Just wondering (i.e., hoping) if anyone got a higher score on the actual exam than on their PT's?
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Just wondering (i.e., hoping) if anyone got a higher score on the actual exam than on their PT's?
39 comments
When you think about test day, you should envision yourself going in and scoring your highest score yet. That is absolutely the mindset to have, you should not be negotiating with yourself about how much you can underperform and still be satisfied. I'll be happy if I score even 4 points under my current average, but I'm not about to go in on Monday telling myself that's what I should expect to get.
A part of test day performance variance is definitely based on how strict of conditions you've taken PTs under; obviously if you've never taken a timed section you're probably going to see your score suffer. Generally, I think people tend to point to things like lack of stamina to explain this phenomenon because it's more tangible and therefore has an identifiable path to "improvement".
However, I would attribute the majority of test day performance variance to how a person deals with stress; some thrive under pressure, others perish - it's as simple as that. Everyone who has played a sport at a competitive level has probably made this observation of their teammates - the person who makes the most goals in practice isn't always the one who is scoring in the game.
The actual size of the variance I think is also highly dependent on a person's PT score range/average. A guy averaging in the high 150s probably has more variation in his performance on PTs than someone in the 170s, and his variation from PT to PT is probably more attributable to luck/guessing than anything else. So he probably has a decent shot of going in on test day and pulling out a score above his average/in the top range of his PT scores just because he got lucky.
A high scorer, who seemingly understands and answers each question during time, has no real potential for upside improvement from luck/guessing because s/he didn't really guess that often, if at all. Someone in the 170s is also subject to more of a penalty for missing a question than someone in the mid-range; it's sometimes possible to drop 2 points in the 170s by missing 1 question, where in the 150s you can miss 2 questions and only drop 1 point. There's also just less room to have a favorable variation if you're PTing in the mid-upper 170s, if you're averaging a 178, you literally cannot see a +3 point variation on test day, but you can still see a -3 point variation.
To get a score on test day that exceeds any PT you've taken is even less likely than scoring toward the top end of your range; it's not impossible, it probably just indicates that you thrived under the pressure.
The point I'm gathering from this thread is that, of course it can happen. But don't count on it. If you're PTing properly, your PT average is a good indicator of where you're at. If it happens its bonus points. Agree with above comments that if you need it to happen to be happy with your score, you should really consider postponing.
I did, +3. There are two reasons behind that. I never guessed when I PT'ed. I left the questions I didn't know/reach empty, but I of course bubbled everything during official test, so this is a factor. The other reason is that it was my second writing -- no novelty factor.
Test-like conditions are just that... They are like the conditions but it is impossible to simulate the stress/anxiety/adrenaline you will feel on test day. Furthermore, simply taking it once and thinking all that will go away the second time around is not likely to be how things play out. Instead you need to be developing strategies to cope with stress that happens during the test. But nothing you do can replicate the feeling in your body that only game day can give you. If anything I feel like proctored exams might give some people a false sense of security.
Also, if you're asking a question like this my advice would be to postpone.
@1108.ames is spitting too much fire in one thread.
@joecarterruskey902
Exactly, be realistic about your abilities, but you should not go into test day with the mindset of expecting to do worse than your average - because that pretty much guarantees that you will. I've never heard a track coach say "Hey kid, I know you've been running a 5:10 mile in practice, but during today's race you should probably just envision yourself running it in 6:00 right before the race."
I found that my score went up after I stopped wearing "professional" clothes to write. I had been writing PTs in my sweats and a t shirt and a trusted friend said "I always find if you dress the part, you'll perform better," so I started wearing a khakis and a collared shirt...
I'll be writing in my PJs and a tank top, apparently collared shirts have been tied to an increase in stress
I took 70+ PT's and still underperformed by 4/5 points on my last take (and those were from 3 fresh PT's). It probably depends on how much the stress of the real thing affects you.
I did. +3 from previous best. But like people are saying, it's very rare.
Some dude over at Top Law Schools Forum never scored above a 173 and managed to get a 180.
Soon to be 3
False (at least in my case)
@stepharizona288 @1108.ames - thanks for the help. I'm honestly so much further than I ever thought I could go on this test. I remember getting an LSAT book many years ago and being completely scared off by the games. I opened the book, saw the games, closed it, and never thought about law school again for another few years. I literally thought I would be intellectually incapable of taking this test. If I had the luxury of spending another few months, I know I could get even better, but right now my kids need their mother at night (and not the beast yelling 'get away from me, I need to study!').
Thanks, all. Probably not a great question to ask right before the test, but I can handle the truth! At the end of the day, this test is a means to an end for me. I'm not aiming for a top tier school (the school I want to attend isn't even in the top 50!) and with 2 kids, a job, a husband with a very busy career, and me living in London far from friends and family, I've done as much as I can do for now so I'm sucking it up and taking my chances. I probably could study for over a year trying to eek out every point but that's not feasible for me at the moment and the goal isn't to master a test it's to gain entrance to law school and be a lawyer! I know many many people who scored in the 150s and are in law school or are lawyers now. As long as this score gets me in, that's pretty much the goal!
One more comment on my end - it's probably best not to even think about "what score am I going to get" or "how can I determine based off of my past practice tests what I'll get"?
Show up, rock the test, and then worry about what you got/look for clues in your past takes for some sort of indicator. Showing up to the big game with an idea of how you'll do can be good, but it can also mentally lock you in and focused on something that is ultimately a waste of energy.
I guess that's one way to look at it; if you'd be happy with a score 3 points below your average or whatever. But I think that's a pretty dangerous mindset to have going into the test.
Now you'll be able to share that that is fairly rare. It does and can happen, but a drop seems to be more common. I think the -3 is a great anticipatory score as it helps people to analyze if they are really ready to take the test.
@1108.ames that was a great and well-thought-out analysis. Very smart. Very interesting. I think you have a few good points.
@1108.ames Great Post!!
yeh
I think the reason people tend to underperform is because they don't take the test under test-like conditions: filling in bubbles after time is called, taking breaks between sections, taking a longer break than the 15 min, no experimental section, eating/drinking during test, etc. This results in an inflated score. Thats why I encourage people to take proctored exams. My belief is that if you take a bunch of those your PT scores will be similar to your real one.
But I haven't taken the LSAT yet and it could just be nerves. Hoping that's not the case.
Wild. Now I know of exactly 2.
You've done the work, you know what you need to do, you've got this!
Agreed which is why I was talking about using that method to gauge prepardness and if you should take.
If you're taking you need to have your focus, trust in what you have done and as joe put it,