How should I be doing on EOC Question Problem Sets?

[bash1022]

I'm currently registered to take the LSAT in December. I've been studying the Powerscore LSAT Logical Reasoning Bible since July. I am meticulously going through the book, including typing out a study guide as I go. I find that no matter how closely I read through the chapters, I bomb the end-of-chapter (EOC) problem sets. It's to the point that I'm about to cancel my test registration and forget about taking the LSAT at all. I feel like missing all of those questions is sending me the message that I'm not cut out for this material. Am I being unrealistic regarding how I should be doing on the practice sets? I'm scheduled to take an LSAT prep course at the end of the month....will that help me?

Thanks for any words of wisdom anyone can provide me. I don't want to give up....but I don't want to keep plugging away at something that I'm just not that good at.

[Dave Killoran]

Hey Bash,

Thanks for the message. Let's address a couple of different points in your message.

First, and most importantly, just because the LSAT gives you some difficulty does not mean that you should give up on law school. The LSAT and law school are very different entities, and you won't find any tests like the LSAT once you get into law school (law school tests are mostly essay-based). So, that may help you keep on fighting the LSAT

Second, if you could, tell me a bit more about your performance on those EOC sets. Is it every chapter that you struggle with, or just selected chapter? Are you timing yourself? Are you seeing elements from the discussion when you do the problems? When you read the explanations, do they make sense? If I can get a bit more info about your situation, I can give you some more specific advice about how to proceed.

Generally, the expectation is that you are going to miss a good number of those problems. The LSAT is a tough test, but the key when doing questions is, what do you learn from what you have done? Can you learn from those mistakes and get better?

Once you reply I'll try to get more specific. Thanks!

[bash1022]

Hey Bash,

Thanks for the message. Let's address a couple of different points in your message.

First, and most importantly, just because the LSAT gives you some difficulty does not mean that you should give up on law school. The LSAT and law school are very different entities, and you won't find any tests like the LSAT once you get into law school (law school tests are mostly essay-based). So, that may help you keep on fighting the LSAT

Second, if you could, tell me a bit more about your performance on those EOC sets. Is it every chapter that you struggle with, or just selected chapter? Are you timing yourself? Are you seeing elements from the discussion when you do the problems? When you read the explanations, do they make sense? If I can get a bit more info about your situation, I can give you some more specific advice about how to proceed.

Generally, the expectation is that you are going to miss a good number of those problems. The LSAT is a tough test, but the key when doing questions is, what do you learn from what you have done? Can you learn from those mistakes and get better?

Once you reply I'll try to get more specific. Thanks!

So far I've struggled with every chapter except the Cause and Effect Reasoning chapter. I'm in the middle of Ch. 13 - Flaw in the Reasoning questions now.

By struggled, I mean that I usually get only 0-1 correct answer on the EOC questions. I do not time myself because I know that I'm nowhere close to being ready for timed questions. I can see the elements from the discussion once I read through the answer key but even then trying to make sense of the answer key with what I read in the chapter isn't always cut and dry. Each time I move to the next chapter of the book, I don't feel like I have a good handle on the chapter I've just completed but I move forward thinking that at some point in this process things will just start to click. When I look back at previous chapters, I always feel like I'm looking at the information for the first time.

All in all, I have less than 2 months to study and I've not even started looking at the other sections of the test nor have I worked through an exam from start to finish to figure out where I'm scoring. It doesn't make sense to me to take a sample test when I haven't familiarized myself with all the concepts.

I'm a stay-at-home mom to 2 children and sometimes struggle to find the time to study. I'm sure that I can do well in law school (graduated Magna Cum Laude for my undergrad work, so I'm not a dummy) and recognize that my results on the LSAT do not represent my results in law school. However, In order to even attend law school I must receive scholarship money. Therefore, I know that I need to do really well on the LSAT.

Anyway, I hope that I've clarified my performance on the EOC problem sets and hope that you can assist me in moving forward.

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Bash,

Thanks for the reply and information. This helps me get a better understanding of some of the elements in play. Something you said in the second paragraph jumped out at me: "Each time I move to the next chapter of the book, I don't feel like I have a good handle on the chapter I've just completed but I move forward thinking that at some point in this process things will just start to click."

You clearly have a lot on your plate, and that is likely affecting your ability to sit down and focus on this material. This test is very complex, and what it seems is happening is that you are adding more and more info on top of a not-so-solid foundation. The result is that the ideas aren't coming together, and you are running into a lot of troubles. You noted that, "I look back at previous chapters, I always feel like I'm looking at the information for the first time." That really concerns me because each chapter of the book builds on the ideas in previous chapters.

Here's my suggestion: let's go back to Chapter 2 and review that material. Once you have completed that chapter again, send me a private message and let me know how you felt about the material. I'll likely ask you a few questions (quiz! ), and we'll see how it goes from there. The idea is that there's no way you are going to be successful weakening and strengthen arguments, etc, unless you have the basics locked down.

Please let me know how that sounds. Thanks!

[bash1022]

Sounds good. Give me a few days to go over Chapter 2 again and I'll PM you.