Dropped 11 points. Inevitable or Something else?

[Hutch976]

I recently took PT 73 (Volume VI of the LSAC Actual LSAT Preptests), which is September 2014.

I got SMOKED. I scored worse than my averages in every category. My last five Preptests were

169, 164, 169, 171, and 171.

I had been climbing up since I began studying. My baseline score is between 154-158.

I SCORED A 159 on PT 73!

My questions to the group are as follows:

1. Has anyone else taken that PT and gotten this kind of "upset" (if I can make a College Football analogy, it is bowl season after all)? Or had another PT be their kryptonite?

2. I recently shifted from taking the PTs from the 90s, to the most recent ones. Could there be some correlation?

3 How do you suggest I bounce back?

I typically do one PT throughout the week at night. I'll slowly and carefully answer questions with no regard to time. I want to ensure I understand and read everything and get the right answer. Then, on a Saturday, I'll usually go to the library and simulate test conditions with time and all. I had to take about 3 weeks off because work was ridiculous, and this was really my second day back.

When taking the test, I did not notice the uptick in difficulty. I was really shocked when I was grading.

What do you all think? Any guidance?

Thanks PowerScore brethren!

[Hutch976]

Any and all insight in welcome..but most importantly...how do I ensure that DOES NOT happen on test day? But rather, I get the 165+ result on test day.

[Dave Killoran]

I recently took PT 73 (Volume VI of the LSAC Actual LSAT Preptests), which is September 2014.

I got SMOKED. I scored worse than my averages in every category. My last five Preptests were

169, 164, 169, 171, and 171.

I had been climbing up since I began studying. My baseline score is between 154-158.

I SCORED A 159 on PT 73!

My questions to the group are as follows:

1. Has anyone else taken that PT and gotten this kind of "upset" (if I can make a College Football analogy, it is bowl season after all)? Or had another PT be their kryptonite?

2. I recently shifted from taking the PTs from the 90s, to the most recent ones. Could there be some correlation?

3 How do you suggest I bounce back?

I typically do one PT throughout the week at night. I'll slowly and carefully answer questions with no regard to time. I want to ensure I understand and read everything and get the right answer. Then, on a Saturday, I'll usually go to the library and simulate test conditions with time and all. I had to take about 3 weeks off because work was ridiculous, and this was really my second day back.

When taking the test, I did not notice the uptick in difficulty. I was really shocked when I was grading.

What do you all think? Any guidance?

Thanks PowerScore brethren!

Hey Hutch,

Thanks for the message. First, don't let one reversal of fortune affect your entire impression of where you stand! the LSAT is not an easy test, and sometimes circumstances or the content of a single LSAT just will nail you. that seems to be what happened here, and this score variance possibility is something I wrote about here: Welcome to the LSAT Casino. If I were you, I'd just write this off to a bad day/test and not dwell on it.

Second, this particular test is one that many people struggled with, so you aren't alone. Go through this exam like any other, see where you went wrong, and leave it at that. Like a bad tournament for any golf pro, sodomites they just aren't firing on all cylinders. Does it cause them to question their ability? No, they just chalk it up to a bad weekend and reset for the next tournament.

Any and all insight in welcome..but most importantly...how do I ensure that DOES NOT happen on test day? But rather, I get the 165+ result on test day.

This may sound harsh, but you can't guarantee it won't happen. At least not entirely. A bad test setup for you (or anyone) is always possible but the key is to realize that a good test for you is just as likely. and by doing everything you can to understand the ideas beforehand you can minimize the chances of disaster. the key is to understand that while there is always some form of kryptonite out there, the chances are quite low it will hit on test day, and all this studying you are doing reduces the chances

So, shake this off and move forward. You are doing the right things, and your scores have been stellar so far, and that many score sin that range means you have the ability to score here on test day. You don't need a perfect test to make that happen, just a normal one for you. And the chances are incredibly high that you will get just that!