Add and Reading Comprehension Forum

[Helicio]

So I have pretty intense ADD and stopped taking meds since freshman year because of side effects such as anxiety. I've maintained a great GPA without ADD meds and am scoring above 170 consistently on PTs.

However, I am considering restarting ADD meds for the LSAT. I am specifically doing this because RC is now my worst section by far (I get -0, -1, or -2 on each LR section and -0 or -1 on LG yet score up to -4 on RC often), and although I sometimes score 175 even when I bomb RC, I feel like RC is the only thing holding me back from scoring 177-180.

Anyway, my question is: What effects have any of you with ADD noticed on your PTs when on ADD meds vs. when off ADD meds?

I will take a PT tomorrow on ADD meds for the first time to see the effect.

Thanks hommies.

<3

Edit: Taking the June 11 LSAT.

[princeR]

This thread again? lol

But for real, I was diagnosed with ADD a couple years ago, I didn't like taking speed and just worked on shit myself. I did try taking adderall for the LSAT, in fact, I gave it a couple of chances to really see what the effects would be. For me, I lost all ability to reason. Arguments stopped flowing. If you were terrible at LG I might recommend it, fuck, I would finish games so god damn fast, but thats because I could just cycle the rules in my head. I don't think adderall will be effective for RC. I usually just got bogged down in the content and tried to remember everything. I would advise against it, specifically because you are already testing a such a high level and its so late in the game to be fucking with your system. Maybe if you tested this a month or two again, but I would definitely not do it.

I know why you want to take the pills. You think it will boost your RC score. Trust me, it wont, and if you waste time taking them tomorrow its just a day wasted hoping that pills will help you. I understand how much it sucks to have ADD or this test, but I really don't think its worth it.

[StarLightSpectre]

I had the exact opposite effect.

I've had ADD my whole life but I just dealt with it but I wanted to try it for the LSAT. For me it's really helped keep me focused on the RC and the tail end of LR. My score has got from mid 160's to high 160's in a few weeks and I'm now hitting 170+ occasionally. I can tell the improvement has come directly from my ability to remain focused for longer periods of time. It can sometimes be detrimental since I get too caught up on specific problems so I have to remind my self to keep checking my time.

[Helicio]

Thanks guys. The ritalin I am taking is short-lasting (like 4 hours), so it shouldn't have intense effects. I only plan on taking it right before PTs and the real thing.

After experimenting tomorrow and Wednesday I should have a better sense of how this will affect my PTs. Most of my mistakes seem to come from simple lack of focus, so that is the main reason I am expecting a difference.

[kaftka juice]

I had the exact same expereince as you..spookily similar, actually. I had medication back in undergrad but stopped taking it because of the side effects. Then, when LSAT studying I would get -1 to -2 on LR, -0 on LG, and -4ish (sometimes more) on RC. It didn't matter how many times I practiced RC, this was invariably the result. However, on test day, I got my usual -1 to -2 on LR, -2 on LG (which was very odd for me), and -1 or 2 (I forget) on RC. I don't think going back on Ritalin would've helped me in the slightest. If you're scoring that high consistantly, drugs this late in the game won't help...and it's probably more a function of which RC prompts they give you (aka ones on topics you're interested in/know about already) than anything else.

[Jeffort]

Starting to again take a serious mind altering medication you have not been taking for several years two weeks before test day, especially with the practice test score range you mentioned, is a VERY BAD IDEA. Do not do it.

You should stay in the same routine you have been in for a significant period of time that has been working to achieve good scores on timed practice tests taken under simulated test day conditions.

[rabbitrun]

Starting to again take a serious mind altering medication you have not been taking for several years two weeks before test day, especially with the practice test score range you mentioned, is a VERY BAD IDEA. Do not do it.

You should stay in the same routine you have been in for a significant period of time that has been working to achieve good scores on timed practice tests taken under simulated test day conditions.

Yup. I was in a similar situation the first time I took the LSAT. I got my doctor to put me back on my meds, but lower the dosage so I wasn't speeding out. Remember the first time you take it in a while and you feel like you are completely cracked out? Yeah... don't do that right before a test. I got on my meds a month out from the first time, and my RC score immediately dropped bc I would obsess about details.

When I was a kid and I ran out of meds, my mom would send me to school with a diet coke. Try increasing caffeine without increasing sugar (I wouldn't recommend diet coke though because it makes you pee more... try something like NeuroSonic)

You should be pretty pumped about doing so well w/out the meds. I was having problems with RC because I am a slow reader in addition to the ADD, and I found that if I just slowed down reading to about 3 min for each section and intensely read the section, I didn't have to go back and forth between the Q and the passage (it went from -6 to -1/2). I think its because ADD kids can't switch attention very well so just get that shit down the first time you read it and then quickly answer the questions (which it sounds like you could probably do pretty easily if you are doing so well on LR). I know this is opposite advice from what everyone says, but going back and forth wasn't working for me.

Thanks guys. The ritalin I am taking is short-lasting (like 4 hours), so it shouldn't have intense effects. I only plan on taking it right before PTs and the real thing.

Don't go on and off. If you are off it for a day and then get back on, it makes the effect inconsistent and stronger. Also, if it lasts only 4 hours, remember that that means that its going to vary in strength between getting into effect, peaking, and coming down all w/in the time you are taking a test. UGH I sound like such a pill-popper... Just don't do it.

[espressocream]

Red Bull and this Powerbar.
http://www.amazon.com/PowerBar-Performa ... B001G7RATK

Should do the trick.