Practice Test vs. Real Test Score Forum

[GodWatchOverMe]

So how do people get 180 on the LSAT?

[Kimikho]

So how do people get 180 on the LSAT?

prayer

[xylocarp]

Did anyone PT consistently in the 175-180 range and then decrease significantly on test day? Any thoughts on why/good ways of preventing it?

[blackbirdfly]

So how do people get 180 on the LSAT?

prayer

And sacrifice. You can't forget sacrifice.

[Kimikho]

Did anyone PT consistently in the 175-180 range and then decrease significantly on test day? Any thoughts on why/good ways of preventing it?

don't misbubble.

[xylocarp]

Did anyone PT consistently in the 175-180 range and then decrease significantly on test day? Any thoughts on why/good ways of preventing it?

don't misbubble.

[bobtheblob916]

Everyone feels pressure on test day. The degree to which you do depends on you - how well you prepared, how prone to anxiety you are as an individual, and any unforeseen circumstances that might happen on test day.

This is why you have to treat the LSAT like a performance, as if it's a marathon to run, or a concert to perform. You have to practice the same repetitive motions and slowly build up your mastery until they are honed. Simply learning the material will not guarantee you anything - this is not a test of knowledge of content, but of application of skills.

My motto was: Ima make this LSAT my bitch. And to do that I practice to the point where I felt completely comfortable with everything. And I was scoring 173-6, so this wasn't perfect, but I was pleased with it. The thing is, I didn't reprehend myself for having those imperfections - I accepted them. With more time I could have fixed them, but I didn't have more time and hey - that's perfectly fair, it's all part of the game.

I scored a 175 on test day. Took the international exam so I didn't get my score report back, but I'm fairly certain I had 0 LG, 0/1 LR, and 5/6 RC. There was one RC section in particular that completely floored me, but I got over it fast because I had to.

Basically, don't give yourself any room for fear. Confront your weakest points now, and as often as you can. Trust me, by test day, they will not be as scary, which is important, because anxiety can make your weaknesses hit a lot harder.

[Wrong Marx]

Any tips for getting your mind in the right mindset?

I've been listening to the Rocky soundtrack every morning when I do my calisthenics, before I take my PTs. I'm planning to listen to it in the car on the way over to the test. I don't know if it will help or not, but I figure: Rocky took on Apollo Creed, and he went the distance. I got this.

[SkepticalAboutLaw]

I think confidence is a huge factor in test day performance. I anticipated going about 5 points below my PT average, but I actually went 9 points below. I attribute it to feeling shaky about my Games skills. Even though I could survive the 60s LGs, I did not feel confident in my consistent ability to do well. On test day, the adrenaline made me hyperfocus on RC and LR, both of which I had felt confident about, and killed me on LG, on which I threw an entire game after reversing a rule in my diagram.

[drevo]

Everyone feels pressure on test day. The degree to which you do depends on you - how well you prepared, how prone to anxiety you are as an individual, and any unforeseen circumstances that might happen on test day.

This is why you have to treat the LSAT like a performance, as if it's a marathon to run, or a concert to perform. You have to practice the same repetitive motions and slowly build up your mastery until they are honed. Simply learning the material will not guarantee you anything - this is not a test of knowledge of content, but of application of skills.

My motto was: Ima make this LSAT my bitch. And to do that I practice to the point where I felt completely comfortable with everything. And I was scoring 173-6, so this wasn't perfect, but I was pleased with it. The thing is, I didn't reprehend myself for having those imperfections - I accepted them. With more time I could have fixed them, but I didn't have more time and hey - that's perfectly fair, it's all part of the game.

I scored a 175 on test day. Took the international exam so I didn't get my score report back, but I'm fairly certain I had 0 LG, 0/1 LR, and 5/6 RC. There was one RC section in particular that completely floored me, but I got over it fast because I had to.

Basically, don't give yourself any room for fear. Confront your weakest points now, and as often as you can. Trust me, by test day, they will not be as scary, which is important, because anxiety can make your weaknesses hit a lot harder.

