October 2010 Test Prep Forum

[DasBoot]

Its scary to think the difference between me getting 170 and a 167 is maybe 3 questions, but those 3 points are so exponentially huge for my admissions as a splitter... gotta do work.

I try not to think about the fact that the entirety of my future could rely on whether or not I notice the word "most" in one sentence. It would drive me to a very bad place.

[Lasers]

a -12 or more curve would make me feel so much better about the test.

if only we knew beforehand. -10 or lower probably means retake for me...

[KevinP]

a -12 or more curve would make me feel so much better about the test.

if only we knew beforehand. -10 or lower probably means retake for me...

Agreed, my raw score generally stays the same regardless of curve.

Anyone else ready to take the test and just get it over with?

[Dany]

a -12 or more curve would make me feel so much better about the test.

if only we knew beforehand. -10 or lower probably means retake for me...

A little bit of advice from June: People will go NUTS on here "predicting" (read: guessing outright) the curve. DO NOT LET THIS IMPACT ANY CANCELLATION DECISIONS. That sounds like obvious advice, but after the test many of you will doubt yourselves, and TLS will be speculating on a lot. Y'all have obviously spent plenty of time preparing, so base your decision to keep or cancel on how you did relative to YOUR performance, not any crackpot curve predictions.

As always, GOOD LUCK!

Go into the test like a champ, and you're more likely to come out as one.

[xqhp82]

Agreed, my raw score generally stays the same regardless of curve.

Anyone else ready to take the test and just get it over with?

Same here, my scores in the 20s and 30s are pretty much the same as 40s and 50s despite the massive tightening of the curve in recent tests. I guess that's good in a sense but it's discouraging to think that the more I climbed up the stairs, the more stairs there arejust to keep me away from reaching the top. Just can't wait til this weekend so i can end this exhausting marathon!

what materials are you guys using for the last few days? I'm doing my last PT(59) on Thursday, the rest of the time I'll just redo questions from sections of PT55-60. Do you think redoing those is useful? I still remember a lot of the answers since I finished those tests not long ago but I'm basically out of fresh materials at this point.

[lparker]

Go into the test like a champ, and you're more likely to come out as one.

I like it!

We've all prepared. We're all ready. It's too bad we can't identify as TLSers. (Well maybe not too bad!) Somebody is going to ask me how I prepared, and I'm going to be like "a modified Pithypike..." How crazy would that sound if you weren't on TLS?

[kpuc]

How important is confidence?

I personally think confidence is extremely important, just due to my experience with the SAT. My math score was frustratingly below my critical reading and writing sections by around 100 points, and no matter how much I studied, I just couldn't improve it in my drills and PTs. Then, maybe a couple of nights before the test, I downloaded the sample SAT from College Board's website (which, at the time, was one of the few 2400 SATs available for PT'ing) and scored my all-time highest math and overall score. I was full of confidence going into the real thing, and got a score that blew my PTs out of the water.

I think I'm in a similar spot right now. After about a month-long struggle of adjusting to the new LSATs, I've gotten very satisfying scores on PTs 57 and 58, and am planning to take just one more PT (60) before Saturday. I think I will save PT 59, just in case I don't do as well on PT 60 and need a last-minute confidence booster. However, if I do well on PT 60, then I will just use PT 59 for section drills.

[Dany]

How important is confidence?

Going to keep giving my unsolicited advice because I'm bored at work.

For me, confidence was EVERYTHING. Of course you are going to be nervous - it's a very important test, after all - but I went in and channeled that nervous energy into focus/domination. I actually did sections more quickly on the exam than I had ever done in practice because I was so confident and focused. I got lots of well-wishes from friends the day before/morning of, which also really helped to boost esteem. If you go in and freak out, minor snafus on the test will KILL you. If you are confident that you can handle ANYTHING (which you CAN!) then everything will come more easily.

You guys have all been studying for forever. You KNOW this stuff. Go in there and rock it.

Edit: I scored higher than my PT average, and I attribute a lot of that to game-day confidence.

