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Massive drop in score

kaleincalikaleincali Core Member
in General 54 karma

Just took PTest 55 and I had a GIANT drop in my score. I've been testing using buffered time; on my last PTest I used a 7 minute buffer (42 minutes) and got a 166 and a 167 in blind review. Before that I had gotten a 173 in blind review.

This test was horrendous. 156 in score and a 157 in blind review. I don't understand what went wrong. I was doing two tests per week before this; should I go back to that? I was going to move to 1 test per week in order to keep up with my job and also not run out of tests. I started my job this week and had to work weird hours (NY Time) but it's only temporary. Maybe that was why?

Any tips on whether I should massively reorient my schedule? So far I've been doing this:
Monday: drills
Tuesday: drills
Wednesday: prep test
Thursday: blind review
Friday: going over answers
Saturday: drills
Sunday: rest

Feeling terrible!

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Comments

  • studyingandrestudyingstudyingandrestudying Core Member
    5254 karma

    Was it by any chance an RC tanks the score situation? Or was it a different reason? Although this is very difficult, don't get discouraged. We're here for you. Don't worry. It sounds like you have a good process.

  • kaleincalikaleincali Core Member
    54 karma

    no it was more of the logic games tanking the score :( but overall I haven't done so badly on a PTest in like a month or two since I first started studying

  • VerdantZephyrVerdantZephyr Member ⭐
    edited August 2020 2054 karma

    I have read that sometimes your scores go down before they get better. I am really struggling with timing on LG and it just gets worse and worse so even though my LR and RC are up my most recent test dropped me back down to a 165, which was my original diagnostic. The one before was a 170, which I got despite only getting like 15 or 16 of the LG. Each time I take a test or practice section my LG timing worsens. At first I was encouraged that I saw so much improvement while struggling with LG, but now I feel like I have no chance of hitting my target. Granted, I knew from the beginning mid-170's was going to be a task, but LG are really tanking my performance and given my super-splitter status I don't really have any room for error. Super distressed by it.

    In your case, if it was just the two tests, maybe you just had a bad day or two. Still upsetting because the nature of the LSAT is you need to have one great day and can't afford a bad one, but still. If, like me, you're having the same problem in practice that is a different story, but hopefully it is a getting worse before better thing. If anyone has any insight I would also like to hear it.

  • jpgreensteinjpgreenstein Member
    136 karma

    I recommend you just redo the game section, RC section, and LR section(s) separately on different days, blind review them, then review again. See if anything changed and if your reasoning for the answers changed. I've had this happen recently with PTest 70 RC section so i just did the section a few times until I really understood it.

  • kaleincalikaleincali Core Member
    54 karma

    Thank you @jpgreenstein I will probably try to do that today before I watch the explanation videos. It's tough because I came away from the test feeling fine; almost as though I had scored pretty high.

  • Chicago_HornChicago_Horn Alum Member
    68 karma

    LSAT produce results that are statistically the same across the whole, but different between each test taker. Some tests touch on your strengths, and some on your weaknesses. This test could have been one where your weaknesses were touched on. I wouldn't put too much emphasis on a single test score. You are your highest score, period.

    If you have accommodations, ignore all of the following.

    You need to PT using real timed conditions. Giving yourself and extra 7 minutes is conditioning your brain to get used to 20% more time. This is just not the case on the real LSAT. Not to be blunt, but your scores aren't really characteristic of how you'd do on the real thing if you are testing time plus 20%. You need to take a PT under real timed conditions. That will tell you where you actually are. Also, if you do this, you will probably score lower than your time plus 20% PT's. So don't freak about that. It's normal to do better with more/unlimited time. You're doing yourself a disservice by taking tests with more time than you will be given on the real thing. I know this is harsh, but it's the truth.

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