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retaking PT's

camillepowell028camillepowell028 Member
in General 11 karma

what are the general thoughts on retaking PT's? I started studying nov 2022 and am taking the jan 2023. I had read that there was a shift in PT's in the 80's so, considering I didnt have much time to waste, thats where I started. well I made my way through the 80's much quicker than I expected and started doing PT's in the 70's. I can definitely notice the shift... my average for the last 5 tests in the 70's is about 4 points lower than my average for PT 87-91, and its basically all from RC. im scoring like -9 in RC in the 70's vs -4 in the 80's. Its getting very discouraging lol so I retook PT 80 (first took it over a month ago) I remember the general idea of some of the questions/passages/games, but definitely not my reasonings for picking an answer... much less what the correct answer was. but I scored 11 points higher this time around. Do you think there is any accuracy in scores from previously taken tests? even if theres no accuracy in score, is there a benefit in retaking a PT? or do the risks outweigh the benefits and I should just stick to older PT's even though its crushing my spirit? haha

any input is much appreciated!!

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Comments

  • u______uu______u Alum Member
    233 karma

    There could be some accuracy in scores provided there's a sufficient absence of memory regarding the material on the test. However, I'd say it's almost never the case that you forget absolutely everything from a previous test. There are going to be questions that pop up that you do remember, and that'll technically provide you with an unfair "advantage." Therefore, I would be careful not to give those scores much weight and lull yourself into a delusional state of complacency and self-gratification that it is an accurate representation of your level. That being said, I do think there is some value in retaking old PT's for the sake of practice. I find the best practice I get from retaking PT's is strengthening my fundamentals. Revisiting previous material allows you to approach it with a level of enlightenment you previously didn't have, therefore, at least for myself, to be able to understand what's going on much better, to really see things the way you're supposed to.

  • aiman.shahabaiman.shahab Member Sage 7Sage Tutor
    edited January 2023 72 karma

    Hey @camillepowell028! Tutor at 7Sage here. This is a really good question. While I do think there's validity in taking old PTs, I wouldn't worry too much about the lower score dips in the 70s. If anything, playing it "safe" with more difficult RC is more soundproof to score in a similar score band when it comes to the real exam.

    However, it is important to feel confident about your abilities before stepping into the exam! One suggestion is taking a practice tests in the 60s/70s but making the fourth section an RC from the 80s and grading the exam with that section based on a raw score converter. If you haven't taken them yet, practice tests 90-93 are now available on 7Sage. I'd recommend taking two of those to best measure where you're scoring at and leaving one or two of them in case you decide to take a future exam.

    If you're interested in getting more personalized advice about practice test and study strategy before the January exam, you can sign up for a free consult with one of our tutors here: https://calendly.com/7sage-tutoring/7sage-tutoring-free-consultation?utm_source=FCA_A.

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