Conditional reasoning is one of the pillars of the LSAT. There are two (2) important words to understand, that is the (1) Sufficient & (2) Necessary Conditions.
Three (3) Logical features of Conditional Reasoning are the following: (1) Causal Reasoning; (2) Either condition can occur first; (3) Capture the meaning of the author’s sentence. As we go through the questions we have to recognize valid and invalid statements. There are two (2) valid statements, that is the (1) Repeat Form and the (2) Contrapositive, which is actually a combination of two (2) invalid statements, that is the (1) Mistaken Reversal and the (2) Mistaken Negation. These two (2) invalid statements when combined leads to “reverse” and then “negate” it that makes it a “Contrapositive” which makes it a valid statement. Also, I learned that the focus should be more on the “form” of their relationship than the content.
I just listened to the Thinking LSAT podcast of Nathan Fox and Ben Olsen on episode 48: Logic Game 3 of the October LSAT and Should This Student Skip the December LSAT? One of the emails sent to them is about a dilemma of one student in choosing the best answer between 2 closely related choices. Nathan mentioned this as “selection bias”. The student noted that after eliminating all the rest of the choices there are two (2) best choices where only one is the correct answer and that it is unfortunate to admit that the student picks the wrong answer all the time.
What is a bias? Bias is showing a preference for one side over another. Bias is use to influence people towards an idea as we all know. In the LSAT we always compare what is valid and what is not valid based on our basic knowledge and past experiences in life. Now, that can greatly affect how we will select our choice on what is the best answer to the question. While it is truly a challenge to select the best answer we have to be very careful in reading a word or a few words in the answer choices that will create in our minds to have bias tendencies to our final answer.
Let me share to you a reading comprehension section where I have experienced bias. The question is,”The passage as a whole functions primarily as…”. I chose this wrong answer – “A summary of the hypotheses advanced by researchers who have used innovative methods of investigation”. After a careful analysis of this choice, I realized it was wrong for using the word hypotheses for the passage is not about what researchers think but it is about certain discovery about an ancient piece of cloth. The next wrong word here is their use of the term innovative. In every research there are innovative methods which is more of a general & a common knowledge than stating it in a more specific manner. The correct answer here is stated in a very specific way that goes like this,”an account on how a particular branch of research has successfully coped with certain difficulties”. Here, we can clearly read the use of the word “particular” which is a more distinct and detailed way how the whole passage functions. I must admit that I chose the wrong answer than the right one.
The basic tip I learn from this is to read the words well whether they are expressed in a singular or in a plural manner.
I believe in every test takers they have strengths and weaknesses. In most cases which includes my test issue where it recently hit my senses that after taking 20+ practice tests, I am consistently doing poorly on analyzing the LR sections. From the start that I took my diagnostic examination last year on the LSAT I can’t figure out the Logic Games until recently that I realized I am scoring better on that section than my Logical Reasoning. It was only yesterday that I decided to open my Logical Reasoning bible book so that I can better understand the strategy how to answer my practice tests in the near future. I have to start on this new book of my practice test here in the New York Public Library.
It should be noted that there are actually two (2) sections out of the four (4) scored sections of the LSAT where one section is an “experimental” section by the LSAC on how they will revise future questions for the incoming test takers. I know I have to do this or else my free federal study aid will just go to wasteland. As I can recall, I did not finish medical school due to monetary issues for my late father’s sister took the remaining money in the bank for me to continue to my last year in medical school. As a result, I just decided to go to New York in 2002, to start a new life here while I take care for my late beloved mother, Marina Cosico who passed away last year, September 11, 2014.
The webinar that I attended last Tuesday with lawschooli.com with Josh and Evan emphasized on the LR & LG aspects of the examination. Josh specifically mentioned that the “conditional reasoning” and the “formal logic” should be studied very well because they often appear on the bulk of the LSAT questions.
In this book, Chapter 6 is about Conditional Reasoning while Chapter 13 covers Formal Logic which is related to one another.
My LR bible just fits right here along with my new pencil case containing pencils used for my practice test today.:)
I received an email from Amazon.com to make a review on the Suits, a USA Network TV series comedy drama about law firm in New York City. Below is my review posted today.