[JJDancer]

For me, confidence was EVERYTHING. Of course you are going to be nervous - it's a very important test, after all - but I went in and channeled that nervous energy into focus/domination. I actually did sections more quickly on the exam than I had ever done in practice because I was so confident and focused.
You guys have all been studying for forever. You KNOW this stuff. Go in there and rock it.

Woo! Eskimo, you've got me PUMPED. My brain is saying "yes I will make RC my B**ch" lol
It might be silly to get so excited over a comment on a website but I'll take whatever I get and your comment definitely helped improve my mindset, especially after a horrific RC (-6) last night.

Thank you

[WonkyPanda]

Many athletes psyche themselves up for game-day by literally envisioning themselves doing well. The mind is a powerful tool and it's up to you to utilize it correctly. If you go in with nothing but anxiety and angst, it will be a hinderance to your performance. Go in with a positive and determined attitude and I guarantee you'd do better than nervous you.

[sgtgrumbles]

PT 59 results:

Raw: 95. Scaled: 177.

-0 LG, -1 LR experimental, -2 LR, -2 LR, -2 RC.

I didn't get a single question wrong on the Noguchi passage! I feel like Denzel Washington in Training Day: "Noguchi ain't got shit on me!"

I guessed B, B on the last two questions of LG and luckily got both of them right, but I was also giving myself 33 minutes per section, so I think it's safe to assume I would have gotten the right answers if I'd had full time.

I was a little drowsy when I took the test, so that makes the results all the more satisfying. All in all, that was the encouragement I needed going into the last week of studying. PT 60 on Thursday and then the real deal on Saturday. Here we go...

[incompetentia]

Confidence is my main priority from here until Saturday. I think I might be done taking PTs even though I do have 58 and 54 left if I choose to use them - I might just pillage LR/RC sections and sprinkle them in with others.
My raw score also seems to hang steady regardless of the curve - I was pushing 95-97 with the 30s but all of my 53+ have been consistently 92-94, regardless of curve.

In any case:

Took PT57 this morning. Everything changes, everything stays the same.

LG: -0 (Let It Be)
LR1: -2 (Something)
LR2: -5!!! (While My Guitar Gently Weeps)
RC: -2 (Revolution No. 9)
Total: -9, 172

I don't know if my granola bar was laced with LSD or something, but LR2 was a disaster. In addition to two 50-50 questions that I both missed, I completely bombed the end of the section (21, 22, 25 missed). I got to Q20 with about 13 minutes left in the section somehow, and managed to spend 12 minutes on those last six questions for a grand total of 3 correct answers.

RC was vastly improved, though...after -6, -4, -11, and -5 on the last three tests putting me in a justifiable state of panic, I managed to go -0 on Willa Cather (although it took 12 minutes) and -1 on fractals (missed 27 because as a former math major I fell for the 2nd choice). Not sure if I completely understand Q12, if somebody would be kind enough to explain it.

Because of LR2, this score is still a few points under my historical average. I'm hoping, though, as with most standardized tests I've taken (SAT, ACT, GRE), I'll do better on the real thing. (Managed a 1490 on the GRE without ever practice-testing above about a 620 on the verbal somehow...) My LR average on the recent tests has been a combined -4 to -5...if I can keep this RC score and move my LR back to -4, I'll be quite happy regardless of the curve. (Come on 177, come on 177)

Also, I killed a spider with my PT57 booklet while I was grading...hopefully that's not bad karma or anything...


(Mauve dinos? What dinos?)

[aesis]

Go into the test like a champ, and you're more likely to come out as one.

I like it!

We've all prepared. We're all ready. It's too bad we can't identify as TLSers. (Well maybe not too bad!) Somebody is going to ask me how I prepared, and I'm going to be like "a modified Pithypike..." How crazy would that sound if you weren't on TLS?

"modified Pithypike" indeed HAHA! worked wonders for me at least.

[silly101]

i thought PT 60 was harder. ugh

[gdane]

PT 59. 162. Not bad, but very disappointed that LR (both of them) whooped me. LG and RC carried me on this test, especially my -0 on LG. On that note, first time Ive ever had a perfect section. That Im happy about.

Pt 60 on Thursday and we'll go from there.

