Timed vs. Blind Review Score

[allgoodthings]

Hi there!

I recently took my first timed test after going through the Bibles and I scored a 154. However, my blind review is a 171 and to be honest, I'm not sure how to feel or what this means?

RC: 21 right to 26 right (out of 28)
LR: 17 right to 22 right (out of 25)
LG: 11 right to 20 right (out of 22)

Obviously the blind review score is great, but that's such a large point differential. Does this mean my issue is more so timing than it is accuracy/understanding the material? And would timed sections be my next best method of studying now?

Just trying to gauge if a large point differential like this is normal and what it means for where I'm at and what I need to do to get a higher score under timed conditions! Thank you!

[Adam Tyson]

What those kinds of results usually tell me, allgoodthings, is that you may need to spend some time focused on your habits and strategies rather than on the underlying concepts. Timed practice won't get you much improvement unless you change the way you approach the test.

As an example, in the games section you might be spending a lot of time drawing out possible solutions to the game, or you may be spending time testing answer choices. While those approaches will get you great results on an untimed test, they are slow and inefficient and will never get you where you want to be under timed conditions. Instead, you have to switch your focus to drawing crucial inferences at the beginning and then using those inferences efficiently to predict answers instead of testing them.

There are parallels in LR and RC, but the point is that your primary issue is probably one of your habits and not with your general understanding. To fix those habits, you could start with our excellent self-study books, or look into our various course offerings, including the on-demand options that you can work through at your own pace. Or, consider speaking with a tutor who could help you diagnose those issues and develop better, more efficient habits and processes.

You have a solid foundation for success here! Now you need to refine your approach. Don't just keep doing what you have been doing, hoping you get faster. You need to try new approaches that allow you to retain that accuracy from your blind review while increasing your efficiency. You can do it; we can help!

[shanhickey]

Hello! I had a similar question to the first post on this thread. I've slowly been improving my score (though not as quickly as I would like to). I took a practice test and got a 163 (my highest so far!), but in my blind review I'm noticing I was able to see certain situations a bit more objectively and I corrected many of my incorrect answers (I'm unsure how to calculate the blind review score). Timing doesn't feel like an issue for me because I finish on time with every section (I also have a time accommodation due to disability so I know it's not a timing issue), but i feel like there's something happening in the timed setting that makes me a bit more hasty in how i evaluate questions. How do I begin to translate some of that mindset from the blind review into a timed setting? How do I calculate my blind review score? How do I overcome that kind of discrepancy? any advice is appreciated!

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi stanhickey,

To your question on the mechanics of blind review, I'll refer you to the excellent blog post here.. The key point is that you review your test with unlimited time before looking at the answer choices. You grade your test with the original answers, and again with your new answers. That gives you your timed score v your blind review score.

I will assume for the purposes of this answer that you are doing your timed tests using your accommodated time. If not, you should be! Practice as close to the test conditions as possible, including any accommodations.

If you are seeing a big difference between the timed test and the blind review, it might be a test anxiety issue or a pressure sort of issue. There are a few strategies to combat this. One is mindfulness. Knowing when you start to feel like you have time pressure, or feel stressed about the test, is the first step in calming. Once you notice the feeling, you can close your eyes, count back from 5 with slow breaths, and then reengage with the test.

Another issue could be endurance. If you are doing the blind reviews in several sessions, or otherwise taking breaks during the blind reviews, you could see a score increase from breaking up the work. Focus can be hard to maintain for a whole practice test, and it takes skill building to get that endurance up. You may notice an even stronger difference between your timed scores and your blind review scores because of your extra time. The extra time means an even longer time where you need to remain focused.

Finally, I would recommend making a clear effort during timed practice tests to use the correct method on every single question. Underline those main points. Diagram the conditionals. Prephrase clearly on every question. Don't rule out answer choices just because you don't understand them.

Keep plugging away. This test is all about learning skills which can take a while to fully sink in.