Scores Dropping -- testing in December!!!

James Ray

I feel like I know what everyone is going to say but please help me. I was scoring in the low 170s. I had worked my way up there, finally breaking the 160s. My last two tests have shows serious drops. This last test I took saw me at a 167. Now I recognize that this is a good score, I know that, but it is not my target. I am shooting for 170+. This was the worst reading comp section I have ever had. Normally I do extremely well there. I am not sure what I have done differently or what I can do differently. Should I take the week off? Should I double down on studying? Has anyone had the same thing happen to them and can recommend a course of action because I seem to have fallen back into the high 160 range and I desperately want to pull up from that.

awdsjhbckn

same thing happened to me except I didnt get your low 170 at first place

synergy_101

What pt's are you doing? Theres a noticeable difficulty spike as you progress through certain pt's. For instance, pt 57 and so on there's the introduction of substitution/replacement equivalence questions designed to act as curve-breakers. The logic is a tad bit harder after pt 53 (imo) where the LR sufficient assumption are less mechanistic requiring you to parse through the language to identify logical indicators indicators that arn't as clear, etc. Also, the reading comprehension get harder (the passages are more convoluted/abstract compared to older pt's) after the mid 50's/early 60's.

James Ray

Its across a fw different ones. I normally do very well on reading comp including the newer tests. This past test just slammed me. I got 7 wrong on reading comp which is the most I have EVER gotten wrong.

adrian.miko

I saw a drop in my score as well, going into the PT 60+
Reading comp is a killer...

leelisee

That happened to me as I prepared for the September exam (cancelled score, retaking December). Because I was taking a full PT every 3 days and studying 24/7, I knew it was a result of burning out.

The more you stress, the worse you may perform. Try incorporating exercise into your daily routine or just let yourself get away from the LSAT. I don't think you should take a full week off just because the December exam is so near, but maybe a day of just resting/reading light materials/exercising? Also, like synergy_101 said, you might have just come across a few really unlucky tests.

Don't stress out. Shake it off, and move on. (We're all there with you!)

James Ray

Hi leelisee,

Thanks, that's somewhat helpful. I took yesterday off completely and most of Monday as well. I am going to complete the review today. Its difficult because I am working a full time job and can't take PTs at 8pm when I get home so I am limited to 1 per week if I want to take it really seriously. I want to increase but I am not sure its reasonable to do so. I've tried it and it just makes me completely exhausted and I have trouble focusing on an exam starting that late.

Around when did you stop studying before the actual exam?

leelisee

I never 'stopped' studying though I did lay off on the full PTs after seeing my score drop by up to 10 points before the September administration. There was a point when I would read the words and not understand a thing.

I think your 1 PT a week is fine. That's what I'm doing now. I learned the hard way last time that reviewing is so much more important than taking PTs especially since we're now within a month of the exam. My mindset had been "I want to see every single question before I take this test so I'm familiar with every unusual question type" but in retrospect I see that it would have been better for me to think "I want to understand every question I have seen till now." At this point, it's just about not getting bored, drilling and keeping our brains flexible!

I had a professional LSAT tutor give me advice two weeks before the September exam and she just told me that on the last week, to NOT do any new full PTs. Just take one timed section at a time. Burn out is real

James Ray

Believe be I know it. I took a test last October and I just wasn't hungry for it when I went in. I am trying to avoid getting burnt out. I actually have a meditation practice that I do during the break period that helps keep your mind and creativity nimble. If you're interested I am happy to share. I find it very helpful.

Ok so my plan is to keep on with one per week. No tests the week before. And focus on reviewing hard questions that I got hit on previously and if I feel overly stressed, I will just take a step back.

cmccollum510

Burn out is a real issue, as lots of you are saying. I've taken really long study breaks (twice in fact, for weeks at a time), because I've noticed that when I got burnt out I wasn't focused while doing practice tests anymore; just glossing over questions. During my weeks off I just did casual reading, blogging and relaxing with other hobbies. When I came back to studying I eased into it (doing individual questions or sections), and realized I didn't forget the strategies and techniques of doing the test because I put the time in beforehand. Then I could focus a bit better on what I was reading. I know this is easier said that done for folks with many other demands, but a small break might even help those people. Breaks reduced my anxiety and allowed me to trust my instincts and to accept and work around my limitations (I know there are a lot, one being my ability to do LGs really fast! I am just slow). Burn out is normal because psychologically we become habituated after too much repetition of the same type of stimulus. We can use psychology to our advantage.. and I tell myself that I can always write the test again. I feel like the LSAT could be compared more to practicing for a marathon than anything else, so I tried not to "injure" myself by over-training!

Iggy Minaj

I'd be interested in knowing your meditation strategy

Spencer C.

The guided meditations here: http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22 and the "Guided Meditation on the Breath" here: http://www.audiodharma.org/series/1/talk/1835/ are good starting points for meditation. Headspace.com also has a good 10-part intro to meditation. Totally recommend it.

James Ray

Iggy,

My meditation is for use during the break period. There are other techniques for the other times, but this one is great for that 15 min break. Ok so, the first five minutes, after taking care of bathroom needs, snacks, etc. I use something called the flood technique. We flood our mind with all the issues, concerns with particular questions, anxiety over where we messed up, all of what has happened in the previous three sections. This gets it all out there and in a torrent. The idea is that you flood your mind with all of it to such a degree that it becomes white noise. You do this while doing basic stretches. The physicality will help you break away from what you've done and leave it behind. Do this until you are 5 minutes into the break, max of 7.

For the next 5 minutes we are going to do a technique I call world builder. Now this can have many expressions but the basic idea is to close your eyes, take deep breathes in through your nose, exhale through your mouth, and while you are doing this, imagine that you are willing into existence cities, countries, towns, everything. You can do whatever speaks to you. Castles if you love castles. Pagodas if that is interesting to you. Build furniture if you like that. the idea is to create things in your mind, complete them, then wipe them away and build something else. Hell, it can even be like a mini-story. if you hit a block, just wipe the slate clean and start again. This accesses the creative parts of your mind and activates it in a stress relieving, interesting, and relaxing way. You do this for five minutes.

For the last five minutes of break, you think about what is ahead. You think, ok well i did great before so I need to keep this up. Or maybe, I did poorly but I am capable of getting any question correct and if this is so then I am capable fo getting every question correct. Focus on being positive and remember how awesome you are. Focus on your own ascension and what you have to do in the next hour. This is the time to get your mind right. Basically its a pep talk from your internal monologue. This is also free form and individual to a person. you know what gets you pumped better than anyone and you need to be hungry and focused for the last section. not because you want it over, but because YOU want to end it. YOU want to conquer. because YOU want the win.

The last step is part of something larger I have worked on that I call the Icon Call. The Icon Call is a notion that I love, personally. What I do is, I have an icon, a mental totem, that I associate with being positive, being intelligent, sharp, excellent, relaxed and on point. I have built this in my mind and the relationship I have to my Icon is strong now. Its like having a necklace or doll or something you find comforting and encouraging, only its more potent because it is born of your individuality and crafted of your will. Right before you start, pencil in hand, take one more breath, close your eyes and envision your icon, call upon it, and get to work.

Thats it folks. This works for me, I hope it helps you.

shadow16

^ This meditation technique seems awesome. I'll try it the next time I'll do a PT.