Past LSAT takers: Real LSAT Score vs. PT scores Forum

[Excel]

Out of curiosity-for those who have already taken the lsat-where did your real score end up in comparison to your practice test score?

i.e. if the average of your final 5 pt was a 175, and your actual score was a 169, you were -6.

[dudders]

It's been five years but my final 2 PTs (1 month and 1 week before) were 175 and 178. Test day: 169.

[northwood]

was at the top end of my pt range.
however, i started to take all of my pts 5 sections timed, with noo 15 minute break in between sections 3 and 4( and only gave myself 33 minutes a section)- noticed a dip in scores at the end of the pts, but on the actual test day I was scoring where I thought I would be.

[suspicious android]

Kurst??!?!?

[Easy-E]

I think it might be interesting to know which PTs one took, maybe we can see which are more indicative of your actual score, though I guess the obvious answer might be "the newest ones".


EDIT: Not to say one PT is more like the actual test than another, that would be...stupid? I guess we can assume most peoples last PTs before the test were probably >50

[TyrodTaylor]

+4.... And I took 3 timed pts in the two days before my actual lsat. Take two in one day, if u can score your average on the second one, nothing should phase you on test day.

[FuManChusco]

-4
174 -> 170
perfect LG, average LR, fucked up RC

[youarereadingthis]

+4.... And I took 3 timed pts in the two days before my actual lsat. Take two in one day, if u can score your average on the second one, nothing should phase you on test day.

I plan on this.

[TNFSkier16]

-10. 166 --> 156. Yeah i freaked out on test day.

[czelede]

+1: 176 -> 177

I took the test on a Monday; the Saturday before was supposed to be my LAST PT and I got a 171 despite having averaged around 176 in the past month (177 was incidentally also my mode). It was soul crushing (not that it isn't a good score, but my diagnostic was a 173 so I definitely wasn't hoping to drop after 2+ months of studying). In my desperation I went ahead and did another PT on Sunday despite a ton of TLS advice about relaxing the day before. Scored my only 180 on that PT, and went into the test feeling awesome. I think if I had just taken Sunday to sit around and try to relax I would've been a lot more nervous and that would've impacted my performance. It's hard not to psych yourself out when you know how important the LSAT is, so I think your mindset and confidence have a lot of effect on how you do.

In my opinion though, the main thing that will keep you consistent between PT and real scores is how well you simulate testing environments. I know that when I was taking tests I tended to be more lax with myself, in terms of "oh someone interrupted me I'll add on 5 minutes to my time" or "Oh that was a misbubble". If timing is an issue you should be at the point where you can finish everything in 30 minutes, not 35, because when you're taking the test for real and the proctor calls five minutes there is a whole different set of nerves that affect your concentration when you know time is time. I tend to be the kind of person that "hyperfocuses" under pressure, but the finality of the test got to me (I have a below median GPA and really did not want to retake) - I was rechecking my answers during my second section (LG) and thought I just caught a mistake when the proctor called time; this haunted me all throughout the third section which I performed poorly on, which subsequently dampened my morale through sections 4 and 5. It turns out the 3rd was experimental and the only mistakes I made were in section 4 and 5.

[Kurst]

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 0#p3451805

[gloriouscause]

Average PT-165
Actual Test Score-171

[splitmuch]

My last 4 PTs went 180 179 180 180.

Then I got a 178.

[jarofsoup]

From my experience I would usually bomb one section of the test on game day.

[alexonfyre]

Untimed PT: 172
Timed PT: 165
Test Day: 166

I only did one of each in the week going up to the test. My prep was pretty weak. My scores were undisclosed, but I guessed 8 on LG 1 (probably thrown out) guessed 5 on LR, guessed 3 on LG 2 and didn't guess at all on RC (which was my weakest section in PTs.)
If the second games section was thrown out I would be pissed, because the other way around would have likely put me at 170+. (The 3 guesses were educated guesses.)

[Curry]

Average: 172
Last test: 169
Actual: 173

[sighsigh]

Learn the difference between i.e. and e.g. please.

[Adjudicator]

Average: 177
Actual: 175 (forgot to answer one question, but probably would have missed it anyway)

[apple1234]

Cold Diagnostic: 158
PT Average: 170
Real Thing: 166

So I guess that makes me -4. Meh.

[ccmbr006]

Average: 168
Actual: 163

I probably shouldn't have been so worthless and only taken two PT's.

Retaking FTW!

[EarlCat]

Not sure what my average was, but both times I was within 1 pt of my top PT score.

[Bildungsroman]

real score was +3 from average, but I only took a handful of PTs so the average doesn't represent a lot of good scores.

[sundance95]

I took 4 PTs, 161-157-167-169. Got 172 on game day.

[FuManChusco]

I took 4 PTs, 161-157-167-169. Got 172 on game day.

that is so badass.

[sundance95]

I should add that I was also taking a TM course, hence the low number of PTs =/= not much practice. Still, +3 was nice, without a doubt.