PrepTest Flukes? Are the common? 162/175 in same week

[toddly76]

Hi all,

I've been studying for the LSAT for almost a month now. I'm enrolled in the powerscore full-length course. My initial diagnostic was a 156 (December 07), and last week I recorded a 160 and a 162 (June 08 and June 99 respectively)

This morning I took a timed LSAT (4 sections; September 95) using the Powerscore virtual proctor and I scored a 175 (LG-6; LR-2; RC-0)

I always felt that I was getting very close on the LR even though I was missing between 2-7 per section. And this one had 3 games that I could muddle through (finished one question on the 4th). RC has always been my strongest section. I should probably be ecstatic, but I'm kind of scared that I'll never repeat this.

Anyone else have a similar fluke happen. Did I just get extremely lucky?

[annyong]

Sometimes a certain PT will be easier than others or just happen to play to all of your strengths, or you'll get a better curve (you had a -8 raw score, that could be a 172 on many other tests) - you should keep studying and prepping and if the 170s become consistent, congrats, but if you fall back into the 160s, don't get discouraged, just know what you're capable of scoring and keep going. If you continue to have large fluctuations, perhaps you aren't "mastering" the material so much as getting lucky with your guesses.

[sea15]

Had this problem often. Pretested cold 159, scored everything from 161-178 over 6 months. Scored a 163 about a month before the LSAT, had a minor panic attack, got reassured on TLS, and hit the ground running again. This is normal, but make sure the flukes are in the 160s, not the 170s. As in, make the norm in the 170s and the occasional 160s. I consistently scored 168-172 or so, with occasional flukes in the lower 160s or high 170s. For the record, I ended up with a 172 in June.

[incompetentia]

My range was 21 points in the week before the test. This is why averages of the last 7-10 tests are usually best to use rather than single scores.

Either way, you can't let it affect your mindset, whether the score is a pleasant surprise or not so pleasant.

[toddly76]

Thanks for the advice. After looking at the data for this test from powerscore, it appears the logical reasoning section was abnormally easy (only 7 or 8 questions with below a 50% correct answer rate, only 2 below 40%). The scale reflects that I think, my raw score was a 93/101. But now that I know a great score is at least theoretically possible, I'll have to study even harder...sigh.