When to start studying for a retake if we took the June 2010 Forum

[iwanta170]

I took the June 2010 test and studied for it most of the day for the 12 weeks leading up to the test. Sent a complaint in after the test and I'm probably cancelling my score (due to the proctor making a mistake with the timing).

I was averaging upper 160's and a few low 170's on practice tests leading up to the June test. Prior to the June test, I pretty much exhausted all of my materials (went through all of the Testmasters material as well as around 90-95% of all of the released tests since 1993). So, when should I start prepping for the October 12 test? Being that this is a retake, how should I prep this time?

If you've been in this situation before, your input would be really helpful

[3|ink]

I took the June 2010 test and studied for it most of the day for the 12 weeks leading up to the test. Sent a complaint in after the test and I'm probably cancelling my score (due to the proctor making a mistake with the timing).

I was averaging upper 160's and a few low 170's on practice tests leading up to the June test. Prior to the June test, I pretty much exhausted all of my materials (went through all of the Testmasters material as well as around 90-95% of all of the released tests since 1993). So, when should I start prepping for the October 12 test? Being that this is a retake, how should I prep this time?

If you've been in this situation before, your input would be really helpful

I took the december test and bombed it. I decided to wait until June so I would forget the material I had just absorbed. It worked out well.

[budafied]

I took the June 2010 test and studied for it most of the day for the 12 weeks leading up to the test. Sent a complaint in after the test and I'm probably cancelling my score (due to the proctor making a mistake with the timing).

Wasn't the deadline for cancelling like 2 weeks ago?

On topic: If I retake, I'll be studying Aug - Oct. I, fortunately, have a lot of unused preptests because I wasn't able to study until late for June. (I'll probably be retaking)

[shoop]

The time to start studying for a retake is X+1, where X is the date that your undesirable June score is made known. So, hopefully tomorrow, but next Tuesday at the very latest.

[Light]

It's a good question..I probably didn't do as good as I wanted on my June test so I'll likely retake in October. But I've exhausted a large part of my PTs also, so I'd be interested to know the best way to prep for the next test.

[iwanta170]

I took the June 2010 test and studied for it most of the day for the 12 weeks leading up to the test. Sent a complaint in after the test and I'm probably cancelling my score (due to the proctor making a mistake with the timing).

Wasn't the deadline for cancelling like 2 weeks ago?

Not if you sent a complaint in

[iwanta170]

bumped so more people can possibly weigh in

[jackalope11]

The time to start studying for a retake is X+1, where X is the date that your undesirable June score is made known. So, hopefully tomorrow, but next Tuesday at the very latest.

TITCR

I had to take a day to grumble about the unfairness of it all, and then got to work.

[380yarddrives]

I took the June 2010 test and studied for it most of the day for the 12 weeks leading up to the test. Sent a complaint in after the test and I'm probably cancelling my score (due to the proctor making a mistake with the timing).

I was averaging upper 160's and a few low 170's on practice tests leading up to the June test. Prior to the June test, I pretty much exhausted all of my materials (went through all of the Testmasters material as well as around 90-95% of all of the released tests since 1993). So, when should I start prepping for the October 12 test? Being that this is a retake, how should I prep this time?

If you've been in this situation before, your input would be really helpful

Now.

[iwanta170]

The time to start studying for a retake is X+1, where X is the date that your undesirable June score is made known. So, hopefully tomorrow, but next Tuesday at the very latest.

TITCR

I had to take a day to grumble about the unfairness of it all, and then got to work.

Is it really productive to start studying now though? I pretty much maxed out my potential while preparing for the June exam. My last few tests were low 170's. And I've been hearing from some people that over time you don't get worse at the LSAT. People have said that after a week of studying after a long break from the LSAT it all comes back. So I guess I'm a bit confused about what to do this time

[jackalope11]

The time to start studying for a retake is X+1, where X is the date that your undesirable June score is made known. So, hopefully tomorrow, but next Tuesday at the very latest.

TITCR

I had to take a day to grumble about the unfairness of it all, and then got to work.

Is it really productive to start studying now though? I pretty much maxed out my potential while preparing for the June exam. My last few tests were low 170's. And I've been hearing from some people that over time you don't get worse at the LSAT. People have said that after a week of studying after a long break from the LSAT it all comes back. So I guess I'm a bit confused about what to do this time

Where it helped me the most was with my stamina on the test... I spent about a week or so reviewing the sections, specifically LG (the bane of my existence on the first go 'round). I would agree that you don't necessarily "forget" how to take the test... I would just say that I (at least) had to train for how grueling it can be. (Like, I know how to ride a bike, but it would take some work before I was ready to race.)

After the week of review, I started doing PT's to focus on actual test taking... I started off by taking some of the old exams I had done before, under testing conditions with four sections (mainly to spot areas where I remained weak). Then I supplemented an additional section, so that I would get used to having the experimental section, and then with two extra sections so that my PT's were longer than the actual...

