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Test Anxiety-- specifically PTs

JessDoctorateJessDoctorate Member
in General 52 karma

Hi guys,

I have been struggling recently with test anxiety. There was a wonderful few weeks where I actually really looked forward to every test and saw them as a really enjoyable part of my day, but now they just fill me with dread. On the days I take PTs I feel sick and anxious all day because I feel like if I do badly then the entire week of studying will have been a waste. This stress often leads me to feel panicked during PTs which really affects my timing and focus. The anxiety has been exacerbated by a recent score regression. It feels like a vicious cycle. I took a few days off from everything LSAT to reboot and even pushed my test date back to ward of that "impending doom" feeling, but I am still so stressed about PTs and even drills. Has this happened to anyone else and what helped you get through it?

Thanks in advance!

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Comments

  • AllDeerWearFearAllDeerWearFear Member
    67 karma

    Hi Jess,

    I know exactly how you feel. I recently scored a 176 on a PT and was feeling great only to score 10 points lower on the two subsequent PTs which really triggered my anxiety. I felt like perhaps my high scores had just been luck or I had happened to do easy tests. My mind then jumped to the actual future test day; I was filled with dread that I would get anxious and let that impact my test performance. It is really scary to think that one's acceptance in to law school can depend on a single number which can vary wildly between any two given tests.

    What I have noticed is that if I know that I've done poorly on a particular section during the test, that tends to impact my focus for the rest of the test and thus I do worse overall. Finding out what triggers your anxiety before or during a test is the first step in overcoming it.

    A score regression can be painful, but is normal. Every test is different and a regression can sometimes be a great indication that there is a particular question type or game that you are weak in. When I regressed in my score it helped me realize that some of the more difficult Necessary Assumption questions can really trip me up and waste a lot of time. So that is where I need to put in the work.

    Study time is never a waste provided you take your time and really try to understand the material. PTs where you do poorly are the best form of studying because they really show you what you need to work on. I suggest regularly going over those tests and understanding why you got a question wrong and why the correct answer is right; cement that reasoning.

    If you are someone who struggles with anxiety in general, I would strongly suggest meditation. Even a few minutes every day can really help if you do it consistently. Apps like Insight Timer are really good. Another exercise I find helpful is doing PTs in different conditions (like time of day, location, etc...). The more varied your practice test atmospheres are, the less likely you are to be worried about everything needing to be exactly right on real test day.

    My last suggestion would be that if you can afford it financially, it might be wise to register for the LSAT two months in a row. Knowing that you have a second chance ready to go if you do not do well on the first test can really ease anxiety and take some of the pressure off of needing to hit a certain score.

    I am sorry you are dealing with test anxiety. I know how you feel but know that you aren't going through it alone and that you are not defined by a number. Feel free to shoot me a message if you need an test anxiety support buddy!

    Best of luck!

  • JessDoctorateJessDoctorate Member
    52 karma

    @AllDeerWearFear said:
    Hi Jess,

    I know exactly how you feel. I recently scored a 176 on a PT and was feeling great only to score 10 points lower on the two subsequent PTs which really triggered my anxiety. I felt like perhaps my high scores had just been luck or I had happened to do easy tests. My mind then jumped to the actual future test day; I was filled with dread that I would get anxious and let that impact my test performance. It is really scary to think that one's acceptance in to law school can depend on a single number which can vary wildly between any two given tests.

    What I have noticed is that if I know that I've done poorly on a particular section during the test, that tends to impact my focus for the rest of the test and thus I do worse overall. Finding out what triggers your anxiety before or during a test is the first step in overcoming it.

    A score regression can be painful, but is normal. Every test is different and a regression can sometimes be a great indication that there is a particular question type or game that you are weak in. When I regressed in my score it helped me realize that some of the more difficult Necessary Assumption questions can really trip me up and waste a lot of time. So that is where I need to put in the work.

    Study time is never a waste provided you take your time and really try to understand the material. PTs where you do poorly are the best form of studying because they really show you what you need to work on. I suggest regularly going over those tests and understanding why you got a question wrong and why the correct answer is right; cement that reasoning.

    If you are someone who struggles with anxiety in general, I would strongly suggest meditation. Even a few minutes every day can really help if you do it consistently. Apps like Insight Timer are really good. Another exercise I find helpful is doing PTs in different conditions (like time of day, location, etc...). The more varied your practice test atmospheres are, the less likely you are to be worried about everything needing to be exactly right on real test day.

    My last suggestion would be that if you can afford it financially, it might be wise to register for the LSAT two months in a row. Knowing that you have a second chance ready to go if you do not do well on the first test can really ease anxiety and take some of the pressure off of needing to hit a certain score.

    I am sorry you are dealing with test anxiety. I know how you feel but know that you aren't going through it alone and that you are not defined by a number. Feel free to shoot me a message if you need an test anxiety support buddy!

    Best of luck!

    Thank you so much! This was very helpful. I had the same experience (scoring the mid 170s and then getting mid 160s and wondering if it was a fluke), so your advice really rang true for me. Thank you!

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