Keys to minimizing mistakes??? Forum

[lsatextreme]

Having studied for this test for so long (2nd time taking it in a week), I rarely come across a problem I get wrong where it just hit me by surprise, yet I still seem to get a considerable amount of problems wrong where I'll afterwards, I'll end up spotting the mistake while I'm going over them. A lot of times these mistakes are due to misreading the prompt/stim or some other obvious mistake, and other times I'm just not sure why I picked a certain answer when afterwards I grade it, I'll a) figure out the correct answer myself and curse myself for not picking it earlier b) read the correct answer from the key and then let it hit me as to why it's the right answer and then curse myself for not picking it. In either case, I always seem to understand why the correct answer is what it is without hesitation, yet I can't seem to minimize these errors and figure them out when I'm actually doing the test. I'm sure I'm downplaying these "mistakes" as it's the goal of the test to have me fall for their tricks, but any helpful tips that would help me with this predicament? It just seems that I'm no longer really "learning" from my mistakes or having any takeaway message from correcting problems anymore except telling myself to stop making stupid mistakes and focus harder, but that's just a lot easier said than done aye?

[srpaik]

Having studied for this test for so long (2nd time taking it in a week), I rarely come across a problem I get wrong where it just hit me by surprise, yet I still seem to get a considerable amount of problems wrong where I'll afterwards, I'll end up spotting the mistake while I'm going over them. A lot of times these mistakes are due to misreading the prompt/stim or some other obvious mistake, and other times I'm just not sure why I picked a certain answer when afterwards I grade it, I'll a) figure out the correct answer myself and curse myself for not picking it earlier b) read the correct answer from the key and then let it hit me as to why it's the right answer and then curse myself for not picking it. In either case, I always seem to understand why the correct answer is what it is without hesitation, yet I can't seem to minimize these errors and figure them out when I'm actually doing the test. I'm sure I'm downplaying these "mistakes" as it's the goal of the test to have me fall for their tricks, but any helpful tips that would help me with this predicament? It just seems that I'm no longer really "learning" from my mistakes or having any takeaway message from correcting problems anymore except telling myself to stop making stupid mistakes and focus harder, but that's just a lot easier said than done aye?

Just hope that those stupid mistakes won't happen on your test day. Probably you are not focusing enough because it is still a PREP test, and the goal of it is to prepare for your test, and it's not a prediction or your real score.

Take each PTs as if it were your real test. If you are consistantly getting around 168~172, set a goal of getting 170 for today's PT, and give a treat to yourself when you actually get over 170. If you do not get over 170, make yourself feel like a loser and maybe go jump off a bridge.

I like playing games, so if I get over 170 for each day of PTs, I give myself a break and play games for an hour. This motivation (tho seem childish & stupid) prevents me from making dumb mistakes, and helps me to pick better answer choices. Remember, each question is worth a point. LSAT is not about how many questions to get right, but it's more about how many questions to NOT get wrong.

[HiLine]

I would try slowing down a bit; it is generally not advisable to sacrifice accuracy for speed. Speed will improve naturally with practice, but if you keep making mistakes by careless reading, your accuracy will suffer.

[Kobe_Teeth]

Concentrate.

[StrictlyLiable]

Concentrate.

Yeah and maybe read slower/more carefully? There is no point to attempting more questions that you can read with your full attention.

[theZeigs]

I recently had the same venting in a similar thread:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=117338

In which I have links to other, similar threads. (Not trying to threadcrap, just saying that everyone has these problems).

I agree with the above posters, I think that once you get to a certain point, it's not about knowing the test, it's about focus and not making silly mistakes. I started to notice more of these kinds of mistakes when I cut down my time for sections from 35 to 32 minutes, forcing myself to move faster (virtually all of the LR mistakes I make are silly, obvious mistakes).

Unfortunately, I'm also burning out, in that when I did my last PT, I didn't care anymore, I just wanted it to be done. I've been studying since Feb, I've done a million tests, I've seen all the problem types, it's going to come down to game day performance in 6 days. I have experimented a little bit with caffeine, but I think it makes me too jittery, just going to let adrenaline do its thing.

The difference between e.g. a 170 and a 180 is these kinds of mistakes. Certainly, some people who are averaging 160ish and don't know the test can get lucky and get a 170, but for people averaging say mid 170s, the difference is focus and not making dumb errors.

Good luck, fingers crossed for all!

[lsatextreme]

very informative. Thank you all

I guess for some reason I thought it was absolutely essential for me to finish on time under any circumstances but I realize it's a bigger performance hit than I imagined.

[Azmatt]

it's threads like this that make me feel like 5 months isn't enough time to study for the October test.

[srpaik]

it's threads like this that make me feel like 5 months isn't enough time to study for the October test.

two months of full time studying is enough.

[DGLitcH]

Having studied for this test for so long (2nd time taking it in a week), I rarely come across a problem I get wrong where it just hit me by surprise, yet I still seem to get a considerable amount of problems wrong where I'll afterwards, I'll end up spotting the mistake while I'm going over them. A lot of times these mistakes are due to misreading the prompt/stim or some other obvious mistake, and other times I'm just not sure why I picked a certain answer when afterwards I grade it, I'll a) figure out the correct answer myself and curse myself for not picking it earlier b) read the correct answer from the key and then let it hit me as to why it's the right answer and then curse myself for not picking it. In either case, I always seem to understand why the correct answer is what it is without hesitation, yet I can't seem to minimize these errors and figure them out when I'm actually doing the test. I'm sure I'm downplaying these "mistakes" as it's the goal of the test to have me fall for their tricks, but any helpful tips that would help me with this predicament? It just seems that I'm no longer really "learning" from my mistakes or having any takeaway message from correcting problems anymore except telling myself to stop making stupid mistakes and focus harder, but that's just a lot easier said than done aye?

I feel you as I'm in a similar situation. Very painful situation to be in because it's not like I'm not trying but I just don't know how to improve.

[PLATONiC]

The above post is pretty much an accurate representation of my concerns for this test as well. I'm not really learning anything about the test anymore. Have you all been studying a lot less too as a result?

I mean, I've been sticking to a similar routine after every practice test; I solve the entire practice test again without knowing which ones I get wrong, and, as a result of familiarity, I actually get less than half the number of questions wrong on the test, despite the fact that I time myself on the second try. I review the questions that I got wrong twice in a very detailed manner, I understand it, but that doesn't mean that I won't be making mistakes in the future. I can understand answers to questions on a case by case basis, but I don't feel that it enhances my ability to do better on the next PT.

How many hours have you all been studying? Well, more importantly, how many PTs have you all been taking a week? I have a full-time job, so I can only take about three practice tests a week if I want to make sure that I review them afterwards.

[alicrimson]

Platonic,
This is exactly how I feel and I'm not even a crazy highscorer. I especially feel this way in LR, my most dickmeover section. I look back at the problems post timer and am like "effing duh! ofcourse its this one. how could I be so foolish?" I think the two factors are: 1. this is not the real test 2. this is not the real test, can i get this over with and 3. this is not the real test. brain can wander. This is why I think test day is going to provide me the kick in the pants I need to perform well. I feel understanding is number one and then performance will come. I know I perform under pressure. Best races and best erg pieces have all come under immense pressure. I feel this will be no different. And if feeling doesn't work, there's always October and drilling the shit out of my brain until then so I can retake and be one of those retake success stories.