How to study for a retake

[ranand72088]

Hello, I was wondering if the ManhattanLSAT instructors or any students could give some advice on how to study for a retake. I studied for 2 months on my own with the ManhattanLSAT LG, LR, and RC guides. I scored a 164 on the June 2011 LSAT. I would like to take my score to the next level, I am aiming for the high 160's. I have taken practice tests 29-61.

Right now, my plan of attack for the retake is to go through the ManhattanLSAT guides again, and then reuse practice tests 52-61, and also use 62 and June 2011 LSAT. I am planning on just drilling these tests very hard and sharpening my techniques as much as possible. Right now, I feel like my biggest issue on all sections is timing, and if I can improve my speed while keeping my accuracy then I will have a good chance of improving my scores.

Does anyone have any tips for me on how I can take my score to the next level????

Thanks very much

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

You find yourself in a situation that is not terribly uncommon. It's tough because you face a couple of challenges. First, you need to make the improvements in understanding that will help you achieve your timing goals. Second, you need to cope with the fact that your practice tests will probably be familiar. To some extent that makes your prep easier because you'll know some of the correct answers, or remember the rough outlines of a game; so any practice test is likely to have some inflation in your score.

I'd use PT1-28 to help measure your progress. It's true that many of the LG games (15% ish) have slight differences in style from what you're likely to see in October, but there are still plenty of examples (85% ish) that are perfectly modern. You'll find that the LR is very consistent, and that the RC is only really missing the comparative passage. I think you'll also see that if you took one of those older PTs that the curve is also a bit friendlier. Keep those differences in mind but I'd use PT1-28 to keep working on your skills and to help measure progress.

I'd still be looking at PT29-63, but wouldn't limit my prep to just those. To improve your timing in LR, make good decisions; move really fast early in the section and don't allow yourself to get bogged down debating between answer choices. In RC, prepare yourself after reading the passage, even if for just 15-30 seconds. Continuously going back to the passage is one issue, but debating between answer choices can also be a huge a drag on time. Practice making decisive and quick eliminations; identify differences amongst answer choices that you can confirm or deny in the passage. In LG, use frames to save time and look for connections (related ideas) across games so that you can use what worked before to solve the current example of whatever related idea they're presenting currently.

Hope that helps.