CHOKED on the LSAT...NEED ADVICE Forum

[bjokay]

Well this has been a rough week....

Context: I have a 3.81 GPA and I am a mexican URM. Did my undergrad at an elite university.
Took an LSAT prep class, practiced RELIGIOUSLY for 4/5 months (with aderall), and was consistently scoring in the 170's (as high as 176) and took the October test and didn't feel good about the 1st section (games) and I just never felt confident during the test. I guess you could say i choked, so i cancelled and decided to try again in december.

I decided to not practice as vigorously for December, so I wouldn't feel as much pressure during the test. I was still consistently scoring in the 170's and felt very confident going into the exam. I took adderal again (5 mg instant release) I felt great during the first 2 sections but once again felt the games section shake my confidence. After the break was the Reading comp section and i bombed it. I remember feeling a lack of focus after the break, and had a feeling i wasn't going to do so well on that section.

Despite the less-than-ideal feeling i had leaving the test, I didn't want to cancel my score so i kept it and assumed i probably got in the high 160's but MAYBE broke 170.

I got my results back and scored a 160....HOLY SHIT. I couldnt believe my eyes and actually thought there was some sort of mistake, or maybe a bubbling error. As it turns out i missed 15 on the reading comp section; in practice i usually miss about 4-6.

CLEARLY, I panic during the exams. It could be the adderall, but I always practice with it, so I assumed it would not affect me too much. I am going to try again in June, without adderall, but i was wondering if anyone had some wisdom that could maybe cheer me up or give me some confidence cfor the next time through. I am a 170+ LSATer, and i am not willing to accept my 160, even if i have to take the test 3 times :/


Thanks in advance!!!!!!

[Verity]

retake

[kublaikahn]

stop taking performance enhancing drugs.

[bjokay]

stop taking performance enhancing drugs.

I have a prescription asshole, but I am afraid it is exacerbating my anxiety

[bjokay]

retake

I'm looking for a little bit more insight. Maybe someone else who had a similar experience and overcame this same difficulty.

[iowalum]

This happened to me (more or less). I had a 164 from a few years ago, but it got me waitlisted last year so I retook in October. I was PTing in the low-mid 170's, but unfortunately started taking new meds a few weeks before the test and side-effects had a bad effect on my score (162). Between Oct and Dec I hardly studied at all. I reviewed a few things, but I realized that obsessing about it as much as I did was a big part of the problem. When I relaxed it was so much easier to concentrate and and I got a 167 in Dec. Still not my goal, but good enough for what I need. I think once you are confident in your basic skills you just need to back off on the studying a little and trust that you know it.

[kublaikahn]

stop taking performance enhancing drugs.

I have a prescription for a performance enhancing drug because my parents cannot understand that their dear superstar is just an ordinary asshole, but I am afraid it is exacerbating my anxiety.

FTFY.

[pcwcecac]

Try a few diags without it.

I think the drug makes you unaware of time, an essential aspect of the test. From personal experience, i think its effects fluctuate over the course of whatever you're doing. If you can learn to take the test without it, you could become more consistent.

If you can't, well.....i dunno.

[CorkBoard]

Well this has been a rough week....

Context: I have a 3.81 GPA and I am a mexican URM. Did my undergrad at an elite university.
Took an LSAT prep class, practiced RELIGIOUSLY for 4/5 months (with aderall), and was consistently scoring in the 170's (as high as 176) and took the October test and didn't feel good about the 1st section (games) and I just never felt confident during the test. I guess you could say i choked, so i cancelled and decided to try again in december.

I decided to not practice as vigorously for December, so I wouldn't feel as much pressure during the test. I was still consistently scoring in the 170's and felt very confident going into the exam. I took adderal again (5 mg instant release) I felt great during the first 2 sections but once again felt the games section shake my confidence. After the break was the Reading comp section and i bombed it. I remember feeling a lack of focus after the break, and had a feeling i wasn't going to do so well on that section.

Despite the less-than-ideal feeling i had leaving the test, I didn't want to cancel my score so i kept it and assumed i probably got in the high 160's but MAYBE broke 170.

I got my results back and scored a 160....HOLY SHIT. I couldnt believe my eyes and actually thought there was some sort of mistake, or maybe a bubbling error. As it turns out i missed 15 on the reading comp section; in practice i usually miss about 4-6.

CLEARLY, I panic during the exams. It could be the adderall, but I always practice with it, so I assumed it would not affect me too much. I am going to try again in June, without adderall, but i was wondering if anyone had some wisdom that could maybe cheer me up or give me some confidence cfor the next time through. I am a 170+ LSATer, and i am not willing to accept my 160, even if i have to take the test 3 times :/


Thanks in advance!!!!!!

