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Getting Worried. Burnout? Suggestions for Confidence
I'm starting to worry. My average is in the low 150's, which, for me, took a lot of work. My last three practice tests have been sub 150 and I've straight tanked my last two in the low 140's the past two days in a row (PT 83 and PT 84). I'm writing on Nov. 11th. Have I burnt out or is there some hope of getting back to my average or above on test day?
Thank you everyone, the 7 sage community has taken me from feeling hopeless to hopeful!
Comments
I am doing the EXACT SAME thing...I haven't hit my PT since last week. I think it is eye strain and too much reading/over-studying to be honest. I would suggest using paper copies of LG and LR for the days leading up to your exam, and to stop taking exams immediately. The more you take at this point, the more burnt out you will get and it will affect your test score come the 11th. I am taking mine on the 8th and am using paper copies of LG games and LR games until end of day tomorrow I will then stop studying for Friday/Sat to give myself and brain a much needed break and just do fun things to get my mind off things. That's my personal experience anyhow, so I hope some of that helps! Keep your head high, try and try to get a good sleep pattern now, and DO NOT study 1-2 days before the exam, in my experience, studying 1-2 days before the exam is a big no no for burn out. Use those days to relax and create a fun/stress free environment.
I found 83 & 84 to be exceptionally difficult.
Thank you for the tips! Very helpful. Going into todays PT I questioned its benefits after trending downwards. I definitely plan to stop taking exams. As for the 6 days leading up to I'm still formulating a plan. My thoughts are that I'm going to try limit any study to small timed drill sections of LG and LR to keep them fresh. Maybe an hour or less a day, and stop 2 days before the exam.
If it makes you feel any better I am in this exact situation. My exam is the 10th and while I've been averaging around 154, these past few days I've been doing awful on timed sections. I've been studying like crazy also. Even though it's hard to take a step back when the exam is so close, I've decided to at least take today and Friday easy (only studying 2-3 hours a day). I've found that watching some worked example videos on Khan and LSAT center is a lot less draining when you feel overworked. Good luck next week, remember you're only human and can only do so much. Go take a nap lol!
I was you! I highly recommend taking a step back, at least a few days off. For me, I began getting in my head more than anything and that's what tanked my score. I took a step back and stopped PTing for a while, went back to basics and drilled question types. I did not move onto PTs or even full sections until I was nailing all the question types.
I think the confidence boost of knowing how to tackle each question, and then moving onto half sections, then full sections, then PTs was extremely helpful to my performance.
You have got this! You have put in the work and the time!
I'm in a very similar boat, taking it on the 11th and scoring in the mid 150s, but recently my scores have been going down. I will definitely be reading the comments as well, since I worry about burnout.
I am taking the test on the 11th as well and honestly last week I was getting low 150s as well which was a decrease in the score I had been averaging (around a 158). I initially was taking a practice test every single day but got to the point where I believe subconsciously I became disinterested as it started to feel mundane, this brought with me self doubt and anxiety about my upcoming test date to the point where I was losing sleep. I took some time to reflect and review where I was really falling short for the next two days (in my case reading comprehension) as well as deciding to adjust my study schedule to do a practice test every other day while reviewing the previously taken test on the day in between. This allowed me to focus on a specific area of improvement that I knew was really holding me back from my potential, as well as relax and enjoy the process rather than feel like I was stuck in a routine. Once I did this my scores increased tremendously and I am now exceeding where I was currently averaging in the mid 160s.
Another key thing is to take some time to do some things you enjoy over the course of the next few days and weekend and believe in the process and what you have accomplished up to this point. It is crucial that if you haven't already, you begin to train your mind to be 100% relaxed and confident in your ability when you take these tests (trust the process) and that you have the belief that the preparation you put in will pay off. I'm sure you will do great come test day, just remember you have to believe in yourself and avoid the mindset of self doubt. This is easier said than done I know, but also in my opinion is incredibly important for your actual performance come test day.
Cheers!
Burn out is normal, my last PT before my actual test was 12 points lower than my actual test score. Probably because I just didn't want to take it and forced myself to take it to say I completed all the tests in the 80s. I would recommend easing up on PTs and just doing drills closer to the test date
I hear ya. I’m writing on 11/10 and my PT scores have been on a downward trend for the past 4 exams with a 9 point score drop on today’s exam (PT 83). Granted, I think a lot of score drops that occur right around test day are usually due to increased stress and burnout. Try to just plan for 1 more exam before the test so you have adequate time to rest before the big day. I know it’s super discouraging to see a lower score than normal (I feel terrible rn as I’m typing this) but try to keep your head up. If you scored in the 150’s before, there’s no doubt you can do it again! Best of luck to you next week and take some time to relax!
Don't exactly have to twist my arm to get me to go take a nap!
Good idea.
It's tough to put things in perspective when you really want to, at a minimum, hit your average. I'm going to take a few repeated sections of exams to boost confidence closer to test time.
I'm experiencing the same thing with those exact numbers...you're not alone
.
Remember that you have control over the LSAT--it does not have control over you!
Update; I took my exam yesterday feeling mentally rested and think I hit my target. I didn't study at all two days before the exam and it really helped me. Although I didn't get a good sleep the night before, I was able to really concentrate. Wishing you luck and hopefully you will or have stopped studying to give your brain a break!
You're doing great! First of all, those two are really hard tests, so don't be too hard on yourself. I think I tested way below my average on both of those! It takes some time to also soak some of this stuff in. You'll keep improving, it is just how this process works. Some of my best advice was to take breaks when you feel you need them, you'll come back feeling refreshed and motivated.