Underperforming your prep tests Forum

EricHosmer · Post by **EricHosmer** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 3:37 pm

I was consistently scoring 170-175 on my prep tests, but somehow ended up with a 163 on test day. I wasn't extremely nervous, and I can't recall any other extenuating circumstance that would have led to my poor performance. I didn't feel under-prepared either, so I'm at a loss as to what I should have done differently/what I can do differently in the future. Does anyone have any recommendations for me? Has anyone else here drastically underperformed and then did much better on a future test?

KMart · Post by **KMart** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 3:40 pm

Is this your first LSAT? PTs, as hard as we try, are never quite like test day. If this is your first time it is quite common you don't score as high. Often a second attempt will do better (more familiarity, practice, etc). I'm sorry that this happened, but it's often not something you did but rather just nerves and anxiety of the actual test.

Gray · Post by **Gray** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 3:42 pm

KMart · Post by **KMart** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 3:56 pm

smccgrey wrote:I'm so worried this is what's going to happen to me. Were all of your PTs timed, five sections using a scantron and analog watch, etc?

It is just a silly test, you will do great

. Embrace the fun.

Gray · Post by **Gray** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 3:59 pm

Yeezus · Post by **Yeezus** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 4:05 pm

That's what happened to me in June. I was consistently scoring 170-174 in PTs, with some 178/179s and an 180 thrown in, and got 166 in June. The way I see it, sometimes shit happens. There are going to be some tests that click with you, and some that don't. Also, the first time around, whether you notice or not, nerves will affect some of your answer choices. I saw that I made some really boneheaded mistakes in June, like misreading questions in LR, misreading an answer in RC, and forgetting an easy rule in LG. I was so focused on time that I subconsciously rushed through some of the questions. I'm retaking in a week, and I'm confident I'll be much better this time around.

tl;dr You'll be fine. Just keep on maintaining your familiarity with the LSAT until whenever you take it again. Chances are, it was a fluke.

EricHosmer · Post by **EricHosmer** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 9:34 pm

Unfortunately, this was my third try. The horrible thing is that I scored a 165 on my first try and I know that I wasn't as prepared for it as in June. My second try I cancelled a likely 164-168 thinking I would easily best that on my third try; apparently karma wanted to make me its bitch.

And I was timing all of the sections and doing them consecutively. I'm going to try again in another 13 months, so I'm really hoping it was just bad luck.

sfoglia · Post by **sfoglia** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 10:01 pm

EricHosmer wrote:Unfortunately, this was my third try. The horrible thing is that I scored a 165 on my first try and I know that I wasn't as prepared for it as in June. My second try I cancelled a likely 164-168 thinking I would easily best that on my third try; apparently karma wanted to make me its bitch.

And I was timing all of the sections and doing them consecutively. I'm going to try again in another 13 months, so I'm really hoping it was just bad luck.

Can you elaborate for those of us who will be taking our first next Saturday? Were you doing timed five-section tests with scantron sheet and like the 7Sage mock-moderator recording? How close to genuine testing conditions did you attempt to get?

EricHosmer · Post by **EricHosmer** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 11:31 pm

sfoglia wrote: Can you elaborate for those of us who will be taking our first next Saturday? Were you doing timed five-section tests with scantron sheet and like the 7Sage mock-moderator recording? How close to genuine testing conditions did you attempt to get?

I was doing four timed sections in a row and writing the answers on a piece of paper. For timing, I just used my phone and gave myself maybe 15-20 seconds between sections. I highly doubt that skipping the fifth section and not using a mock-moderator recording caused the drop in my performance, though.

mornincounselor · Post by **mornincounselor** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 11:57 pm

Post removed.

KMart · Post by **KMart** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 12:17 am

mornincounselor wrote:4-5 level distractions on scantrons and I still don't think I'm close enough to testing conditions (going to try and move into libraries for my last two tests).

Just to throw it out there: on test day in June I took at Northwestern and the school had construction going on during the test. We all have to prepare for everything. I never used a mock proctor but I studied in various situations: Starbucks, library, my apartment, etc. Preparation is key (for those who asked about the upcoming test).

EricHosmer · Post by **EricHosmer** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 11:27 pm

mornincounselor wrote: So you lopped off a full fifth of each of your preptests, and you did them without any distractions (the proctor has a variable level of the likely distractions you will face on test day) and you didn't use scantrons? Did you also do them in a familiar comfortable environment?

That's quite far from testing conditions. I think you underestimated the difference these things make.

I do 6-section tests with 7sage proctor on 4-5 level distractions on scantrons and I still don't think I'm close enough to testing conditions (going to try and move into libraries for my last two tests).

From taking two prior LSAT's at the same test center, I had not experienced any noticeable distractions. I didn't consciously adjust my testing for potential distractions, although where I took them in my dorm room, I was often was able to hear random people walking by with various levels of noise from conversation. I can see the merit in the other variables, but I'm still not sure why a scantron would make a difference.

It's possible that I underestimated the difference, but I'm baffled because my first score and (presumably) my second score correlated perfectly with how I was doing on the prep tests at those points. Then, when I continually reached the prep test scores that I was shooting for, I did worse than ever.

appind · Post by **appind** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 1:18 am

EricHosmer wrote:I was consistently scoring 170-175 on my prep tests, but somehow ended up with a 163 on test day. I wasn't extremely nervous, and I can't recall any other extenuating circumstance that would have led to my poor performance. I didn't feel under-prepared either, so I'm at a loss as to what I should have done differently/what I can do differently in the future. Does anyone have any recommendations for me? Has anyone else here drastically underperformed and then did much better on a future test?

I have the same numbers and tries. I was averaging mid 170s. First RC section threw me off badly and test anxiety hit me. I went -9 on RC and never recovered. Feel that I couldn't have prepped better. I now have no idea how to overcome this issue so it doesn't happen again.

mornincounselor · Post by **mornincounselor** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 4:37 am

Post removed.

BJS · Post by **BJS** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 7:34 am

I got a 163 on the real thing - below even my diagnostic score.

dontdoitkid · Post by **dontdoitkid** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 1:05 pm

mornincounselor wrote:It happens. I was pt'ing at 170 for three consecutive tests and I just got a 162 on PT 57. If the first section is difficult it can tilt you and you question yourself for the rest of the test. After going 1/6 on !Kung I managed to miss two level one difficulty LR questions.

I think a key is to remember we, the posters on this website, are some of the best prepared students taking the LSAT. In the words of Mike Kim, we are the ones who deserve it the most. What's the average test taker do, 2 practice tests? Less than that?

I always forget the last point you made. Between TLS and the amount that I've studied I honestly don't have a grasp of what the "average" LSAT taker is... I kind of play it up as if everyone is at or above my level which just makes me more anxious, but there is of course a high probability that that is not true.

appind · Post by **appind** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 1:26 pm

Anyone with similar story of severe test anxiety on game day, how did you overcome it?

mornincounselor wrote:It happens. I was pt'ing at 170 for three consecutive tests and I just got a 162 on PT 57. If the first section is difficult it can tilt you and you question yourself for the rest of the test. After going 1/6 on !Kung I managed to miss two level one difficulty LR questions.

This should be a cause for concern. Unless one is terribly consistent in their scores, it's wise to not take the test and gain consistency.