My goal score is 164-168. Right now I am PT'ing at around 159/160, but my biggest issue is that I KEEP changing my correct answers to wrong ones. On my last PT, I would have gotten a 164 EXCEPT I changed 6 CORRECT answers (LR and RC) to wrong ones.
Being self-aware (and relying on 7SAGE AI), I can hypothesize that this is me not trusting my logic and falling for traps. However, I feel like there is more to this. Do I need to read slower or recognize traps better? I am interested in how others have overcome this issue. My goal is to take the October LSAT, and I know I have enough time to fix this issue if I had the correct guidance
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9 comments
just use one trick: articulate in your mind why you think its the right answer before clicking. once you click, dont click on another answer unless you can articulate in one sentence why the other answer is right. this solves the problem completely. its just a rule you start using.
@zunair this makes a lot of sense! I invariably use this method on questions, but will definitely start being strict about it!
This was a huge problem for me, and it still happens occasionally, but I fixed most of it with some simple advice I got. As you know, you want to predict answers as best you can before looking at the answer choices. I really try to force myself to do this, even if it means doing untimed work and slowing down. Normally, you can predict the answer correctly, but then you see a trap answer, second-guess yourself, and pick the wrong one. So, holding onto your prediction is really helpful.
If I see an answer that truly changes my mind, I have a two-step process before changing my answer. First, I ask myself, What is wrong with my first guess? If I truly cannot find a good reason why it is wrong, I keep it. Second, I ask, Why is this other answer better, and does it fully answer the question I’m being asked, or does it answer another assumption I made in my head? If I get through those questions and still think the second answer is better, then I switch. If not, I don’t.
If I’m not 100% sure, I flag it and come back. Sometimes, having a fresh mind after answering a few other questions really helps, too. Overall, just make sure you’re slowing down and answering only the question you’re actually being asked. Hopefully this makes sense!
@Kihla333 this makes so much sense! Thank you for the advice
When you review, ask yourself why you fell for the wrong answer and explain to yourself why the correct answer is correct. Make sure you leave with takeaways from your review.
That is a frustrating experience, but (as you know) not uncommon. I think one thing to examine is WHY you are falling for trap answers. For example, in reading comprehension, trap answers often look appealing because they use language from the passage, so they "sound" right. The correct answer is often hidden under a layer of convoluted language that doesn't match the language in the passage. If you are falling for this type of trap answer, remind yourself that you are looking for the answer choices that matches the idea in the passage, not necessarily the language. The other thing I wonder is whether you are changing your answers as you go through the answer choices, or are these on flagged questions that you go back to? Sometimes students go back to questions, second-guess their initial answer, and change their answer (usually to the wrong answer!). In this case, I would suggest only returning to questions that you have flagged, and only flagging questions if you weren't able to predict an answer, were stuck between two answers, or didn't have enough time to fully attempt the question. You will probably need to do a deeper dive into those questions where you did switch your answer - think about what made you question the right answer, and what made you choose the wrong answer. Hope this is helpful - best of luck with your studying!
A wise man once explained, "Here’s the strangest thing I’ve learned coaching since 2005. My students who score 170 or above spend more time with a practice test after it ends than they spent taking it. The stuck students flip to the answer key, log the score, wince, and reach for a fresh test within the hour. From the outside, the stuck students look more serious. More tests, more reps, more suffering. The ratio is the secret. The test is where points are counted. Review is where points are made." ~ Steve Schwatz
A big thing for me was spending more time understanding the passage itself. I used to spend a lot of time comparing answer choices to eachother which gave the answers control. Instead by truly understanding what was happening in the passage it was way easier to identify the right answer straight away. When I pick an answer I stick with it and don’t switch
yes i do this all the time