Just hit my goal score on a practice PT... now what?

NicholasDay

Super pumped that I hit my goal score (168) today! But now im lost on what to do for the next three weeks before the november test. Obviously, I'll try to continue an upward trend - I'm already planning on taking additional PTs, BRing them and then reviewing, but should my strategy change at all? Should I continnue to focus on my weak spots? Or take more mental breaks and focus primiarly on testing? If someone found themselves in a similar situation and could weigh in, that would be really helpful.

My breakdown for this test (PT81)
LG -0
LR -5
RC -6

MissChanandler

First of all, celebrate!!! Good job! Think about what conditions went into that score. How much sleep did you get the night before? Breakfast? Etc., that way you can try to replicate that. Second of all, and I hate to say this, don't freak out if/when you get a lower score on another PT. Leading up to test day in September my high PT score was 174, but my real average was more like a 171/172. It's okay and normal if your score fluctuates, you just want a general upward trend. I'd say continue working on your weaknesses and test day strategy. And remember, you can get your goal score! You just proved it to yourself!

Ohnoeshalpme

Don't let yourself get lazy. Continue with equal intensity until the day before the test. Remember that the test-day tax is a real thing and its magnitude depends on external factors to studying. These include state-of-mind, nutrition and overall health. To keep these in check, avoid drinking alcohol, adjust your sleep schedule weeks in advance, go to the gym at least 4 times a week, practice studying in strange or noisy environments, eat a balanced diet and get in the habit of consuming a large, protein and fat-rich breakfast.

Nunuboy1994

You still need to keep doing it; a better way about thinking about it is can you hit within 2-3 points of your target on pt’s consistently? For example, if you score 161, 165, 163 on 3 consecutive pt’s that is theoretically better than scoring 167 once (that’s not to say hitting 167 even once is a big deal but moreso that we want to work up to a point where we can do that consistently).

NicholasDay

Thanks for the insight everyone!

Bamboosprout

Congrats! That's a really strong score. Definitely keep up the good work, or work even harder. This is a good sign, but you obviously have plenty of space to improve. You can work on reducing the errors, and increasing consistency and speed. Focusing on blinds spots is a very good idea, and a short break isn't bad either. I usually take a day off after each PT anyway. But whatever you're doing, it's working, so keep it up!
Just a caveat, depending on how bad anxiety affects you, you should expect a significant point drop on the real test. People usually get a -3/-5 on the real test. But don't let that stress you out. You know you can get a 168 now, so just try your best and let your hard work pay off.