any advice appreciated!

Alexandros

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Re: 171 on 2nd PT - Looking for advice on next steps

Post by Alexandros » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:00 pm

Once you're at that point, practice is the most important thing.
I'd say both drill and do full PTs once or twice a week. For drilling - get the older PTs and familiarize yourself with every game until you know them like the back of your hand. Drill LR and RC from the older PTs while you're at it.
For LR - type up explanations of the ones you get wrong, and make note of them to revisit them in the future. Making packs of just 15-25 LR questions might also be helpful to get the hardest ones down.

dm1683

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Re: 171 on 2nd PT - Looking for advice on next steps

Post by dm1683 » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:07 pm

171 with. -13? One hell of a curve.

Anyway, what The Great said. Although right now I would focus specifically on LGs. Practice timing and get that score down to -3/-4 before you start PTing. Work in your LR as you do PTs during the last two months because that takes a lot more time.

Alexandros

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Re: 171 on 2nd PT - Looking for advice on next steps

Post by Alexandros » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:13 pm

dm1683 wrote:171 with. -13? One hell of a curve.

Anyway, what The Great said. Although right now I would focus specifically on LGs. Practice timing and get that score down to -3/-4 before you start PTing. Work in your LR as you do PTs during the last two months because that takes a lot more time.
^ Agree with this.

Also I really like that nickname and would like everyone to please refer to me as that hereon out. Thanks.

CottonHarvest

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Re: 171 on 2nd PT - Looking for advice on next steps

Post by CottonHarvest » Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:34 pm

Logic Games is the only thing keeping you from 175+. I would honestly play every game 5-10 times and watch the 7sage free explanations on YouTube after every game if you miss a question

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Platopus

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Re: 171 on 2nd PT - Looking for advice on next steps

Post by Platopus » Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:53 pm

sailcar wrote:Hi all,

I am taking the June LSAT and looking for advice on what to do next in my study process. I scored a 162 on my diagnostic in January (-9 LG, -9 LR, -1 RC) and am almost finished working through the LSAT Trainer. I recently took my first PT since the diagnostic and got a 171 with -7 LG, -6 LR, and and -0 RC.

Before the PT, I was thinking about taking a class or subscribing to the 7sage curriculum since they seem to be good for LG. But now I'm thinking it might not be a worthwhile use of time to jump into another curriculum. I feel like I have the basics of LG diagramming down but am struggling with timing. My LR misses are mostly concentrated on the harder questions but no specific type, so I think with practice I should be able to refine my score on that. On the last PT, I went -5 on the first LR section and -1 on the second, so I wonder if that was also just a matter of warming up.

What should be my next step after I finish the LSAT Trainer? Should I jump straight into taking PTs and blind reviewing? Or should I buy all the old LSATs first and work through every LG? Or do both at the same time?

If it helps, my original goal score was 173, but I want to aim as high as possible since I think I have the potential to and am looking at top schools.

Thanks! Any advice appreciated!
You should definitely be aiming higher than a 173. You have the potential for a 175+ if you can master LG. I would suggest getting your hands on pretty much every copy of LG you can. Powerscore has every game from 1-20 organized by game type (basic linear, pure sequencing, grouping, etc.) If you're lazy like me, just take the book, rip each page carefully from the binding and run them all through a copier a couple of times to make a stack of games. Work through each game type, going from the easiest to the most complex. Make sure you time yourself and really push to finish quickly. Additionally games 1-20 are unique in that some of the older games from the time are much more unusual, and in that regard, similar to some of the crazy games we see today. Powerscore gives these games their own section, so if you struggle on the really hard games, give that section a couple of looks until you're reasonably comfortable. After getting through 1-20, work tests 20-40 as complete, timed sections. Ideally, it would be best to do this all before hitting the PT's but at this point, if you want to take June, that's not a real option.


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tanes25

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Re: 171 on 2nd PT - Looking for advice on next steps

Post by tanes25 » Thu Mar 23, 2017 7:02 am

sailcar wrote:Hi all,

I am taking the June LSAT and looking for advice on what to do next in my study process. I scored a 162 on my diagnostic in January (-9 LG, -9 LR, -1 RC) and am almost finished working through the LSAT Trainer. I recently took my first PT since the diagnostic and got a 171 with -7 LG, -6 LR, and and -0 RC.

Before the PT, I was thinking about taking a class or subscribing to the 7sage curriculum since they seem to be good for LG. But now I'm thinking it might not be a worthwhile use of time to jump into another curriculum. I feel like I have the basics of LG diagramming down but am struggling with timing. My LR misses are mostly concentrated on the harder questions but no specific type, so I think with practice I should be able to refine my score on that. On the last PT, I went -5 on the first LR section and -1 on the second, so I wonder if that was also just a matter of warming up.

What should be my next step after I finish the LSAT Trainer? Should I jump straight into taking PTs and blind reviewing? Or should I buy all the old LSATs first and work through every LG? Or do both at the same time?

If it helps, my original goal score was 173, but I want to aim as high as possible since I think I have the potential to and am looking at top schools.

Thanks! Any advice appreciated!
Really focus on LG. You don't have to purchase 7Sage for their LG explanations. They're all free and on Youtube. 7Sage is hands down the best for LG, IMO. Don't worry about learning a new method. The LSAT Trainer and 7Sage compliment one another. You should make 5-10 copies of each game and don't move on until you can finish a game within the suggested time without missing any questions. Sure you might remember/memorize the game but the point is repetition. You should be striving to be familiar with the necessary game boards and the inferences made. And as mentioned above, pay close attention to the earlier LG. Seems as though these "weird" games are making a comeback. I would also suggest drilling about 10-15 LR questions a day just to stay fresh and maybe an RC section a day as well.

sailcar

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Re: 171 on 2nd PT - Looking for advice on next steps

Post by sailcar » Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:39 am

Thank you, everyone! I just got the LGs by type for 1-20 and the full PTs up to 40. This is all helpful as I try to make a new schedule for myself.

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LSRAT

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Re: 171 on 2nd PT - Looking for advice on next steps

Post by LSRAT » Thu Mar 23, 2017 10:48 am

CottonHarvest wrote:Logic Games is the only thing keeping you from 175+. I would honestly play every game 5-10 times and watch the 7sage free explanations on YouTube after every game if you miss a question
I second this. Focus particular attention on early games as well. There are a lot odd ones there and that tactic helped me not die during the computer virus game in Sept.

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MediocreAtBest

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Re: 171 on 2nd PT - Looking for advice on next steps

Post by MediocreAtBest » Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:27 pm

You can get that LG down to -0 or -1 without a problem and you'll be able to do it consistently. I don't know about you, but I've gone -0 on RC before, but I also have no confidence in being able to to that every time, its like a crapshoot, -0, -5, you never know what you're gonna get. But with LG you can learn it to the point where there is no confusion or wiggle room.

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