Ummm, what happened to my gains???

[bghddlst]

A single diagnostic prior to the online course put me at a 153.

Drilling seemed to be helping, and there was evidence of that when I took my first practice test, which resulted in a 164.

The last two tests are in the mid-high 150s. ARGHH!!

[Luke Haqq]

Hi bghddlst,

I know it's easier said than done, but try not to be discouraged by dips in scores. Rather, what's more important is whether you are continuing to get a better grasp on the material or not.

For example, you might find when applying PowerScore concepts that it takes longer to get through sections, and you might find that you are now running out of time when you may have used to complete sections. I found this to be the case for myself, when I took a PowerScore course a number of years ago. However, I also found that I was getting more of the questions I answered right.

One thing you can do when you see your scores dip is identify your problem areas, such as weaken question, logic games, etc. and use PowerScore materials to drill yourself on those areas. The most important thing is to understand the concepts and what you're doing wrong. After that comes speed.

And speed comes by taking and reviewing as many practice LSATs as you can, becoming more and more acquainted with PowerScore concepts and the LSAT. Thus another approach is to focus on taking a number of practice LSATs, with a keen awareness of problem areas, and returning after you've completed the test to identify and understand what you did wrong.

If you have a good grasp of PowerScore concepts and dedicate a substantial amount of time to identifying and resolving areas that are problematic, you should see your scores gradually increasing, the more you practice tests you take and review, returning to the course materials, homework, and drills as necessary.

Hope that helps and good luck!

[moshei24]

I would like to add to what Luke said. Yes, timing is very often a big reason for dips in score, but another thing you need to think about is burnout. Have you been studying like crazy for the last few weeks to the point that your head feels like it's going to explode? If so, take some time off. At least 3-4 days. If you're taking the June test, I would still advise doing so, as studying those 3-4 days will only burn you out more, and won't help your cause. If you're taking the October test, take a FULL WEEK off. Trust me on this one. If you're not burned out, fine. But if you feel like the test is really getting to you, take the week off and let your mind clear up. It will help. Let me know how it goes or if you need any other advice.