How'd you do on your first 10 PTs? Forum

[2011Law]

Wondering how people might have done on their first few PTs. After reading LR and LG bibles and Nova's section on RC, I did the "Next 10." I actually did it sections at a time, first RC, then LR, then LG. For LR and RC I almost always finished in the 35 mins, on LG I averaged about 50. Anyway, my top score was 166, lowest 153, with an average of 161. I've been going through the questions that I got wrong or had trouble with, and still have 40-60 to do until the December test. Anyone have thoughts on what score I should be aiming for?

[Chris_cpb]

Are you studying for the October or December test, just wondering?

[Hedwig]

Prep Test #48: 165
Prep Test #19: 168
Prep Test #20: 173
Superprep C: 175
Prep Test #7: 176
Prep Test #21: 174
Prep Test #25: 173
Prep Test #38: 171
Prep Test #36: 174
Prep Test #27: 175

[The Gentleman]

I didn't begin taking full length PTs until 3 months into my prep.

173 - Super A
171 - Super B
170 - Super C
173 - PT 43
172 - PT 44
174 - PT 45
171 - PT 46
172 - PT 47
174 - PT 48
166 - PT 49 (Blah!)

[2011Law]

Are you studying for the October or December test, just wondering?

December, with a full schedule there was no way I'd be fully prepared for Oct, so I'm taking the late test.

I didn't begin taking full length PTs until 3 months into my prep.

Were you doing the bibles and other books or doing sections at a time, both, or what?

Also, nice scores to both people for your first 10 PTs. If you've already taken the test, what score did you get? If not, what are you planning to get?

I forgot to mention this in the original post, but I'm aiming for a 170. I think I can get this because about half the questions I get wrong on LR and RC are very simple mistakes, and on LG I'm not doing so bad (~7 wrong), just taking extraordinarily long.

[Hedwig]

Are you studying for the October or December test, just wondering?

December, with a full schedule there was no way I'd be fully prepared for Oct, so I'm taking the late test.

I didn't begin taking full length PTs until 3 months into my prep.

Were you doing the bibles and other books or doing sections at a time, both, or what?

Also, nice scores to both people for your first 10 PTs. If you've already taken the test, what score did you get? If not, what are you planning to get?

I forgot to mention this in the original post, but I'm aiming for a 170. I think I can get this because about half the questions I get wrong on LR and RC are very simple mistakes, and on LG I'm not doing so bad (~7 wrong), just taking extraordinarily long.

Lol I'm PLANNING to get a 180. I'm expecting maybe a 170. Lol.

[2011Law]

Lol I'm PLANNING to get a 180. I'm expecting maybe a 170. Lol.

Why would you be expecting a 170 if you averaged a 172 on your first 10 PTs? Are those scores recent? Even if they are and you're going for the Oct test, you still have time to review and take some more PTs to just about guarantee a slightly higher score than you're now averaging, no?

[The Gentleman]

Were you doing the bibles and other books or doing sections at a time, both, or what?

Both. I have been following a slightly modified version of LSATBlog's 5 month study plan. (http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/) I spent the first month focusing only on games, the second month only on logical reasoning, and the third month on a combo of RC and general review/re-acclimation. For each section, I began by moving through the "Bible" while completing question types from older PTs that corresponded to the chapter I was working on. (doing grouping games after finishing the LG Bible chapter on grouping games) Once I had worked through the Bible, I made the transition to timed sections.

Also don't sweat it if you're struggling with the logic games. I went from FAILtacular on LGs to a -1 average on my recent PTs. The more games you do/re-do, the better and faster you will get.

PS when I posted my scores, I just posted all of the full length PTs I have taken thus far. I didn't realize that there were exactly 10 lol. Coincidence...

[kazu]

Lol I'm PLANNING to get a 180. I'm expecting maybe a 170. Lol.

Why would you be expecting a 170 if you averaged a 172 on your first 10 PTs? Are those scores recent? Even if they are and you're going for the Oct test, you still have time to review and take some more PTs to just about guarantee a slightly higher score than you're now averaging, no?

There's no such thing as a "guarantee". Lots of people drop from their PT average, for various reasons out of their control.