This review is from: Suits Season 1 (Amazon Instant Video)
“I was doing a stand in work as Asian character for a Korean scene in Season 4 Episode 1 the other day November 10, 2015 (my 46th birthday,too) in the TV show, The Americans, when I got curious during my breaktime to use my Amazon Prime to watch the pilot of Suits. I heard last year November 11, 2014 from a female LSAT teacher from St. John’s University that law school is harder compared to what we watch on the TV series, Suits. Interesting to note that I studied screenwriting in 2013 which makes me think now, once I am in law school I can write an episode on Suits. Since I started watching Suits I got hooked with their very good dialogues that the writer of the show presented every episode. The actors played their roles in an excellent manner. They are currently in Season 5. #Awesome
LSAT study is more of a way to prepare the student to survive the tests of law school. It has been exactly one (1) year now, November 11, 2014, when I attended the pre-law forum in Saint John’s university, a Catholic university here in New York. I learned a lot from that forum where I was able to catch a cellphone video of it that I wanted to share in this blog post in the future because the video will not upload for now. Thank you.
I started to become a beginner meditator of Transcendental Meditation (TM) since November 2, 2015. I have no budget for a formal coaching of TM that’s why I googled the mantra that is fitted for my age range, that is 45 years old. As I listened to the audible of Dr. Norman Rosenthal I began to appreciate the practice of TM had created a calming, soothing and peaceful effects in my psychological well being. I am considered by most people at the initial impression a hyperactive person because my mind is always thinking along the streams of consciousness,”Gotta do this and gotta do that”. I must admit sometimes people will joke around me if I am taking a powerful recreational drug than them. Truth is that I do assess myself having symptoms of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). There is so much noise in my mental states that my practice exams.on the second book of my LSAT review resulted to the same plateau of scores. I just have difficulty on focusing on my readings. Realistically speaking, I have to work and pay the bills so my studies are constantly interrupted when I looked on my emails for the current casting breakdown around New York City. I have to zone in like what you often hear on the radio that the DJ will say,”Tune in” to the station.
Recently, an audible promo by Amazon helped me to listen to the 2012 edition of Beating the LSAT. I was thinking this is a good way to maximize my time as I walk in Manhattan on my way to NYPL and as I step in and out of the subway stops from downtown to uptown traveling everyday. As I tuned in to this audible my mind doesn’t wander around that much to my streams of consciousness on how will I finish the romantic, comedy & horror genre assignment for me by the manuscript & entertainment consultant, Alan Brown. Today, I added on my lists of audible, “Let’s LSAT”. In the introduction it stated that for one to be successful in any endeavor one need to do the same effort what successful people did that led them to be on the top of their games. A score of 180 is the most difficult path to achieve but with proper skills, learning the right strategies and a lot of patience it’s doable. After all the neuroscientist claims we are only using 20% of our brain powers in our daily lives. So, join me as I embark on another journey of peeking into the lives of a few elite LSAT takers who got LSAT scores range between 173 – 180. I often refer to them as the “master LSAT takers” and admired how they got the respect of achieving the highest possible score.
As a former court psychologist myself in the late 90’s when I left medical school since my late father, Atty. Regino S. Cosico passed away, I administered projective standardized tests to my clients on Annulment of Marriage. As I came across this LSAT type of examination, I realized it’s superior aspect compared to other standardized tests to measure the mental capacity of an individual test taker. This involves not only the so-called “testmanship” of a student but it is the summation of the potential academic standing of an individual if they study a post graduate degree level such as law school. I am truly fascinated to have known this type of examination that once you passed it, then it is a known fact that you have what it takes to make it to survive in your law studies. Goodluck to all the future LSAT takers like me.
The audible book “Transcendence” by Norman Rosenthal, MD appealed to me in Amazon.com that’s why I started to listen after I downloaded it. In the second chapter, a famous poet, Emily Dickinson reflected in her poems that the mind harbor an untapped vastness where she had spontaneous experiences of Transcendental consciousness. She had a direct experience that deep within each of us is a field that is transcendental, infinite and eternal.
