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I am following in the foot steps of other TLS'ers and making my own thread for my PT results, so I can have a place to put them down and keep myself honest. My past LSAT scores are 156 and 157. I applied this cycle, which was a waste of money, as I got rejection after rejection. I am taking the June 2010 LSAT and I am aiming for a 170. My target schools for next cycle are UCLA and UC Berkeley (I know that w/ my GPA of 3.23, this is basically impossible, but worth a shot). I plan on taking 2 tests a week until game day. Here are my results so far and I will update each week.
PT 30: 169
PT 18: 170
PT 36: 167
PT 37: 168

This week I will be doing PT 38 and Dec 04 test and work all the way up to Dec 09 test. I will be picking from tests that I have accumulated by using Testmasters.

Took PT 38 yesterday. I ran out of time on RC and LG, but RC was in large part due to a girl talking the whole time next to me while I was doing the RC section. Gonna do some drills on RC and LG today and tomorrow and then take Dec 04 test on Friday.
I am pretty happy with LR so far. I seem to be finishing LR w/ a couple minutes to spare and my accuracy is pretty good. Just got to work on RC and LG. Here are the results for PT 38

LR1: -2
LG: -5 (The games proved to be tough and I need to try and get faster on the games that give me the most trouble. Guessed on last game in this section.)
Exp LR: -1
RC: -6 (Been a while since I ran out of time on RC. Had to guess on 4)
LR2: -2

Final Score: 167

Are those 150s lsat scores official? Why so low if you're scores are nearly 170 now?

You tell me, haha. Yes, they are real LSAT scores. The first score of 156 was more legitimate because I was PT'ing at around 160 avg when I took that test, but the second one, I have no idea. I was averaging around a 167 on my last test and I just bombed it. I feel that it had a lot to do w/ nerves and not taking the full length tests (only doing 4 sections instead of 5). Also, I was sick that day and had little sleep. Now, I have been trying to get my nerves going as much as I can before the test and I take the full length tests in libraries instead of at home, so that I can get used to the noise distractions. I am hoping that this time, my real LSAT score will come a lot closer to my average. I got a bunch of rejections this cycle and withdrew from a few schools that I got accepted to. I am just hoping that I hit a 169 on the June LSAT.

makes sense. good luck man. get those LGs down to -0 if you haven't yet.

I suppose you know that with that GPA, there will not be any school, outside of HYS, harder to get into than Berkeley.

Fortunately UCLA doesn't place nearly as much weight on GPA as Berkeley.

Good luck.

Yeah, I know that Jason. That's why I am aiming for UCLA, but UC Berkeley is a huge reach.

If it's not too personal, do you mind sharing which LSAT administration you took for the 2nd score? It seems to be a big difference - makes me nervous because I'm PTing around your previous average.

Yeah, no problem. I took the Dec 2009 and Feb 2010 tests. So, I took my next practice test today. Took the Dec 04 test and I was thoroughly disappointed by the results. I did however do an experimental RC and then the real RC as the 2nd and 3rd sections, which might explain my abysmal score in the 3rd section. I really need to find a way to work better with back to back RC sections. Do you guys know if the LSAC would ever have back to back RC sections before the break? In my last two LSAT's, I got back to back RC sections, but one was the 3rd section and the other was the 4th. Anyways, here are the results:
LR1: -1
Experimental RC: -6
RC: -11 (I had been doing a lot better on previous RC's and then this score is really scary. Going to do some practice this week on newer RC sections. The newer RC is definitely a lot harder w/ tougher choices to pick from.)
LG: -3 (Finished 5 minutes early, but still missed 3. Missed all those questions on the photographs game. I need to review that game.)
LR2: -6 (Worst LR in last 5 tests. Need to figure out what exactly went wrong.)
Score: 164 (worst score in last 5 tests. I am hoping to get back to around 169 on the next test.)

Took another PT today. It was the Dec 05 test. The RC for this test was relatively easier compared to the others. The LR was about the same and so was LG as the other recent tests. I am so glad that I started off w/ the older tests because the LG's there were so much tougher and prepped me for the easier LG's on the new tests. Here are the results:

LR1: -1
LG: -1 (At this point, I thought I was gonna get over a 175, but that didn't happen)
Experimental RC: -3 (Happy w/ this score, but this RC was from PT 10, so the higher score might be due to an easier RC section.)
RC: -6 (Even though I thought this RC was easier, I still missed 6. Better than the last test I guess considering I did back to back RC sections again)
LR2: -3

Final score: 168 (This curve was harsh. With a raw score of 90, I thought I had at least made 170. Must have been an easier test. Nonetheless, I am happy w/ this result. Hoping to hit 170 or higher on next test.

Did June 05 test today and here are the results:

RC: -2 (Best score among all my tests, but this can be attributed to this section being the first on the test)
LR Exp from PT 9: -5 (Not good)
LR1: -8 (From this, I have realized that stamina is the biggest problem for me on this test. I need to start doing 2 RC's and 2 LR's in a row to practice)
LR 2: -3
LG: -4 (Ran out of time. Need to speed it up)
Final Score: 164 (Not at all happy with this. The lower score it most likely due to 3 LR sections in a row. I have not practiced tests doing this. I have decided that from here on out I will be doing 3 LR's in a row or 2 RC's in a row for almost all the tests and then throw in a couple tests with 2 LG's back to back. I don't think 2 LG's in a row affects me as much as two RC's or two LR's in a row)

Took Dec 06 test and got lowest PT score (FML). I am not going to take the next test till Friday. I will do a couple back to back LR sections tomorrow and day after. Here are the results for the Dec 06 test
Exp LR: -7 (Dunno wtf is wrong w/ me, but I went from missing 1-3 LR questions to missing as many as 8. I need to thoroughly review the wrong answers.)
LR1: -2 (More like it)
RC: -5 (Can't complain)
LR2: -8 (Guessed on 5. Completely ran out of time. No clue how this happened. I need to get my timing down and will try and do this in the next couple days.)
LG: -6 (Guessed on one whole game as I ran out of time and missed all 5 on that one. Need to figure out a better way to do ordering game as I wasted a lot of time on one of those)

Final Score: 163
I will guarantee a 168 or higher on the next test. Will be working my butt off to improve on LR and LG in the next couple days. Next test will be taken on Friday.

