Artificial score bump? Forum

[AustinJim]

So my last timed prep test was very encouraging (174), so of course it was followed by waves of doubt and fear. My concern is that this score was considerably higher than my other practice tests, but it's also the oldest of the tests I've taken. I know that the games are supposedly easier and the RC supposed harder on newer tests, but how much of a difference in scaled scores do you think this could account for?

My other practice test scores have been, in order, 160 (diagnostic), 164, 160 (had a small meltdown during the games section), 166, and then the 174. These tests have all been one week apart, so I guess I started studying about 5 weeks ago.

My scores on the recent one, pt38 which is from 2000 I think, were LG -5, RC -1, LR -2, LR -1. I don't think it was a fluke, as I felt pretty certain of most of my answers, and on the games section the -5 was from the last game which I didn't do, I got all the others right.

I'll be taking another, more recent pt this saturday. I'm just worried that this most recent score was not actually indicative of an increase in skill that will be reflected on newer games.

Has anyone had similar experiences or any thoughts on this?

[Hey-O]

Keep this in mind. PTs mean nothing. They are practice and they give a general idea of your range. The goal is to raise your range. If your range right now is 166-171 (or whatever) the goal is to bring it to 169-175 so that on test day you do your best. You are capable of a 174. It doesn't mean you'll get a 174 regardless of which PT you took.

[Z3RO]

Don't pay too much attention to outlier scores, but give yourself a pat on the back. 174 is a nasty score.

I was PT'ing in a certain range for a while and I took a PT where i got 5 or 6 points lower than that. It almost killed me.

Didn't mean anything in the end. Keep at it. Remember your victories, but don't let them lead you to hubris.

That is all.

[tomwatts]

Take another one and see if you can do it again.

[inmans]

welcome to the mind fuck of the lsat

[rx3r]

I usually did much better on the older tests. I got a bunch of 180s on the oldest ones. I think I just responded better to the way the questions were written. I personally think that they were slightly easier.

That being said, I had an ah-hah moment at some point during my LSAT prep, and my score rocketed up and remained in the mid to high 170s even on the newer tests.

Maybe you are suddenly "getting it." Figure out what you did right on that PT and repeat it!