Practice Test Strategy - Plan until Dec 7

[Nadia0702]

Hi PowerScore,

I am in one of your Live Classes - this Sunday will be Lesson 7. (BTW - Jeremy is an awesome instructor and Rachel W a great chat moderator - I'm so happy they are teaching my class - a huge thanks to both of them!) I have been told that I should avoid practice tests until the end of this week and I have followed instructions However, it seems the time has come. I'm going to start taking practice tests next week and wanted to ask for your advice on a plan.

I see that there are 26 tests available through your website (I didn't take the 1st diagnostic through you so that's why 26). What is your recommendation for attacking these along with the homework? If I start doing 1 a day next Monday, I'll be done Fri Nov 22 with the ones that you provide and could potentially do another 13 with my last one being Dec 5. What is your advice on this plan? Should I be doing more than 1x day? less than 1x day? How about timed vs. untimed? Please keep in mind that this would be in addition to the HW from the class.

I have read warnings about burnout, and while I certainly want to avoid it, I don't want to not achieve my desired score due to "not having studied enough." I have the time to devote, so I want to maximize my results by putting in as much time as is "needed."

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Nadia

[Lucas Moreau]

Hi, Nadia,

One practice test per day will certainly be good for learning technique and test-day strategies (doing full tests is better for the latter than doing lessons or piecemeal homework), but burnout is a real concern. Whether or not you should do that many depends on the rest of your schedule, I think. You said you have the time to devote to studying, that's good, but that's not your only concern.

Burnout is a problem, and unfortunately, everyone has different levels at which they approach burnout, so general advice is tricky. I'd suggest starting with one test per day and seeing how it feels. If you feel stressed and overwhelmed, feel free to cut back. Studying until you're sick from stress doesn't do you any good.

As far as timed versus untimed, that depends on what you feel you need to work towards more. If you want to practice pure question-by-question technique, work out all the kinks, then I'd suggest starting off untimed. But if you want to simulate your test-day experience and preview the stress and fatigue that powering through a full test in the (relatively) short time allotted, then timed is the way to go.

Hope this helps,
Lucas Moreau
PowerScore Tutor

[Nadia0702]

Hi Lucas,
Thanks a lot for your advice. I've gotten further advice that doing one practice test per day really is too much, and that I should be focusing on doing about 3 per week. I'm going to try that strategy and see how it works out. Thanks again for your reply!

Nadia