The June 2012 LSAT might seem far off, but it'll be here before you know it. What would you like to see on the blog between now and then?Please leave your questions for me (and for each other) in the comments, I'll do my best to answer as many of your questions as possible.
Also, if you're looking for general advice on improving in Logic Games, Logical Reasoning, or Reading Comprehension, please note that I've already written plenty of blog posts on these topics and have integrated them into my LSAT study schedules.
Quick request: please leave a name rather than posting as "Anonymous." It makes it easier for everyone to respond to specific comments. Thanks!
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Thanks Steve, for opening this Q&A post. I have two questions about RC section.
ReplyDelete1. I find I often get bogged down by details that do not appear in questions later, especially in science passages. I understand that it is big picture, not details that we should focus on. But when I tries to "slide" over details, I find it's harder to understand the relationship between concepts, viewpoints, etc.
2. What's the ideal time allocation? Is there something like "it's better to finish the reading of the passage in 3 minutes and then finish the questions in 4-5 minutes"?
Look forward to learning your insight, Thanks again
Hi Julia, Glad to help! I covered these issues in the blog posts listed here:
Deletehttp://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/lsat-prep-reading-comp-tips.html
1. In short, briefly read the details on your first go-through, but then review them in more depth when answering particular questions.
2. Yes, 3 minutes for each passage and the rest for the questions is a good general guideline.
I recently found your blog and am loving it. I just started Kaplan classes. Other than Kaplan classes, do you recommend anything specific? June will be my first real LSAT. Thank you! - Teresa
ReplyDeleteHi Teresa, I'm so glad you're enjoying the blog! I'd recommend looking at one of the day-by-day plans - they have all my general advice regarding what to do with regard to each question-type:
Deletehttp://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/daily-lsat-study-schedules-plans-guides.html
HI Steve,
ReplyDeleteI was hoping you can explain question 10 in preptest37, game 2. The whole game was easy for me except for that one question. Thank you in advance!
Hi Roz, I'm sorry, but I'm not able to explain specific PrepTest questions on request (I'd be flooded with requests!). However, you can get detailed explanations to the vast majority of PrepTests here: http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/p/best-lsat-prep-books.html
DeleteHey Steve, great blog! I'm currently studying for the June 2012 LSAT and for the ast month I had tremendous problems with the logic games section. Now I'm starting to get a hang of then but the problem is timing. If I rush I only get 12-14 right, if I don't tine myself I can get like 20 right. I still did not study the LG or the RC sections but I'm averaging 14 on the LG's and 16 on the RC's. What do you think I should do at this point in terms of studying? Can I hit my target 165 by June? If yes what strategies should use? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGlad you're enjoying the blog! It sounds like you need to work on the basics. I'd recommend looking at the tips I've linked in the above blog post, and using one of the day-by-day study plans for more structure. You've got enough time between now and June to achieve 165+ if you study diligently. Keep at it!
DeleteHi Steve, I am just wondering how to incorporate the experimental section into my full length practice tests. Do you suggest randomly choosing a RC, LG, LR section for each test? Also, what section number should I put it?
ReplyDeleteThank You!
Hi Leanne, I've got lots of tips on that here: http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/february-2012-lsat-experimental-section.html
DeleteHi Steve,
ReplyDeleteLong-time admirer of the blog, but this is my first comment. I'm retaking the LSAT this June--I took it in 2009 and I got a high score, but at that point in my life I was living on a friend's couch, completely broke, unable to feed myself more than once a day and I only studied for a month using sub-par materials. I really think I could do better this time around. (Please don't tell me I'm crazy!)
I'd really like to know what you'd recommend in terms of healthy lifestyle choices I should make during the three months I'll be studying--should I work out more? Start juicing kale or something? I'm really open to suggestions!
Hi Raywags, Glad you're enjoying the blog. It sounds to me like if you can get a high score under those conditions, you should be able to get a *really* high score under conditions that *aren't* sub-par. I'm no doctor, but I've put together two posts on lifestyle (including some food tips):
Deletehttp://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/smoking-eating-lsat-prep-self-control.html
http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/lsat-test-day-food-recommendations.html
Hope these help!
Hi Steve,
ReplyDeleteWould you be able to show an example of how to link multiple conditionals using a statement that contains "but not both?"
like this:
If Robyn goes to the party, Sam or Adam, but not both, go to the party.
How do you set that up when you have a ton of other conditionals that depend on it and it's in the middle of a long chain?
