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Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:16 am
by gobosox
So I'd been PTing in the mid 170s-- as high as 178 and gotten a few 176s and 174s. Perfect on LG, losing 2 or 3 on LR combined, and losing between 2 and 4 on RC.

The last few recent tests I've taken, I've bombed RC (-7, -7, -5) and run out of time on every LG section, being unable to solve the games. I've even been forced to guess on some questions because I ran out of time, and in the 30+ PTs before this, I've never had a time issue.

Can anyone give me some sage advice????? I am considering just not touching LSAT prep until test day...

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:17 am
by northwood
you may be burning out... stop doing timed PTs and review your strategies and skills.

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:17 am
by dusters
You need to relax. More than likely it is nerves/burnout. Just do some light drilling from here until Saturday.

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 7:10 pm
by Kellanj
Same things been happening to me, I was pting at 175+ but all three of the 2012 pt's have dropped me down to low 170's. I'm probably just gonna do some light drilling tomorrow and hope for a good test day. It might be a good idea to focus more on ensuring that you feel good on saturday morning, rather than cramming.

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 7:17 pm
by cooldude87
You shouldn't be testing two days before the test. I took the whole week off before the test because I noticed I wasn't doing as well on PT's as I had done before. I was fine on test day.

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 8:37 pm
by Jeffort
Sounds like fatigue combined with extra pressure related stress since test day is only a day away.

Stop taking timed PTs and sections, try to chill out, relax, de-stress and rest. Go to the gym, for a jog or bike ride or something to get a little bit of mild cardio exercise, eat some good healthy foods, do some brainless relaxing things such as watching comedy shows or movies, get some rest, and you should feel better, more focused and energized on test day.

If you must do some sort of LSAT stuff tomorrow (Friday), other than making sure your ziplock bag is in order along with a freshly printed out admission ticket, passport photo, ID, pencils, etc, only work a handful of questions of each type and do not check the answer key, just work a few questions to turn your LSAT gears a little bit.

Good luck on Saturday.

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:18 pm
by sabanist
Wild guess - PT 64 is one of them? A few days ago, some of us were talking about how much of a confidence killer that one was.

My recommendation would be to do some LG you've seen before to restore your confidence and relax. Good luck.

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:18 am
by Pinky Dinky
Yup, PT64 was definitely a confidence killer.

PT67 LR section 2 was brutual as well.

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:23 am
by oldschool123
Just like everyone else has said--you sound simply burned out. You shouldn't be going too heavy on prep the week/days before the test, as this can actually hurt and not help you. You obviously have the test down by now as proven by your other PTs in which you were scoring very high on......at this point your brain just needs to rest before the real test.

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 1:01 am
by Redbandit
Honestly, just spend this next day chilling. I mean, you can probably do some light (LIGHT) drilling tomorrow, but make sure that you don't overdo it. Sleep well and knock the LSAT out of the park!

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 1:09 am
by Br3v
Relax

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 1:54 am
by manofjustice
gobosox wrote:So I'd been PTing in the mid 170s-- as high as 178 and gotten a few 176s and 174s. Perfect on LG, losing 2 or 3 on LR combined, and losing between 2 and 4 on RC.

The last few recent tests I've taken, I've bombed RC (-7, -7, -5) and run out of time on every LG section, being unable to solve the games. I've even been forced to guess on some questions because I ran out of time, and in the 30+ PTs before this, I've never had a time issue.

Can anyone give me some sage advice????? I am considering just not touching LSAT prep until test day...
Yes. End this thread immediately and drink beer.

No, seriously. I had EXACTLY the same situation as you had. Followed my advice. Outperformed.

You have overloaded. Now you stop.

Well...

Maybe 1 more test...tomorrow. To keep sharp.

And a few sets at the test center before the test starts. (Your first logic game, for instance, should not be one of the four that, you know, determine your future.)

But for tonight and tomorrow and for all but three hours of the day the next day? BEER!

If you deviate from this advice I fuckin kill you.

edit: my situation was a little more dramatic. I remember it like it was yesterday--the time, the place, the beverage I was drinking. I just froze. My score would have been a 120. But just like you, I, fuckin dumb ass, said "gotta do more practice tests!!" Fuckin grade A dumb ass. (Thankfully my Dad said...hey...um...maybe you should...stop?...doing practice tests? Yea. That.)

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:23 am
by bp shinners
gobosox wrote: Can anyone give me some sage advice?????
Excessive use of question marks/exclamation points is (seriously) a sign of LSAT burnout.

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 3:03 pm
by gobosox
bp shinners wrote:
gobosox wrote: Can anyone give me some sage advice?????
Excessive use of question marks/exclamation points is (seriously) a sign of LSAT burnout.
Haha. Thanks for the advice.

Since I'm in Boston, the test was postponed, which really makes me feel better, since I do feel burned out. I am going to take time off until Monday and just lightly study next week, hoping my exam is the week after. Really appreciate the advice-- I got drunk last night and I think it helped!

Re: Dramatic drops 2 days before test. Help!!!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 3:22 pm
by francesfarmer
gobosox wrote:
bp shinners wrote:
gobosox wrote: Can anyone give me some sage advice?????
Excessive use of question marks/exclamation points is (seriously) a sign of LSAT burnout.
Haha. Thanks for the advice.

Since I'm in Boston, the test was postponed, which really makes me feel better, since I do feel burned out. I am going to take time off until Monday and just lightly study next week, hoping my exam is the week after. Really appreciate the advice-- I got drunk last night and I think it helped!
Good work. Getting drunk helps so much. I took a full week off of studying in the last month before the LSAT because I was burning out and it was the best thing I could have done.