exhausted practice tests. what to do next with a month left?

[ppluu]

So I've been scoring around 168-173 on practice tests from the 40's - the mid 60s. I really want a score over 170 and I have a month left but I have already exhausted through all the practice tests from 40-66. any advice on what to do next for the next month to keep my scores consistent on test day?

[tommywallach]

Hey ppluu,

Well, don't be afraid to do older tests. They're still good practice, even if they don't perfectly mimic the current day test. Also, don't be afraid to redo tests you've already done. Yes, you can't trust the score (because you have recollections), but if a test is a few weeks old, it's likely you'll find a lot of it new/interesting again. And here's the real shocker, you're better off having those tests MEMORIZED then doing another twenty tests a single time. If you really know questions inside and out (you can explain why every wrong answer is wrong, you can set up the diagram without error, etc.), that is a kind of LSAT superpower. Mastery of a reasonable number of questions is actually much better than brief exposure to a huge range of questions.

So, don't see yourself as having done all the tests from the 40s to the 60s, see yourself as having done those tests the first time!

Let me know if that all makes sense!

-t

[ppluu]

Thanks Tommy,
I've been doing the 60+ tests over because its been several weeks. I have been getting 169-175 on 60-66, obviously because i've done them many times but because I have no new study material, do you have any tips on how I can maximize the chance of getting +170 on test day?I'm going to buy test 67, would my score on that test probably be a good predictor of how i do on test day given that I simulate test conditions?

[ppluu]

Also, I took the lsat in june but had to cancel it,after doing decent(167-170) on the practice tests. during the test, i was second guessing myself, and my heart was beating and i felt rushed and couldn't finish some of the sections. What advice do you have to avoid that happening again?

[tommywallach]

Hey Ppluu,

Definitely however you do on 67 will be indicative of your actual score. I'd go back and do older tests you don't know so well, rather than repeat tests you've seen a lot. If you have time for more, you're actually studying too much.

It seems like you have some serious test anxiety. It's possible that's an issue you'll have to deal with separately, but the feeling I get is you're overthinking this. Don't study quite so much. I know that's hard and seems backwards, but it raises the pressure to be obsessively taking tests. No more than 3 a week. On test day, make sure you have SOLID benchmarks that you stick to. Make sure you recognize when you're doing a difficult game, when you're in the tough question zone on LR (around questions 18-23), and if you're running behind, skip a couple of questions to catch up.

Other than that, DO NOT CANCEL YOUR SCORE. DO NOT GIVE YOURSELF THAT OPTION. Stick to benchmarks, keep on eye on your time and know where you should be. If you're not, skip something and move on. And stay calm! It's just a test! : )

-t