Huge Drop in Score

7sagelsatstudent180

I have been trending well in testing. However, I recently scored a 166 on a practice lsat and followed it up with a 151 on my next practice. Has anybody ever gone through this? I felt just as good after the 151 than I did after the 166. I just bombed it. Advice would help alot.

brna0714

Which PTs were they? What was the section breakdown for each? Hopefully with some specifics, we'll all be able to offer some insight.

7sagelsatstudent180

PT 64 I scored 166... PT 65 I scored 151 ( Somehow I missed nearly 10 in each section).

7sagelsatstudent180

They were back to back tests. A day separated them.

brna0714

Okay, I don't know how many test you've taken in total but it could be a result of any number of things (worn out from work done on previous day, fluke, hunger, etc). I wouldn't put too much weight on any one data point (although I know it can be tempting to freak out/get excited based on one score).

How are your blind review scores? I would give more consideration in your blind review scores as this give you an idea of where you stand on the fundamentals and understanding important concepts.

DumbHollywoodActor

Was RC the biggest culprit?

visualcreed

@7sagelsatstudent180 probably an anomaly. I did those two tests and scored similar, a little higher on 65. I'm finding the Reading Comp on these newer tests are a lot harder so I've been hitting low 160's. I say you need a bigger sample size before you get worried.

7sagelsatstudent180

I typically do blind review the next day and my br score was a164 on Preptest 65. All areas were worse than usual but my scores before br are usually in the low 160's. I've taken 11 preptests and I am concerned because I am planning on taking the June LSAT. If I have a follow up score that is just as low I may consider changing my test date but my goal entering study was a 165. A 160-165 would get me where I want to be and any higher would be gravy.

blah170blah

Can someone elaborate on how PT 65+ RC's have gotten harder? I haven't taken those tests yet but would like to be prepared.

visualcreed

@blah170blah I might be the only one that thinks this but for me the passage arguments are a bit more hidden if they even exist. I don't think all the passages are harder just some. You also have to get used to the comparative passages but that's not too bad after a few times although I think it is a bit more time consuming at least for me, then I usually have to rush through the last passage.

LoraxMan

For me, things like stress and distractions have caused significant fluctuations in my score, but never +10 points. Is there a possibility you are falling into a "repeated material" trap? if not, probably just take a few days off and get back into it. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

7sagelsatstudent180

Hopefully that was just a blip on my radar...

amanda_kw

@7sagelsatstudent180 Please use this as a learning experience!! It's a great one. It hasn't happened to me so extremely but I think those tests - we are just unlucky enough that they expose all of our weaknesses. SO save this test, go through questions, find the mistakes you made, and retake it at least twice after redoing BR - writing out reasoning for questions - so you can find out what happened.

It MAY just have been a fluke, but why waste a potentially amazing test that let's you know what so many of your weaknesses are? Because those questions definitely do not show on every test.

7sagelsatstudent180

Thanks Amanda and others... Will do.

danielznelson

How many tests have of yours have been in the 160s? If several, you were almost surely out of whack psychologically.

nicole.hopkins

@blah170blah i really don't think they're any harder. Different? Sure. That's a good reason to PT/retake up to 70 or so while saving the 5 or so most recent tests for the month leading up to the exam. If you only took tests 65-69 once that final month you would be limiting your exposure to that kind of material. Now you could take/retake all of the final PT's but as a working woman I gotta say ... ain't got time! I got a mouth to feed ... namely, my own

@"amanda_kw" said:
SO save this test, go through questions, find the mistakes you made, and retake it at least twice after redoing BR - writing out reasoning for questions - so you can find out what happened.

It MAY just have been a fluke, but why waste a potentially amazing test that let's you know what so many of your weaknesses are?

Much wisdom here. Every missed question in PT's or drills is a make-it-or-miss-it opportunity to expose and address weaknesses.

OP:
Let's put it this way: what if you, instead of that 15 point drop, had answered 10 or so more questions correctly than on the one where you got the 166—but you got them all right by chance—not because you really understood them?

My guess is, you'd be feelin' pretty gravy—"Dang, I'm improving fast! This is awesome!" And while that feeling is definitely legit, would you really want to have that feeling if you got all of those points not because of your increased skill or understanding, but because of sheer luck?

Then let's say you've been very lucky with your PT's moving forward, and your drills too. PT's indicate you should be +/- 175. Awesome! You go into the test with full confidence ...

...But luck does not happen to be on your side. You get thrown curveballs—which you would be better equipped to field had you MISSED all of those questions you got right by chance during your study period.

This is an absurd scenario, bit of magical realism going on early in the morning here (I think @Jengibre knows what I'm about having spent time in Spain, the home of all things surrealism). BUT ... I believe this illustrates the point that rather than being discouraged by our supposed lack of "improvement," we should be grateful that we made these mistakes while we are in the perfect situation in which to turn specific weaknesses into strengths.

Now, there is one very big "IF" underlying that opportunity (to transform weaknesses into strengths): you only take advantage of that opportunity by digging in deep on BR. Amanda's suggestion (one I've wanted to incorporate into my study and will officially be doing this afternoon on PT62, Lord willing)—"writing out reasoning for questions"—typing out why each AC is wrong or right, including recording your thought process ("At first I didn't eliminate A but then I saw it uses 'most'/'only if' in a way the stimulus does not"; "My first time through this game I misread this question."; "I interpreted the author's opinion to be stronger than it really was on this passage, and B is the trap answer choice for that mistake ... I fell into it, but now I know why it was wrong.")

At a BARE minimum, do this for the questions you 1) know you struggled with 2) know you got wrong.

Ok, we all have time constraints and real lives. I get that not everyone is going to be able to to The Ultimate BR Method for every PT. But carving out time to make this method part of my practice was ultimately why I decided to take the LSAT later than June: I knew that I would not reach my full potential unless I deeply examined my thought patterns, weaknesses, and habits. I'm not as hyper-focused on getting a 180 as I was*; but I AM focused on maximizing my potential to maximize scholarships. It's literally an investment in my future financial well-being.

*(I'm seriously considering making Baylor my top choice due to its #3 ranked Trial Advocacy program and highest bar passage rate in TX; I'm not worried about getting in based on my LSAT scores)

7sagelsatstudent180

Definitely. I am taking 62-74 in order now. I started at 36 initially but I moved up when I learned that the newer lsats were substantially different. I have taken 11 total lsats. My diagnostic was a 148 but I had averaged a 161-162 or so the 5 tests preceding the 151. The 166 was a small outlier according to my numbers but I have scored 164 range a few times. All tests are taken in strict testing conditions in a library. I will take Preptest 66 today to gain a better view of where I stand.

nicole.hopkins

@7sagelsatstudent180 said:
I am taking 62-74 in order now.

Save PT71—74 for the very very end (leaving time for full rigorous BR) just in case you decide to cancel and take in October! Just my 2¢ ...

7sagelsatstudent180

I did a little better on Preptest 66 but this time reading comp torpedoed my score. Whatever changed in reading comp is kicking my butt.

emli1000

It happens, but don't get caught up thinking that any PT after 65 is harder because there's a change in RC. Instead focus on how to approach those RC passages. And you will see that soon you will be back to scoring you target score.

JustDoIt

This is just my two cents also but I really don't think that 65+ RC is that significantly different from any other RC passage. Sure they are certainly a little more difficult and yes there is usually one Passage A and Passage B distinction but for the most part it requires you to answer the questions in the same manner as before. It may require a more active reading approach (anticipating where the author is going, asking questions along the way, etc.) but for the most I believe that there is hardly any difference