I think this is all solid. I know a lot of people on here have test anxiety judging by the Oct waiting thread. If you know you are prone to anxiety then I would suggest looking into things like meditation now in order to help your nerves. I know it's easier said than done for some people but realize that as you turn to that first page that it isn't going to be anything crazy. Once you get your mind right and do that first question it should all be auto pilot. I don't really experience test anxiety or anything like that so I know I might not be of too much help but I am firm believer that anxiety and anything else mental is all controllable with attitude and focus.

I was scoring 172-173 for about a month leading up to my last week or two of studying. Literally no other scores just 173 or 172. Every. Fucking. Test. My last two weeks of studying I did my final 2 fresh PTs and finally broke through to a 177 and 176 (stopped trying to do too much on LR and got back to just thinking "find the premises. Find the conclusion. What's missing?" as well as stabilizing my RC) So my median was no doubt 173 and my average was probably around there as well. On game day I got 175. -0 LG -3RC -3 LR which is basically what I was getting on my last few PTs (my last couple PTs were -1-2 on LR).

I understand the notion that you can expect to score lower and obviously it is going to happen to people with how many take the test and people getting anxiety. But I am firmly against this notion that it is unavoidable. Just have some confidence in yourself. Realize that you are probably better prepared than everyone else in your testing room. So one question might trip you up. Suck it up and move on and come back to it. You control your mind. Don't go in thinking "I'm going to score lower than my PT so I can miss X amount." Just take the damn test.

Lastly, if you haven't already, then it is time to get into a morning routine. Don't wake up on test day and be wondering if you should warm up with some LSAT stuff and if so how much. That should already be figured out. For me I found no warm up was better, but I found that out by trying different things before PTs. That and do not study the day before. At all. My first break through from 173 to 177 came after I was basically forced to take 4 days off from studying. The break helped me get away from trying to consciously avoid the mistakes of my last PT and instead just trust myself. If this is true for you as well then fight the urge to study the last couple of days. Go see a good movie. I saw Gravity the night before and was so interested I fell asleep easily thinking of nothing more than space.

[Howl]

Lastly, if you haven't already, then it is time to get into a morning routine. Don't wake up on test day and be wondering if you should warm up with some LSAT stuff and if so how much. That should already be figured out. For me I found no warm up was better, but I found that out by trying different things before PTs. That and do not study the day before. At all. My first break through from 173 to 177 came after I was basically forced to take 4 days off from studying. The break helped me get away from trying to consciously avoid the mistakes of my last PT and instead just trust myself. If this is true for you as well then fight the urge to study the last couple of days. Go see a good movie. I saw Gravity the night before and was so interested I fell asleep easily thinking of nothing more than space.

This. So much this. The first couple times I took the test, I used to think people who would get up at 7am for like 3 weeks before the test to adjust their sleeping schedule, regulate their bowel movements, routinize what they eat, etc were absolutely neurotic. It took being defeated by the LSAT twice to really wake me up to the reality that it's really important to have a stable routine to minimize stress on test day.

Also, I strongly support taking the friday off before the test as well. Don't do anything LSAT-related. Nada. Rest your brain, see a silly/good/fun movie, hang out with friends, do anything to keep your mind off the LSAT. This mental recharge is so important.

fwiw, I got a 177 on test day, whereas my PT average was 173 and my highest PT a 175. I think having a very stable routine and knowing I did all I could do to prepare for the day of the test took away lot of the stress and let me actually have laser focus on game day instead.

[Jeffort]

This. So much this. The first couple times I took the test, I used to think people who would get up at 7am for like 3 weeks before the test to adjust their sleeping schedule, regulate their bowel movements, routinize what they eat, etc were absolutely neurotic. It took being defeated by the LSAT twice to really wake me up to the reality that it's really important to have a stable routine to minimize stress on test day.

