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Does it matter where you put the experimental section on practice exams? I have been putting them in random places, but I was wondering if the lsat people put them in the first 3 sections, or at the end? Should I put my weakest area in, or randomly use sections from old exams

northwood wrote:Does it matter where you put the experimental section on practice exams? I have been putting them in random places, but I was wondering if the lsat people put them in the first 3 sections, or at the end? Should I put my weakest area in, or randomly use sections from old exams

First 3 sections IIRC.

The experimental is always in the first 3 sections, before the break.

I would experiment with different orders / experimentals so you don't get too used to one format.

northwood wrote:Does it matter where you put the experimental section on practice exams? I have been putting them in random places, but I was wondering if the lsat people put them in the first 3 sections, or at the end? Should I put my weakest area in, or randomly use sections from old exams

As has been said, if you want the final score to mean anything, put it within the first 3 sections.

northwood wrote:Does it matter where you put the experimental section on practice exams? I have been putting them in random places, but I was wondering if the lsat people put them in the first 3 sections, or at the end? Should I put my weakest area in, or randomly use sections from old exams

It sounds like there's consensus that it should come before the break.

As far as what section to use, I think you should mix it up somewhat. LG might be your weakest section and so you want to give yourself the most practice with it, but if you only do that you might be unprepared and get totally burnt out if you have to do two RC sections on the actual test. Here's what I'm doing: I insert as an experimental on my next test the same section type as the one I performed worst on on the previous test. So if my first test was -1 LG, -3 LG (exp.), -3 LR, -2 LR, - 7 RC, I would add RC as my next experimental. I don't perform drastically better on one section than on the others, so I get a good mix of experimental sections with this method, while still hammering whatever is bothering me most at the moment.

sgtgrumbles wrote:

northwood wrote:Does it matter where you put the experimental section on practice exams? I have been putting them in random places, but I was wondering if the lsat people put them in the first 3 sections, or at the end? Should I put my weakest area in, or randomly use sections from old exams

It sounds like there's consensus that it should come before the break.

As far as what section to use, I think you should mix it up somewhat. LG might be your weakest section and so you want to give yourself the most practice with it, but if you only do that you might be unprepared and get totally burnt out if you have to do two RC sections on the actual test. Here's what I'm doing: I insert as an experimental on my next test the same section type as the one I performed worst on on the previous test. So if my first test was -1 LG, -3 LG (exp.), -3 LR, -2 LR, - 7 RC, I would add RC as my next experimental. I don't perform drastically better on one section than on the others, so I get a good mix of experimental sections with this method, while still hammering whatever is bothering me most at the moment.

I like this strategy. Anything is better than just slamming myself with RC on every test like I've been doing.

PS: Regardless, I will be torturing myself with an experimental RC this evening.

No. I'm not a masochist.