Advice Please....

[sexygolfer]

Hi everyone-
I've been reading the posted messages the last 2 months and just decided to post one myself.  Okay..... this is my dilemma and any constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!

I'm preparing for the December LSAT and so far my score is just really inconsistent.  Depends on the day I'm having I guess.  On a good day, I'm scoring in the 150's and on bad day- I score in the 140's.

My major PROBLEM is the LG section!! I freaken hate this @#$%^& section.  I have the Powerscore LG Bible and will be going over it starting this week.  I flipped through it & literally got a major migraine just looking at.  I totally suck at this section.

As for the LR section, this is what is basically saving me.  I like this section & would imagine I could only improve by the Dec LSAT.

As for the Reading Comprehension, I'm so-so.  I find my mind wandering off sometime during this section.

I'm looking to stay in Michigan for law school.  At this point, I don't care where the hell I go because this LSAT is driving me insane.

These are the questions I have:

1)  How can I improve on the LG section? Besides praying and looking over the Powerscore LG Bible- what else?!!!

2)  Is 3 months enough time to get my score up or should I post-pone the LSAT until February?  I know I'm cutting my chances short but if that's what I have to do to get my score up then I'll do it!

3)  Any tips for the RC section?

Thanks,

Oh and I have a 3.3 GPA & I'm taking the Princeton Review course in a couple weeks!!

[Casper]

Pray that you PR will improve your score?   

Hmm, seriously.  I have the Logic Games bible and Ulitmate setup guide.  You must go over each page slowly, and try to learn everything that it is trying to say.  I'm not sure how clearier they could make it.  THey have inferences, and not possible inferences.

But the first few chapters should be fairly easy to understand.  I'm still having trouble with materials at the end of the book, those having to deal with grouping, and more complicated setups like advanced games.

Plus you still have plenty of time to worry. 

[sexygolfer]

Maybe I have a learning disability when it comes to the LG section or section but I'm telling u I don't know what else to do.

I think I'll just focus on the RC and LR section instead.  Why waste my time getting all frazzled w/this stupid section that is making my blonde hair fall out??!!!!

[Casper]

Awwwwwwwwww.  Take it one step at a time.  I'm confident that you will get it. 

[cascagrossa]

dont get discouraged, games are the easiest to improve on.  just open up that logic games bible and work through it.  set intermediate goals, like now try to do 2 out of the 4 games, but get every question right.  then try to get 3 out of 4.  even if this is where you peak, you can still get a very very good score only doing 3 out of 4 games.

[LSATGuru]

Hi everyone-
I've been reading the posted messages the last 2 months and just decided to post one myself.  Okay..... this is my dilemma and any constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!

I'm preparing for the December LSAT and so far my score is just really inconsistent.  Depends on the day I'm having I guess.  On a good day, I'm scoring in the 150's and on bad day- I score in the 140's.

My major PROBLEM is the LG section!! I freaken hate this @#$%^& section.  I have the Powerscore LG Bible and will be going over it starting this week.  I flipped through it & literally got a major migraine just looking at.  I totally suck at this section.

As for the LR section, this is what is basically saving me.  I like this section & would imagine I could only improve by the Dec LSAT.

As for the Reading Comprehension, I'm so-so.  I find my mind wandering off sometime during this section.

I'm looking to stay in Michigan for law school.  At this point, I don't care where the hell I go because this LSAT is driving me insane.

These are the questions I have:

1)  How can I improve on the LG section? Besides praying and looking over the Powerscore LG Bible- what else?!!!
Read the Logic Games Bible THOROUGHLY and do all of it's example games.  Read the explanations that the LGB gives for each game like it's going to save your life.  (see other comments below)

2)  Is 3 months enough time to get my score up or should I post-pone the LSAT until February?  I know I'm cutting my chances short but if that's what I have to do to get my score up then I'll do it!
If you're going to take the LSAT in December you need to make SURE you've got your Letters of Recommendation and Transcripts sent into LSAC before you take the test. In fact, I would apply to most of the schools you're interested in before you take the LSAT and mark "Expecting LSAT Scores in December" on the application. They'll wait for your scores.  This is MUCH better than applying in February when 80% of their open seats for the class of 2008 are filled.  I would even go so far as to recommend waiting to apply in 2005 and take in the June 2005 LSAT.  Rushing can be fatal to getting in. 

