21 replies to this topic

[Neo]

For those of you who had competitive LSAT scores, did any of you use Steve Schwartz's study plans? I understand that he developed a 3-month day-by-day version as well as a 4-month one. Were they effective and helpful?

[antioppressivepractice]

I bought his 4 month day by day plan I found it very useful. Most others I have spoken to about it also found it very beneficial. Each day you have to do drills/readings or both and read his blog. Sometimes it can be overwhelming knowing where to start so its good to have some guidance. I also really benefited from doing the Cambridge questions by type. Basically it splits up all of the LG and LR questions so you have them all organized by type. I liked that they all came organized so I didn't have to organize them myself

[raspberryapocalypse]

I used Steve Schwartz's regular 3-month plan, where he breaks everything down week by week. I studied from September to the end of November and wrote a 165 in December (my first time writing). I followed the 3-month plan almost exclusively, but ended up cutting out a few of the PrepTests by the end.

I would have definitely bought the day-by-day version if my days were a bit more uniform, but I was studying for the LSAT while working a full-time job, so I had to give myself some freedom to change it up a bit. I suppose you could do that with the day-by-day version, as long as you adjust accordingly and don't skip readings/questions. I researched a few other study schedules available online and his was the best one I found.

[Neo]

Thanks for the information, antioppressivepractice and raspberryapocalypse!

[technostructural]

I wrote the LSAT for the first time in October 2010, after doing an Oxford Seminar course and a few weeks of self preparation.
I scored a 148, and felt ashamed for months.

I bought Steve Schwartz's three-month day-by-day schedule and followed it religiously. I even studied on my birthday, Christmas day, every day.

I increased my score to a 161 on the Feb 2012 LSAT. I know that 161 may not blow the roof off of a law school's admissions committee, but it was a percentile improvement from 36 to 83. I was, and am very proud of the improvement.

A lot of it was me, and my own determination. I really felt that Steve's guide focused my determination in the right places though.

I'd really reccomend following his schedules. You'll spend a fraction of what you would on a course, and you'll learn it the right way -- on your own. Because that's how you'll be taking the LSAT on test day.

[C_Mac]

I have to agree with the other posts advocating for Steves site. After going through Princeton Review's "Cracking the LSAT 2012" I wasn't anywhere near where I was hoping to be prepping at. Nor did I feel very confident in what I had learned and I certainly didn't feel very prepared to go tackle the test. Since then I have purchased and am diligently following Steves 4 month day by day study plan. I'm on week five right now and I already feel like I've learned much more in 5 weeks then I did after going through "Cracking the LSAT 2012". It's very useful to have your study plan laid out day by day, especially if your not sure where to start and if your getting enough studying in. I can only comment on my experience thus far, and I realize that I haven't actually written yet the test yet, but I think this is one of the best approaching out there.

[alex88]

I definitely advocate buying one of his day by day plans. I bought his 3 month day by day plan for my Dec retake and I'm so glad I did. I have difficulty motivating myself to study the adequate amount each day if I don't have it scheduled out for me, so I knew the free weekly one wasn't going to cut it. Nearing the end of his schedule I was PT-ing around 168-172. My score dropped a few points on the real thing (165) but it was way better than the 159 I scored the first time around, after having used Princeton Review.

[illmatic]

I bought the day-by-day version (3 month) plan but to me I didn't think I needed it over the week-to-week version. The only difference is he tells you exactly what you should do everyday, so if that's the kinda thing you need then go for it. It's basically like a highly organized road map, with lots of useful hints (in the form of blog posts links) integrated into the schedule.

[davyboy]

Don't waste your time with Princeton's "Cracking the LSAT 2012" and don't waste your time with Oxford Seminars.

I would buy the 3 month plan and commit to drilling yourself, alone, in a library.

[Slavvy]

whats wrong with Princeton's Cracking the LSAT. I just bought this

[technostructural]

Slavvy, on 16 March 2012 - 08:15 AM, said:

whats wrong with Princeton's Cracking the LSAT. I just bought this

It spends about 200 pages, and several days of your time taking you through endless narrative about why the LSAT is important, and ridiculous things like breathing techniques, etc.

One large demand of the LSAT is not getting distracted by semantics, and I suppose you could say that Princeton Review tests you quite well on this, but arguably too early in the prep process for you to find that irony for yourself. I've written the LSAT twice, and when I wrote the first time I used Princeton Review and an Oxford Seminar course.

Princeton review just really frustrated me, and I found myself flipping ahead into the book to find out where the actual instruction was, only to find that it never really came.

Improving your LSAT performance is really a test of patience and deliberation. Start off by writing real LSAT sections, then full length tests. Review both the answers you got wrong, AND the answers that you got right, and figure out why you got those results in each of those cases. Steve also sells logic games and logical reasoning solutions that will help you walk through the questions that you got wrong. It will outline why each of the wrong answer choices is wrong.

There are *ahem* other places online that you can find downloads of such solutions and explanations for "free", but I don't think it would be appropriate for me to share those links. I encourage you to do some exploring as you would looking for other downloadable content that would otherwise be proprietary.

[davyboy]

I completely agree.

Don't waste your time with the semantics of the LSAT.

Write a real prep test first, so you know what you're getting into. You might lack the mental / intellectual stamina to focus for over 3 hours. I know I did.

Then once you know what you're in for, start drilling untimed... I suggest you get the Powerscore LG/ LR bible.

Do this while taking the occasional timed / tests / sections. Eventually once you get a foundation for the sections start writing tests all the time. I was doing one a day for a month nearly.

Don't waste your time with giant textbooks about the LSAT, dive right in.

[Alon]

I also used Steve Schwartz's schedule. I started studying in October and aimed for December, so I bought the two month plan. By December I realized I was nowhere near ready and delayed til February. I then spent the next two months tackling specific issues.

