Cambridge Packets, 7Sage, & Study Timeline for Sept LSAT Forum

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Muiliof

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Cambridge Packets, 7Sage, & Study Timeline for Sept LSAT

Post by Muiliof » Tue Apr 18, 2017 4:54 pm

Hello All,

Longtime reader who's finally ready to try the LSAT. Looking for critiques for my study plan, along with answers to my questions regarding the Cambridge Packets and 7Sage.

TLDR:
1. Is 7Sage worth it (and if so is the cheapest package enough)?
2. What is the best replacement for the Cambridge Drill Packets?
3. How does my study plan look?

Background
157 on my diagnostic. Goal is 170+. Aiming for the September test. If I smoke the exam then I'll apply this fall but fully anticipating that I'll have to delay until Fall 2019 (not a k-jd). I've been on this forum long enough to learn that "retake" is the answer 98% of the time, and won't post on "What are my chances" until I actually have a score. If I can't earn a strong score, then I will probably not apply to any school.

Resources Utilized
Powerscore LG Bible (weakest section)
Manhattan LR
Manhattan RC
Official LSAT SuperPrep
Official LSAT SuperPrep II
LSAC Practice Tests 7-80

Study Order
1. Powerscore LG Bible
2. Official LSAT SuperPrep (due to the tough LG questions)
3. Manhattan LR
4. Official LSAT SuperPrep II
5. Manhattan RC
6. Drilling Tests 7-38 (cutting up sections?)
7. Formal Practice Tests for PT 42-80 (usual mixture of 4 tests a week, 2 back to back tests, etc).

Timeline
April-Mid May: Powerscore LG Bible & LSAT Superprep
Mid May-Mid June: Manhattan LR Review & RC
Mid June & July: Drill using PT 7-38
August & September: Practice Tests & Review (4 tests/week, including 2 back to back on Sundays to build stamina). I'll conduct a thorough review after every test
I'll save any Practice Tests I don't utilize for future LSAT(s)

I may also enroll in a formal f2f course (probably Powerscore, Manhattan, or Blueprint) this summer if I am not seeing the results I'd like.

Questions
1. What's the best replacement for the discontinued Cambridge Packets? Cambridge is now listing "Solutions Manuals," but they claim that the actual test sections need to be purchased separately. Are these the official packets that everyone praises?
https://www.cambridgelsat.com/bundles/

2. Is 7Sage the de facto replacement for the Cambridge Packets? Unsure how and if 7Sage could fit into my plans, particularly if I decide to do a f2f class. If I do utilize this resource, which package should I purchase and where does it belong within my study plan?

3. Any other observations or critiques?

Thanks in advance!

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Platopus

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Re: Cambridge Packets, 7Sage, & Study Timeline for Sept LSAT

Post by Platopus » Tue Apr 18, 2017 10:27 pm

Can't comment on the classes, but I'll make a note of your overall plan.

It looks really solid, and you have all the right materials. I would suggest supplementing Powerscore LG w/ 7 Sage's free Youtube videos. Not only are his videos very informative, you'll be able to get a feel for his teaching style and potentially be better informed if a class is worth it. I would also aim to incorporate drilling as you go. I wouldn't wait until mid-June to start drilling, since the material you've reviewed won't be as fresh. Definitely do the drills in the books first, but start incorporating the sections from 7-38 as you go long. Also, 4 PT's a week is a bit aggressive, and there is no real point in going back to back on them. I would aim for 2 a week, and focus heavily on review. In my opinion stamina is not a great concern if you have solid understanding of the material, so I would do at MOST 6 section PT's only if you find that stamina on a 5 section test is an issue. Save the fresh material.

A 170+ should definitely be doable if you stick to your plan and are thorough w/ review. A 157 is a solid diagnostic, good luck!

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180pedia

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Re: Cambridge Packets, 7Sage, & Study Timeline for Sept LSAT

Post by 180pedia » Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:31 pm

Re 7Sage:
I haven't used 7Sage, but I may sign up for one just to speak more knowledgeably on it! That said, everyone raves about it. I don't know if you would need a higher level one with all your other resources. As another point, I think (not remotely certain) you can go with the basic and upgrade from there without any real financial penalty. (?)

Re Cambridge Packets:
Not certain. I believe MK LSAT Trainer has a list of problems by type on his website available for all. I understand it might be tedious to filter through them. You can also search 7Sage Question bank and filter questions by type.

