This is what my past few tests have looked like: timed between 167 and 176 with my BR being 177-180. I am able to whittle the answer choices down to 2 and one of them is correct every single time, but I seem to pick the wrong one each time.
Sometimes I literally feel like I am intentionally misreading when timed because when I read the question over in BR I wonder why I even chose the one I chose in the first place. Other times I get it wrong becaue I missed a qualifying word or misread a word completely.
I have accommodations and am diagnosed with ADHD so.... Any tips?
My issues tend to be Crit/Deb passages, causal reasoning, and parallel.
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I would start taking these untimed (or with more time) and see how close to 180 you can get. BR can be misleading because changing the question from 5 answer choices to 4 often removing the most tempting wrong answer makes things much easier. Slowing down will let allow you to reason with yourself until you're confident abt an answer rather than just seeing the correct one. Challenging yourself to draw on the patterns you've learned in order to confidently say one answer is good for X reason and the other is bad for Y reason is probably more effective for learning and getting quicker.
@MickeyClaffey tysm for the response! i definitely think knowing which answer is wrong helped a lot in BR, so untimed seems pretty tempting. I just worry because I have so few fresh tests left that I want to save those for when I actually emulate real testing conditions.
I definitely struggle with drawing from my patterns and existing skills when answering anything with causal reasoning but especially with weaken/strength :((
@KellyKim I'm on the same boat with causal reasoning questions! It feel like all the knowledge I have of the exam just leaves me...
@soleluna883 test anxiety is SO REAL. my brain just shuts down in the first section
I am also diagnosed with ADHD!! My diagnostic score the first time was 163 (just taking it for “fun”), but this motivated me to more seriously consider law school. I do a few questions every day as I complete my BA.
I also find myself doing a lot of second-guessing after whittling down my answer choices. I think with ADHD we have a tendency to overthink as it is, then with the added time constraint, we get a bit turned-around in the decision-making process.
Here’s what I did: I took a prep test and went with my gut, the first time. Didn’t even allow myself to deliberate between two answers, the one that intuitively feels right is the one I selected. I didn’t put much pressure on being right if I was really unsure/stuck, just selected the one I initially found the most agreeable.
This gave me a good idea of my weakest categories (I even made a spreadsheet to really analyze which categories to prioritize!). From there, I took a lot of time reviewing the formula of the questions for that category, until I understood the pattern.
Knowing the pattern also means knowing which keywords to expect, and my brain will automatically begin to search for them. This helps with that involuntary “skimming,” and also reduced my habit of zeroing in on details that weren’t that relevant.
I really really hope this helps you!! :)
@JillRoberts tysmmm
@JillRoberts Hi! Thanks so much for this! How have you been able to find the correct answer patterns of each question type after doing the spreadsheet?
Turn suggestions off for BR
I'm in the EXACT same boat!! PT and BR. Thanks for posting this--I need all the advice I van get before the September/October LSAT.
unrelated, but any tips on reaching 180 on BR? I max out at 170
@JosephK take your time during BR and really have a reason why you’re choosing the AC. don’t move on until you have evidence of why the right one is right and why the wrong ones are wrong. my timed is buns, avg 164, but my BR usually ranges 175-180 and that’s where i learn. take the time you need—its worth it!
What’s your accomodation? 50% more time?
@legally.brunette yes, and start/stop breaks
My only advice is to keep going! I think you'll find yourself closing the gap more and more.