Need help, please :) Forum

[risktaker]

So, I took the June 2010 LSAT and scored a 153 on it. I re-took this LSAT and I had not seen it since test day. I got a 165. I seem to have this problem where I score 165+ on all my PT's, but I have done relatively poorly on the real LSAT's. I have taken the LSAT 4 times, with a cancel, 156, 157 and 153. A couple law schools have allowed me to retake the LSAT, should I try to prep by trying to do all sections in 30-32 minutes and then go ahead and retake in October? I also tried some self-hypnosis starting a couple days ago and it seems to have relaxed me a lot more when taking the test. I want to study patent law and UCLA is my reach. All advice and help would be greatly appreciated.

[Anaconda]

Do you feel like you did poorly on test day? Did you think you bombed a section, or had to guess on several questions? Did you lose your nerves?

[blackwater88]

So, I took the June 2010 LSAT and scored a 153 on it. I re-took this LSAT and I had not seen it since test day. I got a 165. I seem to have this problem where I score 165+ on all my PT's, but I have done relatively poorly on the real LSAT's. I have taken the LSAT 4 times, with a cancel, 156, 157 and 153. A couple law schools have allowed me to retake the LSAT, should I try to prep by trying to do all sections in 30-32 minutes and then go ahead and retake in October? I also tried some self-hypnosis starting a couple days ago and it seems to have relaxed me a lot more when taking the test. I want to study patent law and UCLA is my reach. All advice and help would be greatly appreciated.

It seems like your low scores are due more to getting stressed out than not grasping the material. You might have gotten a 165 with the June test as a PT, but remember that you didn't have an experimental section. Often times the experimental section can contribute to either being confident or having a breakdown. In my case, I had the LG experimental in the first section, it was rediculously hard and know I did horribly, that was my second retake and it really brought my morale down. Although I did much better than the first two times, having that hard of an experimental section really affected my concentration. Next time you should just take the test with the mindset that it's nothing more than that, a test. It is used to gauge how you do on that particular exam, on that particular date, at that particular time. If you're like me I'm sure that having a low score has a hit on your self esteem, but you have to know that the LSAT is a skill based test. If you study enough you will do better, it does not say anything about your innate intelligence.
Hopefully next time you can just go in and rip it apart without getting stressed out or thinking too much about it.

[Nikrall]

So, I took the June 2010 LSAT and scored a 153 on it. I re-took this LSAT and I had not seen it since test day. I got a 165. I seem to have this problem where I score 165+ on all my PT's, but I have done relatively poorly on the real LSAT's. I have taken the LSAT 4 times, with a cancel, 156, 157 and 153. A couple law schools have allowed me to retake the LSAT, should I try to prep by trying to do all sections in 30-32 minutes and then go ahead and retake in October? I also tried some self-hypnosis starting a couple days ago and it seems to have relaxed me a lot more when taking the test. I want to study patent law and UCLA is my reach. All advice and help would be greatly appreciated.

What have you been using to study?

[risktaker]

I have been using all real PT's and I also took the Testmasters course. I really feel that it has a lot to do w/ nerves. I am just going to keep trying to do some self hypnosis and make myself believe that this test is nothing more than a test. I actually used an experimental LG to simulate the actual test on the June 2010 test that I took today.

[Nikrall]

I have been using all real PT's and I also took the Testmasters course. I really feel that it has a lot to do w/ nerves. I am just going to keep trying to do some self hypnosis and make myself believe that this test is nothing more than a test. I actually used an experimental LG to simulate the actual test on the June 2010 test that I took today.

It does have to do with nerves, but the thing about nerves is that the better you know the material, the less nerves can affect how you are able to do.