PTs with experimental section. Stragetgy/Advice?

Kateelaine

I haven't seen a post about the experimental section in a while, so here's my nagging question I keep having about it when doing PTs: what section do most of you insert the "experimental" section into your test, and how does it compare to the rest of your score?

On and off I've PTed with an additional, "experimental" section so I can really work on my endurance. I've randomly inserted the experimental section in the middle of the exam, the very last, and the very first section. I generally use a random section from a PT I've done in the past, but several months ago. My "scored" portion of the exam doesn't seem affected by the experimental section being there. I tend to get better and more accurate the further along in the test I am, so adding the experimental first doesn't make me burn out faster or anything. It's more just a nuisance section that annoys me while I'm taking it, but doesn't otherwise effect my overall score.

Even though my overall scored section isn't effected by the experimental, my experimental section is always terrible. The last PT I took (yesterday, actually) I inserted a LR experimental as the first section in which I missed 12 questions! - but overall I actually gained 5 points, finally getting back in the 160s. I'm beginning to think that since my experimental section is 100% dreadful despite the section type or order, that I must have some psychological barrier to doing well on it. Like I "know" it isn't part of my scored section so I don't really try. (That's my theory I tell myself so I don't freak out at the low score, anyway.)

Has anyone else experienced this weird experimental section slump? Are there better ways to drill with it, or should I just keep doing what I'm doing? Or maybe just ignore the experimental section entirely, considering it doesn't seem to negatively effect the other sections?

inactive

Bumping this so more people can see.