A few observations. LR has gotten more difficult on the last few exams. Difficult questions are popping up all over the test. 1-15 are no longer "gimmes". Due to this Im spending more time on 1-15 and not leaving myself enough time on the last 10/11. I have to learn to move on if I dont get a question.

Good luck everyone!

[lsatextreme]

Took 58 just now and somehow managed -8 on LR1 and -2 on LR2....what the hell is wrong with me...

I even got -10 on LR1 and -3 on LR2 on the actual 60 test administration...I'm sure if I should call this a trend since I see other PTs where I did a little worse on the LR2, but this splitter deal between LR sections is really not cool....

[Pleasye]

Took 58 just now and somehow managed -8 on LR1 and -2 on LR2....what the hell is wrong with me...

I even got -10 on LR1 and -3 on LR2 on the actual 60 test administration...I'm sure if I should call this a trend since I see other PTs where I did a little worse on the LR2, but this splitter deal between LR sections is really not cool....

I hate 58. I went -9 on LR1

[Patriot1208]

PT 59. Raw 92, Scaled 174. I still have never scored better than 93 raw or 174 scaled which kind of sucks, but i'll take it. This boosts my average up to a solid 171. Psyched i've done so well on 58 and 59. Hoping 60 on thursday will cement my confidence going into saturday.

LG - 0
LR - 3
LR - 1
RC - 5

I hit my averages of -0 LG, -4 total LR, and -5 RC.

If I can somehow just do better on RC i'd be psyched. I don't know why I can't do better on RC.

[Sandro]

I get encouragement from all the crappy law schools sending me well wishing emails... that if I dont do better I will end up there lol

[Lasers]

saving pt 60 for thursday.

i think i'm doing jun 2008 wednesday.

today i'll be doing oct 04 games section and re-doing jun 09 LR sections.

[minnbills]

I get encouragement from all the crappy law schools sending me well wishing emails... that if I dont do better I will end up there lol

I got a mailer from Cooley the other day. Bad Omen?

[Sandro]

I get encouragement from all the crappy law schools sending me well wishing emails... that if I dont do better I will end up there lol

I got a mailer from Cooley the other day. Bad Omen?

I prob get more because my gpa sucks and my lsat from last year fits their bill perfectly

[silly101]

How important is confidence?

Going to keep giving my unsolicited advice because I'm bored at work.

For me, confidence was EVERYTHING. Of course you are going to be nervous - it's a very important test, after all - but I went in and channeled that nervous energy into focus/domination. I actually did sections more quickly on the exam than I had ever done in practice because I was so confident and focused. I got lots of well-wishes from friends the day before/morning of, which also really helped to boost esteem. If you go in and freak out, minor snafus on the test will KILL you. If you are confident that you can handle ANYTHING (which you CAN!) then everything will come more easily.

You guys have all been studying for forever. You KNOW this stuff. Go in there and rock it.

Edit: I scored higher than my PT average, and I attribute a lot of that to game-day confidence.

ahh sounds good.

[3|ink]

PT 59. Raw 92, Scaled 174. I still have never scored better than 93 raw or 174 scaled which kind of sucks, but i'll take it. This boosts my average up to a solid 171. Psyched i've done so well on 58 and 59. Hoping 60 on thursday will cement my confidence going into saturday.

LG - 0
LR - 3
LR - 1
RC - 5

I hit my averages of -0 LG, -4 total LR, and -5 RC.

If I can somehow just do better on RC i'd be psyched. I don't know why I can't do better on RC.

Epic score and new avatar.

[minnbills]

I get encouragement from all the crappy law schools sending me well wishing emails... that if I dont do better I will end up there lol

I got a mailer from Cooley the other day. Bad Omen?

I prob get more because my gpa sucks and my lsat from last year fits their bill perfectly

My GPA will take a nasty hit when I send my transcripts into LSAC. I'm, a transfer student and only had a 3.0 my first year. Been a solid 3.5 since then but it will still be ugly. I'm going to apply next year (I'll graduate in the fall) to let the GPA move up more.

And yeah I've been getting emails like those the past few days, but LSAC has no idea what my GPA is so don't assume the schools only taret people 'within their range' or whatever. Lesser known schools probably just blanket people to raise awareness and draw in apps.