Help! Last minute panic before test

RiseandGrind

Hi 7Sagers,

I will be taking the July test next Monday. In my last few PT's, my scores have dropped from around 170 to 168, 167, 165. Previously I was averaging around 170. The last test I took was PT 84 and blind reviewed yesterday. To my dismay it was a 162. The tests I have taken over the past few months have been a combination of 40's and 50's tests and retakes of PT 60-83 as I have ran out of fresh new material. I believed PT 84 would be a good gauge of test day performance since it's a fresh test and so new. Now that I have seen this consistent drop I am unsure of my test taking ability and don't know what to do, resulting in major panic mode. I also work full time in addition to studying. I've been advised to stop studying altogether until the day of the test to prevent further burnout, but I am afraid to stop exercising my LSAT brain muscle a week before test day. Any advice is appreciated.

Paul Caint

Sounds like burnout! I would take a few days off of studying LSAT entirely. Maybe this Friday do some timed sections just to get your mind back in the swing of things, but nothing too intensive.

Is this July test your first LSAT? If so, don't stress out! Remember, law schools only care about your highest score (with maybe the exception of Yale), so even if you bomb this one you still have September going for you! Heck, I took the December exam and my cycle worked out amazingly. Don't stress too much and try to relax this week leading up to test day!

samantha.ashley92

I've read in a few places that the June test was really tough, so I don't think you're alone in that score drop. My plan for the week before the September exam is to just do a little bit each day, taking 2 days off. I won't be doing full PTs or 6-hour study days. I wish I had some other advice to give you, but it's actually amazing how much our brains can retain even after a little time off. Even if it feels like you have to work like crazy to bring your score up (unlikely at this point, anyway), resting your brain and not burning out are more important.

JustDoIt

Just stopppppppp. Seriously. What are you expecting to do in this last week? You have learned all you can. No more studying. NO MORE STUDYING!

ChaimtheGreat

@RiseandGrind said:
Hi 7Sagers,

I will be taking the July test next Monday. In my last few PT's, my scores have dropped from around 170 to 168, 167, 165. Previously I was averaging around 170. The last test I took was PT 84 and blind reviewed yesterday. To my dismay it was a 162. The tests I have taken over the past few months have been a combination of 40's and 50's tests and retakes of PT 60-83 as I have ran out of fresh new material. I believed PT 84 would be a good gauge of test day performance since it's a fresh test and so new. Now that I have seen this consistent drop I am unsure of my test taking ability and don't know what to do, resulting in major panic mode. I also work full time in addition to studying. I've been advised to stop studying altogether until the day of the test to prevent further burnout, but I am afraid to stop exercising my LSAT brain muscle a week before test day. Any advice is appreciated.

Just want to chime in and say pt 84 may not be the test most similar to July's take. July may be an old February test, more similar to mid 70's for example. If you are going to take another test, retake a test you did well on to boost confidence! I would also suggest doing sections, not full pts.

macklynking

@ChaimtheGreat I’m just curious, but what are you basing that on?

ChaimtheGreat

There was a webinar from Powerscore on it but because July was created in somewhat of a hurry it is likely they will use an old undisclosed test. The powerscore webinar should be online somewhere I think lol.

_oshun1_

I didn’t too well on 84, similar scores to you as well. I thought it was really hard. I didn’t really understand the first RC passage. Thought the last LR section was super hard and I rarely ever guess but I had to guess a lot. Bombed the last LG, had to guess some there as well.