So I've taken several of the new PTs and I found the sole determinant of how I do on the exam is based on the LG section. If I "felt" like I did well in LG (and I do know when I do well because I usually feel I am able to answer all of the questions, if not for 1 or 2 guessed, knowing I got the right answer) then I tend to do well on the other sections as well and may end up with a 163 or 164. If I know I botched the LG section (and I know because I don't know how to do multiple questions due to either misinterpreting a rule or forgetting to keep a rule in mind, etc.) then I know I am just ****ed and I start feeling hot, nervous, and just about ready to give up as there is no point to continue.
Point is, I'm inconsistent with LG!! I can get -1 or -2 if I'm smooth, confident, and read all the rules carefully. If I'm working too fast and just rushing through, I end up forgetting a rule and ruin everything.
On the day of the test, if I butcher my LG section, should I just cancel the test asap? I took a PT this morning and did 2 LGs in a row for section 2 (experimental) and section 3. I felt dead when I started doing section 3 and by the time I got to the 3rd game, I realized i botched it and had little motivation to do game 4. During the 15 minute break, I contemplated of just ripping my answer sheet and going home to try another day, but I forced myself to go through with the last 2 sections and it was the hardest thing ever because I already knew this test was botched. I ended up scoring a 154. Would have been 161 or 162 had I gotten -1 or -2 on games. Was -8 and -6 on LR and -9 on RC.
My goal is just a 163 and anything above since I would like to go to Hastings or Davis.
Butchering LG and losing focus..... Forum
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Pretty Lights
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:36 pm
Re: Butchering LG and losing focus.....
Pray that LG isn't the first section on your test.
When you take practice tests, maybe you should purposely take the LG first, so that you're prepared in case that does happen on the actual test.
Seems like you know why you fuck that section up - you rush and don't read rules carefully - so practice not doing that.
The only thing that caused my score to improve significantly was when I gave myself a day off. The day after my day off, I always did significantly better. Not sure if this will help you.
If you can't stop stressing over messing up the LG section and it is still affecting your other sections, yeah, I'd probably cancel if it happens on the real test.
When you take practice tests, maybe you should purposely take the LG first, so that you're prepared in case that does happen on the actual test.
Seems like you know why you fuck that section up - you rush and don't read rules carefully - so practice not doing that.
The only thing that caused my score to improve significantly was when I gave myself a day off. The day after my day off, I always did significantly better. Not sure if this will help you.
If you can't stop stressing over messing up the LG section and it is still affecting your other sections, yeah, I'd probably cancel if it happens on the real test.
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MachineLemon
- Posts: 375
- Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:47 am
Re: Butchering LG and losing focus.....
Something that helped me control panics: Do not have any caffeine prior to the test (or practice test). If you are tired, adjust your sleep cycle. Dropping caffeine really reduced how often I panicked on games sections.
Also, shoot for a 180. Even if you are committed to those schools, you still want some merit aid.
Also, shoot for a 180. Even if you are committed to those schools, you still want some merit aid.
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Mr.Binks
- Posts: 574
- Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 12:49 pm
Re: Butchering LG and losing focus.....
You had a thread about taking in February to apply for the 2013 cycle, right?
If not, then disregard everything I am about to say.
Like I and many other posters said, you should just take the test in October. October will give you more than enough time to qualify for ED, so you don't have to worry about that. You get absolutely no advantage from taking it in February than you would if you took it in October. So my advice is to study like mad for the October test. The more confident you get with each of the sections, the less anxiety you will feel.
I am in the same boat as you. If I fuck up a Logic Game, as I did in October 2011, I am completed fucked. But as I practiced more games and became more familiar with each type, I consequently became less anxious about the entire section.
Now, I just have to do the same for RC...
Good luck.
If not, then disregard everything I am about to say.
Like I and many other posters said, you should just take the test in October. October will give you more than enough time to qualify for ED, so you don't have to worry about that. You get absolutely no advantage from taking it in February than you would if you took it in October. So my advice is to study like mad for the October test. The more confident you get with each of the sections, the less anxiety you will feel.
I am in the same boat as you. If I fuck up a Logic Game, as I did in October 2011, I am completed fucked. But as I practiced more games and became more familiar with each type, I consequently became less anxious about the entire section.
Now, I just have to do the same for RC...
Good luck.
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notaznguy
- Posts: 318
- Joined: Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:48 am
Re: Butchering LG and losing focus.....
BTW, the test that I recently botched that inspired this thread was PT 60. I've been reading old threads and its been said that the 60s have gotten more difficult for games. I noticed that older games in the 50s and 40s tend to be ridiculously easy. Are all the new games going to be like the 60s? Intern and mulch and stone games? If so, I believe I am fucked. My first time seeing that mulch and stone game I sorta just, panicked? Never seen a game like that before. When I got to the intern game, I knew I wasn't going to be able to solve it all in time. It was just way too time consuming and I wasn't able to figure out the "main" inference which was key to the game.
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Gail
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Re: Butchering LG and losing focus.....
notaznguy wrote:So I've taken several of the new PTs and I found the sole determinant of how I do on the exam is based on the LG section. If I "felt" like I did well in LG (and I do know when I do well because I usually feel I am able to answer all of the questions, if not for 1 or 2 guessed, knowing I got the right answer) then I tend to do well on the other sections as well and may end up with a 163 or 164. If I know I botched the LG section (and I know because I don't know how to do multiple questions due to either misinterpreting a rule or forgetting to keep a rule in mind, etc.) then I know I am just ****ed and I start feeling hot, nervous, and just about ready to give up as there is no point to continue.
