Self-study
When you've studied for YEARS (on and off) and get sub-par, mediocre timed PT scores (153 being the highest) but blind review in the mid-high 160's-177?
Words can't even begin to describe how demoralizing and unmotivating this is...
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1 comments
I'm pretty sure I can tell you EXACTLY what it means.
A blind review score in the high 160s/170s tells us you’re already doing a decent job of learning question types, answer processes, argument structure, and how passages are constructed once timing pressure is removed. So the issue typically is not raw ability or a complete lack of understanding.
The issue is usually that those skills and concepts still are not operating within a stable top-down structure that properly governs your process under timed conditions. Without that overriding structure in place, consistency, speed, and accuracy all tend to break down once the clock is introduced.
The "top-down structure" is real and tangible. It propels you forward through each question while also creating guardrails that keep you from veering off course. And it's not acquired simply by doing practice questions and blind reviews. It's an actual curriculum that, like the rest of the prep, needs proper installation.
When that top-down structure becomes properly installed through your prep, you stop suffering from:
rushed reading,
unstable answer processes,
inconsistent prioritization,
second-guessing,
and breakdowns in control from question to question.
As a result, the clock stops disrupting the actual execution processes. That’s why students in this situation often feel like they “know the test” untimed but can’t consistently translate it into stable timed performance yet.
In my opinion, the missing ingredient is the top-down structured framework. Hope that helps.