PT Bummed Forum
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- Posts: 72
- Joined: Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:19 pm
PT Bummed
After a month of studying I took my first PT and got a 161. This was last week.
Today I took another test today after studying my mistakes and doing Powerscore homework for many hours including 5 hours yesterday.
I just scored a 159. It might as have said 140 as I won't go to L-School with a score that low. I improved by 3 points on my LG's and got 5 more wrong on LR, and stayed neutral on RC. The tests were Dec 07 and Jun 08 respectively. I'm really looking to get into the high 160's (167-170 would be ideal).
I knew I did terrible on the LR because it got to a point where I just couldn't think anymore. I'm planning on taking the Dec LSAT and right now am petty disheartened.
Any advice?
Today I took another test today after studying my mistakes and doing Powerscore homework for many hours including 5 hours yesterday.
I just scored a 159. It might as have said 140 as I won't go to L-School with a score that low. I improved by 3 points on my LG's and got 5 more wrong on LR, and stayed neutral on RC. The tests were Dec 07 and Jun 08 respectively. I'm really looking to get into the high 160's (167-170 would be ideal).
I knew I did terrible on the LR because it got to a point where I just couldn't think anymore. I'm planning on taking the Dec LSAT and right now am petty disheartened.
Any advice?
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- Posts: 51
- Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 10:11 pm
Re: PT Bummed
stop taking pt tests, breakdown LR by problem type. here is a link http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/ls ... sheet.html, spend a week on it, then pt again. do the same for Logic games.
- ArchRoark
- Posts: 1000
- Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 2:53 pm
Re: PT Bummed
First, quit the defeatist attitude.
Work through the bibles. Figure out what sections/question types are giving you the most trouble. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW your tests, both the right answers and the wrong. Find out why the answers you selected are right or wrong. Is your timing down?
Work through the bibles. Figure out what sections/question types are giving you the most trouble. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW your tests, both the right answers and the wrong. Find out why the answers you selected are right or wrong. Is your timing down?
- MysticalWheel
- Posts: 354
- Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2010 8:23 pm
Re: PT Bummed
I remember the 2nd preptest I ever took, following about 3 weeks of study. My score was 1 point lower than my diagnostic. Needless to say, disappointment and mild disillusionment accompanied the numerical figure. Shortly thereafter, however, I learned that it was not at all unusual to see up to a 3 or 4 point drop from the diagnostic score on subsequent tests. I think the fact that the 2nd preptest is commonly approached more seriously than the 1st accounts in part for the drop, that is, more pressure to outperform a previous mark as opposed to no pressure to outperform a specific mark.guinness wrote:After a month of studying I took my first PT and got a 161. This was last week.
Today I took another test today after studying my mistakes and doing Powerscore homework for many hours including 5 hours yesterday.
I just scored a 159. It might as have said 140 as I won't go to L-School with a score that low. I improved by 3 points on my LG's and got 5 more wrong on LR, and stayed neutral on RC. The tests were Dec 07 and Jun 08 respectively. I'm really looking to get into the high 160's (167-170 would be ideal).
I knew I did terrible on the LR because it got to a point where I just couldn't think anymore. I'm planning on taking the Dec LSAT and right now am petty disheartened.
Any advice?
With the above in mind, don't let yourself be derailed over a couple of points. Continue to review both the questions you get wrong and the ones you get right on LR; at this point, I would be more worried if you were performing worse on LG's than on LR.
Also, don't discount the effect of unforeseen circumstances, such as what time of day you took your first and second preptest, how much sleep you had the night prior to each of the tests, how much mental fatigue you did or did not have going into each of the tests, and so on. The 5 hours of study the day prior may certainly have contributed to your statement of not being able to "think anymore." I would limit study to 3 or 4 hours per day. Anyways, that's my advice; you have plenty of time until December so high 160s/low 170s is absolutely not out of the question.
- incompetentia
- Posts: 2277
- Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 2:57 pm
Re: PT Bummed
My 2nd PT was a 176, and every single subsequent score was a decrease until I had a 165 on my 8th exam.
You will break it after a while, but it takes some time.
You're also like 7-8 weeks away. You have ages, and probably 20+ tests more to go anyway.
