Advice Post-Practice Tests

vspicy23

Hi!

I have a few questions regarding practice tests.

First, after taking a practice exam, should i keep studying and doing problem sets? Or is it better take a break after the exam and continue studying the next day.

Second, how do I get the most out of my practice tests? Meaning, in order to improve significantly on the next exam, what measures should I take? Should I go through all the questions I got wrong and figure out why they were wrong and what answer makes it right? Should I redo the games and think of better strategies to tackle them? In terms of reading comp, do I re read the passages to try and understand them better?

Also, how do I get better with time? I tried to do the regular 35 min time limit but caught myself significantly running out of time so I used the 50% added time. It definitely helped but next time I want to really try and finish successfully within the allocated time I will be given on the actual test.

Any tips and strategies would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!!

Lime Green Dot

Hello there!

First, after taking a practice exam, should i keep studying and doing problem sets? Or is it better take a break after the exam and continue studying the next day.

I'm guessing here you mean 'right after'? For me, no, I wouldn't go into a blind review immediately. And certainly not gonna do an additional problem set. I've just taken a test! Doing a whole new problem set is like self-flagellation LOL. A good quality break is absolutely necessary for me. If I've taken it early enough in the day, like in the morning which I usually do, I will spend a good chunk of the afternoon and early evening reviewing bits. But I try separating my brain and body from the exam for a couple of hours: I'd go for a jog, take a nap, have a power-up meal, watch something mindless on YouTube, and usually a combination of all of these.

After a refreshing break, I'll dive in and re-do the games section under time and compare my blind review A/C to the one I picked on the test for each game and then check both A/C against the correct one. I repeat with the remaining 3 games. This is usually the fastest section to BR, so it's a good way to build momentum for me in my review.

Then I'd do maybe 1 RC passage, the one I found to be the most difficult either by content or by the number of Qs I flagged, and I deep dive into a full breakdown of the passage, following a method described here: https://7sage.com/discussion/#/discussion/26560/my-guide-to-reading-comprehension-part-1-long-ish-post

Then I'd go to LR and start backwards from Q26 or 25 and BR maybe until Q20. This section actually takes the longest for me to review, and I can literally spend over an hour on the questions I've found hardest, just thinking about each part of the STIM and the possible ways it's gone wrong (if there's an ARG involved) or sifting through why each wrong A/C was wrong and why I think I picked the wrong one, if that's the case, or what made me lean in the correct direction but gave me doubts about choosing, watching/reading explanations both here and on other discussion forums, replying to others' questions on this question if I am able to find a particularly interesting one that challenges me think in a new way or gives me an opportunity to solidify knowledge I have and share that with others. Even if it's a post from like 7 years ago.

Over the next few days, I'd space out the remainder of my LR review. If I have questions about it, I post under the explanation video if there is one, but more often on the discussion forum, as questions seem to get answered faster and by more 7Sagers.

Second, how do I get the most out of my practice tests? Meaning, in order to improve significantly on the next exam, what measures should I take? Should I go through all the questions I got wrong and figure out why they were wrong and what answer makes it right?

For starters, I recommend checking out the threads here:
(1) https://7sage.com/discussion/#/discussion/28370/blind-reviewing-every-question
(2) https://7sage.com/discussion/#/discussion/22279/a-good-way-to-review-wrong-questions-post-practice-exam-blind-review-fool-proof-memory-method
(3) https://7sage.com/discussion/#/discussion/28128/great-questions-to-keep-in-mind

Also, how do I get better with time?

Lots of ways! Practice makes progress, of course, but strategy is also very key. Do you use a skipping strategy? I posted recently on this topic here: https://7sage.com/discussion/#/discussion/28628/lr-tips-help-highly-accurate-on-lr-but-can-only-finish-18-20-questions

Hope this gets you off to a good start! Let me know if you have follow-ups!

vspicy23

@"Lime Green Dot" Thank you so much!! I will definitely keep all of this in mind. I do use a skipping strategy, the ones i find myself thinking way to long on I skip and get back to them later. However, I usually barely have time by the end so I guess them

Lime Green Dot

Of course, my pleasure!

Here are some additional points to think on:

Is your accuracy very high? If so, you may need to push yourself to skip faster. Spending 2 minutes on a question and then deciding to "skip" defeats the purpose. Trust me, I've been there. Confidence drills will help you push your time boundaries (and comfort zone... it feels icky when you start though!) so you can incrementally shave down time on questions you could be getting right much faster.

If your accuracy isn't very high, or you want it to be higher, I'd say that makes your post-PT BR that much more intensely important. Slowing down enough during BR to really think through and write/type out these thoughts on the questions where you did spend too long on, even if you got them right, is how you can gain faster strides in future PTs. You're giving your brain the workout it needs to dig deeper so it knows what to do when it's show time.

I also find translating all LR STIM during BR, including ones I didn't flag, under 30 seconds for most (if it's a very long or complicated one, I'll give myself an additional 15-30 seconds) has been helpful! Some people type theirs, but I write everything by hand so I can check my memory and understanding right afterwards against the STIM. The point isn't to memorize, of course, but to semi-replicate how you processed information with the pressure of time. I ask myself, did I leave anything crucial out? Where did my understanding falter? Did I pick up on/begin to see how I could accomplish my mission (i.e., following orders from the question stem ^^)?