RC study strategy

[JorieB701]

Just a quick question regarding how to proceed in studying RC.

I seriously struggle with his section. I have crazy ADHD but will not be receiving services so my RC prep has been especially long and arduous because I'm trying millions of different strategies to combat some of my issues re focus and seeing the big picture, etc.

Lately I've noticed that if I read the passage, get what I can from it, then do a sweep through all the questions answering only the ones I'm sure about and crossing off answer choices I know are wrong, I can then go back through and get what I couldn't by actually looking for the support in the passage. The only real downside I've noticed so far is that when I go back through I end up having to re-read the question stem again which invariably eats up some time. Any thoughts on this strategy? Are there any glaring problems with approaching passages in this way that come to mind?

Also, I have already seen the most recent 25+ tests and therefore I've already read and reviewed every RC passage. I definitely see value in going through these again, it's definitely helped, but I also know that there are some older passages I have yet to see. However, older passages are slightly (haha, a lot) easier largely because the answers are more directly supported from the text than the newer ones.

I have a month and a half left in prep. What's the conventional wisdom on this? Will I benefit more from seeing older (yet to have read) passages, or from reviewing the ones that are more indicative of what I am likely to see in December? Or should one come before the other? 50/50?

The areas where I see the most room for improvement are recognizing the overall structure of passages, and in my approach to any question that asks me to infer anything.

Thanks in advance!

[ohthatpatrick]

Use the older passages a lot right now, focusing mainly on trying to get 100% accuracy (we know we'll fall short of that, but the idea is to try to really convince yourself that you have good support for the answer you're picking and have identified how each of the other four answers is broken).

Over the last 3 weeks before the test, start re-doing the modern ones you've already done.

In terms of your, "take a big sweep, then come back for everything that's left" strategy ...
- I don't think re-reading question stems is a big concern. Most question stems are pretty formulaic, so they should only take a few seconds to read/process.

- You definitely have the right philosophy, which is "initially, get rid of the stuff you know is wrong, then start re-reading parts of the passage to make decisions on what answers are left".

I just don't see the point in leaving a question, after having killed a couple answers, and moving on to the next question.

If your plan is ultimately to go back to relevant parts of the passage to re-read what you need, why not just do it at that point?

If your concern is that by getting lost in the weeds of any one question you start to lose the big picture understanding you had, then practice seeking out question stems that sound more big picture and do THOSE questions first.

But I would think that you're adding fragmentation to your process by partially doing questions and then coming back to them (it's a great policy to do this on a really tricky question, but I wouldn't make it my standard policy).

Do a fair amount of untimed RC practice, in which you write down the Purpose of the passage (in generic terms ... don't reference the specific topic) and write down which 1, 2, or 3 sentences are the best encapsulation of the author's main point.

For each question stem you read, (hide the answers), write down your answer or the "Proof Window" (which lines from the passage you think will be used to support the answer) or both.

[JorieB701]

Patrick, your responses are crazy thoughtful and incredibly helpful. Thank you!

So, I'm wondering if you would say the same thing for logical reasoning. I have seen at least the most recent 20 + tests maybe even 30. I obviously can't remember individual LR questions the same way I would remember RC passages but I'm wondering where I should focus my studies.

The more recent LR sections, I believe, are harder, but should I be focusing on older tests that I possibly haven't seen in a while, if at all, and look at the most recent 3 years or so in the last weeks leading up to the test?

Thanks again!

[ohthatpatrick]

Yes, I would apply the same mentality.

The older tests still have terribly hard questions, of course. SOME of the formulas/patterns are less disguised, and so those may seem easier in a way.

But I'd almost rather have students learning on older tests at first just so the formulas/patterns are more apparent when it comes to correct answers.

My success on newer tests still starts from anticipating / noticing a formula, on many questions. It just requires a little more flexibility with finding the correct answer.

Also, you never know when LSAT will just flat out repeat a problem. I was just doing the first LR section from test 82 (the September test), and there's a Necessary Assumption question in there about yoga vs. stretching that is a carbon copy of a Necessary Assumption question about hatha yoga vs. group counseling on a test from the 40s.

[JorieB701]

Okay, sorry last question. How far back in LR do you think I should go? I've got about a month until the December test so do you think I should not waste my time with anything lower than the tests in the twenties, or something around there, or is everything valuable and up for grabs?

[ohthatpatrick]

The more modern you can get the better. They all have value, but they have more value the more modern they are.

So, yeah starting in the 20s or 30s would be preferable to starting at PT1.

[JuanJ707]

Nice tips.

[JonG221]

The more modern you can get the better.
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