You will break it after a while, but it takes some time.
You're also like 7-8 weeks away. You have ages, and probably 20+ tests more to go anyway.
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- Posts: 72
- Joined: Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:19 pm
Re: PT Bummed
Thanks for the advice.
My timing is fine (or fine enough considering I'm getting questions wrong).
I went from probably around -16 (never did a PT when I was at this point) with LG to now -5. I think -0 is definitely attainable since I haven't even practiced all types of games at this point.
I was burned out going into the test, stayed up very late last night / studied all of yesterday. Maybe I should look at a 159 as a gift with those conditions. Also, I use the iPhone LSAT proctor app which is insanely distracting, but I think will be helpful come test day.
RC is puzzling as hell to me. Some passages seem like they could have been tested in 2nd grade, and others seem impossible for me.
LR is the place where I feel the most comfortable, but perform the worst.
I need to nut up. 7-8 weeks. I'm going to get back to the grindstone, and make this test my proverbial bitch.
My timing is fine (or fine enough considering I'm getting questions wrong).
I went from probably around -16 (never did a PT when I was at this point) with LG to now -5. I think -0 is definitely attainable since I haven't even practiced all types of games at this point.
I was burned out going into the test, stayed up very late last night / studied all of yesterday. Maybe I should look at a 159 as a gift with those conditions. Also, I use the iPhone LSAT proctor app which is insanely distracting, but I think will be helpful come test day.
RC is puzzling as hell to me. Some passages seem like they could have been tested in 2nd grade, and others seem impossible for me.
LR is the place where I feel the most comfortable, but perform the worst.
I need to nut up. 7-8 weeks. I'm going to get back to the grindstone, and make this test my proverbial bitch.
- omninode
- Posts: 405
- Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 2:09 pm
Re: PT Bummed
In my experience preparing for the October test, the environment where I do a practice test makes a huge difference. Tests I did at home, with all the distractions and noises, I got 166-167. Tests I did in the library at my school, in total silence with no interruptions (more like the real LSAT) I got 172-174. Something to think about.
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- Posts: 89
- Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:02 am
Re: PT Bummed
June 2008 was PT 54, which had an absurd curve.
- txadv11
- Posts: 922
- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 3:06 pm
Re: PT Bummed
So you went from a 161 to a 159.... What's the big deal? I would understand 161 to 141 or something... tests vary sometimes. Diet, amount of sleep, etc can sway a person's score by 1-2 points easy.guinness wrote:After a month of studying I took my first PT and got a 161. This was last week.
Today I took another test today after studying my mistakes and doing Powerscore homework for many hours including 5 hours yesterday.
I just scored a 159. It might as have said 140 as I won't go to L-School with a score that low. I improved by 3 points on my LG's and got 5 more wrong on LR, and stayed neutral on RC. The tests were Dec 07 and Jun 08 respectively. I'm really looking to get into the high 160's (167-170 would be ideal).
I knew I did terrible on the LR because it got to a point where I just couldn't think anymore. I'm planning on taking the Dec LSAT and right now am petty disheartened.
Any advice?
Take a few more, then really criticize yourself.
- dcman06
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:08 pm
Re: PT Bummed
Several things I did before October's test besides timing and adding in dummy experimentals:
1. Make sure I took the test during the daytime or early evening (during weekdays). Test
2. Make sure the test environment was in a relatively quiet place (a library in the open is a good place - there's noise in a library, not too much but there because the LSAT room won't be 100% quiet), if I wasn't taking it with other people...
3. Temperature of the room should be comfortable. Don't take it in a freezing room, don't take it in an un air conditioned room either. That can affect your performance a lot.
Even after doing all this, sure, I screwed up a few times. I got a 154 and a 156 on PT's 48 and 47 respectively. Even after reviewing the test and doing it again a week, I still didn't break 160. Oh well, I reviewed it again. Sometimes we'll take a test that isn't to our strengths, but that's why we're taking so many of them. Hopefully the test two weeks ago was to my strengths.
1. Make sure I took the test during the daytime or early evening (during weekdays). Test
2. Make sure the test environment was in a relatively quiet place (a library in the open is a good place - there's noise in a library, not too much but there because the LSAT room won't be 100% quiet), if I wasn't taking it with other people...
