Retaking in December: Take PT 31-60 over again, or PT 1-30? Forum

[jj821]

Question #1: I scored six points lower that PT average in October so retaking, question is, should I retake PTs 31-60 that I've already done, or take PT 1-30, which I generally haven't used yet?

Question #2: Took a prep course for October test that I really liked and helped me go 20 points above diagnostic, should I stick with those methods, or should I supplement that prep material with the Powerscore bibles since I'm retaking anyway?

Any advice/suggestions really appreciated. Thanks.

[KevinP]

Question #1: I scored six points lower that PT average in October so retaking, question is, should I retake PTs 31-60 that I've already done, or take PT 1-30, which I generally haven't used yet?

Question #2: Took a prep course for October test that I really liked and helped me go 20 points above diagnostic, should I stick with those methods, or should I supplement that prep material with the Powerscore bibles since I'm retaking anyway?

Any advice/suggestions really appreciated. Thanks.

What are you PTing at right now and what is your answers wrong/section breakdown. Also, for which sections are you using the methods learned via your prep course?

[jj821]

Question #1: I scored six points lower that PT average in October so retaking, question is, should I retake PTs 31-60 that I've already done, or take PT 1-30, which I generally haven't used yet?

Question #2: Took a prep course for October test that I really liked and helped me go 20 points above diagnostic, should I stick with those methods, or should I supplement that prep material with the Powerscore bibles since I'm retaking anyway?

Any advice/suggestions really appreciated. Thanks.

What are you PTing at right now and what is your answers wrong/section breakdown. Also, for which sections are you using the methods learned via your prep course?

Scored a 167

PTing at 171-174, before the test, haven't gotten back into studying yet because i'm not even sure if it's worth retaking PTs or if I should take older, more outdated LSATs. I'm using my prep course methods for all sections, usually get:

LG -0
LR -3 to -6, both sections
RC -3

I'm thinking of using the LR Bible to refine my LR section and get it down to -1 or -0 per section. Have done it before, but only once in a while. Honestly, I just don't really know how to go about studying again. I felt super prepared for the October test, only to literally freeze for five to ten mins after opening section one, -8 in that section alone, the rest of the test went really well.

[KevinP]

Question #1: I scored six points lower that PT average in October so retaking, question is, should I retake PTs 31-60 that I've already done, or take PT 1-30, which I generally haven't used yet?

Question #2: Took a prep course for October test that I really liked and helped me go 20 points above diagnostic, should I stick with those methods, or should I supplement that prep material with the Powerscore bibles since I'm retaking anyway?

Any advice/suggestions really appreciated. Thanks.

What are you PTing at right now and what is your answers wrong/section breakdown. Also, for which sections are you using the methods learned via your prep course?

Scored a 167

PTing at 171-174, before the test, haven't gotten back into studying yet because i'm not even sure if it's worth retaking PTs or if I should take older, more outdated LSATs. I'm using my prep course methods for all sections, usually get:

LG -0
LR -3 to -6, both sections
RC -3

I'm thinking of using the LR Bible to refine my LR section and get it down to -1 or -0 per section. Have done it before, but only once in a while. Honestly, I just don't really know how to go about studying again. I felt super prepared for the October test, only to literally freeze for five to ten mins after opening section one, -8 in that section alone, the rest of the test went really well.

The older tests are noticeably different and that might screw you over. In my opinion, answers to Qs such as weaken in the older tests would probably be considered incorrect on newer ones. So, retake the newer tests and make sure to fully go over them. You might also have to work on whatever made you drop during game day (anxiety, lack of sleep, or not strictly timing yourself during PTs). Also, I would suggest keeping your methods for LG as is. For LR don't change your methods but instead supplement them by reading through Powerscore's LR bible and see if you can fine-tune some of your methods so you miss less on LR. Look for any question types on which you consistently score wrong. Best of luck on your retake.

[dirtrida2]

From what you just said, I honestly think that a retake in itself will give you a better score in general. You simply let your nerves get in the way of the methodology and strategy you used so efficiently in your PT's. From my experience, the older tests really didnt help me much at all. I tended to study those, all I had at the time, and upon coming across my real test I found a lot of the material had changed and I should have spent more time on the newer ones.

[jj821]

Thanks a lot guys. This all makes sense, guess I just needed someone to tell me what to do.

[kpuc]

I would re-do the PT 30s. Chances are that after a month, you'll have forgotten almost most if not all of the answers. LR has remained pretty consistent, but I think the 30s are closer to the contemporary tests than the 1-29s.

Occasionally do sections from PTs 1-29 just so you're used to seeing absolutely new questions.

[niederbomb]

I am in the same boat.

How about redoing PT 40-61, but including LG from 1-30 as "experimental" sections in each tests?

I feel like modern LR and RC are more useful than older sections while, with LG, the opposite is true.

[tipler4213]

I can chime in a bit here, because I am a retaker who used the old preptest for my second time around. They are noticeably different. I gave myself 30 minutes per section, because the RC is much less time consuming and the LR aren't quite the same. I improved my second time around on both of those (particuarly RC...the first time i did horrible and got flustered and misbubbled).

The games got me this time though...I never, ever missed games on recent tests, but I think doing the older ones threw me off. To me, the games on the old tests seem really easy except for the one exotic mapping, etc one. So, I always chalked up poorer performance to that, when it seems like it must have been just having lost my touch on games completely. I missed 6 in October after having missed 0 in June (and on all the PTs leading up to it.

I still improved from a 165 to a 170 though

[tipler4213]

So with that said, why not do both? Mis in some new with some old, cutting your time down to 30 minutes or so for them?