When I took the later (October) test, I was much more prepared and had a much easier time later in the exam.

I plotted out a schedule and started with doing a couple per week, then moved up to 3, then 4... by the week before the test I was doing one per day under actual conditions (even got my SO to "proctor" and call time...)

Did it help? I dunno, for sure... I think it helped me most with anxiety, with which I was crippled the first time around. I jumped about 10% between the first and second exams.

[renee88]

I'm planning on retaking too- I didn't cancel, but I know I didn't do well, or at least not as well as needed.

I've already started studying. I've been somewhat going by this schedule:
http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/re ... edule.html

It's specifically designed for people who are re-taking. I don't know if you've been on that site before, but it's extremely helpful- maybe there's some books you haven't used yet under the recommended books.

[iwanta170]

The time to start studying for a retake is X+1, where X is the date that your undesirable June score is made known. So, hopefully tomorrow, but next Tuesday at the very latest.

TITCR

I had to take a day to grumble about the unfairness of it all, and then got to work.

Is it really productive to start studying now though? I pretty much maxed out my potential while preparing for the June exam. My last few tests were low 170's. And I've been hearing from some people that over time you don't get worse at the LSAT. People have said that after a week of studying after a long break from the LSAT it all comes back. So I guess I'm a bit confused about what to do this time

Where it helped me the most was with my stamina on the test... I spent about a week or so reviewing the sections, specifically LG (the bane of my existence on the first go 'round). I would agree that you don't necessarily "forget" how to take the test... I would just say that I (at least) had to train for how grueling it can be. (Like, I know how to ride a bike, but it would take some work before I was ready to race.)

After the week of review, I started doing PT's to focus on actual test taking... I started off by taking some of the old exams I had done before, under testing conditions with four sections (mainly to spot areas where I remained weak). Then I supplemented an additional section, so that I would get used to having the experimental section, and then with two extra sections so that my PT's were longer than the actual...

When I took the later (October) test, I was much more prepared and had a much easier time later in the exam.

I plotted out a schedule and started with doing a couple per week, then moved up to 3, then 4... by the week before the test I was doing one per day under actual conditions (even got my SO to "proctor" and call time...)

Did it help? I dunno, for sure... I think it helped me most with anxiety, with which I was crippled the first time around. I jumped about 10% between the first and second exams.

Thanks for the advice. I did a lot of this stuff for the June test but some of it I didn't so I'll give it a try. I just wish I had a way of dealing with anxiety myself. I was soooo stressed out for the June test, even though I was as prepared as I could be and despite the fact that I was trying everything I could to get my mind off the test (at times when I wasn't studying) the last few weeks.

[LSAT Blog]

It's a good question..I probably didn't do as good as I wanted on my June test so I'll likely retake in October. But I've exhausted a large part of my PTs also, so I'd be interested to know the best way to prep for the next test.

Re-use whatever book of techniques you've been working out of to review and practice question-types that give you difficulty.

Out of what you've already completed, use the older exams as a mix of question-type practice, section practice, and full-length timed exams.

Save many of the untouched exams for full-length timed exams closer to test day. Depending upon how many untouched relatively-recent exams you have remaining, you may want to save some of those for closer to Test Day as well.

Is it really productive to start studying now though? I pretty much maxed out my potential while preparing for the June exam. My last few tests were low 170's. And I've been hearing from some people that over time you don't get worse at the LSAT. People have said that after a week of studying after a long break from the LSAT it all comes back. So I guess I'm a bit confused about what to do this time

You can take a week or two off - after all, you have 15 weeks until October. It should come back to you. The LSAT is a skill (like riding a unicycle), not something you simply memorize.

I'm planning on retaking too- I didn't cancel, but I know I didn't do well, or at least not as well as needed.

I've already started studying. I've been somewhat going by this schedule:
http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/re ... edule.html

It's specifically designed for people who are re-taking. I don't know if you've been on that site before, but it's extremely helpful- maybe there's some books you haven't used yet under the recommended books.

Glad you're enjoying the blog! If you end up not doing as well as you'd hoped, make sure to use your score report to help you identify weak areas to focus on as you prepare for the retake.

[jackalope11]

Thanks for the advice. I did a lot of this stuff for the June test but some of it I didn't so I'll give it a try. I just wish I had a way of dealing with anxiety myself. I was soooo stressed out for the June test, even though I was as prepared as I could be and despite the fact that I was trying everything I could to get my mind off the test (at times when I wasn't studying) the last few weeks.

No problem, and good luck! I totally understand the anxiety... I never could score where I was on my PT's. I know many (most?) people around here actually had more points on the actual test vs. their practices... I was the exact opposite. Even on my last go 'round, I was about 6 points lower than what I had been scoring the PT's by the end.

The only way I could ever calm down even a little during the test was by making it as routine as I possibly could...

Anyway... and again... Good luck!!! I hope some of this helps...