If you think that your medication is causing issues, then maybe you should try to study without it. If you retake, it's not the end of the world. A lot of people here have retaken, and if you want that score, then you should retake. The reading comp was really difficult, too, so don't feel too bad about it. Just work hard and keep going.

[Scotusnerd]

Your situation has me worried, but not for the reasons you might think.

Your problem is clearly anxiety, and I am not sure what effect Adderall has on that. I'd call it a self-confidence problem. Your post indicates this in your grammar and your use of capitals.

Coupla quick questions: Are you diagnosed with ADHD, and does it seriously impact your performance on the test? Have you tried taking tests with the drug versus clean? And why are you wanting to go to law school?

I'm dead serious about the last question, by the way, I don't mean it as an insult. I just want to know what your rationale is so I can try and help you.

[kerflux]

Was RC the last section you took? I don't know much about how adderall works, but if you're taking an instant release form - depending on the duration of the effects of the drug - maybe it started to wear off and that effected your performance?

Would adderall be considered a performance enhancing drug in relation to the LSAT? I have friends who have taken it to help them study, apparently they feel like they get a sharper focus from it, so... yes?

[89vision]

Well this has been a rough week....

Context: I have a 3.81 GPA and I am a mexican URM. Did my undergrad at an elite university.
Took an LSAT prep class, practiced RELIGIOUSLY for 4/5 months (with aderall), and was consistently scoring in the 170's (as high as 176) and took the October test and didn't feel good about the 1st section (games) and I just never felt confident during the test. I guess you could say i choked, so i cancelled and decided to try again in december.

I decided to not practice as vigorously for December, so I wouldn't feel as much pressure during the test. I was still consistently scoring in the 170's and felt very confident going into the exam. I took adderal again (5 mg instant release) I felt great during the first 2 sections but once again felt the games section shake my confidence. After the break was the Reading comp section and i bombed it. I remember feeling a lack of focus after the break, and had a feeling i wasn't going to do so well on that section.

Despite the less-than-ideal feeling i had leaving the test, I didn't want to cancel my score so i kept it and assumed i probably got in the high 160's but MAYBE broke 170.

I got my results back and scored a 160....HOLY SHIT. I couldnt believe my eyes and actually thought there was some sort of mistake, or maybe a bubbling error. As it turns out i missed 15 on the reading comp section; in practice i usually miss about 4-6.

CLEARLY, I panic during the exams. It could be the adderall, but I always practice with it, so I assumed it would not affect me too much. I am going to try again in June, without adderall, but i was wondering if anyone had some wisdom that could maybe cheer me up or give me some confidence cfor the next time through. I am a 170+ LSATer, and i am not willing to accept my 160, even if i have to take the test 3 times :/


Thanks in advance!!!!!!

Adderall and strattera fucked up my scores on PTs. They slow me down way too much. Even if I blow it, it makes me feel like I have a weight on my brain. ADD meds don't help me at all. Sorry to hear you didn't do well. I know the feeling. Good luck.

[Errzii]

Normally I would say just practice simulating the testing environment more so you don't choke on test day but seeing as how you've already canceled once and choked on a second one even with the previous experience there seems to be more to it than just nerves for you. As you and others have already deduced your medication could be the variable that's affecting your test day performance. The next logical step then would be to prep without adderall and see how you do.

[bjokay]

Your situation has me worried, but not for the reasons you might think.

Your problem is clearly anxiety, and I am not sure what effect Adderall has on that. I'd call it a self-confidence problem. Your post indicates this in your grammar and your use of capitals.

Coupla quick questions: Are you diagnosed with ADHD, and does it seriously impact your performance on the test? Have you tried taking tests with the drug versus clean? And why are you wanting to go to law school?

I'm dead serious about the last question, by the way, I don't mean it as an insult. I just want to know what your rationale is so I can try and help you.

I think that self-confidence is an issue as well, because on the big day, i seem to choke. To me the test seems a lot more difficult than just another practice test. I am able to take the test without it, its more of an energy/morale booster, sorta like caffeine. I have tried sections, but never the whole test without it because one of the effects of adderall is that you don't get fatigued in such a short amount of time. So when i don't entire tests, i've always done it with adderall. Definitely going to try it without though.

I want to go to law school because I happen to work at a law firm and I love my job. I also want to continue my education, and look forward to the challenge of law school. I guess you could say i don't know precisely what type of lawyer I would like to be though. Also, i'd be lying if i didn't mention that I am highly motivated by the job prospects coming out of a t-14 school, which is a huge reason why i want to score so highly on this exam.

