Translation - PT to real test...

LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage ⭐
edited November 2017 in December 2017 LSAT 13286 karma

Since the September LSAT I have scaled WAY back on studying for the test. I have gone from doing multiple sections a day, 5 days a week, with a five section PT on day 6., To doing only three or four sections a week with a PT every 2 weeks. Since I've scaled back my studying, I have yet to score below a 170 on a PT. While this is amazing for me, and I've noticed a ton of improvement because of skipping strategies and a new outlook on RC, I am still really worried that it will not translate to reality on Dec 2.

What can I do to ensure that I preform to the best of my capabilities on test day?

What I've already done:

  • I have started running again.

  • I have cut a substantial amount of sugar from my diet (no more soda).

  • I make time for myself to relax (beat Mario Odyssey and watched Stranger Things).

  • Worked close with 7Sagers to help vent about the test, continued meetings with an awesome Sager every week!

  • Feel calmer during tests and implemented a new skipping strategy based on advice from @"Cant Get Right"

  • Communicated directly with the only law school I now want to attend and have begun working on apps.

I still have this fear in the back of my mind that something will go awry come December and that I'll panic during the test and under preform again. Does anyone have other suggestions on what I can do to prevent catastrophic failure come test day?

Comments

  • tylerdschreur10tylerdschreur10 Alum Member
    1465 karma

    Dude, I'm experiencing something very similar! I've scaled back to roughly 2 hours of studying 3 days a week, plus a 5 section PT on Saturday. And I've beaten my September score on every one. I cut back to work on applications on off days, and it seems to be paying off doubly!

    I also think exercise and diet can help your focus and mindset tremendously! Trying to-do that myself.

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage ⭐
    13286 karma

    @tylerdschreur10 said:
    Dude, I'm experiencing something very similar! I've scaled back to roughly 2 hours of studying 3 days a week, plus a 5 section PT on Saturday. And I've beaten my September score on every one. I cut back to work on applications on off days, and it seems to be paying off doubly!

    I also think exercise and diet can help your focus and mindset tremendously! Trying to-do that myself.

    Yeah, I just don't want this false hope. I had it going into the September test and was really devastated when I got my results back. I just don't know how to translate what I do in practice to what I do on game day. :(

  • tylerdschreur10tylerdschreur10 Alum Member
    1465 karma

    What I've been doing is taking a test at my schools library every saturday at 8:30 and replicating conditions EXACTLY.
    I'm talking Ziploc bag, no phone, 6 sections including writing. It's the only thing I can think of to close the gap between PT and Dec 2.

    My other thought was to take PTs with 30 or 32 minute timers to make sure timing isn't an issue. But I fear that might cause more skipping and do more harm than good

  • Radhika.Radhika. Member
    214 karma

    If I can ask, what is your new outlook on RC?

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage ⭐
    13286 karma

    @"Radhika." said:
    If I can ask, what is your new outlook on RC?

    Nothing really crazy, my original approach was to read it and use memory to attack the questions.

    Now I read for structure, underline opinions/view points and try and answer some basic questions like;

    • What was the point of this?

    • What was the authors attitude?

    • Were there multiple attitudes?

    • What was the point of this paragraph?

    So by reading like this, I have nice little notes and an order in my head for when I move to the questions. Then it's just of knowing where to look for each little indicator. It's what everyone says to do, I just wasn't really doing it.

  • TabbyG123TabbyG123 Member
    711 karma

    TL;DR: The test day point differential is not a mysterious, unavoidable effect. If you can replicate it and repeat it, you can learn to cope with it through repetition.

    I think that a big reason for the "game day" point differential is psychological pressure. The truth is that you know how to score 170+; the only reason you'd score below that on the test day is purely for psychological reasons. And yes, you can absolutely prepare for those.

    There's this book called "Performing Under Pressure" that has some helpful tips for minimizing the negative impacts of psychological pressure (however, to get the most out of your time, I would only read Part Two of the book because that's where all the helpful techniques are--the rest is just fluff).

    Here's a weird thing that I do to replicate test day conditions: when I arrive at my test center building (its the same as where I took my September test, and of course I arrive at the same time I would on test day), I sit in the waiting area for around half an hour doing nothing the same way that I will during the test day (typically you have to wait for folks to sign in and for announcements to be made before going into your room and beginning the exam). This weird "waiting for no reason" that I do produces the same anxiety that I would feel on test day, so I know that by doing it every time I take a PT for the next four weeks, Im going to have better coping mechanisms for the test day. Ive noticed that doing this has produced a knock to my score that is totally in line with my test day differential from my September test and corresponding previous PTs (ie. Im replicating the "test day effect" in my PTs).

    Call me crazy, but the test day point differential occurs precisely because of weird differences like this (having to sit around for half an hour thinking about how you just want to take the damn test already).

    I also squeeze a paper ball in my non-dominant hand like it's a stress ball. Studies have shown it improves game day performance for some athletes. Partly attributed to the fact that it makes your left and right hemispheres communicate and partly because it reduces anxiety.

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage ⭐
    13286 karma

    @"nicolas.saw" said:
    TL;DR: The test day point differential is not a mysterious, unavoidable effect. If you can replicate it and repeat it, you can learn to cope with it through repetition.

    I think that a big reason for the "game day" point differential is psychological pressure. The truth is that you know how to score 170+; the only reason you'd score below that on the test day is purely for psychological reasons. And yes, you can absolutely prepare for those.

    There's this book called "Performing Under Pressure" that has some helpful tips for minimizing the negative impacts of psychological pressure (however, to get the most out of your time, I would only read Part Two of the book because that's where all the helpful techniques are--the rest is just fluff).