Aren't there two options for negating this? Because Robyn would NOT go for two reasons: 1. If Sam and Adam went 2. If Sam did not go and Adam did not go
R -->S or A (not both)
Negated:
~S and ~A -->~R (simply flip or/and)
BUT ALSO
S and A -->~R
and if you negate this one you get:
R -->~S or ~A
Which seems contradictory to the first statement (R -->S or A)
Hopefully this question doesn't seem too totally crazy. I have come across this a few times in the logic games and don't know how to link it up with a bunch of other conditions that depend on me getting this straight.
Thank you so much Steve! I'm a big fan of the blog!
Great question, Robyn!
DeleteI believe you're asking for the contrapositive of this, not the negation of this.
The contrapositive of "If Robyn goes to the party, Sam or Adam, but not both, go to the party."
would be if "S and A" or "NOT S and NOT A" -> NOT R. Draw an arrow from SA -> NOT R as well as another arrow going from NOT S and NOT A -> NOT R. Draw SA with a box around it to represent "S and A", and draw SA with a box around it and a slash through it to represent "NOT S and NOT A."
This sort of rule is very rare, but an example of a game that contains this sort of rule is SuperPrep B, Game 2.
I can't get into a ton of detail here in the comments beyond that, and I'd need the other rules of the game to show you how to link things together, but I hope this helps!
Actually the SuperPrep B Game 2 is what brought this question about for me! I'm confused how you link all those conditionals when you have two options for the contrapositive. Are you allowed to show us a diagram for setting up the linkages for that specific game, or is that against copyright? I'm wondering if other people are having trouble handling that game too. I'm following the PowerScore methods, but the book doesn't seem to be a big advocate of building long, complex chains, which I think makes a lot more sense.
DeleteHi Robyn, I'm sorry, but I'm not able to explain specific PrepTest questions on request (I'd be flooded with requests!). I can only do that for my students.
DeleteHowever, you can get detailed explanations to the vast majority of PrepTests here: http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/p/best-lsat-prep-books.html
And you can see how I build long chains in a different game here, although it's not quite as tough as SuperPrep B, Game 2:
http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/logic-game-explanation-birds-forest.html
Hi there people, I am taking the test in June and studying like crazy almost everyday. I am not to bad with the games now after tons of practice, but the LG and RC are so tough. Any tips on how to improve on those because practice does not seem to help as it did on the games. My score is always the same 11-13 correct on each, no more, and I am wondering if I will be able to hit 20 correct on each by June. Thanks everyone and good luck!
ReplyDeleteThe best general advice I can give is to read all the blog posts I linked above, but others can feel free to chime in with their tips!
DeleteIs it better to first do LG and RC sections untimed until I get a hang of them or is that the wrong way to go? Thanks a million!
ReplyDeleteYes - do them all untimed first while you learn the basics. All of my study schedules advocate this. Wish you all the best with your prep!
DeleteHi Steve,
ReplyDeleteI've been reading your blog for 2 years, but I just recently decided to take the LSAT (yikes!). Your day-by-day study schedule is kicking my butt. I LOVE IT.
#1- The schedule doesn't have you start timed sections for quite a while. Do you recommend sticking to this? I only got to question 3 in 8min and 45sec. It was deflating to say the least.
Thank you for writing this blog. I am a little obsessive about law school and my husband is glad I have an outlet. I'll be sad when I get to the end of the lsat diaries.
I'm so glad you're enjoying the blog and day-by-day study schedule!
DeleteYes, stick to untimed practice for now so that you can build a strong foundation and fully learn the strategies. Then, once you've built up your accuracy, you can start working on timing.
Hey Steve,
ReplyDeleteI am at week 5 of your 5-month day-by-day study schedule. I am obviously preparing for the June 2012 LSAT and am registered to take a course with PowerScore in April, my hopes is that it will reinforce any concepts I struggled with on my own. I was wondering if you had a blog post that categorized Necessary Assumptions questions? Similar to the Sufficient Assumption blog post. I am struggling with these types of questions the most so far.
Thanks for all your help and the amazing study guide/posts!
-Corey
Hi Corey,
DeleteGlad you're enjoying the blog and schedule!
I haven't categorized Necessary Assumption questions. I categorized the Sufficient Assumption Qs (http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/sufficient-assumption-questions-tips.html) because they often use formal logic, but Necessary Assumption questions use informal logic, so there aren't really different categories within which I believe it would be useful or necessary to categorize them.
However, I've written many tips on Necessary Assumption questions. You can access them in the list of LR blog posts linked at the top of the schedule.
Hey Steve,
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of your site, and used your schedule to prepare for the LSAT last October. I ended up scoring a 170. In practice, though, I almost always scored much higher than this, usually around a 175 or 176. As someone who wants to go to Yale, Harvard, Stanford, or Columbia Law School, I would like to retake.