Point is, I'm inconsistent with LG!! I can get -1 or -2 if I'm smooth, confident, and read all the rules carefully. If I'm working too fast and just rushing through, I end up forgetting a rule and ruin everything.
On the day of the test, if I butcher my LG section, should I just cancel the test asap? I took a PT this morning and did 2 LGs in a row for section 2 (experimental) and section 3. I felt dead when I started doing section 3 and by the time I got to the 3rd game, I realized i botched it and had little motivation to do game 4. During the 15 minute break, I contemplated of just ripping my answer sheet and going home to try another day, but I forced myself to go through with the last 2 sections and it was the hardest thing ever because I already knew this test was botched. I ended up scoring a 154. Would have been 161 or 162 had I gotten -1 or -2 on games. Was -8 and -6 on LR and -9 on RC.
My goal is just a 163 and anything above since I would like to go to Hastings or Davis.
OK. This is a relatively simple problem.
First though,
Why do you feel like you're butchering this section?
In addition,
If 164 is your only goal, you might be able to alleviate some fears by doing better on LR and RC as well. That way, even if you do blow a single LG, you'll have a cushion. 20 incorrect answers are actually quite a lot. You can definitely answer 80 correctly.
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Elliott_Smith
- Posts: 379
- Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:34 am
Re: Butchering LG and losing focus.....
I had a similar problem with LG, I just couldn't really get them down to time.
Ended up doing every LG PT availble twice, and about halfway through the second round they just started coming naturally.
You're going to be nervous on test day no matter what, so you want things to be downright easy in PT mode.
Ended up doing every LG PT availble twice, and about halfway through the second round they just started coming naturally.
You're going to be nervous on test day no matter what, so you want things to be downright easy in PT mode.
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Scotusnerd
- Posts: 811
- Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 7:36 pm
Re: Butchering LG and losing focus.....
On the day of the test, you will not butcher a section. You may stumble, but you will not butcher a section. You will keep on going.
You need to understand that your current frame of mind, if continued, will kill you on a test day. On that day, you will feel incredibly nervous about the games, you will probably get light-headed, maybe nauseous, and you will mess up. Tunnel-vision, weak knees, lack of oxygen and other lovely problems happen when you feel major anxiety about something, and you're setting yourself up for that. Be careful!
On the other hand, if you know you're going to do well, you know that you have worked hard on your LG and can accept that sometimes they throw you a curveball (just like they do to everyone else), and don't worry about it at all during the rest of the test, you will do just fine.
I have been playing various instruments professionally for 10 years now, and the LSAT is very similar to performance nerves. Your biggest weapon is your mindset. You have to be positive, and you have to accept when you make mistakes, and not get too worried about them.
The solution is very simple. Practice until you are comfortable and confident. You can never master every part of the test, but you can achieve a comfortable proficiency and skill in each area.
The LSAT is a game that they play with your head, and that you can't let them win that game. LSAC is the Grandmaster of Mindfuckery.
You need to understand that your current frame of mind, if continued, will kill you on a test day. On that day, you will feel incredibly nervous about the games, you will probably get light-headed, maybe nauseous, and you will mess up. Tunnel-vision, weak knees, lack of oxygen and other lovely problems happen when you feel major anxiety about something, and you're setting yourself up for that. Be careful!
On the other hand, if you know you're going to do well, you know that you have worked hard on your LG and can accept that sometimes they throw you a curveball (just like they do to everyone else), and don't worry about it at all during the rest of the test, you will do just fine.
I have been playing various instruments professionally for 10 years now, and the LSAT is very similar to performance nerves. Your biggest weapon is your mindset. You have to be positive, and you have to accept when you make mistakes, and not get too worried about them.
The solution is very simple. Practice until you are comfortable and confident. You can never master every part of the test, but you can achieve a comfortable proficiency and skill in each area.
The LSAT is a game that they play with your head, and that you can't let them win that game. LSAC is the Grandmaster of Mindfuckery.
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littlebird
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:26 am
Re: Butchering LG and losing focus.....
I'm nowhere near the LSAT guru as many other posters, but LG was the bane of my existence too.
I took the October and December 2011 LSATs and raised my score 5 points on the Dec test. I did it by spending all of November studying nothing but LG. I bought a work book that only covered LG: it broke the games down into 7 different types, provided diagramming solutions for each type, then went through a series of guided questions followed by questions to solve on your own. I worked through the book from cover to cover and then repeated the sections I struggled with.
On the October test, I had LG first. I ended up missing 11 questions.
On the December test, I had LG first AND third -- the only thing that kept me from crying through the break was knowing that I couldn't possibly have LG a third time. The third section was the scored section, I missed 5 questions (Including 4 on that horrible TV programs question).
If you feel reasonably confident on the other sections, I see no reason to continue studying them when you have an obvious weak point. Focus your time and energy on developing a strategy that will allow you to get through the section with your focus intact.
I took the October and December 2011 LSATs and raised my score 5 points on the Dec test. I did it by spending all of November studying nothing but LG. I bought a work book that only covered LG: it broke the games down into 7 different types, provided diagramming solutions for each type, then went through a series of guided questions followed by questions to solve on your own. I worked through the book from cover to cover and then repeated the sections I struggled with.
On the October test, I had LG first. I ended up missing 11 questions.
On the December test, I had LG first AND third -- the only thing that kept me from crying through the break was knowing that I couldn't possibly have LG a third time. The third section was the scored section, I missed 5 questions (Including 4 on that horrible TV programs question).
If you feel reasonably confident on the other sections, I see no reason to continue studying them when you have an obvious weak point. Focus your time and energy on developing a strategy that will allow you to get through the section with your focus intact.