    Here's a weird thing that I do to replicate test day conditions: when I arrive at my test center building (its the same as where I took my September test, and of course I arrive at the same time I would on test day), I sit in the waiting area for around half an hour doing nothing the same way that I will during the test day (typically you have to wait for folks to sign in and for announcements to be made before going into your room and beginning the exam). This weird "waiting for no reason" that I do produces the same anxiety that I would feel on test day, so I know that by doing it every time I take a PT for the next four weeks, Im going to have better coping mechanisms for the test day. Ive noticed that doing this has produced a knock to my score that is totally in line with my test day differential from my September test and corresponding previous PTs (ie. Im replicating the "test day effect" in my PTs).

    Call me crazy, but the test day point differential occurs precisely because of weird differences like this (having to sit around for half an hour thinking about how you just want to take the damn test already).

    I also squeeze a paper ball in my non-dominant hand like it's a stress ball. Studies have shown it improves game day performance for some athletes. Partly attributed to the fact that it makes your left and right hemispheres communicate and partly because it reduces anxiety.

    This is awesome advice! I think there is something to be said about the wait...I deff felt it in Sept. I might take a few PT’s in such conditions leading up to Dec. thanks for this!

  • Seeking PerfectionSeeking Perfection Alum Member
    4428 karma

    I don't want to dismiss any of the above strategies. It's always better to be healthy if you can and you should replicate test conditions to the best of your ability to avoid stress.

    However, sometimes neither is attainable. I caught a strange variant of the flu going around my university in the days leading up to my test. I was up all night puking and coughing the night before the test, which continued (thankfully mainly the coughing) during the test. Nonetheless, I scored better than my best PT up to that point.

    So health is definitely not necessary to score well on the test, nor is following your pre-planned ritual. In fact, in hindsight, I think having something external to my performance on the test to direct my nervous energy toward (fear of being thrown out of the testing center for the sheer distracting nature of my sickness) may have helped relax me.

    I'm not saying you should catch a miserable illness a few days before the test. What I'm saying is you can and probably should try to control these things, but most importantly you need to be able to relax, roll with the punches, and trust your studying to carry you through the test regardless of them.

    By the time I took the test it was part of my life. I took a PT the morning before a funeral of a close family friend, took PT's while on vacation, took PT's before and after my university won and lost big football games, took PT's with migraines, and took a PT while on pain drugs for my wisdom teeth removal. The LSAT was among the most comfortable and consistant parts of my life. In fact, it became such a part of me that I keep coming back to this forum just to be close to it as I face the uncertain world of submitting applications and going off to law school. The LSAT is a constant and if you want to score your PT average I think the first step is to know that and even to start to find it kind of soothing.

    Good luck!

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage ⭐
    13286 karma

    @"Seeking Perfection" said:
    I don't want to dismiss any of the above strategies. It's always better to be healthy if you can and you should replicate test conditions to the best of your ability to avoid stress.

    However, sometimes neither is attainable. I caught a strange variant of the flu going around my university in the days leading up to my test. I was up all night puking and coughing the night before the test, which continued (thankfully mainly the coughing) during the test. Nonetheless, I scored better than my best PT up to that point.

    So health is definitely not necessary to score well on the test, nor is following your pre-planned ritual. In fact, in hindsight, I think having something external to my performance on the test to direct my nervous energy toward (fear of being thrown out of the testing center for the sheer distracting nature of my sickness) may have helped relax me.

    I'm not saying you should catch a miserable illness a few days before the test. What I'm saying is you can and probably should try to control these things, but most importantly you need to be able to relax, roll with the punches, and trust your studying to carry you through the test regardless of them.

    By the time I took the test it was part of my life. I took a PT the morning before a funeral of a close family friend, took PT's while on vacation, took PT's before and after my university won and lost big football games, took PT's with migraines, and took a PT while on pain drugs for my wisdom teeth removal. The LSAT was among the most comfortable and consistant parts of my life. In fact, it became such a part of me that I keep coming back to this forum just to be close to it as I face the uncertain world of submitting applications and going off to law school. The LSAT is a constant and if you want to score your PT average I think the first step is to know that and even to start to find it kind of soothing.

    Good luck!

    I think this is really good advice, but I think I might have over done it a bit. From last January until the September test I obsessed over the LSAT. Every day I'd do LSAT, talk about LSAT, and even dream about it. I am a very neurotic person and I think I become obsessed with the test in a very unhealthy way. There was never a real break from anything LSAT. I couldn't enjoy movies/video games/running/hiking or anything because I felt like I was slacking off from the LSAT. Recently I've chilled out a lot more and I've noticed my scores are much better. I just need to find that healthy balance I think. I also need to figure out how to not let test day nerves change what I've practiced for a year and a half.

  • tylerdschreur10tylerdschreur10 Alum Member
    edited November 2017 1465 karma

    @"Seeking Perfection" Ok, I'll take your explicit advice. I'll visit a flu ward every day the week of my test so i can achieve greatness! Related question, is being ill sufficient for beating my PT score, or merely necessary? Should i even bother studying any more?

  • Seeking PerfectionSeeking Perfection Alum Member
    4428 karma

    @tylerdschreur10
    Why wait till the week of the test to catch the disease? There are plenty of diseases out there to be sick with from now until the test. Oh and you will study, not because you need to, but because it is the only thing that will distract you from the misery of being sick!

    @LSATcantwin
    The obsession can definitely go too far. I think that it's important to try to get the lsat or at least the process of taking the actual test to be a soothing influence rather than an anxiety inducing one.

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