Regression and Logical Reasoning Issues

[rhjones2691]

Hello,
I have had some pretty significant regression in scoring recently. I finally scored 170 on a preptest, and the two most recent tests have both been 161. I have been doing a lot of traveling for work during the past 7-10 days, so the tests have not been full-length, but rather done during timed individual sections (generally 1-3 sections at a time, depending on how much time I have). During this scoring, I have seen my performance on Logical Reasoning drop significantly, from 3-5 missed, on average, per section, to 7-8 on each section. Do you have any recommendations on how to rectify this? Logical Reasoning was probably my second best section (behind Logic Games), and I was feeling very close to being able to get consistently better scoring than just 3-5 missed per section. As usual, upon review, the answer seems obvious in retrospect, but I am not seeing something while taking the test. I certainly believe I am capable of getting back to where I was prior to the June LSAT, but my confidence has taken a bit of a hit over these recent struggles. Thanks in advance for the help.

[Malila Robinson]

Hi rhjones2691,
I would suggest that you check what types of questions you are getting wrong in LR, if you notice that they are usually the same question type or even the same family type then you may be using the strategies for that question or family incorrectly. If this is the case, and your incorrect answers are primarily linked to a question or family then fixing the problem may simply mean that you need to review the relevant strategies.
If the ones you are getting wrong are coming from different question/families and there doesn't really seem to be a pattern then it might be something like exhaustion from all the traveling you have been doing lately, or stress about the upcoming test. Try to make sure that you are getting enough sleep, and that you are not hungry or distracted when you sit down to take the practice tests.
And, though it may sound silly, try to keep in mind that you have scored a 170, so you do have the ability to do really well on this test. When you sit down to take a practice test try to think positively about your logical abilities, rather than focusing on your possible score, or how many questions you may have gotten wrong. This test is designed to be psychologically challenging as well as logically challenging. Avoiding negative self-talk, and focusing on your strengths is a good way to ease some of the stress that the test causes.
You are in the home stretch, you've got this!
-Malila

[rhjones2691]

Thank you very much for the advice!