[omninode]

Try a few practice sessions without the meds. I suspect they are working against you on test day, so if you could do it without them, you might have a better result.

[breadbucket]

stop taking performance enhancing drugs.

Sounds like u mad cause you can't get it/ are too stupid to concoct an energy spike. While Adderall is its own beast, it essentially just increases focus and decreases fatigue. I took 600mg of caffeine and 400 mg of theanine on test day and scored 5 points higher than my pt average. Science bro.

[bjokay]

stop taking performance enhancing drugs.

I have a prescription for a performance enhancing drug because my parents cannot understand that their dear superstar is just an ordinary asshole, but I am afraid it is exacerbating my anxiety.

FTFY.

sounds like you need to get laid

[kublaikahn]

stop taking performance enhancing drugs.

I have a prescription for a performance enhancing drug because my parents cannot understand that their dear superstar is just an ordinary asshole, but I am afraid it is exacerbating my anxiety.

FTFY.

sounds like you need to get laid

What are you 15.

[Errzii]

stop taking performance enhancing drugs.

Sounds like u mad cause you can't get it/ are too stupid to concoct an energy spike. While Adderall is its own beast, it essentially just increases focus and decreases fatigue. I took 600mg of caffeine and 400 mg of theanine on test day and scored 5 points higher than my pt average. Science bro.

Actually, studies have shown that if you fast and drink nothing but water for 48 hours prior to the test you will likely do much better. The reasoning is that when your body is starving you go into survival beast mode and your brain functions at a higher cognitive level than normal. It's real science bro. source: I did it and got a 180. All natural, get on my level, etc.

[sunynp]

I'm going to suggest a less drastic solution. The problem you have to deal with is your anxiety. There are lots of ways to cope with anxiety, including serious daily practice of meditation, exercise, or even medication. You don't have to choke. Like the LSAT, coping with stress is a skill that can be learned.

I think you should talk to your doctor and find a really good therapist who has experience working with this kind of anxiety. You must learn how to manage your anxiety in the way that works best for you.

The LSAT is not going to get less stressful, you just have to learn to cope with the stress. Look at it this way, if preparing with the LSAT forces you to deal well with stress and anxiety, you will have learned some important and useful life skills - much more useful than any thing you have learned for any LSAT section.

[Scotusnerd]

That's psychosomatic bullshit, Errzii. There is no quick cure for something like anxiety. Screwing up the body's metabolism would only make things worse.

I agree with others about dropping the adderall. You don't need chemicals in your body messing up your performance.

Self-confidence is the most important thing to work on at this point. You need to relax and have confidence in your training and the amount of work that you've done. I've said this in a few threads, but I'll say it again, because I think it bears repeating.

The LSAT is a marathon, not a race. It's designed to test almost five hundred different variations of questions, over a period of four hours. We are, probably literally, mental athletes. I'm like you. I love the challenge of the test, and hope that law school will be the same.

Because of this, your mindset is extremely important. A good athlete doesn't mess up his body two days before the race, or run with caffeine and all sorts of weird things in his body (Yes, I know there are exceptions in serious competitions. But you still have to do the stinkin' work first, and those people are crazy and can have serious problems down the line). And a good athlete is in competition with himself, but not to the detriment of himself. That's where the self-esteem comes in. You've had two tests where you've choked now, and I'm really worried that you're going to mess up your third for yourself. You CANNOT do that.

You have to gain your confidence back by testing without the drug and saying you don't need it. I reccomend taking it in June, and taking a month or two off and having a social life as much as possible. Hit the books when it's a bit closer, but you need some mental recovery so that you don't suffer burnout and anxiety. I think you desperately need a break, and probably a loving companion in some form or other.


As a side note, I agree with the above poster. I also think that dumping the adderall would be best.

[breadbucket]

You don't need performance enhancing chemicals in your body messing up your performance.

Contradictory sentence is contradictory

[Errzii]

That's psychosomatic bullshit, Errzii.

It wasn't serious, I was jokingly mocking breadbucket. Guess it didn't translate well through the intarwebs.

[breadbucket]

That's psychosomatic bullshit, Errzii.

It wasn't serious, I was jokingly mocking breadbucket. Guess it didn't translate well through the intarwebs.

you are a fool if you think your control over the test is limited to your ability to do the problems

[Errzii]

That's psychosomatic bullshit, Errzii.

It wasn't serious, I was jokingly mocking breadbucket. Guess it didn't translate well through the intarwebs.

you are a fool if you think your control over the test is limited to your ability to do the problems

sorry, what was the point you're trying to making again? caffeine/theanine = +5 pts on the LSAT?