Re Background:
That's a good diagnostic and goal. Just be aware that it is generally helpful to provide more info on your diagnostic, as not all 157 diagnostics are created equal. Most helpful is something like 157 (-8LR/-4RC/-12LG) as well as any timing notes. Did you get every question you got to correct on LR and just didn't have time for the last four in each section or did you finish early while missing four in each section?

Re Resources:
Personally, I preferred Manhattan LG to PowerScore LG, but that could be the fact I read PowerScore first and I tend to retain things better the second time around. I do think Manhattan LG's section on rule replacement and substitution is immensely worthwhile. Either way, you have a good resource base, and you could always add a book if you need further improvement. I would also suggest making copies of all LGs to have blank ones or to solve the games on loose leaf if that is too much of a pain. Repeating games (even the same ones) is immensely beneficial.

Re: Study Order and Timeline
I think it's mostly fine, but you should allow yourself some flexibility to take more time on areas your struggle. You should also be weary about burning through all of the material. I think four tests a week on average is probably a bit much. I do think back to back tests are beneficial every so often (i.e. 4 section - 15 minute break - 4 section), and that helped my stamina immensely.

Re: Course
I would be hesitant to do this. Mainly because you will spend a lot of time rehashing things you have already done. The main benefit of these classes (IMO) is the in-person aspect if that serves as strong motivation for you to study and keep on keeping on. Personally, I think one of the biggest benefits of online instruction like 7Sage is that it is done by month rather than a strict test date (AFAIK), so you don't get into this mentality of 'I'll never be more ready than I am now' like you will get from classes structured around a specific date.

Re: Question 1
I'm uncertain as to whether they are the same, but the author is the host of LSATHacks. His explanations are hosted for free there, but I see no reason not to support him with a purchase or two if you find it super helpful! He's also the moderator at /r/LSAT if you want to find him there.

Re: Question 2
I don't really understand what you mean by the de facto replacement. 7Sage is largely used for LG explanations (although they offer more!) whereas the Cambridge Packets were groupings of questions by type (including LG). IMO, you should use 7Sage for games regardless of the class you use. See my above comments regarding 7Sage. As to how 7Sage (not LG) would fit into your study plan, I cannot comment, as I have not taken 7Sage.

Re: other
You have your plan set out, and it's pretty solid. Allow for some flexibility and don't worry if not everything goes according to plan. I only say this as I find that sometimes people who overly plan things can be a bit more easily rocked if there is a disturbance.

Finally, there are plenty of online resources for explanations. As pointed out, those explanations come from LSATHacks, but you can also find free LR and RC (more sparse) explanations from Manhattan Prep, PowerScore, and Velocity LSAT (if you prefer videos). There are some other resources available as well from LSAT Trainer, Manhattan Prep, etc. such as flashcards, study schedules, etc. If it helps, I created a site that has links to all (almost - I tend to lag a little to give other sites time to populate their explanations) free explanations from 7Sage, LSATHacks, ManhattanPrep, PowerScore, and Velocity LSAT. There are also occasional duplicates on ManhattanPrep where I chose the explanation thread I felt was better. Either way, the site is 180pedia.com/every-lsat-practice-test if it helps. I think it's a bit easier to navigate than the forums, but I am a bit biased.

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tanes25

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Re: Cambridge Packets, 7Sage, & Study Timeline for Sept LSAT

Post by tanes25 » Thu Apr 20, 2017 1:04 pm

7Sage is def worth it. You have everything you need so the lowest pkg is sufficient. The curriculum is the same with all pkgs. The only thing difference is the amount of video explanations you have access to and the amount of PT you can print. The higher pkgs also have the harder practice sets included in the curriculum versus the easier practice sets. I believe there was a list on here comparable to the Cambridge Pkgs and also Steve Schwartz (LSAT Blog) has the lists. I haven't checked in years but I swear they were identical to the Cambridge Pkgs when I checked??? Just checked the Cambridge Weaken pkg and it looks identical to me. Click the "Free Stuff" Link and go from there. Regarding your plan, you are not helping yourself by planning to take 4 tests a week. The goal is to improve your accuracy not increase the number of PT you take. You need to do a thorough review between your PT and then address your weaknesses before attempting another PT otherwise you'll make the same mistakes. You'll have burned a PT with no improvement. Spinning your wheels.

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