Advice on retake prep

[mfrank]

I'm considering retaking in Feb or next June (depending on my Dec score) and was wondering if you might have any advice about how best to study. In particular, I’ve taken (I think) every practice test available, certainly every recent PT, and so I have no new PTs to take. I don't this is a very good position to be in, but any thoughts you may have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

p.s. Is there a comprehensive list of the tests from which PowerScore lessons have taken questions? I may not have taken some PTs in the 20s and 30s, but I'm not sure if you've used questinos from these in your some of your lessons.....

[Jon Denning]

Thanks for the questions mfrank - having taken every recent test is definitely a tricky spot to be in since it leaves you without anything terribly recent to use to gauge your overall performance, however given your scores (170ish) I think focusing more on the harder/higher-level questions and concepts is probably more appropriate than whole practice tests at this point, so you should be okay.

I'd consider your last few practice tests (and this December exam once you get it back) and focus on where you're struggling--a specific question type, game type, section, etc.--and then go back through the lesson books and course archives working on those areas. Again, probably not all that important that you worry with full tests since you're clearly sound in most areas; use the coming months to refine the few areas where you still struggle and perhaps think about full exams (older ones, or ones you don't remember all that well from previous exposure) in the week or two before your next LSAT.

As for a list of questions/tests, we actually use every released/licensable LSAT question in the course, so if you've gone through all of the course content you've seen everything there is. In fact, if an LSAT was not given as a complete practice test in class or on the student center, we've taken every question from it and put those into the course as either course work in the books or online practice sets.

Others may add to the study advice bit, but hopefully that gives you an idea of where to start. Thanks!

[moshei24]

All I gotta say is make sure you take a nice long break to let your brain recharge. It's good stuff.

[adeel]

I also would like to know about retaking. I have read at various places that there comes a point in the LSAT preparation where you hit a wall, and there is no way you can increase your score beyond that. In November I had decided to do a marathon of Preptests. I started off with the score of 157, and despite my attempts of revision of powerscore logical and games bibles and analyzing my mistakes, the maximum I could get was 162 while averaging around 158. I have taken lsat on the 2nd of December but I plan to take it again.

I have gone through around 40 preptests with 19 timed. There are plenty of preptests that I can still find, I guess. But the vital question that I want answered is that is there something as hitting the wall? I would really like to work as hard as I can, probably taking again in October but its being hard for me to figure out where I went wrong and what exactly can I do to increase my score and take it up to or beyond 170. Like what exactly can I do differently. I am a Pakistani student with not much cash, and hence my ambition of doing jd will be called off if i do not cross 170.

One step would be to get my hands on RC bible as well, but what else can I do to increase my score. And should I go over all the preptests that I have done already, would that help?

[Jon Denning]

Hey Adeel - thanks for the question. That "score ceiling" is certainly a dilemma that a lot of people face, and having seen so many people feel stuck and struggle to keep improving I know how frustrating it can be. If I'm to be completely honest, I think that there probably is a certain score at which individuals can't realistically expect to go much beyond, and sadly that number isn't a 180 for every single test taker out there. Some people simply aren't going to score in the high 170s, at least not within a reasonable amount of prep time (and for a reasonable amount of money).

But let me put a HUGE asterisk on that point by saying that, while yes I think we all have a ceiling for our potential, I'm quite confident that you haven't reached your full potential yet. Hardly anyone in your situation has. And that's really good news! (albeit probably a little annoying). So let me give you a few tips that I think might help you keep improving:

- yes, I would absolutely go over those old tests again! Specifically looking for a couple of things: patterns to your difficulties (a certain LR question type/Family perhaps, a particular type of game, maybe just something as broad as "Reading Comp," etc), the reason WHY the difficulty existed (conceptual gap/misunderstanding, failure to identify conclusion/type of reasoning, fatigue, etc), and how it is that you can recognize a similar situation in the future and have a proven strategy for addressing it. And do the same for the December test you just took once it's released in a few weeks.

- once you've got perhaps a more specific grasp of where you're struggling, and you're investigating why and how to fix it, return to the relevant portions of the materials you've got like the Bibles, and review them extensively. Then work to put into practice the skills you're honing by doing timed problems/problem sets that a representative of the original source of difficulty.

- consider some extra help. This is an incredibly challenging exam, and unfortunately self-diagnosis and self-remedy are often elusive for people after a certain point. I know you mentioned being strapped for cash, but a few tutoring hours can make a world of difference simply by allowing someone highly trained to take a look at your performance and guide you in ways you might not have been aware of. And that becomes especially true for students trying to break into the highest score levels like you suggest.

- stay aware of your mentality. I know moshe mentioned above that taking a little break can help, and I definitely agree with that, especially if you begin to feel yourself burning out or unmotivated. So keep a close awareness of how you're feeling as you keep working with this thing and don't be afraid to step away from it for a few days here and there if necessary.

I hope that helps a bit and please let us know if you have more questions. Oh, and I noticed a similar question over on our Blog (http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/bid/246415/) so I'm hoping this helps answer that as well. If not let me know!

Jon

[adeel]

thank you very much sir. I ll consider everything that you have said very carefully before starting preparation again, which I am planning to by January. I highly appreciate your taking out so much time to answer my question. Thank you.