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Related Discussions
PTs Getting Worse-2 days left until LSAT
madameninja
Member
Hi everyone,
I am feeling really discouraged. My diagnostic was a 145 and did not change substantially until I did 7sage. Last week, I got a 156, which was AMAZING to me, and I couldn't believe it. Now my score has only gotten worse: I got a 154, then a 149, and today I got a 147. This has all been in the span of a week or so. I'm very sad and I was planning on taking all of Friday off to relax, and do some drills today in my problem areas. Saturday is August LSAT Day.
What do you guys think? Is this a good idea? Any words of advice or encouragement? It's hard to not feel hopeless. I'm really hoping to get into the 150s so I don't have to go through this again, and I think that is what is making me so anxious.
EDIT: Would like to note that I have essentially cherrypicked my needs in the CC, because I definitely did not have time to do all of it, as much as I would have loved to. I started using the LSAT Trainer and studied very inconsistently, but it wasn't until July that I started really picking up on concepts and stuff. I know that my situation is less than ideal, but I think it's important for the full context to be here too. Please don't be harsh, as I know what I should have done.
Comments
Hey there,
First things first, it's ok to feel sad, discouraged, and maybe even angry. We have all been there. I'm equally anxious. The same could be said for mostly everyone. It is a damn hard test. But it is not impossible. Yeah, go ahead and ignore those geniuses who get 175+. Because guess what? It doesn't matter. I found myself rushing to keep up with people who are able to go through the core curriculum in a few month and start scoring 170+. It's counterintuitive and counterproductive to compare and get anxious. I realized whether they get a 420 or a million matters little to me.
I think often our body tense up when we are stressed and stress hinders our mind from unleashing its potential. Don't worry about the dip. Look forward. Take a bird's eye view. Learning is tough, and learning is filled with fluctuations. Knowing where you fell reminds you where not to fall again. Remember how long it took us to learn how to walk? All the pain, the angst, the bruises. Yeah, that's LSAT too.
Set realistic goals. Keep your ego in check. Follow through the regimen. And trust the process. Good luck my friend.
Thank you for your kind words and perspective.
Don't beat yourself up! I've realized that having a positive mindset is huge when it comes to the LSAT. The second I start thinking about how badly I need a good score, or start telling myself negative things during a PT, all I do is waste time/energy that I need to do well. This weekend will be my first real test, and I was planning to do 2 PTs this week. But I got a really great score last Saturday, and it has me feeling like I can really conquer this test. I decided against taking a PT this week bc I didnt want to psych myself out with a low score; I think the value of being confident outweighed whatever benefit taking another PT would have brought. My plan is to continue drilling (Timed) my weakest concepts today and tomorrow, but stopping sometime Friday early evening. Before the test Saturday, I'm going to do one or two warm up problems that I know I will conquer so I feel good before the test. So my advice would be to try and forget about it and drill some combination of things you're struggling with as well as things that give you confidence. I'd recommend listening to the Powerscore LSAT Podcast...specifically "Reversal of Fortune...How to Recover from a Bad PT" or "16 Reasons People Fail on the LSAT." The former really helped me get in the right headspace:) Strategy is half the battle!
Hello!! So much of the test is anxiety and how that impedes your mental ability to perform. Something similar was happening to me too. The best advice - take 2 days off before the test- relax with a book, see a friend, spend time outside, anything to keep the anxiety down. you KNOW the material - you CAN get the score you want - its anxiety that gets in the way. try reading Powerscore's articles on LSAT and mentality, specifically on breaks. Also listen to their podcast about how to bounce back from a bad PT. Hope this helps - and remember, we've got this!
Honestly, it might just be burnout / fatigue! Those two factors really take a toll on your mindset and performance on the LSAT. I wouldn't stress too much about your lower scores. Just know that you know the material!! Definitely relax and try not to do anything LSAT related the day before the exam. If you must, just do some light review on areas that you struggle with the most. Good luck on the flex!