3. Temperature of the room should be comfortable. Don't take it in a freezing room, don't take it in an un air conditioned room either. That can affect your performance a lot.
Even after doing all this, sure, I screwed up a few times. I got a 154 and a 156 on PT's 48 and 47 respectively. Even after reviewing the test and doing it again a week, I still didn't break 160. Oh well, I reviewed it again. Sometimes we'll take a test that isn't to our strengths, but that's why we're taking so many of them. Hopefully the test two weeks ago was to my strengths.
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- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 3:59 pm
Re: PT Bummed
I studied on my on--Admittedly, not very hard--for a few weeks and scored a 158. Took a month long PR class and my PTs were around 168 before the test.
Don't give up dude, think about it, you're scoring better than almost 80% of test takers and you haven't even studied that long yet.
You could def benefit by slapping $1k on a class, trust me it's worth it.
Don't give up dude, think about it, you're scoring better than almost 80% of test takers and you haven't even studied that long yet.
You could def benefit by slapping $1k on a class, trust me it's worth it.
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Re: PT Bummed
Analyzing my 2 PT's in more depth, I really suck at Flaw in the Reasoning. I got nearly all of these questions wrong on both tests. If I can improve on only this type, I should be scoring much better.
I'm actually happy to find one area that is a big weakness because it theoretically should be easier to improve my score
I'm actually happy to find one area that is a big weakness because it theoretically should be easier to improve my score
- dcman06
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:08 pm
Re: PT Bummed
That's great to hear. The same flaws come up again and again and again. Take time now to see in your LSAT lessons what the most common flaws are, and that will help you a lot. It's even better that after a PT, go to every flaw question, and go through each of the answer choices, right or wrong. If it's a wrong choice, try to change the stimulus in your head to make that wrong choice right to keep exercising the flaws. Cause and Effect could be wrong in one flaw question, then right on another.guinness wrote:Analyzing my 2 PT's in more depth, I really suck at Flaw in the Reasoning. I got nearly all of these questions wrong on both tests. If I can improve on only this type, I should be scoring much better.
I'm actually happy to find one area that is a big weakness because it theoretically should be easier to improve my score
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Re: PT Bummed
I spent the week focusing almost solely on Flaw in the Reasoning questions. And it worked! I just took PT 55 and went -5 on LR (both sections) with 100% of FIR questions correct, I got a -6 on RC (pretty par for the course, but trending downwards), but fell apart on Logic Games. I missed a few key inferences missed and went -8. I ended up with 81 RAW and a 162. Not too shabby
My practice tests now look like:
Raw Score
77 161
76 159
81 162
It's a trend that I think will only go upwards as I continue to strive for a perfect LG section.
My practice tests now look like:
Raw Score
77 161
76 159
81 162
It's a trend that I think will only go upwards as I continue to strive for a perfect LG section.
- doug_7506
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2009 3:16 pm
Re: PT Bummed
Make sure you are studying for at least three hours at a time. Sound like to me you need to build your test endurance. Also make sure you are taking 5-section prep test!guinness wrote:After a month of studying I took my first PT and got a 161. This was last week.
Today I took another test today after studying my mistakes and doing Powerscore homework for many hours including 5 hours yesterday.
I just scored a 159. It might as have said 140 as I won't go to L-School with a score that low. I improved by 3 points on my LG's and got 5 more wrong on LR, and stayed neutral on RC. The tests were Dec 07 and Jun 08 respectively. I'm really looking to get into the high 160's (167-170 would be ideal).
I knew I did terrible on the LR because it got to a point where I just couldn't think anymore. I'm planning on taking the Dec LSAT and right now am petty disheartened.
Any advice?
- dcman06
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:08 pm
Re: PT Bummed
5 section tests are ESSENTIAL to building your endurance up. If you can manage to take two in one day and keep rather consistent scores, then endurance shouldn't be an issue.doug_7506 wrote: Make sure you are studying for at least three hours at a time. Sound like to me you need to build your test endurance. Also make sure you are taking 5-section prep test!
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