Self-study
Hey all,
Wondering how to prevent score fluctuations. I was doing LR sections and consistently scoring around -2 with highest most recently being a -0. Then yesterday i decided to take a full PT without the experimental (PT 158) and scored a 164. My RC score was the highest it had ever been but my LRs were -6 and -4
I am taking the June test. Any advice on how to prevent these crazy swings and burnout. Last time I took an official LSAT I had the same problem where I was scoring pretty high and then one PT was super low and from then on I was stuck at the super low end score. Probably burnt myself out because I was so stressed about the low score.
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2 comments
I've reduced my LR fluctuations by forcing myself to follow a standard formula for every question type. On a main conclusion question, I identify the conclusion first before going to answers. I ask myself, does it have support? On weaken/strengthen, I always identify the assumption/weak point in the argument before going to answers. On RRE, I identify the discrepancy & every piece of the paradox before AC's & don't allow myself to select an answer choice unless it addresses every single one. I used to be a little bit loosey goosey on the info in the stimulus, and since implementing these standards I'm forced to develop a deeper understanding of stimulus before I get to AC's, so I'm not as easily fooled by traps. Maybe it'll help you too
If you're comparing individual sections to sections on full tests, this is bad for three reasons I can think of: first, the concentration necessary to focus for 35 minutes is meaningfully different from what is required to focus for 105 or 140 minutes. Second, individual sections can be lesser in difficulty than combinations of sections from the same test. That is, test makers can make the first LR easier or harder, given that they'll weight the second LR inversely to make the average difficulty somewhere in the middle. Finally, things can get even weirder if test makers decided to make back-to-back easier LR sections, because either the RC section is harder than usual, or the now extinct logic games section was harder than usual. Remember, these test makers are trying to create a certain distribution of scores, not necessarily make each set of LR sections similarly difficult across tests. Sadly, this makes difficulty less predictable. Someone who has access to the stats could probably show how much difficulty varies by section, from test to test.
For these reasons, don't simply practice individual sections or whole tests. Instead, once you're happy with your score in individual sections, begin stacking 2 back-to-back, then 3. Additionally, whole test practice NEVER excludes the experimental section, because that's not actually preparing you to concentrate for 140 minutes.
Now, as to whole test score differences, they can be alarming but remember what you're concerned about are apples-to-apples trend lines, not individual data points. You want to consistently be scoring full PT's within a range comfortably above your goal score. If outlier tests fall below that, no worries because that's expected.