According to the blog of Craig Pearson, PhD on his Transcendental meditation article, there are moments when one transcends the thinking process altogether. Then one experiences consciousness in its pure state — unbounded and eternal. Emily Dickinson evokes the unbounded and timeless nature of this experience when she associates it with eternity and immortality. Dickinson observes different forms of solitude. But these are all “society” next to the far more profound solitude one gains when the soul is “admitted to itself” — when consciousness turns within to become aware of itself alone. This is a state of “finite infinity” — the experience of unboundedness within the boundaries of individual existence.
It is a fact that different kinds of meditation have positive effects where all other meditation techniques have different proponents. According to Dr. Rosenthal meditation experts Fred Travis and Jonathan Sheer have sorted into 3 fundamental categories of meditation.
1)Focused attention style where the meditator holds the minds eye on something in particular such an image or a profound EMOTION such as loving kindness towards other human beings and if other thoughts intrudes ATTENTION is directed back to the focus.
2)Open monitoring technique which includes Buddhist type mindfulness meditation where the meditator learns to observes on the breathing or whatever thoughts or feelings may arrive without reacting to them in order to become more aware of internal patterns.
3)Automatic self transcending aka Transcendental Meditation which is
a technique that effortlessly thinking of the mantra repetitively takes you beyond the mantra and into another states of consciousness which also have a global effect.
Dr. Rosenthal states,”Each produces a distinctive change in brain wave patterns. Given the different brain waves pattern produced by each type of meditation it makes sense that each type has its own unique effects on both the brain and the meditator”.
Why did I prefer TM?! As I was doing my 15th Practice test of the old examinations my problem is on focusing well with my thoughts for there are real problems that I am going through in my current life situations. I cannot simply focus on my readings. I want to incorporate TM in my studies because it is simple to learn, has a global effect and a widespread public acceptance by a number of famous professionals especially in the field of entertainment business such as radio, television and publishing companies. Wikipedia also states that its products and services have been offered by the David Lynch Foundation. We all know that the film director , David Lynch is a TM practitioner. Finally, other celebrities supported TM meditation such as Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Hugh Jackman, George Stephanopoulos, Russell Simmons, Russell Brand, Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood, Oprah and her companies.
I totally agree with the saying,”Practice makes perfect”. The first time I read this sentence was on my mathematics textbook in fifth grade. We all know for a fact that men are good with numbers that’s why they excel in math compared to women. So, my late father taught me on most of my math assignments during my elementary days.
The LSAT Logic Games doesn’t have mathematical computation but it got a combination of logical reasoning plus mathematical analysis. In the 35 minutes section of the 15 old practice tests that I have taken so far my score on logic games is most of the time half of the total number if questions which is somehow frustrating. In mathematical computations, you just practice on doing it till you solve the numerical problems on the test questions. In the Logic Games it is how you learn the strategy involved in setting up your game boards as well as how you will set up the differences from the original game board to the minor game boards in different scenarios where you have to set up your characters to various places whether they are classified as ordering, sequencing and grouping games.
At this point, I think I need to start reading on my Logic Games Bible by Powerscore. I read a number of Amazon reviews regarding this book by past LSAT test takers who were able to master the techniques to solve the logic games section. They all claimed improving 10 points higher in their LSAT scores after reading the book. That’s a very helpful tip among the incoming LSAT takers like me. So, let’s explore that book today.
I attended the two (2) hours webinar of lawschooli.com last Tuesday to listen to the tips to those October LSAT takers. I realized that the most important part of Logical Reasoning is the formal logic and the conditional reasoning. I also listen to the Thinking LSAT in iTunes today and in their latest episode #44: Help, My LSAT Score is Going Down and other questions before the October LSAT, I realized again that the Logic Games section is the part where you can easily learn it and get good points on the examination. So, today I read on my online mastermind LSAT class this topic,”Conditional Rules For Basic Ordering Games”. I learned from the podcasts to do a 35 minutes section on the logic games once in a while to improve the scores. I actually took a break from doing practice tests because I have to learn the theories first before I go back to the practice exams.since my scores are not improving at all.