3)  Any tips for the RC section?
After you read each paragraph in a reading comprehension passage write one sentence next to the paragraph summarizing what it said.  This will help your comprehension and help you answer the questions with more ease.
Thanks,

Oh and I have a 3.3 GPA & I'm taking the Princeton Review course in a couple weeks!!

If you want to score in the 150's then stick with Princeton Review.  IF you want to take LSAT studying on full-throttle then I highly recommend canceling your Princeton Review course and signing up for either PowerScore or TestMasters (even if it means you have to drive an hour to get to the class, it's still very worth it [I'm just finishing the class now]). 

Keep in mind that if you read the Logic Games Bible and adopt its methods, Princeton Review (from the books I've read that they've written on the subject) is going to tell you to approach the games in a significantly different way.  I personally have read through and practiced through the LGB techniques and find it to be far superior to Princetion Review (and the techniques in the LGB are the same as TestMasters techniques in case you were wondering).

I've heard very mixed reviews of Princeton Review, but the one thing that I hear most generally is "If you're shooting low and only want/need to improve into a low, but "less low" (150's I presume) score, then Princeton Review is sufficient. If you need/want to score in the 160's or 170's then TestMasters/PowerScore is the way to go."  As far as classes are concerned. 

Staying in Michigan and considering your GPA:
Ann Arbor - You'll have to completely demolish the LSAT (170+) to get into UMichigan (**unless you're black, hispanic, or Native American).  Ave Maria is not nearly as much of a stretch, you'll probably need somewhere in the high 150's to get in and into the mid 160's for a scholarship. 

Lansing - Michigan State you'll probably need to be in the high 150's or maybe in the low 160's to be a lock and mid (possibly low) 160's for money.  Cooley is pretty much the bottom of the barrel in my opinion on a national level.  It has the highest attrition rate of any law school (something like 30% of the students leave in the first 2 years versus only 2-5% nationally).  On the plus side, it's free to apply.  You'd probably need to be in the mid/high 140's to be a lock and into the mid/high 150's for a scholarship.  Keep in mind, though, that this school has a likelihood of losing it's ABA approval in the future (given it's staggeringly bad numbers) so beware--your alma mater may become a blemish on your career.  (The ABA "delicensing" happened to Western in Los Angeles last year). 

Detriot - U of Detriot you'd be fine with a low 150's high 140's score; Though, along with a score in the 150's you'd also need an economy-sized can of mace to go to school there.  Wayne State in Detroit you'd probably need something like 155+ for a lock.

[sexygolfer]

Thanks very much for your response!

I really wanted to take Powerscore but the locations are far from me & that was the problem.

Did u say take the June 2005 LSAT for the Fall?  Isn't that way late? I really want to do Feb but I everyone's telling me it's too late.

[Shocker]

I believe he was recommending to start law school a year later, because trying to get in at the last minute isn't likely to happen.

[Rachelb1]

Calm down about the games.  I was the original LG dummy.  Spatial and visual orientation skills are not talents I'm blessed with.  I got 2 out of 24 questions right on my first diagnostic.  Now I'm averaging about 12 out of 24 right.  Ok, it's not going to get me a 180, but I improved from 8% accurage to 50% acurracy.

Work with the LGB religiously.  Dont let it overwhelm you.  You will see that they break everything down into little baby steps and drill you on EACH step till you're sick of it, but it makes putting everything together childs play.

If you can get a solid performance on the LR and RC sections, any thing you get on the LG will be gravy and you'll still make a decent score.  That's what my PS instructor told me and he was right.

Taking the test in Feb puts you in the greatest competition for the fewest number of seats.  You have until the day of the test to reschedule your test day.  Dont sweat it. 

Rachel

[sexygolfer]

Hey Rachel,
I have a couple other questions for u.  Do u mind if I email u directly?