Struggles and Difficulties

[brcibake]

Hello,
I am hoping to take the LSAT in December. Last fall, I began reading the LSAT bibles. I did not, however, dive too deep into these because I knew I was going to take a course. In the spring, I took a timed diagnostic test and received a 143. My goal is at least a 161 but would love a 164/165. I also enrolled in the live online full-length class. This spring semester was very busy for me and I did not have as much time to devote to the class as I thought I would. I am still trying to finish all of the lectures and homework. I am taking untimed practice tests and scoring a 151 average. This concerns me because I feel this score is very close to my diagnostic score and it would likely be the same if I timed the test. I have only improved in Logic Games and am continuously improving which is interesting because this is my favorite section. My most recent test results are 72% correct on LG, 48% correct on RC, and 55% correct on LR. I typically can only finish 2 of the RC passages if I am timing. I am looking into getting a tutor around September but until then I am trying to finish all of the LG advanced videos and rewatch all of my class lectures while taking an untimed practice test or two per week. Is there any advance you could give me as I do not understand why I am still struggling and not improving.
Thanks in advance

[nicholaspavic]

Hi brc,

It sounds like you are really taking to the Logic Games, and that's terrific! So sometimes we forget to feel good about the great strides we have already made and instead focus on the negative. It's human nature. We can't help it. Try not to do it though. You're doing great and you are obviously dedicated! That's a huuuge asset on this test.

But let's talk Reading Comprehension. The timing issue is not an uncommon problem. For students who struggle with timing, it's not unusual that they are attempting to memorize the entire passage as they read it. That's a problem. Remember, we have to read quickly and make efficient notations using our VIEWSTAMP approach. Start by timing yourself and trying to get a passage diagrammed in 3-4 minutes. Practice makes perfect here. Remember that you don't have to memorize because your notations will point you back to the right area. When you do the questions for a passage, doublecheck that you marked out the correct areas that you were questioned on. Repeating this, over and over, will give you insight about things you overlooked while reading at a pace that is a bit faster than what you have been comfortable with in the past. The notations are crucial because with 70% of the RC questions being Must Be True questions, we have to often refer back to specific portions of any passage in order to successfully answer the questions. Drill yourself on this often. You will see that you will inevitably get better at the questions and become a better notator in time.

With LR, drilling sets of question types, over and over will often help a student improve. Say you struggle with Strengthen questions, which is a question type that is growing on this exam, you will definitely want to work on them. Do sets of 10-20 of that question type of varying difficulty and do them untimed initially until you are comfortable with the principles behind them. Only then, should you try to start doing them timed with a goal of 1 minute 25 seconds avearge for each question.

Finally, I want to encourage you to focus on the process and not the score. By worrying about scores, we can self-sabotage. Find the fun and pleasure in doing the process and realizing that every day, you improve as a test taker. Take breaks. Give yourself rest. Success in process comes to those who are relaxed and ready to build upon their pre-existing skills.

Good luck and I hope this helped!