Help. Score dropped from 172+ -> 168 Forum

[lawschoolgirl312]

Helppppp

My score is dropping significantly from mid 170s to now 165-168. I am now taking PT 72 and onwards and I feel like the LR got a lot harder, I can't really pinpoint the pattern or the flaws anymore. I do take one day breaks here and there... what should I do?

[youngwarrior]

Helppppp

My score is dropping significantly from mid 170s to now 165-168. I am now taking PT 72 and onwards and I feel like the LR got a lot harder, I can't really pinpoint the pattern or the flaws anymore. I do take one day breaks here and there... what should I do?

Sounds like you may be burning out.. the exact same thing happened to me, when I studied for the lsat. During my prep I reached a point where I was consistently scoring in the high 170s and then a couple weeks before the test my score suddenly dropped to the high 160s and I panicked. On the advice of a friend I took a few days off after which I wrote another PT, scored a 180, ended up scored a 176 on the real thing. Take a couple days off, go outside get some fresh air do whatever then come back and write another PT.

[Thomas Hagan, ESQ.]

Same thing happened to me! You're burning out. Seems like you're nearing the end of your PTs, so I would highly suggest that you start taking longer breaks in between PTs (3 days of NOTHING), then PT and BRing. If you've been getting 172+, you seem to almost fully understand the exam and are in great shape. Not too much more "learning" you can do!

best strategy for you now, imo, is to stop worrying too much about PTs and to prepare to be in the best condition/shape so you get that 172+ you've been getting for PTs on exam day!

[lawschoolgirl312]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. The only problem I have now is that... I don't have anything to do really besides study and now I'm worried that I'm not really where I need to be,which is why I am getting the low score... so how do you know if its burning out or its not

[Barack O'Drama]

I think the PTs in the 70s (especially the later 70s) really exploit weaknesses that many of the prep courses and prep materials have. I can't pinpoint it, but someone on the 7Sage forum brought this up in a discussion and it really made sense to me.

But anyways, I think it is normal for people to have a bit more trouble with the 70s on average. I recommend redoing the entire test during BR and really try to wrap your head around the subtle changes in LR. Remember: They are testing the same thing, but doing it differently than you are used to. So just like a new LG you haven't seen before might throw you off, so will the new style of LR.

[TAD]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. The only problem I have now is that... I don't have anything to do really besides study and now I'm worried that I'm not really where I need to be,which is why I am getting the low score... so how do you know if its burning out or its not

Its 99% burning out. I got three straight 164s before the test (was scoring low 170s before). Didn't take anymore PT. Took 4 days off after reviewing the 164s. Hit the high end of PT range on actual test.

[Thomas Hagan, ESQ.]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. The only problem I have now is that... I don't have anything to do really besides study and now I'm worried that I'm not really where I need to be,which is why I am getting the low score... so how do you know if its burning out or its not

That's true, but study for what? Is 172+ where you want to be? Or are you aiming for 175+?
Because if you're aiming for a 172+, I think you're there already or are pretty darn close if you've been getting 172+ on the PTs consistently (before your recent dropoff). If you're aiming for 175+, not sure how much you can jump in the next couple of weeks while battling through burnout.

If it helps, I can describe how I felt when I was experiencing burnout. I was studying to take for the third time, and was putting in 30-40 hours a week (PT, BR, retake an old PT that I already took without timing (to make sure I can understand each question, why each correct choice was correct and why each incorrect was incorrect), etc.) the whole ordeal. 2 weeks before the exam, my scores started slipping from like a 172-174 range to a 167-169 range and I started freaking out. I still wanted the 174, and was still so motivated, but whenever I opened a PT or BR, instead of getting back into the zone, my brain started thinking "hmmm maybe a 167 wouldn't be so bad OR hmmm I can't wait to be done and do this, do that, etc." ANYTHING BUT studying. and so studying became a huge struggle because I would have to reread questions 3-4 times before I was able to get it.

Hope this helps

[Thomas Hagan, ESQ.]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. The only problem I have now is that... I don't have anything to do really besides study and now I'm worried that I'm not really where I need to be,which is why I am getting the low score... so how do you know if its burning out or its not

Its 99% burning out. I got three straight 164s before the test (was scoring low 170s before). Didn't take anymore PT. Took 4 days off after reviewing the 164s. Hit the high end of PT range on actual test.

You're smarter than me haha I didn't take the 4 days off like I should've, forced myself to continue studying even though I was burning out, and just flopped on my the actual exam (hit a couple of points below the low end of my PT range on test day) :/

[lawschoolgirl312]

thanks for everyone's input!

My other question now is... I consistently miss -6 on RC and thats my biggest weakness... so do you guys think I should still continue to prep in that area ( I usually make myself sit through 7-8 passages a day and do the questions) or during the off days, just completely not touch the LSAT?
my RC doesn't seem to be improving at all tbh.. lol but I'm over that section

[lawschoolgirl312]

thanks for everyone's input!