Also, I strongly support taking the friday off before the test as well. Don't do anything LSAT-related. Nada. Rest your brain, see a silly/good/fun movie, hang out with friends, do anything to keep your mind off the LSAT. This mental recharge is so important.

fwiw, I got a 177 on test day, whereas my PT average was 173 and my highest PT a 175. I think having a very stable routine and knowing I did all I could do to prepare for the day of the test took away lot of the stress and let me actually have laser focus on game day instead.

Another big yes to all of this. Getting your sleep wake cycle in order and doing all PTs going forward in the morning around same time as test day is an important part of helping make sure you are in tip top shape to do your absolute best on test day. A 3-5 or more points lower than usual score because you were a little groggy or feeling off on test day due to the early morning wake up is unacceptable and a disservice to all the other prep efforts you put in to get in shape.

I started going to bed and getting up at the same times I needed for test day two full weeks before and took all PTs starting at 9:15am to simulate test day start time. This meant getting up at the time I would on test day (no later than 6:30) every day, and on PT days (most of the days!) I did a routine to kill time until 9:15am start time to begin the PT to simulate waiting around after getting up, eating, traveling to the test center and checking in. Every night I was in bed going to sleep no later than 11:00.

I'm not a morning person so the first few days of getting up at 6:30 really sucked and I almost didn't do it since it would have been easier to just say Fk it and stay in bed. I really had to force myself to get up early those first few days and my PT scores suffered because I wasn't used to being awake and actually using brain cells at 9:15am! Seriously, those few days really tested my determination since sleeping in and just hoping I could amp myself up on test day with coffee instead of two weeks of 6:30am wake-up sounded sooo much more appealing.

My PT scores from those first two days that were with big coffee boost were pretty bad (low 160s!) cuz brain not yet fully functional and feeling tired from 6:30 wake-up so I realized I had better stick with the plan and get used to the 6:30am wake-up routine. By the fourth day I was getting in synch and waking up feeling well rested at 6:30 and PT scores went back up to high 160s range where they had been before on PTs taken at comfortable times. My PT avg those last two weeks was ~168 with only two 170+ scores. Everything clicked on test day with the full routine. I would not have hit my final score if I wasn't used to getting up and taking PTs that early a bunch of times those last two weeks to get used to that full routine. Those first two PT scores from the first two days of getting up a 6:30am scared the crap out of me about how much not being used to getting up that early really can impact your score! low 160s vs high 160s! Result of the two week systematic semi-neurotic LSAT mode routine, Test day 177!

Along with sleep/wake and PT schedule I kept systematically those two weeks, I also stayed with the same daily routine with pretty much EVERYTHING! What I ate for each meal, exactly what time I ate, how much I ate, what time I always stopped prepping each day and started relaxing, what time I did some exercise and how much I did, etc. My daily routine was literally down to clockwork each day. As mentioned above, it did also regulate bowel activity and bladder/fluid intake balance so that stayed on a nice predictable schedule that was convenient too with no test day worries about surprise unscheduled emergency bathroom needs! My routine was down to a science even with exactly how much of which fluids I drank each morning and when timed according to breakfast routine and last change for bathroom and fluids before checking in at test center. Seriously, I went to the bathroom the same times of day each day for most of those two weeks cuz I got into a systematic routine.

Do a routine like this if you are serious about maximizing your score in every possibly way you can.

I also took the Friday before test day off and kept my mind occupied with stupid entertaining brainless stuff and that helped a lot too to make me totally refreshed on test day and not at all fatigued from taking PTs all week. That day of rest really helped me be extra sharp on test day.

[Howl]

As mentioned above, it did also regulate bowel activity and bladder/fluid intake balance so that stayed on a nice predictable schedule that was convenient too with no test day worries about surprise unscheduled emergency bathroom needs! My routine was down to a science even with exactly how much of which fluids I drank each morning and when timed according to breakfast routine and last change for bathroom and fluids before checking in at test center. Seriously, I went to the bathroom the same times of day each day for most of those two weeks cuz I got into a systematic routine.

Do a routine like this if you are serious about maximizing your score in every possibly way you can.

