5 Section PTs Forum

[negligee]

Should I do 4 section PTs and later on, add a fifth section? How do I know when to make this transition? Also, what are the recommended benchmarks for each stage of LSAT prep? By this I mean, do I drill/practice using PTs 1-35 and do 4 section tests after that?

If I've been going through individual sections up to PT 35, which section(s) do I use for the experimental one? Will I run the risk of remembering the answers, thus distorting my performance?

[Clearly]

If you're taking a test always take 5 (or more!) Section tests.

[Clearly]

Personally I'd just take every 5th PT and break it appear to use one section each on the next 4 pts

[Generally]

Post removed.

[oldercoldervoice]

Yeah if you don't get significant fatigue or test anxiety there's no reason to do a five-section test imo. A lot of TLS posters talk about the importance of simulating testing conditions as EXACTLY as possible but ultimately you know yourself better than they do. If you know you're not going to get any benefit from the fifth section then don't add it.

[KMart]

If you don't have bad test anxiety or endurance issues, I wouldn't worry too much. That being said, I did my PTs with 4 sections but no break.

[Manhattan Prep Matt]

That being said, I did my PTs with 4 sections but no break.

If you're not going to use a fifth section (and I would recommend that you do so at least 5 or 6 times), then this would be my recommendation. It's not a perfect analogue, but it does tend to push your stamina up.

[Clearly]

There are risks to that too. They force you to take the break, if you're not used to having your focus broken it could hurt you.

Honestly, the test is 5 sections and is the most important thing you've done to date, idk why you wouldn't just take 5 section or more tests lol

[oldercoldervoice]

There are risks to that too. They force you to take the break, if you're not used to having your focus broken it could hurt you.

Honestly, the test is 5 sections and is the most important thing you've done to date, idk why you wouldn't just take 5 section or more tests lol

It's just not necessary for everyone. And if you're one of the people for whom it's unnecessary, it's a waste of resources to split up every fifth PT and use its sections as unscored experimental sections.

[oldercoldervoice]

Basically you're confusing a sufficient condition for being prepared for the test format for a necessary one.

[Clearly]

Did I say necessary? I said "I don't know why you would do this". The reality is you can't predict how you're going to feel on test day. Perhaps some people did 5 section tests when they could have gotten by doing 4. Perhaps some people only took 4 and didn't realize the 5th was going to kick their ass until test day. Which of these mistakes would you recommend people make? I'm not saying its necessary, I'm saying its wise to err on the side of caution. Also telling someone their mistaking sufficient for necessary in real life is pretty lame, you should prob step out of the LSAT mindset for a while.

Edit: removed most snark.

[john1990]

I only used 4 section preptests and scores the same as I was prepping on test day

[oldercoldervoice]

Lmao take a chill pill or something it's not that serious

[Clearly]

Lmao take a chill pill or something it's not that serious

Isn't it though?