I set aside studying the LSAT strategy on to finish an old book of 10 prep tests. As I mentioned before I did have plateau of scores because I have no techniques on how to tackle the questions on those 3 sections which are the following: Logic Games, Logical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension. From my diagnostics of 134 I got a 142 score on the 9th practice test I did in the book.
In constant practice I believed that our brain cells rewire to adjust to the level of difficulty of the questions. Now, in an under time pressure of 35 minutes every section one also need to physiologically adjust the brain attention span to go for more minutes and to tolerate the mental pressure. My suggestion is to do one 35 minutes section then do two 35 minutes sections till you can be comfortable doing the whole practice examination. I can only do one completed practice test in one day and I am tired already.
Let us say that the actual examination entails approximately two hours and 33 minutes which came from the breakdown of four sections of thirty five (35) minutes. We are now trying to see how far the attention span of the test taker can go further beyond that range of time. So, in the practice tests in the near future the student like me should teach myself to do now two (2) prep tests in a day so that my brain can physiologically rewire to that level of stress. If the actual examination is two hours and 33 minutes then I have to learn how to double, triple and even more to tolerate further by pushing myself to do the test a few additional hours. Once, I accomplish that level of brain tolerance on my attention span I believe that I have an edge to the other students taking the examination. It is only by widening the attention span to a few more hours that a student can successfully pass the LSAT. If a student gets tired in just two hours then how can he or she cope up to the additional 33 minutes more of the actual day of the examination? Finally, I believe that the saying,”Practice makes perfect” does not exactly mean achieving perfection itself but to overcome ones limitations to improve their level of performance as they gained the necessary skills to get a good score on the LSAT.
My late father, Attorney Regino S. Cosico followed my academic life since my elementary days. He encouraged me to study and when he passed away while I was in my second year medical school, I lost all my motivation to study for I lost my mentor in my academic world.
I was on the top 10 in my batch during my elementary days and my late dad will buy me peanuts and milk as I stayed up late under the bright fluorescent light in our living room. Then when midnight strikes my dad will go to sleep if I go to sleep. He told my late mom that she should not ask me to wash the dishes and do any household chores for he wants me to focus on my studies. My father wants more from me in my future life in the academic side: He wants me to be a doctor or a lawyer. He thinks those are the only two (2) careers that will seal your level of intelligence to get you public respect.
I never became a doctor and a lot of challenges fell upon me that caused me such failures and misfortune in life. But when I got a free federal study aid from the government here in the US, I said to myself I will be a lawyer! Daddy will be proud of me if I will accomplish that path in life.
Now, I am already 45 years old now and as you can infer from my age my neuronal functioning is not as sharp when I was in my 20’s. As I try to discover this type of test in the LSAT, I wonder if I can cope up to the level where I can pass with flying colors and have that skill of testmanship after I learned all the strategies. I remembered one important tip of my late dad Regino, that is to “be responsive” to what the question is asking. Yes, I got to be on point!
My diagnostic examination last year from Kaplan was never promising at 134 score but I did not give up because I know that it is still inherent in my nature to increase it. I am almost finished to the book of “10 Actual Official LSAT PrepTests” which contains preptests from 7-18. It seems to me by disregarding the lessons of learning the LSAT strategies I failed to learn the skill how to crack the LSAT. I scored on the plateau level of the 130’s range where the highest I got is 138 score. That’s fine for I still have time. Time is really gold when you are studying because you need to maximize it to achieve your full potential. I still got one more PrepTest to do to finish that book. Now, I realized the importance of the question stems! Going back to the tip of my late dad that I got to be responsive to the questions being asked to pick the correct answer on the given multiple choices. I think I have to list these question stems so that when I see them I don’t need to waste a minute trying to figure out what it is asking from me so that I can pick the right answer from the given choices. Now, all I can say is that most of the question stems are a “must be true” and the rest are different types. So, if you are reading the passage make sure that you can get the main point so when the question stem is a must be true then you know how to bubble on your answer sheets.
LSAT roadmap 