So I would recommend that as a possible course of action. If you have X months to study, rather than using the study guide for X months, get a study guide for X - 1 or 2 month(s) and use the remainder to patch up weak spots. Steve leaves a lot of time for full practice LSATs but I realized from my studies that as many as he recommends are not necessary. Better to do a few in precise test conditions to know where you're at and dedicate more time to groups of sections you're having trouble with, timed back to back.

[illmatic]

I just wanted to chime in and say I never bothered to write a diagnostic, partially because I didn't want to get demoralized so early lol. From the beginning I knew I was going to have to put months of hard work into the exam to succeed so I didn't think I needed the diagnostic to tell me that. I started right away with reading the Powerscore bibles and drilling question types. Then, I started focusing on weaknesses specifically (like Parallel Reasoning for example). Something else to consider is if you choose to use a recent exam for your diagnostic you burn through a valuable test which you might want to use later o really find out where you stand.

[Alon]

I fully agree with illmatic. Unless you're a logician, you likely do not have yet have the skills necessary to succeed, and succeed well, on the LSAT. Why demoralize yourself? Just as illmatic, I didn't write a diagnostic. I started my studying with the PowerScore Logic Games Bible. At first I barely managed to understand it, as I got closer to the February LSAT I was scoring perfect LG sections with minutes to spare. How would a diagnostic have changed anything except demoralize me at the outset?

[HaulinA]

Hi Neo,

I'm planning to re-write in Oct 2012, and I don't have - at the moment - what you'd call a competitive score (153 in Oct 11 blah!), but I can speak to how much Steve's 6-month course has helped me so far (high 150s after just a month). I can also swear by LSAC's Handbook for cracking LR. Their explanations are the most straightforward I've come across so far. Wonderful resource, and written by those who wrote the test (or by the colleagues of those who did). Wish I had used it earlier. When they titled their book LSAT for Dummies they weren't kidding, and the Kaplan course seriously stunk. The teacher (who scored only 163 I think) mainly talked about his fun weekends in 1L and how he hoped no one would post pics of his escapades on Facebook. What a dork.

I actually talked to Steve via phone when I bombed last Oct. I think he'd be great if you can get him as a tutor as well (via Skype I think he said?). Haven't tried yet, but likely will as the test nears and I have some last-minute streamlining to do. He's very expensive but I think he'd be worth it later on in studying and if one plans the sessions strategically beforehand.

Good luck to you!

Edited by HaulinA, 17 March 2012 - 09:28 AM.

[dan1010]

Would you guys recommend this study plan if I am going to be working a full time job (between 48 and 84 hours a week) and plan to write in june?

I've written once before and I've also burned through a lot of material (Power score bibles and an online PS course). That said, what kind of material would I need to purchase for this plan, and is it worth it if I already have a lot of study material?

I was going to write in February but I was only scoring around a 158 and I'm looking for a way to get to the low 160s. I took a couple of months off from studying since then and I'm looking to start again soon.

Thanks.

[illmatic]

dan1010, on 23 March 2012 - 06:10 AM, said:

Would you guys recommend this study plan if I am going to be working a full time job (between 48 and 84 hours a week) and plan to write in june?

I've written once before and I've also burned through a lot of material (Power score bibles and an online PS course). That said, what kind of material would I need to purchase for this plan, and is it worth it if I already have a lot of study material?

I was going to write in February but I was only scoring around a 158 and I'm looking for a way to get to the low 160s. I took a couple of months off from studying since then and I'm looking to start again soon.

Thanks.

The schedule uses the Powerscore Bibles, pretty much all of the PTs from 29-present, and the LSAT SuperPrep. Are you able to effectively study the schedule's required 2-5 hours a night and absorb the material despite working those kind of hours?

However, I do want to say that since you were already at 158 I really don't think the schedule is what you need. Instead, you should look to review some of the old exams, identify your weaknesses, and concentrate on fixing those. That would require much less time and is quite frankly much more efficient use of the limited time you're going to have working those hours IMO.

Edited by illmatic, 23 March 2012 - 12:42 PM.

[dan1010]

Yeah, I think that's solid advice, thanks a lot.

[QuincyWagstaff]

dan1010, on 23 March 2012 - 06:10 AM, said:

Would you guys recommend this study plan if I am going to be working a full time job (between 48 and 84 hours a week) and plan to write in june?

I've written once before and I've also burned through a lot of material (Power score bibles and an online PS course). That said, what kind of material would I need to purchase for this plan, and is it worth it if I already have a lot of study material?

I was going to write in February but I was only scoring around a 158 and I'm looking for a way to get to the low 160s. I took a couple of months off from studying since then and I'm looking to start again soon.

Thanks.

It’s really not a good idea to work 80 hours per week and attempt to study for the LSAT over the next two months. Exercise and sleep are factors in your performance, and improvements take time.

If you have the Bibles, you need to drill your weaknesses, do practice tests, and thoroughly review them. Repeating questions you've done months before is not a problem, and may even be beneficial. Scoring well is largely about pattern recognition, and repeating questions and tests can help you identify these patterns that re-occur.

Edited by QuincyWagstaff, 23 March 2012 - 05:27 PM.

[dan1010]

Yeah, I know it's not ideal but I'll be applying to McGill and since it's rolling admissions I'd like to have everything complete for September. If I'm not happy with my June results (or my practice tests before then) I'll still have a shot in the fall to take it again.

I'm hoping since I already know the basics and just need to focus on my problem areas/practice tests that I can get away with only a few hours a day and practice tests on the weekends I have off.

Thanks for the advice.

[Neo]

Thanks so much for all the new comments, suggestions, and recommendations; much appreciated!