A Disappointing Grey Day

Toxoplasmosis

Looking for some advice. I was averaging about a 168 with a high of 172 and BR scores around 175 in the PT 30-40's. When I started on the 70's about a month before the September test my average and BR dropped to about a 162 and 170 respectively. I just received my score and was disappointed to learn that I got a 159. I am set on applying this cycle and have been studying since March (diagnostic of 151 if it matters) of last year. I am looking for advice about what my game plan should be between now and December in order to ensure that I am not disappointed next time around. In addition, is it worth applying with a 159 even with a note that I'm retaking?

Wind-Up Bird

Hi Toxoplasmosis, have you taken a look at your response sheet and the corresponding test? I would highly advise looking through the September exam and reflecting on what caused the huge point drop. With your PT average, it looks like you have a solid grasp on the material, but something on test-day may have drastically interfered with your ability to perform (e.g. nerves, or perhaps even bubbling the answer sheet incorrectly).

bjphillips5

@Toxoplasmosis You were averaging 168, so I'd expect you to be able to hit at least 165 on the December exam and probably higher. I'd heavily review PT 79 (Sept exam) and see what could have gone wrong. Also, most people report feeling better about taking the exam the second time just because it's more familiar.

desire2learn

I second both of the previous posts. I scored about 6 points below my PT average but I know exactly what caused it. I did not skip during a hard RC passage (even though I had practiced doing so) and instead of getting one or two questions wrong because they were hard I let it cascade into affecting a pile of questions that I then ran out of time on. Try to pinpoint where you could have done better and go in even more prepared! Plus it is unlikely that you will get another virus game in December!

Toxoplasmosis

@"Wind-Up Bird" @bjphillips5 @desire2learn thanks for the taking the time to look at this thread! This advice seems on the money, as far as actual studying strategy is concerned, would you say focusing on taking full recent PTs with deep blind review would be the best use of time as opposed to going back through the curriculum? I imagine the score discrepancy was a mix of nerves, being sick the week before and lack of exposure to the newest LSAT material. Hopefully the deep sense of self-hatred the September LSAT has inspired in me will give me the motivation I need to slay December.

Alex

@Toxoplasmosis Hey,

I agree with the above advice. I think the issue was you didn't expose yourself to the 70s PTs until the month leading up to the test. I would make it a priority to do the 70s PTs and do a thorough BR of each test. Don't be afraid to re-drill sections from them multiple times after you take them!

Good luck!

Wind-Up Bird

@Toxoplasmosis,

If you're totally comfortable with all of the core concepts in the curriculum and you haven't completed the most recent prep tests (PTs 75 - 78), I would recommend saving these preptests for the month leading up to your retake (if a retake is what you're planning). As J.Y. Ping mentioned in a previous thread, the average score of your 3 - 5 most recent preptests (-3 points) is highly indicative of what your actual score will be. More importantly, if you write the 5 latest preptests right before you're about to go into the real thing, the actual test will feel like just another preptest. Getting into the mentality of "oh, this is just another preptest I'm writing" on game day was super helpful for me.

Also, make sure to take really, really good care of yourself the week before your LSAT! I remember being sick while writing the 7 hour MCAT, and that was definitely not a fun experience. This time around, I made sure to eat really well, sleep well, and avoid any activities that would potentially get me sick, like underdressing in the middle of fall.

Cheers, and best of luck on your studies. Hopefully you'll be able to bridge the gap between your practice and actual scores

solkrios

I'd definitely take the most recent tests and review them thoroughly before your Dec exam. I didn't do many of the 70s, because of time and because I was PTing so well in the 60s, but I definitely think that was a bad idea. The material seemed different and the language more complex. I'll be taking again in December and focusing a lot on 71-78

bjphillips5

@Toxoplasmosis This is my personal strategy and advice, so not necessarily what everyone would agree on. Definitely think you should work on the 70s PTs. But I think it's really worthwhile to take individual sections with a specific goal in mind. So, take an LR with the goal of working on skipping better/faster. Or something like that. And then doing rigorous BR. Doesn't have to be as INTENSE as Nicole's (See video below), but something like that. BR was the biggest difference in my LSAT knowledge ESPECIALLY with 70s PTs that are just a little different.

jknauf

Hi @Toxoplasmosis ,

I think you would benefit from a retake instead of applying right now. The high blind review scores show that you have the mental capacity to score well above what your test day score reflects. I would recommend exposing yourself to those 70+ test and watching the blind review seminar posted above.

Good Luck