Want to retake..but exhausted LSAT materials Forum

[bohemiandaisy]

Hey everyone,

I took the test yesterday but I did not sleep a wink the night before and I freaked out during the test. I didn't get to finish a game and that carried out through the rest of the test. I kept thinking about the four questions I did not bubble in. I was PTing in the 165-170 range and NEVER left anything blank. Yesterday, I left at least a couple blank per section.

I have a 4.1 CAS GPA, I was Editor-in-Chief of my school's undergrad law journal, and I did several internships. I also have glowing recs from department chairs. My PS is pretty amazing, too. I feel like I deserve better than settling for a school I don't belong in. Should I cancel and retake? I now have a job at a top nationally acclaimed law firm in LA as a file clerk. I took time off to study, and to be honest, I can't wait to go back and have a life again! Would taking an extra year off be a bad idea? I could work at this firm while studying less hardcore for the LSAT.

Problem is...I've done EVERY single PT. I've been studying for 6 months. I guess you can say I have terrible test day anxiety and need to work on that. I'm a perfectionist. I puked the morning of the test and didn't sleep. I misread a rule in my first LG section. What should I do? I want to restudy my old materials..I really rather restudy and go to a school I deserve to go to, but I feel like it's too late. I've done all the prep materials.

FYI, I had a private tutor and worked with BP. My diag was 149. Highest score ever was a 170 with a few 169s thrown in. My average is 167, though. I think my biggest problem is "cheating" with time and taking PTs alone. I think I have to build stamina, endurance, confidence, and simulate the test better. But how can I do this when I took so many tests?

[bohemiandaisy]

BUMP

Please answer. I just joined because I'm desperate at this point. I want to make a decision on Tuesday.

[dosto]

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[bohemiandaisy]

Don't settle. Take a few months off, study for and take June, apply next cycle. Material will be somewhat fresher after some time off, and studying with old material can still be fruitful provided you adapt/try new things (I mean, 71 PTs is a LOT). Taking a year off in order to get a higher LSAT score and take your time applying will vastly improve your chances.

eta if you decide to wait and retake, seek advice to break into 170's, which I'm sure you can. That GPA can take you places.

Thanks for the reply. I know I have a stellar GPA and great softs. I did TWO highest honors theses with world renowned professors. I hate to brag, but it's a great contrast to the LSAT failure I committed yesterday. But how can I realistically get into the 170s when I have done every PT? (I am being completely serious here. I took 6 months to study for this thing. I studied 2-4 hours a day initially, but then started studying intensely with a new tutor. I put in 10 hours a day of drilling and review.) After all this hard work, I'm bummed. And to add salt to the wound, I just solved the game I missed. Yep, easy scenarios that a lack of sleep and anxiety made me miss.

[Jeffort]

After all this hard work, I'm bummed.

And to add salt to the wound, I just solved the game I missed. Yep, easy scenarios that a lack of sleep and anxiety made me miss.

Wait, what?? ?? You are not making any sense all the sudden. I was about to write a bunch of stuff about re-using materials and how they are still just as useful as before but this statement and your account being brand new is screaming troll.

[bohemiandaisy]

After all this hard work, I'm bummed.

And to add salt to the wound, I just solved the game I missed. Yep, easy scenarios that a lack of sleep and anxiety made me miss.

Wait, what?? ?? You are not making any sense all the sudden.

LOL, I didn't go into a time machine and go back and solve it. I remembered the game at home and realized I missed a key deduction. In fact, during the next section (RC) I kept thinking about it. Actually, I thought about that damn mistake throughout the whole test. I actually messed up an ordering chain that would have led to scenarios that would have made the questions easy.

PS I just took an Ambien. I'm sorry if I am being incoherent.

[bohemiandaisy]

After all this hard work, I'm bummed.

And to add salt to the wound, I just solved the game I missed. Yep, easy scenarios that a lack of sleep and anxiety made me miss.

Wait, what?? ?? You are not making any sense all the sudden. I was about to write a bunch of stuff about re-using materials and how they are still just as useful as before but this statement and your account being brand new is screaming troll.

I am most certainly not a troll. Why the hell would a troll take her time to write such a long post? I've been waiting for replies for over an hour. I've been "lurking" on this site for advice throughout my undergraduate career. I only made an account to directly PM the user "bp shinners" who writes a blog for Blueprint and to seek advice. I also wanted advice from people who are in a similar position.

Now you're the one making no sense. The fact that I am "new" does not mean I don't have a legitimate reason to be concerned about my future.

