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I took my LSAT on Sunday. I didn't have any major problems. Of course there were some passages, etc. that caught me off guard, but ultimately I felt good about the test. My LG seemed easy compared to every practice test I've ever done - I finished the section for the FIRST TIME ever without having to guess on any answer. After a day of feeling good about it, I started to second guess myself. Thinking things like "what if I missed an important rule and fell for all the trap answers, and that's why it felt easier than normal?" I also never know how I did on LR and RC, its hard to tell. Does anyone have advice on how to get past this second-guessing game. I don't want to feel like this for the next 2 weeks.
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Hi @addiespitz . Congratulations on finishing your test. I'm taking mine in about 40 mins but anyway, I think you should feel confident in your score. That's great that you whizzed through the games- don't think it's that you missed an inference or two- it's truly that you practiced so much they came like second nature. And that's great!!! I know it's hard waiting in the weeks ahead but hold on to that feeling that you felt good about the test and the results will reflect that. Good job!!!
@addiespitz I just finished taking the LSAT a few minutes ago and feel the exact same way! The logic games in particular felt a lot easier than the ones I had taken during prep tests. I think the important thing to remember is that, if all went according to plan, we were both performing at our peak during the exam: both consciously and subconsciously, your body and mind were prepared to get you through this test. You had adrenaline on your side, you were likely more focused than during practice tests since you know this is the real deal, plus I'm sure you probably tried to get a good night's sleep, a good breakfast, etc. And besides all that, at least in my case, I was super paranoid that the LSAT would look completely foreign to me. I don't know if you had the same fears, but if so, it might just be the case that you were expecting something harder than you actually received, so that made it feel easier. In any case, I'm sure you did great! Make yourself some tea, watch a movie, go outside, see a friend — take your mind off the LSAT! You deserve it.
If you had the truck/loading game (#3) and committee game (#4) as your LG section, then it was very easy! I was quite surprised at that one too. Bit disappointed too because I was hoping for a really hard game section to loosen the curve for me!
Im in the same boat and i had the truck game as well and i was completely lost on that one..normally i could diagram pretty well and none of the games were like the ones i practiced. the RC section was extremely long passages and it was just very time consuming overall disappointed that the test really didnt mirror the practice exams .
The first three games were very easy “cookie cutter” games, using JY’s words. You probably need some deep reflection into why none of them looked familiar to you.
Did you blank out on the games? Did you go through the core curriculum? How many newer PT did you do? Was it nerves that got you? Etc.
Ruminating. I think that's what you are doing. I used to do the same thing. Not just for the LSAT but for other things too. Constantly ruminating on the bad things that happened in life. Ruminating on arguments with friends/family. Ruminating on a bad PT score. Ruminating even if I don't know how I did on a section. At some point, I realized that we often do not ruminate on the good things;only the bad things. This then frames the way I approach everything, in a negative mindset. I make myself miserable, basically.
You don't want these mental road blocks, which in your case seems to come from the uncertainty of your LSAT performance, to impact the way you go about your studies, work, life, and etc.
Relatively recently, the ruminating fed into anxiety and I started working with a sport psychologist to work on it. Among others, I found consistent mindfulness practice and reframing into a more positive mindset to help me stop ruminating.
Let me know if you want to DM me for details!
This was so helpful and I am going to replay this comment in my head for the rest of the month. Thank you!!
You are right. I don't know why we do this to ourselves! I'd much rather think about the good things about the test. Thank you
Congrats on getting it done!
It is such an awesome feeling i know. You are going to experience ups and downs and anxiety until your score is released. That is just the way it is. The two weeks i had to wait for my score felt like an eternity. But just understand it is done and nothing can be done now to change that for better or worse. Getting through this test is enough to celebrate. Do something fun/relaxing to celebrate. Honestly, if you have the time/money go on a little weekend trip or something. I just got home from Boston and if you have never been and love history, it's for you. Go golf, go to an amusement park, hike, etc. If you are working right now, ask to work more. The absolute worst thing you can do is sit around and think about it, trust me lol. Stay busy for the next 2 weeks. Score release day i have no doubt you will be anxiously refreshing your computer every 5 seconds to see if the scores are posted. Save all your anxiety for that moment. Don't let it consume you the next few weeks because there is nothing you can do. Celebrate that you don't have to sit around for hours and study for this test for atleast 2 weeks, hopefully forever! If you are confident in how you performed and got through the test, then there is nothing to worry about. I am sure you did well. Also, don't think of numbers in your head or be like me and try to guess how many you got right on each section and calculate a score. It won't be right and just makes your anxiety worse.
Seriously, congrats on getting through it. The hours and hours spent studying will pay off. Celebrate yourself. Hopefully your family knows what a big deal this is for you, your friends probably won't unless they are studying for it too. Maybe tell them and go out for a drink or something. If you want anymore advice or anything definitely feel free to message me!
This was my 3rd flex, and the score will be what it will be. Acknowledge the thoughts about the test and then let them drift away likes bubbles in the wind. Life is so much MORE than this test. I know a lot of lawyers and they barely remember the hell of LSAT phase, or perhaps they’ve all blocked it out. Lol. Either way, this is a SMALL small small part of our lives and careers. Worse case, we take again. No.big.deal! You got this
Get your writing sample over with ASAP, and then you're free to enjoy yourself. You deserve it, and it's the most perfect thing to take your mind off of the LSAT. Second guessing yourself is a waste of energy and you already know that. It's hard to stop, though. Make some plans, do the hobbies you've put off for studying, go hang out outside, do what you love, cook, watch TV and be a potato, go to a bar, whatever. Tell someone that you want to be distracted if you need to. It's easy to get so wrapped up that you forget that this too is something that gets put on the back burner sometimes.
I've solved every logic game ever publicly released and I had the same games section as you (trucks, committees) and I also felt that the games section was REALLY easy. There was nothing tricky at all, extremely straightforward. The LR and the RC wasn't bad either, so it's probably going to be a hellish curve.
@Saaamuel- Remember that there were multiple combinations of the test. I had the same games section as you as you but who knows about LR/ RC. Powerscore already put out their podcast and I know for the particular combo I had they predicted about a -8 for 170. I actually predicted the same based on my personal evaluation of the test. Some other combos may be more like a -9 or even -7 but for the majority of test takers about -8 would be a decent guesstimate.