LSAT downward trend? Forum

[DogCook]

These are my scores for the diagnostics I've taken:

LSAT Date Taken Score Percentile Raw Score
Jun 08 1/4/11 156 67.4 % 71 (cold)
Oct 08 1/22/11 161 83.4 % 79
Jun 06 1/25/11 164 90.0 % 83
Dec 08 1/29/11 179 99.9 % 97
Sep 06 2/1/11 177 99.8 % 96
Dec 09 2/2/11 171 98.0 % 89
Jun 09 2/5/11 170 97.4 % 90


I feel like I peaked last week and everything made sense, then I (overenthusiasically) took two diagnostics in two days and felt really burned out/dropped several points. I took a couple of days off before the next test but my score didn't bounce back, so now I'm confused as to what I can expect on the actual February test date. Obviously I will take a couple more diagnostics and practice within the next week, but I'm terrified that my score will just keep going down. My original goal was 168, but now I'd like to stay above 170.

The biggest fluctuations have been in LR. At my peak I got -0/-1 and -1/-1 and now I'm at -3 to -5 per section, with no consistency in question types I got wrong. Something's just not clicking anymore.

Has this happened to anyone? Were the high scores just flukes? Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Excel]

Not flukes, you're burned out.

Relax for a few days.

[Stonewall]

164 to a 179.. Uhh talk about a jump, what did you do different?

Eh dips are common -- I wouldn't sweat it

[Sh@keNb@ke]

164 to a 179.. Uhh talk about a jump, what did you do different?

Eh dips are common -- I wouldn't sweat it

+1 Was wondering the same thing.

[DogCook]

Thanks for the reassurance guys, I just hope it goes back up before Saturday. I'm taking a course and I think the difference just came from reaching a point in the material where we had covered the most common question types (including the ones I had been having the most trouble with) and most game types/approaches.

[DogCook]

Also, thinking back on it, I had sex right before going to the (proctored) diag where I got the 179. Should I do the same Saturday morning? Lol

[Blindc1rca]

taking a break is TCR. i had a 10 PT streak of 174+ and then my last 3 PTs before test day were 170 to 172, and I ended up with a 170 on test day. needless to say i did not take a break.

[DogCook]

By "break", do you mean not taking any more PTs before test day, or just taking a couple and not back to back? For the record, I have the last 3 classes of my prep course this coming week so I will inevitably be in contact with LSAT material for 12-ish hours this week already.

I was thinking:

Monday: 2 LR timed sections
Tuesday: PT Dec 2010 (class 6-10)
Wednesday: class 6-10
Thursday: PT June 2010 (class 6-10)
Friday: Attempt to forget for 24 hours that I'm about to take a test that could potentially affect the rest of my life.
Saturday: KILL IT, leave for a cruise

Also, one more question: I've heard that most people get out of the test around 1:30-2. I stupidly booked this cruise knowing I have to be on the boat by 2pm (10-15 minute cab ride away). The admission ticket says up to 7 HOURS. Likely/unlikely?

[EarlCat]

By "break", do you mean not taking any more PTs before test day, or just taking a couple and not back to back? For the record, I have the last 3 classes of my prep course this coming week so I will inevitably be in contact with LSAT material for 12-ish hours this week already.

I was thinking:

Monday: 2 LR timed sections
Tuesday: PT Dec 2010 (class 6-10)
Wednesday: class 6-10
Thursday: PT June 2010 (class 6-10)
Friday: Attempt to forget for 24 hours that I'm about to take a test that could potentially affect the rest of my life.
Saturday: KILL IT, leave for a cruise

Also, one more question: I've heard that most people get out of the test around 1:30-2. I stupidly booked this cruise knowing I have to be on the boat by 2pm (10-15 minute cab ride away). The admission ticket says up to 7 HOURS. Likely/unlikely?

Unlikely, unless someone pulls the fire alarm of there is some other sort of hang up. If your proctors are good, the whole thing from check-in to leaving should be about 4.5-5 hours.

[EarlCat]

Also, thinking back on it, I had sex right before going to the (proctored) diag where I got the 179. Should I do the same Saturday morning?

twice.