I'm just going to emphasize this, because I think a lot of people (esp. first time test takers) don't realize the importance of regulating body functions On test day, when you have like 7/8/9 mins left for the last game/passage/whatever, leaving to go to the bathroom (or even having that unpleasant urgent feeling to go)?

[dp714]

I hadn't taken many PTs.

I only took 5 PTs in the three weeks leading up to the October Test, 4 of them on test week (I had taken one more much earlier, but I wont count it here since it was before I really knew what I was doing).

1st- PT 62-161
2nd-PT 63-167
3rd-PT 64- 167
4th-PT 66- 167
5th-PT 67- 168

Oct. Exam-160...I walked out of it thinking that if I was right about which section the experimental was, I had this in the bag. I felt very sure it was my first LR and yeah...it wasnt. But I had thought it was because my mind just wasnt moving fast as usual and seemed to be missing a beat, so I felt too many of the first couple questions had no correct answer (HA!). The real exp. sec. turned out being the one I felt I had surely gone -0 on haha.
The next day, I thought I should go ahead and take PT 61 and grade it after I get my scores back. Got 166 on it...

Moral of the story: warm up your mind sufficiently before the test to get it in the zone, and oh yeah...just forget the concept of an experimental section if you are prone to moronic behavior such as mine.

*I'd also like to add that people aren't lying when they say Addy's and the LSAT do NOT mix. If you do use it to prep (legitimately or otherwise), lay off it at least two weeks before the test, and never take it while PTing (It will absolutely cripple your sense of timing, especially on the real exam due to the timing uncertainties).

[06162014123]

.

[wealtheow]

Basically, don't give yourself any room for fear. Confront your weakest points now, and as often as you can. Trust me, by test day, they will not be as scary, which is important, because anxiety can make your weaknesses hit a lot harder.

i think i just found my test day mantra. thank you!

[gb47]

I actually tested a few points higher than my average (173ish range to 176). What helped me the most was the fact that it was my first time taking the test. I knew that if I bombed it, I could retake in December, or even sit out a cycle and take it in June. It took a lot of pressure off of me and I was very relaxed during the test.

[Yazzzay]

Everyone feels pressure on test day. The degree to which you do depends on you - how well you prepared, how prone to anxiety you are as an individual, and any unforeseen circumstances that might happen on test day.

This is why you have to treat the LSAT like a performance, as if it's a marathon to run, or a concert to perform. You have to practice the same repetitive motions and slowly build up your mastery until they are honed. Simply learning the material will not guarantee you anything - this is not a test of knowledge of content, but of application of skills.

My motto was: Ima make this LSAT my bitch. And to do that I practice to the point where I felt completely comfortable with everything. And I was scoring 173-6, so this wasn't perfect, but I was pleased with it. The thing is, I didn't reprehend myself for having those imperfections - I accepted them. With more time I could have fixed them, but I didn't have more time and hey - that's perfectly fair, it's all part of the game.

I scored a 175 on test day. Took the international exam so I didn't get my score report back, but I'm fairly certain I had 0 LG, 0/1 LR, and 5/6 RC. There was one RC section in particular that completely floored me, but I got over it fast because I had to.

Basically, don't give yourself any room for fear. Confront your weakest points now, and as often as you can. Trust me, by test day, they will not be as scary, which is important, because anxiety can make your weaknesses hit a lot harder.

Off topic from this thread but you took the test abroad? so wait the international test isn't disclosed? And you don't even know how many you actually got wrong per section? I'm taking it in 2 weeks abroad...

[bound]

Everyone feels pressure on test day. The degree to which you do depends on you - how well you prepared, how prone to anxiety you are as an individual, and any unforeseen circumstances that might happen on test day.

This is why you have to treat the LSAT like a performance, as if it's a marathon to run, or a concert to perform. You have to practice the same repetitive motions and slowly build up your mastery until they are honed. Simply learning the material will not guarantee you anything - this is not a test of knowledge of content, but of application of skills.