[Knock]

My Practice Tests:
Pt#____Date__________Individual Sections____Raw /Scaled Score_______________Notes___________________
36 -- 02/27/10 ------ -6 LR -3 RC -7 LR -3 LG ------82/165 --- Free Kaplan Test, finished LG bible by exam, 5 sections
19 -- 03/24/10 ---- -2 LG -4 LR -4 RC -2 LR ------- 89/170 ---- most of LR Bible done, rusty on games, 4 sections
20 -- 03/25/10 ----- -4 LR -1 RC -4 LG -2 LR ------- 90/171 ---- missed last 3 on 4th LG due to extremely hard game
21 -- 03/30/10 ----- -4 LG -6 LR -2 LR -3 RC ------ 86/169 ----- 4 sections, felt off, disappointing, first PT to drop
22 -- 03/31/10 ----- -2 RC -4 LR -0 LG -4 LR ------ 91/172 ----- 4 sections, nearly bombed LG, LR dragging me down
23 -- 04/01/10 ----- -6 LG -4 LR -4 LR -4 RC ------ 82/168 ----- ran out of time on LG (2 q's), took at 9pm (noise + tired)
24 -- 04/03/10 ----- -2 RC -3 LR -2 LR -6 LG ------ 88/171 ---- 4 sections, bombed last LG (missed 5/6)
25 -- 04/05/10 ----- -0 RC -2 LR -9 LG -2 LR ------ 88/169 ---- 4 sections, bombed 2nd lg (0/7), hardest LG ever
26 -- 04/07/10 ----- -2 LG -5 LR -5 LR -2 RC ------ 87/170 ---- 4 sections, LR holding me back this time
27 -- 04/08/10 ----- -2 LR -1 LG -4 RC -4 LR ------ 90/174 ---- 4 sections, 5 extra minutes on LG! Artificially high score

[kpuc]

164 (cold diag)

167 (PrepTest 7)
170 (PrepTest 9)
163 (PrepTest 10)
173 (PrepTest 11)
171 (PrepTest 12)
172 (PrepTest 19)
177 (PrepTest 20)
175 (PrepTest 21)
175 (PrepTest 22)
172 (PrepTest 49) *latest

[GoGetIt]

"I went from FAILtacular on LGs to a -1 average on my recent PTs"


how bad was "failtacular" for you??

[Hedwig]

Lol I'm PLANNING to get a 180. I'm expecting maybe a 170. Lol.

Why would you be expecting a 170 if you averaged a 172 on your first 10 PTs? Are those scores recent? Even if they are and you're going for the Oct test, you still have time to review and take some more PTs to just about guarantee a slightly higher score than you're now averaging, no?

There's no such thing as a "guarantee". Lots of people drop from their PT average, for various reasons out of their control.

Yeah, a PT average doesn't translate to what you should expect on your LSAT, it seems. I think someone on here scored 180 several times, yet got a 171 or something on the real test. I would be happy with a 171, but yeah, not expecting higher.

[whymeohgodno]

Something like...

160
167
165
167
160
171
174
169
170

[2011Law]

Thanks for the replies, feeling pretty unsure of myself though with all these high scores people are posting, anyone out there start out averaging 161 (after reading bibles or w/e) and end up with a 170?

"I went from FAILtacular on LGs to a -1 average on my recent PTs"


how bad was "failtacular" for you??

haha, I kinda want to know to. For me it's pretty horrific, taking 50 min with about 6/7 wrong, except for the LG on PT 34, which destroyed my life: 40 mins with 8 RIGHT. Skipped the first game after 4 mins of blanking out, and then about -3/2 per games 2, 3, and 4. Anyone else do particularly bad on that one?

[DreamShake]

i started out at 161 on my very first PT--got about 8 LG questions correct, including guesses.

i took ~10 practice tests prior to the 12/09 LSAT; all but one were from the "10 actual official" book. my scores varied wildly based on how well i did on LG's--anywhere from high 160's to ~175. i finished a LG section in the allotted time only once.

--ended up scoring a 169 on the 12/09 test. wasn't happy, so i started prepping about 6 weeks ago for the 10/10 LSAT: bought the LG Bible, read it, and did every section twice (w/about 3-5 days between). i did each section untimed the first run through, then timed the second one. it's important to take your time so you can really appreciate the lessons you're learning (i.e., learn the tricks the testmakers are pulling). one big thing i got from the diagramming techniques outlined in the LGB was the lesson to quickly identify wrong answers--it helps a lot to need only 1 or 2 hypotheticals to solve something.

my prep AFTER the LG Bible
174--forgot which test this was; i think PT 37
178--PT 38
176--Oct. 09
169 (2 hours of sleep)--PT 49
170 (from today--not enough sleep again)--PT 50

i haven't missed more than 2 LG questions on any of these tests--the two big drops are from trying to turn my sleep schedule around and consequently drifting off during LR/RC sections. there's definitely hope for improvement, just keep hammering away. FWIW, after i finished the LGB, i completed almost every LG section prior to 50. i did the first half-dozen or so untimed, then started timing them. repetition is key w/the LG's--you're teaching your brain how to identify testmaker tendencies/habits.

[Hannibal]

I don't remember the numbers except for a few of em

The free one: 145~
157
163
169
PT33: 173
173
168
176
SPA: 174
SPB: 180