Requesting sage advice on re-takes

rafaelito

When you take a re-take do you wipe your old data from the analytics section? That is what I've been doing after transposing my old answers on the backside of the bubble sheet. That way I can update my analytics to see my current weaknesses but still have the ability to compare my newer test to my old answers. But I just took a retake (PT 56) and think I did waaaay better so I'm not even sure it's worth it. I don't want my average to get too inflated.

Thoughts?

Mellow_Z

I think maybe keeping an excel sheet would be a good way to track answers and how they vary over time. Keep dates and times with each PT and each answer choice.. and if you stack them column by column you could easily do a comparison on the end in an extra column for ones you need to focus on or not. Like if you went from Wrong to Right, you could leave the 3rd column green for good. But if you went wrong to wrong, or right to wrong, you would want to make it red to make sure you review it again.

AFAIK, there is no way to save duplicate PT's in the analytic section, although that would be an interesting addition, albeit a lot of work on the backend (i think).

rafaelito

@Mellow_Z said:
I think maybe keeping an excel sheet would be a good way to track answers and how they vary over time. Keep dates and times with each PT and each answer choice.. and if you stack them column by column you could easily do a comparison on the end in an extra column for ones you need to focus on or not. Like if you went from Wrong to Right, you could leave the 3rd column green for good. But if you went wrong to wrong, or right to wrong, you would want to make it red to make sure you review it again.

AFAIK, there is no way to save duplicate PT's in the analytic section, although that would be an interesting addition, albeit a lot of work on the backend (i think).

Yeah, there isn't a way to save duplicate PTs but that would be a really interesting feature. I like your idea of using spreadsheets to track right to wrong, wrong to wrong, or wrong to right. Very interesting. I might try that. I'm also wondering if putting in my re-take answers could benefit me in terms of showing me updated weaknesses. Or rather if there is any detriment to it. Also, just wondering what others have done in the past. Thanks for your response!

Mellow_Z

I keep spreadsheets of my drilling results, specifically for fool-proofing Logic Games. It works really well. I printed them off and keep them in front of my binder with all of my problem sets (I solve them on scrap paper instead of on the printed pages to save on printing costs.. I'm a cheap ass and refused to pay to print the same games 5 times). Each game I record my score and time.. and have each game repeated 5 times so I can easily compare them to each other. As long as I see a positive trend I keep going. If I end up going backwards, I make a mental note that I obviously haven't mastered everything there is to learn from that particular game. I'm not at the PT stage yet but I presume it could fashion in a similar way.

I'm also curious to hear how other people track things like this.

JustDoIt

I take screenshots of the old scantron the actual score breakdown before I take. Then I compare and see if I am getting questions wrong consistently. These questions I usually cut out and put in my secret stash.

Nanchito-1-1

I actually keep my old tests, and I intend to keep them all until I've finished my lsat. I print like 3 pts. I take one br another and have an extra if I want to use it for drills or redos along with the untouched actual one which I can reprint if I want to. If I want to retake a pt a few months later, I do so, then I compare how I did the first time around with the second time around.

I do wipe the analytics from the first test because I have the actual test at hand and it's more representative of my strengths and weaknesses.

In the end I will burn it all.

JustDoIt

@nanchito said:
In the end I will burn it all.

Patiently awaiting this day

Mellow_Z

@JustDoIt said:

@nanchito said:
In the end I will burn it all.

Patiently awaiting this day

Hahahah never thought about that. Seems like the only fitting way to part with the best worst thing that I've ever experienced.

rafaelito

@Mellow_Z said:

@JustDoIt said:

@nanchito said:
In the end I will burn it all.

Patiently awaiting this day

Hahahah never thought about that. Seems like the only fitting way to part with the best worst thing that I've ever experienced.

Haha what a great excuse for a massive bonfire.

poohbear

I also wipe my first take clean and input my retake analytics-- I'll make note of it in the little 'info' section and write down that it's a retake and the date of the original take. I usually take a screenshot of my analytics before I wipe it clean though. I also keep the physical copy of the first take so I can look at the differences between the first and second take. And just like @JustDoIt I also cut out the ones that seem to give me trouble time and time again (tape them on index cards and on the other side write out detailed explanations and key take aways so hopefully I'll never get something like that wrong again).

I also recently started a spreadsheet as a PT inventory (gotta make sure I have enough clean ones!), keeping track of the dates of the takes, and I'm thinking about putting my analytics in as well just for retake tracking purposes.

@JustDoIt said:

@nanchito said:
In the end I will burn it all.

Patiently awaiting this day

I also cannot wait for this day. Major family camping trip planned for this

Bevs ScooterMinion

@nanchito said:
In the end I will burn it all.

HAHAHAHAHAHA good plan. I'm going to shred all of my papers and leave the pile outside for the birds to nest with...and use for "target practice."

@poohbear said:
(tape them on index cards and on the other side write out detailed explanations and key take aways so hopefully I'll never get something like that wrong again).

Level: Genius.

rafaelito

@poohbear said:
I also wipe my first take clean and input my retake analytics-- I'll make note of it in the little 'info' section and write down that it's a retake and the date of the original take. I usually take a screenshot of my analytics before I wipe it clean though. I also keep the physical copy of the first take so I can look at the differences between the first and second take. And just like @JustDoIt I also cut out the ones that seem to give me trouble time and time again (tape them on index cards and on the other side write out detailed explanations and key take aways so hopefully I'll never get something like that wrong again).

I also recently started a spreadsheet as a PT inventory (gotta make sure I have enough clean ones!), keeping track of the dates of the takes, and I'm thinking about putting my analytics in as well just for retake tracking purposes.

That's awesome. Yeah I decided to wipe my score clean after taking screenshots of my initial take. I like the cutting out the questions idea too. I'll have to incorporate that. I usually just bookmark questions I want to go back to. Thanks for responding!

twssmith

One thing that I do before entering Retakes into the analytics:
(sorry trees) I made a scoring sheet for each PT - after retakes, I use a different color pen marking missed questions from the previous take, if I missed it 2x or wasn't sure, I "star" it in analytics so that I can easily create drill sections from the Question Bank.

MA to170

Totally waiting for this day as well - to be able to get rid of all these pretests, books, reference material etc;;; when oh when..."to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles"