The Official October 2015 Study Group Forum

mist4bison · Post by **mist4bison** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:56 am

seashell.economy wrote:
appind wrote:anyone scoring near perfect in LR who doesn't read all choices for some questions and moves on once sees the right one?

i find myself doing this for 5-8 qs per section.
Yeah, I started doing this a few months into my prep. I'm not scoring near perfect, but the ones I miss are the ones I get stuck on and have to sit there and stare at.

I don't do this, but I do just skim the other answer choices when I know I've already chosen the right one. Usually, on easy questions like that, the other ACs don't take that much time to skim. I'ts an extra 5 seconds that might save you from a wrong answer.

sanibella · Post by **sanibella** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:07 am

Finished reviewing two PTS from yesterday. Put them in 7sage and woot! I'm officially 1 pt above my target moving average. I don't think I'll be able to go much higher so I'm feeling pretty happy and satisfied.

I would not use that strategy. I did it for a bit when I was getting cocky and it burned me a couple times. I read an old thread about it and the top scorers generally agreed not to do it. I would only do it if you regularly run out of time on LR sections-but if you're getting close to perfect that shouldn't be applicable.

I would, however, move quickly to eliminate wrong acs. YMMV. -1 avg for past ten tests, so I'm not perfect on LR.

ugg · Post by **ugg** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:14 am

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Billy Madison · Post by **Billy Madison** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 11:10 am

I've decided to drill more in lieu of taking PTs since my progress up to this point hasn't been what I'd hoped (mostly due to my lack of drilling enough). I bought the LG pdfs and just started using them after going through the Kaplan mastery book. Last night, I did the LG section from PT1 and was cruising along until the last game when I lost my mind. Once the time limit passed, I scored what I had completed and I made a few dumb mistakes. Then I finished the final game without time and did fine. This morning I did the PT2 LG and only missed the last three questions that I didn't reach because it took me forever to understand the game. After time ran out, solving it was pretty simple. Obviously not where many of you are, but I finally feel like I may be able to get to -0 in time for the real thing. Just a couple weeks ago, I couldn't even reach the final game in an LG section and missed several I attempted along the way. Guess that's the closest I can get to some of your 170+ PTs that you all post

Anyone have an opinion on my strategy of doing mostly drilling and ignoring PTs for now?

chalky · Post by **chalky** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 11:36 am

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davey jones · Post by **davey jones** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 12:26 pm

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davey jones · Post by **davey jones** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 12:31 pm

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204Wpg · Post by **204Wpg** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 12:37 pm

sanibella wrote:
Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:Do any of you guys get diminishing returns from drilling?
Like when I first start drilling a question type, I see a solid increase in my PT scores. But once I start getting to the level 2/3 in the Cambridge packets I notice that my PT scores go down. I was wondering if anyone else noticed the same. I usually drill on my days where I'm not PTing.

173 on PT 71. Honestly kinda thought I did better, -5 in LR and -5 in RC is hard to swallow, my LR should be better.
M
I see diminishing returns after a certain amount of questions, but drilling has never negatively affected my PTs. Maybe you're over thinking the question type?

Also, I took 71 today and received one of my worst recent LR scores in section 3, which wasn't a big deal. But I almost ran out of time which never happens. I had to go with my gut instinct on the final three. So I feel you about that LR.

Just took 71 as well, and Section 3 hurt me pretty bad too, got a -4 which is the worst I've done on LR since I began PTing. Unfortunately I was also on the low end of 173 (-11) so I would have had to get two better to move up to 174. Tough test though I agree.

sanibella · Post by **sanibella** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 1:37 pm

204Wpg wrote:
sanibella wrote:
Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:Do any of you guys get diminishing returns from drilling?
Like when I first start drilling a question type, I see a solid increase in my PT scores. But once I start getting to the level 2/3 in the Cambridge packets I notice that my PT scores go down. I was wondering if anyone else noticed the same. I usually drill on my days where I'm not PTing.

173 on PT 71. Honestly kinda thought I did better, -5 in LR and -5 in RC is hard to swallow, my LR should be better.
M
I see diminishing returns after a certain amount of questions, but drilling has never negatively affected my PTs. Maybe you're over thinking the question type?

Also, I took 71 today and received one of my worst recent LR scores in section 3, which wasn't a big deal. But I almost ran out of time which never happens. I had to go with my gut instinct on the final three. So I feel you about that LR.
Just took 71 as well, and Section 3 hurt me pretty bad too, got a -4 which is the worst I've done on LR since I began PTing. Unfortunately I was also on the low end of 173 (-11) so I would have had to get two better to move up to 174. Tough test though I agree.

I actually thought LG was really easy and finished several minutes early so I wonder if I got cocky and that threw off my timing? Either way there were a couple I really wasn't sure about which is definitely unusual. Ugh about having to get two to move up!

flash21 · Post by **flash21** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 1:46 pm

Hi guys,

started meditating today (I should have been earlier). You guys should look up the benefits of it, its pretty immense and a lot of good scientific data also. You can find guided meditations on youtube that are about 15 minutes long so it doesn't need to be insanely long.

May help the anxious testers such as myself.

Does anyone else clearly get anxious before a PT, even alone, in the comfort of your house? Kind of irritates me... not sure if this is normal.

ltowns1 · Post by **ltowns1** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 2:08 pm

flash21 wrote:Hi guys,

started meditating today (I should have been earlier). You guys should look up the benefits of it, its pretty immense and a lot of good scientific data also. You can find guided meditations on youtube that are about 15 minutes long so it doesn't need to be insanely long.

May help the anxious testers such as myself.

Does anyone else clearly get anxious before a PT, even alone, in the comfort of your house? Kind of irritates me... not sure if this is normal.

It is normal, and meditating really does work.

ugg · Post by **ugg** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 2:15 pm

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redfred22 · Post by **redfred22** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 2:16 pm

flash21 wrote:Hi guys,

started meditating today (I should have been earlier). You guys should look up the benefits of it, its pretty immense and a lot of good scientific data also. You can find guided meditations on youtube that are about 15 minutes long so it doesn't need to be insanely long.

May help the anxious testers such as myself.

Does anyone else clearly get anxious before a PT, even alone, in the comfort of your house? Kind of irritates me... not sure if this is normal.

I get anxious before a PT. I think it's just the nature of this test. You never know what sort of curve ball you're going to get thrown at you, and that adds a lot of uncertainty, especially with a test that is such a large factor in the trajectory of your life. We study so that we know what to expect, so that we can familiarize ourselves with the things that are tested, and so that we can hone our skills and turn them, hopefully, into habits that helps use to get answers correct and do so quickly. You never know what new type of curve ball will hit you either, like with the newer tests being slightly different as to make it feel like a totally different test, or the random game that will be very different from most of the others that we study. And then, when these hit us and we aren't prepared or we can't fight them off that well, we face issues with our confidence and such. In short, we are always one PT away from feeling like all the progress that we thought we made was all made up and not indicative of our abilities.

I'm planning on going through some of the most recent tests over the next week and a half. I'm nervous as hell after reviewing one of the other most recent ones. I've been performing well on all other tests in regards to LR, but I'm scared as hell that I'll start doing these newer ones and miss a few more than normal, and that my score will sink as a result. Also, the RC could be a game changer, and that sucks.

So yeah, it's very normal.

flash21 · Post by **flash21** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 2:20 pm

redfred22 wrote:
flash21 wrote:Hi guys,

started meditating today (I should have been earlier). You guys should look up the benefits of it, its pretty immense and a lot of good scientific data also. You can find guided meditations on youtube that are about 15 minutes long so it doesn't need to be insanely long.

May help the anxious testers such as myself.

Does anyone else clearly get anxious before a PT, even alone, in the comfort of your house? Kind of irritates me... not sure if this is normal.
I get anxious before a PT. I think it's just the nature of this test. You never know what sort of curve ball you're going to get thrown at you, and that adds a lot of uncertainty, especially with a test that is such a large factor in the trajectory of your life. We study so that we know what to expect, so that we can familiarize ourselves with the things that are tested, and so that we can hone our skills and turn them, hopefully, into habits that helps use to get answers correct and do so quickly. You never know what new type of curve ball will hit you either, like with the newer tests being slightly different as to make it feel like a totally different test, or the random game that will be very different from most of the others that we study. And then, when these hit us and we aren't prepared or we can't fight them off that well, we face issues with our confidence and such. In short, we are always one PT away from feeling like all the progress that we thought we made was all made up and not indicative of our abilities.

I'm planning on going through some of the most recent tests over the next week and a half. I'm nervous as hell after reviewing one of the other most recent ones. I've been performing well on all other tests in regards to LR, but I'm scared as hell that I'll start doing these newer ones and miss a few more than normal, and that my score will sink as a result. Also, the RC could be a game changer, and that sucks.

So yeah, it's very normal.

Yeah, PT 72 made me feel this way. Dropped a decent amount compared to other tests.. sigh. At least I am not alone in feeling the terror.. I think it negatively impacts my scores which is irritating. Kind of depends on the day too, at times I feel more confident going into PT's than others.

ugg · Post by **ugg** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 2:20 pm

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nlee10 · Post by **nlee10** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 2:26 pm

Having done this twice, I currently give no effs

TheProdigal · Post by **TheProdigal** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 3:05 pm

nlee10 wrote:Having done this twice, I currently give no effs

I wish I was in this spot. At a new testing center, 1.5 hours out of town, and the whole last take business is mildly stressful.

Currently on break from PTing, LG was a disaster.

chalky · Post by **chalky** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 3:14 pm

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flash21 · Post by **flash21** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 3:20 pm

I am taking my last PT on Thursday. I don't like the idea of having a bigger gap. my bro science but I feel like it would work better for me

mist4bison · Post by **mist4bison** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 3:50 pm

flash21 wrote:Hi guys,

started meditating today (I should have been earlier). You guys should look up the benefits of it, its pretty immense and a lot of good scientific data also. You can find guided meditations on youtube that are about 15 minutes long so it doesn't need to be insanely long.

May help the anxious testers such as myself.

Does anyone else clearly get anxious before a PT, even alone, in the comfort of your house? Kind of irritates me... not sure if this is normal.

I never get anxious, even when I was doing TM and took tests under test conditions in a room with 20 other people. I just get annoyed and bored. Ha. I'm very lazy and doing work that really could be optional is the hardest thing ever for me. #TypeB

mist4bison · Post by **mist4bison** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 3:54 pm

chalky wrote:When is everyone planning on taking their last PT? I think I read a Powerscore article (not exactly sure of the source though) that said you shouldn't take a PT within 48 hours of the real thing. Would mean Weds. night at the latest?

Didn't know that. Perfect, though. I'm taking my last one on Wednesday.

Going to take a couple additional days off from work, trying to decide which ones.

Currently taking:
Sept 24 (Th)
Sept 30 (W)

Going to add:
Oct 2 (F) (after TLS and ~7 people irl have pushed me to take it off)
Sept 29 (T) (still considering Mon or this Friday. I want to be able to spend the entire day drilling, though, so no later than Tues)

TheProdigal · Post by **TheProdigal** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 4:02 pm

TheProdigal wrote:
nlee10 wrote:Having done this twice, I currently give no effs
I wish I was in this spot. At a new testing center, 1.5 hours out of town, and the whole last take business is mildly stressful.

Currently on break from PTing, LG was a disaster.

I'll qualify this statement.

PT56
LG: -2 (Ran out of time on the last Q, bubbled randomly, realized it was right in the last 2 seconds, but wouldn't have had time to change it.)
LR1: -2
LR2: -3
RC: -0

174 again.

flash21 · Post by **flash21** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 4:24 pm

TheProdigal wrote:
TheProdigal wrote:
nlee10 wrote:Having done this twice, I currently give no effs
I wish I was in this spot. At a new testing center, 1.5 hours out of town, and the whole last take business is mildly stressful.

Currently on break from PTing, LG was a disaster.
I'll qualify this statement.

PT56
LG: -2 (Ran out of time on the last Q, bubbled randomly, realized it was right in the last 2 seconds, but wouldn't have had time to change it.)
LR1: -2
LR2: -3
RC: -0

174 again.

what was your diagnostic? I cannot comprehend a -0 reading comp.

TheProdigal · Post by **TheProdigal** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 4:59 pm

flash21 wrote:
TheProdigal wrote:
TheProdigal wrote:
nlee10 wrote:Having done this twice, I currently give no effs
I wish I was in this spot. At a new testing center, 1.5 hours out of town, and the whole last take business is mildly stressful.

Currently on break from PTing, LG was a disaster.
I'll qualify this statement.

PT56
LG: -2 (Ran out of time on the last Q, bubbled randomly, realized it was right in the last 2 seconds, but wouldn't have had time to change it.)
LR1: -2
LR2: -3
RC: -0

174 again.
what was your diagnostic? I cannot comprehend a -0 reading comp.

165. I can't either, to be honest. The Manhattan RC guide was absolutely invaluable. Still need to review. But that can wait a few hours.

flash21 · Post by **flash21** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 5:08 pm

pear, map and scale? Yeah I use it too, it helps a lot. maybe I just have to drill a lot more to get on your level.. currently missing about 7 ish with -3 being my best (pt before last)