Does anyone feel imposter syndrome with your PT scores?

Comments

• Glutton for the LSAT Alum Member ⭐

  August 2021 551 karma

  All the time! It's something to definitely try to work through, because you did, in fact, work hard to get to where you are today. So you do deserve all the improvement you've made!
• 8 Likes

  lizzogonzo Member

  August 2021 628 karma

  I have 100% felt this, especially when I was preparing for my first take in early 2021. On PTs I hit my goal score, I would self doubt instead of have it boost my confidence. That anxiety carried to my test day, and I underperformed.

  Something I learned while prepping for the August exam (confidently I can say is my FINAL take!) is that half of the battle really is having a positive mentality. My mantra the 2 weeks before my exam was process > results. I used to get terribly stuck up on a good or bad score, as if that was what was most important in preparing. No. Focusing on results only worsened my anxiety, esp if I expected myself to hit my goal score every time.

  By prioritizing my process, I focused on establishing good habits. For example did I do my skipping strategy properly during LR? Was I properly synthesizing the ideas the right way during RC? I would also think about how I was approaching individual question types (most applicable to LR). Doing this did two things: 1) identify what I needed to work on more easily and 2) ease anxiety on expecting a certain score on PTs. The best part is that I saw my highest scores ever, it just came naturally with the mindset!

  I also listened to a Powerscore clinic on test mentality and it was really helpful. I started visualizing success more, manifesting and claiming the score I wanted. I told myself to be confident and aggressive on my PTs, and I saw a massive improvement, it was really crazy.

  So all this to say - if you tell yourself these negative thoughts, you will internalize them, and that is what you will sow on test day. I learned this the hard way. Truly believe in the habits and skills you've developed, rather than expecting X score, and the results will follow! Let that build your confidence to conquer on test day.
• ColeParker Member

  August 2021 14 karma

  what is the name of the powerscore clinic you listened to? I struggle with this too.
• MonkeyMammoth24 Member

  August 2021 790 karma

  @lizzogonzo said:
  I have 100% felt this, especially when I was preparing for my first take in early 2021. On PTs I hit my goal score, I would self doubt instead of have it boost my confidence. That anxiety carried to my test day, and I underperformed.

  Something I learned while prepping for the August exam (confidently I can say is my FINAL take!) is that half of the battle really is having a positive mentality. My mantra the 2 weeks before my exam was process > results. I used to get terribly stuck up on a good or bad score, as if that was what was most important in preparing. No. Focusing on results only worsened my anxiety, esp if I expected myself to hit my goal score every time.

  By prioritizing my process, I focused on establishing good habits. For example did I do my skipping strategy properly during LR? Was I properly synthesizing the ideas the right way during RC? I would also think about how I was approaching individual question types (most applicable to LR). Doing this did two things: 1) identify what I needed to work on more easily and 2) ease anxiety on expecting a certain score on PTs. The best part is that I saw my highest scores ever, it just came naturally with the mindset!

  I also listened to a Powerscore clinic on test mentality and it was really helpful. I started visualizing success more, manifesting and claiming the score I wanted. I told myself to be confident and aggressive on my PTs, and I saw a massive improvement, it was really crazy.

  So all this to say - if you tell yourself these negative thoughts, you will internalize them, and that is what you will sow on test day. I learned this the hard way. Truly believe in the habits and skills you've developed, rather than expecting X score, and the results will follow! Let that build your confidence to conquer on test day.

  This was extremely helpful. Thank you so much. I started taking a few deep breaths before each PT and telling myself “you’ve proved that you can do it” and I think it helps me even though that seems crazy!! Congratulations on your final test by the way, that’s a huge accomplishment!!
• lizzogonzo Member

  August 2021 628 karma

  @ColeParker said:
  what is the name of the powerscore clinic you listened to? I struggle with this too.

  It was the clinic on general test mentality!
• 1 Like

  lizzogonzo Member

  August 2021 edited August 2021 628 karma

  @MonkeyMammoth24 said:

  This was extremely helpful. Thank you so much. I started taking a few deep breaths before each PT and telling myself “you’ve proved that you can do it” and I think it helps me even though that seems crazy!! Congratulations on your final test by the way, that’s a huge accomplishment!!

  You're very welcome I know how mentally tough this test is. Best of luck! And thanks sooo much! It felt good to finally feel like I put my very best out there. Hoping for some good news come September 10th. Then I can really say this strategy worked for me lolol.