Sliding back from 170s to 160s.... What should I do???

gyoo01

Hello everyone,

I have always just read discussion postings and never thought about actually asking a question about my own problem.. Think I really need some sage advice at this point, since I am planning to take the December test, which is my last shot...

So, a little bit of where I stand in my test prep.
I finished both the Trainer and 7sage curriculum and have been taking PTs for a month. For a personal reason, I am just preparing for the LSAT full time. So, I take a PT everyday usually in the morning and do BR in the afternoon. I have been consistently taking a test a day at least 4 days a week for a month.
I used PTs from earlier periods like PT 10 - 28 when I first started out and built my habits based on those. I also added in some PTs from 44-50 and have recently took PTs 57 and 58.
The problem is... I have been scoring (under timed condition) around 173. My highest score has been 177, which I got three times. But, for the PTs 57 and 58. OH MY GOD. I just did not have enough time to finish some LR and RC questions. Even the games were so hard for the PT 57 especially!
I got 160 on PT 57 and 168 on PT 58. This is really a huge problem, since I am developing a downward pattern and I don't know what to do....
I think my average miss on LR is -4 or -5. For RC, I used to get only -1 or max -2, but for the PTs in 50 range... it has been -3 or -4, so it is also very depressing I am betting everything on the December LSAT and have to submit my application this cycle. I just don't know what I should do make necessary change....

I print out a clean copy of the test for BRs. My BR scores range around 175-178, so it is not like I do not have fundamental understanding. For some reason, I can't get some of the easy questions earlier in the LR section fast enough. Timing has become a huge issue, and I would love to get some feedback on my test prep.

If there is anyone out there who is having a similar problem as I do with dropping PT scores.... could you please share how you overcame that depressing phase and actually made it to high 170s? I would really really really appreciate any kind of advice.

GSU Hopeful

FWIW... Two tests are nothing. They don't represent a downward pattern or any pattern for that matter. I would treat two tests as outliers. If this goes on for 5 or 6 or maybe even more, then I'd be concerned.

nicole.hopkins

@gyoo01 said:
So, I take a PT everyday usually in the morning and do BR in the afternoon.

I don't even need to read the rest of your thread to tell you that you are making a HUGE mistake in taking this many PT's.

@gyoo01 said:
But, for the PTs 57 and 58. OH MY GOD. I just did not have enough time to finish some LR and RC questions. Even the games were so hard for the PT 57 especially!

A lot of folks see unusually high scores in the earliest tests for some reason. Also, if you did 7sage, those 10-28 PT's are NOT fresh for you and should be considered to be largely retakes as much of the course/drilling material comes from these PT's.

It sounds like this is a combination of previous high scores having been inflated with the much MORE serious consideration that you are taking WAY too many PT's per week and are headed straight for burnout city—population: you and everyone else who tries to muscle their way to success/improvements on this test.

You can't rush this test. Period.

gyoo01

@nicole.hopkins Thank you for your comment! So, if my problem is taking too many PTs, what should I be doing instead until the December test? Should I reduce the number of PTs I take and take more time to BR? I thought I followed the curriculum in detail and have studied the fundamental as I should do before starting the PT phase, so I am kind of lost at this point. I would really appreciate what your suggestion would be to raise my scores till the December test....

Pacifico

2-3 PTs per week with in depth clean copy BR and relax on the other days by doing a couple LG sections. Your BR should be more than enough to really analyze the patterns in the test (especially LR) in order to improve in the future.

nicole.hopkins

Agree with @Pacifico --- do what he says