Getting worse instead of better? Forum

[littlelibertine]

Scores on last five PTs (late 160s to early 170s): 173, 171, 170, 169, 168. How is it possible that I'm getting worse instead of better? I'm taking PTs every other day at MOST and drilling problem areas between.

fml.

[TheBlueDevil]

Scores on last five PTs (late 160s to early 170s): 173, 171, 170, 169, 168. How is it possible that I'm getting worse instead of better? I'm taking PTs every other day at MOST and drilling problem areas between.

fml.

Maybe you should try taking a rest for a day or two and then coming back to it with a fresh mind. Even if it doesn't feel like burnout, taking a breather is often beneficial for performance. You might also consider the quality of your review time.

Also you probably have your own unique set of strengths and weaknesses, and there are definitely variations between tests. It's hard to say that one test is definitively harder than another (after equating), but a test can certainly feel harder for an individual.

[Anon-e-miss]

Scores on last five PTs (late 160s to early 170s): 173, 171, 170, 169, 168. How is it possible that I'm getting worse instead of better? I'm taking PTs every other day at MOST and drilling problem areas between.

fml.

I was in a similar position a few days ago. I had taken 4 PTs in 10 days (171, 169,171, 171). Prior to these PTs, my average was a 172, so I was quite frustrated. I decided to take Friday-Sunday off to relax, watch Game of Thrones, and even go out for drinks. I returned to LSAT prep today and scored a 176 on my PT which is tied for my best score yet.

I highly recommend taking a couple of days off or at least studying minimally for a couple of days. I found that I was becoming disengaged with the material and therefore not thinking as clearly or absorbing information as effectively as possible. A few days off seemed to remedy those issues.

[Future Ex-Engineer]

which PTs?

The test feels somewhat different in the 50s than it does in the 60s (LR starts to get harder in the 60s) and then the 70s feel different than both of those (RC got much harder IMO during the 70s)

[littlelibertine]

which PTs?

The test feels somewhat different in the 50s than it does in the 60s (LR starts to get harder in the 60s) and then the 70s feel different than both of those (RC got much harder IMO during the 70s)

First four tests were in the 60s, the fifth was 73. Bombed the hell out of RC (-7) and the first LR section (-4). LG was -3, which is much worse than I usually do, but the second LR ( my final section) was -2. Missed nothing on my "experimental" LR section, which I did fourth.

[Future Ex-Engineer]

FWIW, PTs 73-75 were some of my worst. I had a very difficult time with the RC on those (and I think PT 68)

[rpupkin]

Scores on last five PTs (late 160s to early 170s): 173, 171, 170, 169, 168. How is it possible that I'm getting worse instead of better? I'm taking PTs every other day at MOST and drilling problem areas between.

fml.

You're not getting worse. All those scores are essentially the same--it's common to see a bit of noise (in both directions) when you're prepping. Had you scored a 174 (instead of a 168) on your most recent test, it would not mean you were getting better.

Keep at it. You're doing well.

[littlelibertine]

Scores on last five PTs (late 160s to early 170s): 173, 171, 170, 169, 168. How is it possible that I'm getting worse instead of better? I'm taking PTs every other day at MOST and drilling problem areas between.

fml.

You're not getting worse. All those scores are essentially the same--it's common to see a bit of noise (in both directions) when you're prepping. Had you scored a 174 (instead of a 168) on your most recent test, it would not mean you were getting better.

Keep at it. You're doing well.

You think so? I'm aiming for a 174 or higher, so I don't feel like I'm doing well at all.

[rpupkin]

Scores on last five PTs (late 160s to early 170s): 173, 171, 170, 169, 168. How is it possible that I'm getting worse instead of better? I'm taking PTs every other day at MOST and drilling problem areas between.

fml.

You're not getting worse. All those scores are essentially the same--it's common to see a bit of noise (in both directions) when you're prepping. Had you scored a 174 (instead of a 168) on your most recent test, it would not mean you were getting better.

Keep at it. You're doing well.

You think so? I'm aiming for a 174 or higher, so I don't feel like I'm doing well at all.

The way to get better is through consistent practice over a period of months. Freaking out over a few tests (while understandable) is counterproductive. If you're feeling burned out, then take a couple days off, as others have suggested. But there's really no reason to be concerned just because you happened to have three or four tests in a row that fell slightly on the low side of your average. Those scores are not evidence that you're getting worse at the LSAT.