I tanked the September test

[RedBadger2112]

Okay so I was practicing in the low 160's and I recieved my score yesterday...149. Needless to say I am pretty disappointed, but I had a feeling that it could happen. I had very bad anxiety at the beginning of the test that set a negative tone throughout. How should I practice for the December test so that I can make sure this doesn't happen again? I got 14 wrong on a the first logical reasoning section which is worse than I have ever gotten in a practice test . My reading comp was shot as well

[James Finch]

Hi Red Badger,

Don't feel bad about your score, test anxiety is very real and afflicts many people. The key is to always stay confident and to channel the stress into positive positive energy, not allowing fear of failure to lead to actual failure. From your practice scores, you have a firm grasp on the test itself. Just remind yourself of that, pushing out negative thoughts with the knowledge that you can in fact answer the questions in front of you correctly. This is why we frame the Powerscore lessons as "attacking" the LSAT--staying aggressive and adrenalized will keep you focused and doubts at bay. And whenever negative thoughts start creeping in, look up, take a deep breath, look around the room, and remind yourself that you've prepared at least as much as all these other people and that you can conquer whatever questions are in front of you.

Practicing these sorts of self-motivating or reassuring methods will help both your general confidence about the LSAT and make it easier to stay in the proper mindset when you sit again for the test in December. So incorporate them into your practice tests as you study, especially if you can have another person proctor your exams (this usually makes students more nervous in my experience).

Hope this helps!