My other question now is... I consistently miss -6 on RC and thats my biggest weakness... so do you guys think I should still continue to prep in that area ( I usually make myself sit through 7-8 passages a day and do the questions) or during the off days, just completely not touch the LSAT?
my RC doesn't seem to be improving at all tbh.. lol but I'm over that section

[TAD]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. The only problem I have now is that... I don't have anything to do really besides study and now I'm worried that I'm not really where I need to be,which is why I am getting the low score... so how do you know if its burning out or its not

Its 99% burning out. I got three straight 164s before the test (was scoring low 170s before). Didn't take anymore PT. Took 4 days off after reviewing the 164s. Hit the high end of PT range on actual test.

You're smarter than me haha I didn't take the 4 days off like I should've, forced myself to continue studying even though I was burning out, and just flopped on my the actual exam (hit a couple of points below the low end of my PT range on test day) :/

Oh damn. I was about to say why don't you retake then if u can get higher then I read your previous post that it was your third take.

[Thomas Hagan, ESQ.]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. The only problem I have now is that... I don't have anything to do really besides study and now I'm worried that I'm not really where I need to be,which is why I am getting the low score... so how do you know if its burning out or its not

Its 99% burning out. I got three straight 164s before the test (was scoring low 170s before). Didn't take anymore PT. Took 4 days off after reviewing the 164s. Hit the high end of PT range on actual test.

You're smarter than me haha I didn't take the 4 days off like I should've, forced myself to continue studying even though I was burning out, and just flopped on my the actual exam (hit a couple of points below the low end of my PT range on test day) :/

Oh damn. I was about to say why don't you retake then if u can get higher then I read your previous post that it was your third take.

Haha trust me: if I could, I would take it a 4th time :/

"I only regret that I have but 2 retakes to give to law schools." - Nathan Hale, 1776

[carasrook]

This happened to me before my first take and I bombed my real LSAT - literally 8 points below my average and lower than any PT except for my diagnostic. Hoping it doesn't happen to me again this time, but I understand your struggle! Try not to let it get to you, because the worst thing you can do is shake your confidence.

[galadriel3019]

Take a few days off. And I mean real days off. Put your LSAT books away, and re-charge your batteries. It's easy to fight back against the perception of burn out and force yourself through it, but you could truly be making it worse. Catch up on sleep, go for some walks, hang out with friends a bit, give yourself some time to build stamina back up. Sometimes when you've been studying for so long, the break helps more than extra review.

Don't be too hard on yourself. Good luck!

[proteinshake]

I'm in the same situation. my last three PTs were 164, 169, and 167 (173 average). I'm taking 3 days off.

[brinicolec]

I'm in the same situation. my last three PTs were 164, 169, and 167 (173 average). I'm taking 3 days off.

Also had a drop in a score after PTing with a 170+ average and it definitely kicked the motivation out of me so I've just been doing some LG drills and finishing up the Blueprint RC book... Gonna try to take a PT for the first time in maybe a week tomorrow though (if I wake up in time).

[Dcc617]

100% burnout. I noticed when I started to burnout answers stopped popping off the page and I struggled through stuff.

Take off until you want to study again. Take at least a few days off though. Go hiking, chill at the beach, reconnect with friends, read a book, whatever you want to do. You're not going to lose months of studying in a couple days.

You can argue with us, but what you're doing is obviously not working. Listen to the advice of people who've been there.

Also, I think I was reading the Iliad when I was getting ready to take the LSAT. Not because it's super LSAT-like, but because it refreshed me and made my brain work better. I noticed I was sharper in RC and LR after reading the night before.

[lawschoolgirl312]

Hi everyone!

Thanks for the input, I guess the issue I have now is that I have been taking breaks. I took monday off before my Tuesday PT... so now what?

[proteinshake]

Hi everyone!

Thanks for the input, I guess the issue I have now is that I have been taking breaks. I took monday off before my Tuesday PT... so now what?

1 day a week isn't much of a break and doubt it's enough to prevent burnout if you're going hard the other 6 days.

[lawschoolgirl312]

I've been going maybe 3-4 hours everyday since June...and I think I have taken 1 or 2 day breaks here and there. I feel my stamina going down a bit in the sense that I am losing my motivation for this exam and just want to get it over with. I was planning to take a PT on Friday...so should I take time off between now and Friday? Also, during my time off...what do people usually do? I don't have anything really going on right now besides studying for the LSAT and I feel like I am just rotting away

[Dcc617]

I've been going maybe 3-4 hours everyday since June...and I think I have taken 1 or 2 day breaks here and there. I feel my stamina going down a bit in the sense that I am losing my motivation for this exam and just want to get it over with. I was planning to take a PT on Friday...so should I take time off between now and Friday? Also, during my time off...what do people usually do? I don't have anything really going on right now besides studying for the LSAT and I feel like I am just rotting away

Go work out