Hi guys! A few days ago, I took a 165 PT which is a personal high for me (yay!!!)! I felt so good about it, as I'd been averaging around 158 for a while and it seems my studying was working. However, two days ago, I took another one and got a 152 (my lowest). I'm very confused, and during the test I felt kinda overwhelmed. My first test is Friday. I really don't want the 165 to be an outlier.
Feeling kind of defeated. Is this normal? What do I do?
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5 comments
165 is great!!! it sounds like maybe you've been taking a lot of PTs close together, so maybe you're just a little burnt out? i took my first LSAT in june and i scored about 4-5 points higher than i had been scoring on weekly PTs! i'm retaking on friday too so we're in the same boat :). since we're so close to test day it might be good to taper off studying/pting in order to reinforce our strengths and maintain confidence. it also couldn't hurt to look at both your 165 PT and your 152 and reflect on what worked and maybe what didn't?
i'm no expert but DO NOT DESPAIR!!! you've proven to yourself that you CAN score a 165! i think from here til friday it's best to hang onto our confidence so that we're cautiously optimistic on test day :)) YOU CAN DO THIS!! and you will!!!
@pngnicole OMG GOOD LUCK!!!! Thanks for the reassurance, I'm trying to stay relaxed but man is it stressful. I hope the 165 is a testament to my ability and not a fluke. I'm definitely reviewing the tests and I'll try not to overthink as much as I can. WE got this 💪💪💪
@mia0655 THANK YOU SM, YOU TOO!!! and of course! it is so stressful but we absolutely got this >:D
I would say take a break. You fundamentally know what answers are right and your main goal this week is to prime your body and brain to be refreshed enough to recognize them on test day. Burnout is not indicative of your full potential so don’t treat it as a sign that’s how you will perform. Try to re-create the conditions of your 165! You got this!
I was in the same boat - my last PT was much lower than what I've been scoring (even lower than my official score), so I definitely feel you!
Based on what I've heard from other people, it's definitely common and normal to have a drop towards the end of taking PTs. I think the key is to understand why you got the Qs wrong (after maybe cry it out a bit), so you don't make the same mistakes on the test day.
It's easier said than done, but I would try to treat it like a data point instead of a verdict, and try to focus on honing the skills instead of the outcomes. The scores will follow!
This test could definitely make us feel so defeated and question our intelligence, but you can absolutely do it! You got this!