So I am also declining before the big day. I know I am a little burned out. But maybe consider this: I played competitive hockey most of my life. When we were "hot" in practice, or good in exhibition games we often sucked in playoffs and tournaments. Conversely, when we sucked, and could not get anything right pre-tourney we were often far better than normal when it counted. I hope this holds up for you. I am certainly hoping for this to work out for me. Also, I am resting from tonight until LSAT. I will not let being tired the reason I don't do my best. Maybe you should too.
I know how you feel. My worst pt in months was a week before my flex test. Then magically a 172! Dont worry about it use the opportunity to learn from your mistakes. Consider it a blessing!
Hi friend, it's okay to feel frustrated and a defeated. To me, the situation you're describing is burnout. I was in the same position as you when I took the LSAT for the first time (PTing lower closer to test day) and now that I've had time to reflect on it, I can say with certainty that it was due to burnout. I've also personally noticed that my performance decreases when I'm super tired, and that my performance and focus improves whenever I take a day-long break or short breaks. While it may sound counterproductive, I would highly recommend taking a short break away from the LSAT to recharge yourself. If you don't feel comfortable with taking a longer break to do something unrelated to the LSAT, you can rewatch lessons or stimulate your mind in other ways.
Just remember that one lower score is not a true reflection of how you will do on actual test day. You've scored in the mid to high 150s before, so it's very very possible that you'll be able to do it again! Good luck, I'm rooting for you!
Oh my goodness, this makes me feel better! I am having the SAME problem! I got my highest score ever last week (166) and while I have resigned myself to the idea that I will not be in the 168-170 range by test day, I was feeling good about my chances of getting at least a good score. Tonight...I took a practice test and got 158. But reading the comments, it might be burnout/anxiety. I lost two days to an intense migraine, we have been in intense trial prep at work so I have not even had lunch breaks to study, and I'm so pressured because the test is Sunday (for me). I have tried to gently remind myself I might have to retake in November, and that's okay, without actually giving up before I even take the test, if that makes sense.
It sounds like in July, you began to get it and that’s where the true improvement began. You can retake in October, November, and even later if you need to. For context, I took the January 2020 LSAT and still had time to apply for the 2020 cycle. While cherry-picking the curriculum is not ideal, you have decided to take the test on Saturday and will be doing it regardless.
If you want your best score now, I would STOP and not retake again until the real thing on Saturday. I wouldn’t even practice anymore. I would do whatever relaxes you. Several times, I have seen a big score jump (sometimes upwards of 5 points) after a 1-3 week break. The cool thing is, that score jump was permanent. Give your brain time to relax and reflect. Trust what you’ve learned so far. Take the test with the mindset that you are probably going to retake anyway, so your whole life doesn’t rely on this one test. Give yourself freedom to relax and know that this isn’t your ONE chance at your dreams. It sounds like you are dedicated and willing to keep working if you need to. Also, trust your gut. I have found more often than not that my first instinct is the correct answer and if I go back and change it, it ends up being the trap answer that is incorrect.
You got this. Not in a flippant, ignorant way. You’ve practiced, you’ve worked hard, you’ve poured blood, sweat, and tears into it. You, truly, have got this. And guess what? After you got this, if you feel you could’ve performed better, you have many retries available to do it again. But I honestly believe that you got this.
P.S. To clarify, I wasn’t trying to score shame. I’m a 31 year old non traditional student with consumer debt that can only go if I get SIGNIFICANT financial aid and get into a PT program where I can keep working. So I feel pressured on all fronts.
Haha, no worries, I wasn't taking it the wrong way. You are so impressive! Keep doing you because you're clearly a superstar when it comes to balancing it all. Thank you for your words of encouragement (and sympathy lol!).
You guys are so, so, so nice! I am really blown away by how supportive the 7sage community is. Thank you all so much for chiming in with something encouraging. I can't tell you how many times the LSAT has made me break down while I'm studying, but you all are giving me the courage and focus to keep chugging along.
I don’t know how well I have balanced it all, but at least I’m in good company!