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LSAT Blip has me worried

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:04 am
by Opie
I thought I was pretty well set with my LSAT score until yesterday when I took a PT and got a 158. I know that even at 158 I can still get into the school I'm shooting for, but I really want to get as much cash as I can.

I really haven't taken that many PTs (only 4 total), but the first three that I took were all 167s. There were a lot more distractions this time around than there normally have been, and I really wasn't feeling it. I also got discouraged right away with a bad section of games.

SO, my question is this: how accurate are these "blips" on the LSAT PT radar? Have I even taken enough PTs to have a consistent PT score yet?

Re: LSAT Blip has me worried

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:18 am
by incompetentia
Opie wrote: SO, my question is this: how accurate are these "blips" on the LSAT PT radar? Have I even taken enough PTs to have a consistent PT score yet?
No.
Over the course of 8 days and 5 PTs once, I went down 18 points and then up 21. 10-PT averages are a much more stable measure of where you are.


There will always be distractions on test day, so you have to learn to live with those when they happen around you. Bad tests can swing you 10+ points easily.


When you work for a long time without much time off, the chance for burnout also rises. If you're not taking at least 2-3 days off a week, this can be causing some issues as well.

Re: LSAT Blip has me worried

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:28 am
by Opie
incompetentia wrote:
Opie wrote: SO, my question is this: how accurate are these "blips" on the LSAT PT radar? Have I even taken enough PTs to have a consistent PT score yet?
No.
Over the course of 8 days and 5 PTs once, I went down 18 points and then up 21. 10-PT averages are a much more stable measure of where you are.


There will always be distractions on test day, so you have to learn to live with those when they happen around you. Bad tests can swing you 10+ points easily.


When you work for a long time without much time off, the chance for burnout also rises. If you're not taking at least 2-3 days off a week, this can be causing some issues as well.
I thought that a fair amount of swing was fairly normal. Three of the same score in a row had me thinking that that was pretty much where I was going to be though.

I'm good with distractions. These were major stop the clock and go take care of something distractions. I think I lost like 4 minutes on RC because I restarted the clock wrong (yes, I know that's not a good way to test, but I felt like I had to do one for some reason).

I don't even study 2-3 times a week, so study burnout is no issue. I do work 40 hours a week, volunteer 8 hours a week, raise two kids, and try in vain to keep a house looking okay. Oh, and I'm in full time UG too. So that may be contributing. :lol:

Re: LSAT Blip has me worried

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 12:24 pm
by EarlCat
Shake it off. We all have bad days.

Re: LSAT Blip has me worried

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 12:33 pm
by JamMasterJ
EarlCat wrote:Shake it off. We all have bad days.
truth. I had a a recent 5-7 point drop then an 10 point jump.

Re: LSAT Blip has me worried

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 12:41 pm
by mickeyD
Take 10 PTs, remove the best score and the worst score and average those. Based your expectations around that number instead.

Re: LSAT Blip has me worried

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 12:42 pm
by JamMasterJ
mickeyD wrote:Take 10 PTs, remove the best score and the worst score and average those. Based your expectations around that number instead.
I hope this is the case

Re: LSAT Blip has me worried

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 12:44 pm
by mickeyD
JamMasterJ wrote:
mickeyD wrote:Take 10 PTs, remove the best score and the worst score and average those. Based your expectations Subtract four points and base your expectations around that number instead.
I hope this is the case
Forgot to add that one.

Re: LSAT Blip has me worried

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2011 10:38 pm
by Opie
I'll definitely have that many by 10/1. I'd really love to hit 170 on the real deal.