Getting worse? Help!

sarahisk

I know that growth isn't linear and that I can't expect each PT to be better than the last, but I certainly hadn't expected that they would progressively get worse...
My first PT out of the CC was a 167, which was a very encouraging 12pt improvement from my diagnostic, but since that PT each one has been a bit worse than the last and I'm finally all the way back down in the high 150s. Does any one else struggle with their PT vs. BR score widening? How do I review my PTs effectively to close that gap?
I was planning on taking the test in June, but it's becoming clear to me that I am not prepared to take it.
Any and all advice would be much appreciated.

Lost and confused,
Sarah.

OldLadyK

Hey there! It's incredibly helpful to keep track of the sections/question types you're having the most trouble with, and if there's a pattern you can go back into the CC for review. If you find that you're having particular problems in one type of section, drilling that section on it's own for a little while can be helpful until you get a rhythm. I'm not sure how many PTs you've taken but would advise that, if you're studying full time, you only take 2 or 3 a week. I have found that taking the full test one day and then doing BR the next keeps me from burning out. You still have some time before the June test and I'm sure you can get back to where you want to be. If you were there once, you can get there again! I wish you all the best and I'm sure you'll do awesome!

Platinum

Hello. Don’t get discouraged. Focus some time on the question types that you are having the most issues with. Dial in and make note of the patterns and ways of thinking which are allowing you to make mistakes, further making you answer with uncredited answer choices. Then, once you have gone through and identified those questions types, incorporate and mix them into sets of different types of questions. One thing that I have learned from progressing through the CC and learning on this platform from JY, is that, we need to let the information that we are taught sink in our brain housing. It is understandable to try and force the information because we have test deadlines coming up, but that method of forcing our studies to just get a credited answer versus really understanding why questions are uncredited and not just credited can be challenging but well worth the effort. It can be easy to know why choose a credited answer, but we must also really understand why answers are uncredited because of trap answers choices. For me, it has helped me to dial in why answers choices are uncredited, because then one can eliminate all the uncredited choices and are left with a for sure answer that is credited. Also, try hyper-skipping questions as you take practice tests, meaning; if you find that you have already read the stimulus once or twice and don't completely understand what is going on, mark it and move on, then come back to those questions as you finish the other questions that you are confident about. I find that this method can allow full attention and a method for attacking problem questions while saving time, brain power, and effort, ultimately allowing a credited answer choice I hope my rant helps.