With the notable exception of Logic Games, the LSAT is full of confusing, redundant information (this alone makes Logic Games super cool). Unfortunately, every single Reading Comprehension passage will contain needlessly complex details, often combined with unfamiliar jargon and forays into minutiae that detract from the main point of the passage and obscure its purpose. Reading Comprehension boils down to two primary objectives: read and comprehend (duh!). The thing is, most of us fail to comprehend every single thing we read, because many passages are long, boring, and confusing.While it … [Read more...]
Curveballs in Logic Games
Since the June 2014 LSAT is officially released, we can take solace in the notion that, although 99.9% of you bombed that last game completely, better days lie ahead. For one thing, missing every single question on that game only brings your score down to 177, thanks to the exceptionally generous curve on that test. Why was the curve so generous? See the first sentence above. Here's the funny thing about exceptionally brutal games: they are unlikely to significantly derail your score, even if you totally bombed them. Your raw score is only meaningful in comparison to everyone else’s, so as … [Read more...]
Should I Answer Questions on the LSAT In Order?
Many students don't take much time to consider the order in which they attack the questions on the LSAT, but the right strategic approach can be extremely valuable. For most test-takers, the natural inclination is to do all or most of the questions in order. but there are quite a few benefits to be gained from a slightly more flexible approach to every section of the test. When most students begin the Logic Games section of the test, they take a look at the first game and dive right in. Instead, the first minute or two of the section might be better spent considering your options! That way … [Read more...]
Logic Games Practice Tips
I received a question the other day from a student who was looking to improve her LSAT Logic Games score. She wanted to know the best way to practice LSAT Logic Games if she had already seen all of the questions previously. Since she had already taken every Logic Game, her concern was that with no new questions to work with, she would get rusty and her score would deteriorate. This is a situation that comes up more frequently that one might think, and here are some tips on what to do in order to stay fresh and actually improve your score:As I've discussed elsewhere, don't forget to … [Read more...]
Unusual Rules in LSAT Logic Games: Part II
This is Part II of our blog series covering the emerging trend of making you labor over strangely-worded or confusing rules in LSAT Logic Games. You can read the first part of the blog here. It’s worth repeating that none these rules can be described as ambiguous, i.e. none of them are open to multiple interpretations. Indeed, each rule entails a concrete and definitive outcome.In the second part of this blog series, we will analyze a conditional rule frequently encountered in Linear Games. This rule is particularly prone to misinterpretation: The Victorian painting must be restored later … [Read more...]
When to Move to the Questions in LSAT Logic Games
I've written two posts on Logic Games recently, both in response to student questions, and this week I'd like to address a third question about games I was asked recently: how do you know when to move from your setup to the questions?I should start by saying that it's a very contextual decision, in that some games (especially in recent years) have few inferences that can be made and you'll often feel as though you've discovered little in your initial setup--an unnerving situation, looking down and seeing a near-empty diagram--whereas other games may yield a lot of great inferences and it's … [Read more...]
Conditional Sequencing Rules in Logic Games
We're now ten weeks away from the June 2016 LSAT, which still gives you plenty of time to prepare and reach your goals, but the clock is certainly ticking--if you're waiting for your course to begin that's fine!; if you haven't thought about how you intend to prep however it's time to get going.And even though it's still fairly early I regularly hear from anxious test takers, and unsurprisingly Logic Games often weigh most heavily on their minds. I devoted a recent blog post to the idea of creating templates for games, and today I want to tackle another commonly-confusing topic: rules that … [Read more...]
How and When to Create Templates in Logic Games
As people continue to prep for the LSAT, Logic Games weigh heavily on the mind. And a principal concern among most test takers was raised to me by one of our students recently: how can you tell when to draw out templates in your setup?More specifically, I was asked this question, "How can I quickly and easily identify when I should and should not template? I know that if I have a variable or variable set that can only go in one of two places, that can be a great hint, but it seems like that's not the only determining factor. I would greatly appreciate some advice!"What follows is my … [Read more...]
The 2015 vs. 2016 PowerScore LSAT Logic Games Bibles
Every year, we release an updated version of the LSAT Logic Games Bible, including the 2016 version. We do this to account for changes in the test, to expand and clarify certain explanations, and to add new and refreshed content in order to keep the books as useful as possible. Because of the extent of these yearly changes, one of the most common questions we get each year is: can I use an LGB from a prior year to study for this year's LSAT? Sometimes the answer is yes, and sometimes it is no. This year, the answer is no, so please allow me a moment to explain why.First, if you've bought … [Read more...]
Unusual Rules in LSAT Logic Games: It’s the New Norm
If you’ve taken any test from the last couple of years, you may have stumbled upon strangely-worded or confusing rules. For example: Train A can arrive earlier than train B if and only if train B arrives earlier than train C. Either car A arrives immediately before car B, or it arrives immediately after car C, but not both. The Q meal is served at some time after either the M meal or the N meal, but not after both. It’s worth noting that none of these rules is ambiguous, i.e. none of it is open to multiple interpretations. That would compromise the logical validity and reliability of the … [Read more...]
Approaching Logic Games Sections Strategically
Approaching the LSAT Strategically Series: Part I, Part II, Part III There is a fundamental truth about test takers when it comes to the LSAT: everyone is different. That is, everyone who sits down with this exam will have unique strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and ultimately, ways they can optimize their performance in every section. While that certainly affects how it is that people prepare, I think it also dictates how test takers should behave during the actual test. In this three-part blog series, we will look at each of the section types on the LSAT and consider exactly … [Read more...]
Straw Man Arguments: Logical Reasoning Flaws
Of all the logical flaws you might encounter on test day, a "straw man" argument not only has the most interesting name (and "straw man" is actually the proper name used in logic for this flaw), it also provides some of the most entertaining examples. In the context of an LSAT question, however, the usage is fairly predictable.Typically, you'll see a stimulus with two speakers. The second speaker will reframe the first speaker's argument in a way that makes it easier to attack. The speaker then attacks it at the newly created weak point. Very often, the second speaker says, "but what … [Read more...]
1-Month LSAT Study Plan
You just received your LSAT score and have to retake again in a month. Do you want to roll up into a ball and die? Don’t. Here’s a good start:With approximately four weeks left until the next LSAT, mastering this test may seem like an uphill battle. It is not. For one thing, as someone who probably put in a lot of effort preparing for the last exam, you have a significant head start. For whatever reason (more on that later), you simply failed to reach your full potential. The mere fact that your expectations were higher suggests that you are capable of much more. Provided you can focus on … [Read more...]