My motto was: Ima make this LSAT my bitch. And to do that I practice to the point where I felt completely comfortable with everything. And I was scoring 173-6, so this wasn't perfect, but I was pleased with it. The thing is, I didn't reprehend myself for having those imperfections - I accepted them. With more time I could have fixed them, but I didn't have more time and hey - that's perfectly fair, it's all part of the game.

I scored a 175 on test day. Took the international exam so I didn't get my score report back, but I'm fairly certain I had 0 LG, 0/1 LR, and 5/6 RC. There was one RC section in particular that completely floored me, but I got over it fast because I had to.

Basically, don't give yourself any room for fear. Confront your weakest points now, and as often as you can. Trust me, by test day, they will not be as scary, which is important, because anxiety can make your weaknesses hit a lot harder.

I think this is all solid. I know a lot of people on here have test anxiety judging by the Oct waiting thread. If you know you are prone to anxiety then I would suggest looking into things like meditation now in order to help your nerves. I know it's easier said than done for some people but realize that as you turn to that first page that it isn't going to be anything crazy. Once you get your mind right and do that first question it should all be auto pilot. I don't really experience test anxiety or anything like that so I know I might not be of too much help but I am firm believer that anxiety and anything else mental is all controllable with attitude and focus.

I was scoring 172-173 for about a month leading up to my last week or two of studying. Literally no other scores just 173 or 172. Every. Fucking. Test. My last two weeks of studying I did my final 2 fresh PTs and finally broke through to a 177 and 176 (stopped trying to do too much on LR and got back to just thinking "find the premises. Find the conclusion. What's missing?" as well as stabilizing my RC) So my median was no doubt 173 and my average was probably around there as well. On game day I got 175. -0 LG -3RC -3 LR which is basically what I was getting on my last few PTs (my last couple PTs were -1-2 on LR).

I understand the notion that you can expect to score lower and obviously it is going to happen to people with how many take the test and people getting anxiety. But I am firmly against this notion that it is unavoidable. Just have some confidence in yourself. Realize that you are probably better prepared than everyone else in your testing room. So one question might trip you up. Suck it up and move on and come back to it. You control your mind. Don't go in thinking "I'm going to score lower than my PT so I can miss X amount." Just take the damn test.

Lastly, if you haven't already, then it is time to get into a morning routine. Don't wake up on test day and be wondering if you should warm up with some LSAT stuff and if so how much. That should already be figured out. For me I found no warm up was better, but I found that out by trying different things before PTs. That and do not study the day before. At all. My first break through from 173 to 177 came after I was basically forced to take 4 days off from studying. The break helped me get away from trying to consciously avoid the mistakes of my last PT and instead just trust myself. If this is true for you as well then fight the urge to study the last couple of days. Go see a good movie. I saw Gravity the night before and was so interested I fell asleep easily thinking of nothing more than space.

Such great advice. My highest PT came after a WEEK break as well. Burn out is real people, and this isn't the time for us to suffer from it. Recognize that we know so much and have come so far. Fine tune your areas of weakness over the next two weeks and reeeeeeeelaaaaaax

[drevo]

Such great advice. My highest PT came after a WEEK break as well. Burn out is real people, and this isn't the time for us to suffer from it. Recognize that we know so much and have come so far. Fine tune your areas of weakness over the next two weeks and reeeeeeeelaaaaaax

Yeah I saw some people saying their highest scores were after breaks but since I was still motivated I didn't think I had burnout. Luckily for me, a week of hell school wise with tests and papers due in all my classes forced me to not study LSAT stuff for most of that week. Wouldn't you know it I go to take my first PT in what felt like forever with a fear that the lack of studying was going to hurt my score and demoralize me. Got a 177 on that PT and was like "oh shit. People who take breaks and score higher weren't kidding."

It's so counter intuitive to slow down closer to game day for people like us on here who have been busting our asses studying for so long. But I think it can really help some people. Other thing I did to prepare mentally was to take my last fresh PT a week or so before the real deal. Then I retook the most recently administered PTs in the last week to boost my confidence. I know it is not representative at all but getting a 180 is cool even if your memory clearly helped you!