How much time do you think it will take to prepare for a retake, considering I haven't touched an LSAT since October? I'm debating whether I should take the exam in June or October, and I don't know whether I'll have enough time to prepare for a June test date. I'm currently a junior in college, so it would be nice to be able to apply as early as possible in the admissions cycle. But, if I take it in June, I will have to contend with Finals.
Thanks,
Eric
Hi Eric,
DeleteGlad you're enjoying the blog! It's difficult to say how long it will take. There are no easy answers - you know your schedule best. For a top score like 175-176, the more time you have, the better. Get started as soon as you can.
Can someone please help explain why ( some A <-> B lead to all A-> C) valid. I don't see where C and A ever connected in the premises yet I was told it's a valid conclusion. I'm so stressed about this crazy logic stuff. Hopefully it will start clicking soon for me. Thanks to everyone!
ReplyDeleteThat's not a valid conclusion. You were told incorrectly.
DeleteI have a very interesting question. I am taking the test in June and as I am prepping, I tend to put different kinds of LSAT notes on my wall so I can constantly see it, read it and stick with it. "always cross out answer choice with a new element etc." Now I am looking to make some notes for GAMES. I want to have all the hardest and trickiest rules on my wall written out (diagrammed). "if F goes D will go = F>D. But of course I am talking about tricky rules, not something simple like this one. Can someone give me some tricky and confusing rules so I can make posters so to speak and put it on my wall. This is my weakness. Thanks and good luck to everyone, love this blog!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Steve,
ReplyDeleteI find that when in comes to logic games, especially linear grouping games, I work out too many scenarios and thus kill a lot of time. How do you know when is a good time to stop and then move onto the solutions?
Thanks for your advice.
Best,
Preeya
Hi Preeya,
DeleteThere aren't any hard and fast rules about this sort of thing. Knowing when to move on comes through practice and through exposure to lots of games.
I've been studying for months now and I hardly miss any Reading Comprehension or Logic Games quesions. However, I consistently miss around 9 LR questions per section. I've purchased one of your schedules and I'm going back and redoing LR quesions grouped by type again hoping this will help my accuracy and then I can work on speed again. Do you have any other advice? I know I miss mainly flaw and weaken questions so I'm targeting those pretty hard and I've already read your relevant blog posts multiple times over...
ReplyDeleteI sometimes start to panic over missing so many in that one section which makes up 50% of the test; maybe you could write a post on how you know you're ready for the LSAT or how to know you've reached the best you may be able to do?
Hi Elena,
DeleteSorry to hear of your LR trouble, but I'm glad to hear that you're rocking RC and LG! All the LR tips I've written so far are linked within the schedule. Just keep reviewing, and use the LR explanations available through the blog.
How to know when you've reached your potential or know when you're ready is difficult for me to determine or give advice on, having not worked with you. You know yourself best. All I can really say is that you should aim to do everything you can with the time you have!
Hi Steve,
ReplyDeleteWould you consider making up and posting some grouping in/out LG problems? I've gone through all of them from PT 1-38 and I don't want to go thru anymore PTs because I want to save some practice tests. I feel like I could use some more practice..
Thanks for your time.
Preeya
Help, Steve! Oh, hi by the way.
ReplyDeleteI'm good at these types of problems but only when I have a solution grid provided. My brain doesn't function in a way that I can figure out the diagrams myself. I've looked for construction tutorials but haven't found any. Do you have something? (I'm talking about the 3+ variable puzzles.)
Thanks! I love your blog and will report back after my June go.
( I'm 55 with and got my bachelors 100 yrs. ago so it should be interesting.)
Glad to hear you enjoy the blog! I've got plenty of tips on constructing the diagrams in the Logic Games explanations:
Deletehttp://lsatblog.blogspot.com/p/lsat-logic-games-tips.html
Take a look - tons of advice and explanations available. Look forward to hearing how everything goes!
I'd like to get your opinion on the reading comprehension section. I'm really hell-bent on getting my score up. What are your thoughts on doing 10 passages a day from now until october 6th for about 5-6 days a week??
ReplyDeleteAlso, can you recommend other passages I can practice on like ACT, SAT, GMAT, GRE, MCAT, etc.? What do you advise? I'm just afraid I might run out of LSAT Passages.
Lastly, do you offer a list of books that you sell?
I think 10 passages a day is fine. Doing them 5-6 days/week might lead to RC burnout. You don't want to do RC at the expense of LG and LR.
DeleteI wouldn't recommend resorting to other test passages - there are over 250 RC passages. Better to print new copies of the passages and redo them later.
Here's a list:
http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/p/best-lsat-prep-books.html