To help you simulate test day without leaving the house (and therefore avoiding things that won't happen on test day, like a chatterbox next to you the whole time):

http://padawanlaw.com/wp-content/upload ... ophony.mp3

Thank me later.

legalized wrote:To help you simulate test day without leaving the house (and therefore avoiding things that won't happen on test day, like a chatterbox next to you the whole time):

http://padawanlaw.com/wp-content/upload ... ophony.mp3

Thank me later.

Thanks for the link.

nice. going to put this on my ipod and listen to it while taking PTs.

Ok, guess I will try it out. I am going to try it on two practice sections of LR that I will be doing today. Hope it simulates LSAT conditions well, but I figure that if I use this enough, I will have it memorized, haha.

risktaker wrote:Ok, guess I will try it out. I am going to try it on two practice sections of LR that I will be doing today. Hope it simulates LSAT conditions well, but I figure that if I use this enough, I will have it memorized, haha.

agree

Took Sep 06 test on Friday and here are the results:

Exp RC: -1 (stoked about this, but it was from an old PT)
Real RC: -7 (riddled basins passage really screwed me up)
LR1: -5
LG: -2
LR2: -6 (missed 15-19, very sad)

Final Score: 162
Not happy with my LR scores. I need to strive to do better. I am making lots of silly mistakes. I have decided that I am starting to burn out. I will only be doing Wednesday and Sunday tests from now on and not do any other LSAT sections besides review. I have realized that having LR or RC back to back significantly hurts my score because it wears me out. I really hope that on test day I get 2 LG's or no back to back RC or LR. Nonetheless, I will be doing back to back RC's and LR's to get used to it. I have no doubt that I can get back to the high 160s soon.

Took the June 07 LSAT today and things went a lot better. Here are the results:
LG: -4 (Guessed on last 3 and missed all of them. I got stuck on one game for too long!)
LR Exp: -7 (I was stuck between 2 choices (the right one and the wrong one) on at least 5 of these and picked the wrong choice on all of those
LR1: -0 (First -0 on LR! Stoked about this!)
LR2: -3
RC: -3 (Very happy w/ this RC section. I am getting better at absorbing the information on RC's)

Final Score: 168 (Harsh curve as I only missed 10. Will be aiming for 170 or higher on next test.)

Risktaker, I read through your log and it does look like you may have experienced burnout. Did you do nothing at all between the test where you got the 162 and the one from today? I'm very worried about burnout myself and don't know what to do. I took a practice test yesterday and got a 171 (my first score in the 170's, or even above the mid 160's for that matter). I woke up this morning feeling out of it (despite getting my normal 8.5 hours of sleep) and got a headache after doing a couple timed sections. Usually I do a full practice test with review every other day (4 timed sections with a 10 minute break after 3) and on the off day I go through 3 sections of a test (all timed, but not necessarily at the same time of the day. for instance, i did 2 sections this morning and 1 this afternoon). Am I doing too much?

Yes, I did experience burn out. I realized that I was just doing way too much and as a result, I would either get bored or get a head ache during tests. I was doing 2 tests a week while practicing LR and LG on off days, but that was too much.

I just took a few days off when I got a 162 because I knew I could do a lot better. Now, I have decided to just do a test on Wednesday and one on Sunday. I just review the test on a day between Wednesday and Sunday. Just spend at max a couple hours reviewing. I felt a lot better about the test today because I was refreshed and did not feel burned out.

I suggest doing the above only if you are confident that you cannot improve any further in any of the other sections. I feel like I have maxed out my potential in all the sections, so all I can do is take tests.

It's hard for me to tell if I've maxed out yet. It just depends on what kind of day I'm having and which test it is. Theoretically, even if we do get really burned out a few days before the test, won't we be good to go due to having taken it easy the day or two before the test? I know most people say to not do anything the day before the test..do u think that's enough time to fully recuperate mentally?

legalized wrote:To help you simulate test day without leaving the house (and therefore avoiding things that won't happen on test day, like a chatterbox next to you the whole time):

http://padawanlaw.com/wp-content/upload ... ophony.mp3

Thank me later.

how do you download this?

I have decided that if I do a PT the week before the LSAT it will be on the Monday, exactly a week prior to the LSAT. I want to go into the LSAT totally recuperated. During the rest of the week, I might just go over all the questions I missed. BTW, do not use that mp3 file, it's just completely distracting and nothing like real test day. You wont have ppl sneezing or itching in ur ear, haha. Just go and take the test at the library.

I've mentioned this in a few threads now, and I just don't get this theory of burn out. I don't see why a good night's sleep before the test isn't enough to recuperate mentally. I'll probably take the day before off just because that seems to be the conventional wisdom. Other than that I plan on working hard these last few weeks.