[Jeffort]

Dude, chill. Get back to us after the Ambien wears off. You can make great use of materials you've used before, there are plenty of threads about just that topic, but reading them now is a waste cuz you probably won't remember much in the morning and have to read it all again.

[bohemiandaisy]

Hah, I took the Ambien in order to chill. I am not feeling too happy about waiting another year. I'm worried that reusing PTs will not reflect my true potential.

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[muzzy]

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[Theopliske8711]

Redo your material over, and over, and over. Force yourself to read more deeply into each question, even if you are familiar with it. You will notice decisive nuances that you may have missed before.

[bohemiandaisy]

Hi all,

Thanks for the responses.

About my mistakes:

I kill the RC sections. I was a Comp Lit major and I am used to dense material. Sometimes a miss 0 or 1. On really bad days, I miss 4 (a Q per passage). I actually enjoy some of the passages. I treat the questions like LR questions, and BAM, I sometimes finish with a few minutes left over. Btw, I left 3 blank the day of the test.

I THOUGHT I was good at LR. I only miss 3-4 per section. And there are always careless errors thrown in (yes, sometimes I don't see the word "EXCEPT" ) Test day was a disaster. I acknowledge that this was a more difficult section that usual.

As for LG, this was my biggest weakness before October. I mastered every game. I did them twice. I reviewed and reviewed every type and what I should do with each game type. My tutor was hired for this purpose. Soon, I went from -16 to -1.

Unfortunately, I think "testing conditions" ruin whatever progress I have made. As I mentioned above, I am a bit of a "cheater." I took a proctored test a week before and I freaked out. I actually cried during the test because I missed an ENTIRE game. I scored a 162 that day. The entire week after, my score dropped as my confidence waned. The night before the test I didn't sleep and puked. And voila, I screwed up my first LG section (the most intimidating to me) and thought about it forever throughout the test. It was a domino effect, I suppose.

[muzzy]

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[bohemiandaisy]

Thanks for your input, Muzzy!

Wow, your PTs are way higher than mine! I don't even think I can reach that. My peak is 169 probably. But maybe I am being too harsh on myself.

I think I did about 20 full length PTs before the test. But yes, I fudged the timing a bit I got better during the last three weeks, but as you said, taking as many PTs UNDER TESTING CONDITIONS would have eliminated any anxiety that I have had. Oh well.

But wouldn't my familiarity with the PTs be an inaccurate way to gauge my standing? I really studied hardcore for this test and have seen many questions multiple times. I did save June 2011 just in case I screwed up. But that's just one test.

[Allegra]

I might be in a similar boat as you, if I decide to wait until February (my December test was cancelled by LSAC). I have already taken all of the 40s, 50s and 60s tests (and 70).

Even though you have already taken these tests, the point of re-taking is not to "gauge your standing" but to identify why you missed the questions that you missed. Just taking test after test, whether fresh or repeat, is not really helpful unless you analyze why you are missing questions. Otherwise you are just practicing your mistakes.

[muzzy]

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[bohemiandaisy]

I got a 169 the first week of November. It was December 2002. I got a 170 on June 2001 a day later. Yeah, these are old tests. I learned that the tests are getting harder.

And Allegra, I am sorry to hear you are in the same position as me. I actually spent 3-4 hours reviewing my mistakes. Additionally, I spent an extra hour with my tutor after the tests.

Raising my score from the high 140s to 160s was a struggle. It drained me financially and emotionally. I have spent thousands in private tutoring ( a lot in savings for a 21 year old). I am beginning to think it isn't worth it.

Muzzy, do you suggesting hitting 170s to give room for potential test day score drop?

[muzzy]

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[bohemiandaisy]

I'm sorry to confuse you...After November, my range was 165-170. So I didn't always hit 169. I actually got a 162 on PT 69.

I think timing and nerves are a huge issue, to be honest. But apparently you had success redoing old tests. I think I need to simulate testing conditions better. I just don't want to wait another year and ruin it again.

[muzzy]

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[bohemiandaisy]

I was enrolled in an online course with answer explanations. I used to watch those and then review my mistakes on my own and redo logic games.

I also had a private tutor I worked with it.

So I guess it's worth it to retake? I hope I don't screw up again. Did you find the LR unbearably hard?

[muzzy]

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[bohemiandaisy]

lol LR was hard because I kept thinking about my blank answers...even thought about looking back (I know, I'm a bad girl. I didn't risk it though!)

Thanks for the 7sage reference. I love that website!

[bohemiandaisy]

Oh I forgot to ask, Muzzy. Cancel or keep the score? If I see anything below 160, I might kill myself.

[muzzy]

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