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 leslie7
  • Posts: 73
  • Joined: Oct 06, 2020
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#83909
Hi,

According to my study schedule, I'm due for my first 2 prep tests. However, right now I'm taking a very long time 15 min at my fastest to finish a logic game. Do you guys think I should just follow the study plan and do the tests or should I skip them, keep learning and come back to the prep tests when I'm better on time?

Also, when doing the prep tests should I do them both and then review or do 1 then review, do the second then review?

Thanks a lot! Just trying to use the time I have wisely!
 lsathelpwanted
  • Posts: 24
  • Joined: Oct 04, 2020
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#84110
Hi see this was posted about a week ago. Did you figure it out?

If 2 test take 1 and review it then take 2 and review it. Reviewing sucks but that's where the points are at. Taking to pt's by themselves isn't doing much for your score. In fact, basically everything you do except reviewing is not directly gaining points. The vast majority of your study time will eventually be spent in the dungeons of review. But you'll get out and go somewhere better!

I was a in a very similar situation as you with LG.

Ok so I'm assuming your on a Powerscore study plan based on how long you want to study? I'm going to go with that because because it seems like you've got to PT's pretty early. And those shorter schedules have to push them in there.

First know that in those shorter schedules ex. 3 months is short :) PT's may need to be scheduled earlier than ideal. That's because there is great importance for you to AT LEAST see X amount of tests. So if you're assigned PT's now and you're thinking why am I doing this now we haven't covered much of the test? That is probably why.

Now the should you PT now or later. I won't tell you what to do but I'll tell you my quick little story.

I worked the LSAT Trainer twice and 7 timed PT's with heavy! review. (Each test should take a reallllly long time. There is so much info and things to learn it's stupid. I spent about 15-20 hours PER test. I did all that and my scores were average 143-149. I thought I was getting better but my score wasn't.

Said I need to completely stop and change this up. I do not have the fundamentals even close to to do well on this test accidentally. So I said GOODBYE PT'S! ....for now...

Then I spent two months completely devoted to the Logic Games Bible and Logic Reasoing Bible. Absolutely nothing else. I worked LR bible spread across those two month. I worked the LG Bible twice during these months. I worked diligently and thoroughly and did not cheat and say "ok yea I totally get that absolutely insane concept you explain" and move on. I poured over that stuff.

I got to chapter 15/23 in the LR bible. I had just finished the second run through of LG. And I was duuunnnnnnnn. It was mid-november and I'd been at it wayyy more on than off since I took my first step in this process 5 months ago in June. But I was sooooo close to finished the LR bible. I wanted to. But I just didn't feel like it. I never study for lsat if I don't want to. It doesn't work for me and its a miserable experience and I get nothing out of it and I waste my time.

So I took a break! didn't know how long. a day or two a week. Just whenever I felt I wanted to get back at it.

Feb. 1st 10 weeks later I made my return with my first practice test since September's 149 and since working the bibles learning more of the fundamentals.

I scored a 161.

I didnt jump up and celebrate. I saw the score. I sighed and kinda did a weird release type whispered/breathed out and said "finally". idk.

The other part is that I screwed up a little easy thing on the 2nd logic game which caused me to have to skip the final 8 questions. Those questions were completely doable, I had not missed a question in the section except the skips. Had I been better at time management and careless errors, I would have had a 165.

The 145 average was about 48/100 correct question. The 161 had 79/100 correct. I answered 31 MORE questions correctly IN ADDITION to my usual 48. WTH!!!!! A 16 point jump sounds like a lot. but the total correct questions is what was really nice to see.

So back to your PT's. You seem like me. Do you know what you are doing out there? I thought I did. You know better than I did because you thought to ask about this. Your post made you sounds suspicious. You're yea study and I TWO full PT's and is this right? we haven't covered much. ahah my paraphrase.

So now do what you want. If I were you I would be working the powerscore bibles. And do some uquestions that match the chapters type. And when you go through those questions a second time, use the bibles and make sure you have a purpose.

I'd also be living the LG Bible too. All the way. Then again. I'm about to run through it again for 3rd time. LG is gonna take time. You gotta build the foundation. And then practice until your sick of it. And now you practice wile your sick. Do them all again. 10 or more times is the suggested minimum. You'll get so fast and lot's of that reason is because you know what to do! But don't "cheat" and ememorize the game. You'll enevitlby remember stuff. But just work the logic. takes those steps over and over. LG repeat a few problem type. you gotta get good at alll of them.

option, maybe work through all of the logic game book to have an eyeopener. Some of the games are well crazy and they take a lot of time for the high scorers too. So god knows how much time we'll need haha. But those real hard games are often included in sections that are over all easier. So you want to get SO FAST AND GOOD at those common basic type of games. You can do each one in 5-6 minutes. and have a full 15 for the big hog at the end waiting to feed.

After LG first time. go through again. start mastering them. type by type easy to hard. use PT 1-35 as your "question bank" to pull games and questions you need from LR and RC. Tests 36+ are your timed practice tests. Don't forget RC I have no tips for that but have a strategy. Do soemthing! don't just passively read. But seriously, im not joking, most high scorers are hitting games 1-36 about 10 times each. It's over 1000 games. After that, you should be better! But probably not perfect.

Oh last. I wouldn't worry about time for a while. No point. Can't answer fast if you can't answer at all. You are the fundamental monster. you see a fundamental you eat it. you see a fundamental you weren't aware of? that's your fundamental down.

Each section can have 7-11 easy questions. These question, are the easiest. And you need to be getting them correct every time. When you do use PT's use your Powerscore analytics. Find weaknesses drill those questions.

Ok go beat me to 162 good luck! hit me up if have a question.
 Adam Tyson
PowerScore Staff
  • PowerScore Staff
  • Posts: 5392
  • Joined: Apr 14, 2011
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#84138
To add to the advice already given by your fellow student, leslie7, I would agree that you should not concern yourself with time. Take a PT anyway, even if you are slow, because you still need to get in some practice on managing the entire testing experience. If a question, or passage, or game has you stumped, you need to move to the next one (but leave no blanks - guess if you must). A PT at this stage is a chance to test your fundamentals, to see if you can consistently prephrase, consistently sort answers without bogging down on any one answer choice. It's a chance to begin managing your time effectively. Don't worry about finishing, but focus on doing what you know how to do and then, in the review process, learning about your strengths and weaknesses.

And I also agree that you should review after the first PT before taking the second one, so that the things you learn in that review can then be applied in the next PT.

Finally, remember that when taking and reviewing a Practice Test, the emphasis is on the word "Practice." This is just a chance to practice, so don't think of it like some high pressure situation where you must succeed or else fail. It's practice!

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