Preparing for Oct 5

[CChen13]

Hi,

I am very nervous about the October Exam. I've been taking the powerscore online course and doing the homework every week, but I barely have enough time to complete the homework. I've also been doing exams each week over the last few weeks, and while at first my score increased steadily, recently it's been nose diving again.

I feel that since I haven't done all the practice tests and the supplemental practice tests, I haven't been studying hard enough? I've been doing the LSAC books for tests, and I tend to do very badly on them. When I tried analyzing the questions I got wrong, they seem to be very mixed and not from any particular section.

Is there a strategy I can cobble out for the next few weeks?

Best,
Christine

[David Boyle]

Hi,

I am very nervous about the October Exam. I've been taking the powerscore online course and doing the homework every week, but I barely have enough time to complete the homework. I've also been doing exams each week over the last few weeks, and while at first my score increased steadily, recently it's been nose diving again.

I feel that since I haven't done all the practice tests and the supplemental practice tests, I haven't been studying hard enough? I've been doing the LSAC books for tests, and I tend to do very badly on them. When I tried analyzing the questions I got wrong, they seem to be very mixed and not from any particular section.

Is there a strategy I can cobble out for the next few weeks?

Best,
Christine

Hello Christine,

That is a very broad question, but a few pointers:

1) Don't overprepare or burn yourself out! There are people who do that, and it can be a sad thing. Many students don't finish all the homework, or every practice test out there.
Anxiety is natural, but it is self-defeating and can lead to a vicious circle (you feel bad, so you do worse, so you feel even worse, so you do even worse, etc.). A positive attitude, including the realization that a. the LSAT isn't everything and b. you can always take it over again, may help.

2) It may be hopeful that your wrong answers are not concentrated in any one section, so that at least you don't have any large weaknesses. Just keep on working and you may improve on all sections. (Above, I said not to overprepare; but don't underprepare either!)
Make sure you work on the various types of questions (linear AND grouping AND other types of games; all the types of logical reasoning; the various types of reading comprehension passages, etc.), and look back at the theory in the books too.

3) Calming exercises, including taking a deep breath now and then, or visualizing that you will do well and calmly on the test, may help. Also visualizing that you will go out and have a good time right after the test is over, may help too!

Anyway, best of luck. Hope the above ideas help,
David

[Bene30m3]

this was very helpful for me too. reading it calmed me down. also knowing that other people that are taking the oct. 5 test is feeling the same way. so i'm not alone.

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Bene,

You are definitely not alone! Last night we conducted a free seminar on Test Mentality, and that was a point I made early on. We talked about that, and a lot of other relevant info for October test takers. If you are interested in viewing the archive of that session, head over to our Free Lessons page and select the link that says "LSAT Test Mentality."

Thanks!