How to deal with... parents.

[rush the rushdie]

word. 

oh, and i totally feel ya on the parents issue.  a month ago, i couldn't go a week without hearing '180'.  i think now they see that i'm stressed out about the exam, so '180' has suddenly become 'do your best'.  lolz

[Lindbergh]

Yes, Lavahead is correct -- by 171 being a nerve-wracking score, I didn't mean to imply that it's a bad score. Not at all! Hell, I'd be happy as pie to get it on test day. It's just very borderline -- and given that stress can screw things up and since yes, I am aiming for that 170+ score, a 171 feels borderline. I do understand that life goes on without hitting the 170+ threshold, but I'm not about to accept that fact just yet

How exactly is 171 borderline?  For HYS?

[Lindbergh]

Yes, Lavahead is correct -- by 171 being a nerve-wracking score, I didn't mean to imply that it's a bad score. Not at all! Hell, I'd be happy as pie to get it on test day. It's just very borderline -- and given that stress can screw things up and since yes, I am aiming for that 170+ score, a 171 feels borderline. I do understand that life goes on without hitting the 170+ threshold, but I'm not about to accept that fact just yet

The questions I miss ARE all over the place. For example, on the Feb 2000 test (superprep c), I scored a 172, but only because I completely bombed the last game in the games section and did well on LR/RC. On other preptests I usually get at most -1 on LG and it's RC that gives me trouble. And then sometimes it's just the scale -- boo -7 = 170 scales!

Otherwise my scores a pretty consistent across the board and incorrect answers are not limited to a particular question type. I guess at this point doing well is more a matter of maintaining focus and zen through the test than anything else.

Thanks everyone, I'll try the Obama/Clinton advice. That should shut the up next time.

Thank goodness someone else understands. Other friends who are prepping for the Oct test get angry when I tell them I'm flustered over my low-170s range on my PTs. I try to explain to them the exact same thing; it's not that low-170s is bad, but there's a very real possibility that your score will drop on test day. So, it would be a much more comforting feeling to score 175ish consistently and know that even the pressures of test day could only realistically lower you to a 170.

So you might only get a 169, and be forced to attend a T14, and not HYS?

Obviously your friends get angry.  It's rude and insensitive to even try to complain/openly stress about your low score when you're breaking 170.

[blairchuckalways]

Lind, I qualified my statement with the point that I know a 171 isn't bad. What's bad is stress, and stress can drop the score you've worked hard to attain, regardless of what it is, 5 points. The difference between a 171 and a 165 is not much point-wise, but it is a lot of closed doors at T14s. Just like the difference between a 160 and a 155 is a lot of closed doors.

Look at any school median (no not LSN) and you'll see that a couple of points can mean the difference between a median, 25th percentile and 75th percentile. I'm not going to tell you a lower score than that is bad or good, because it's subjective to what people want and where they aim to go. However, if you want to score above 170 on test day, a 171 IS borderline. Anyone who tells you you're rude for pointing that out has probably never been borderline in anything in life to understand what that feels like, whether that's borderline 160s, borderline 150s, borderline 180. It's just on a score cusp, no insults or insensitivity intended to anyone who's offended by that fact.

Anyway, you are clearly brilliant, so I'm not going to say much more to that, hopefully you understand. I just wish everyone taking the LSAT on Saturday the best of best of luck -- you all have helped me tons on this board, and I really appreciate all of the positivity!

[EarlCat]

Challenge them to try a full preptest.

Yes.  Timed test or they they stfu.

[EarlCat]

I have a question. How do you deal with friends (and family) that can't grasp the fact that you HAVE TO STUDY and can't go out for dinner, or talk on the phone for a 1/2 hour (or even 15 min) or text you back or even call you back right away or even within a few days really?!

I send em one of these.

[Lindbergh]

Lind, I qualified my statement with the point that I know a 171 isn't bad. What's bad is stress, and stress can drop the score you've worked hard to attain, regardless of what it is, 5 points. The difference between a 171 and a 165 is not much point-wise, but it is a lot of closed doors at T14s. Just like the difference between a 160 and a 155 is a lot of closed doors.

A 5 point drop from 171 is a 166, technically, which still gives you a shot at a T14 with ED and good grades.  And you're unlikely to really drop that much if you're hitting 171 consistently.  Bottom line, 171 isn't really "borderline" by any reasonable measure, unless you're talking HYS.

However, if you want to score above 170 on test day, a 171 IS borderline.

But you don't really need to break 170 unless you're gunning for HYS. That's my point.  (Yes, it's helpful for T14, but high 160's won't screw you either.)  Sure, it's borderline for 170, but that's hardly something to get stressed about.

Anyone who tells you you're rude for pointing that out has probably never been borderline in anything in life to understand what that feels like, whether that's borderline 160s, borderline 150s, borderline 180.

I was talking to Lavahead in terms of the rudeness.  And I stand by my point that it's obscene to complain openly about "only" scoring 170 when your friends may be struggling to break 150.  I don't fault anyone on here for doing so, because this is a fairly unusual forum.  But in real life, people should expect others dying for a 160 (or 150) to get upset if they hear someone complaing about stagnating at 170.  It's like complaining to unemployed people that you're only getting paid $150K, instead of $200K. 

I know what it's like to stress about marginal stuff, and I'm sure I've annoyed people in the process. I'm just trying to lend some perspective.

Anyway, I've also gotten stressed over goofy stuff, I'm just noting that by hitting 171, you're solidly in the T14 range, even if you drop on test day.

[Ninja1]

Umm, so yea, parents. Who drop random stupid hints about how a 171 is a bad score. And other negativity circa crazy unhelpful stressful comments when I'm taking a break and they think I'm not working hard enough.

Yes, I've told them clearly they're not helping. Yes, I've expressed every emotion from anger to reason trying to tell them that such snide insults just put unnecessary pressure on me and don't help the score. And yes, I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but I am really proud of myself for going from a 153 to where I am, but because no one in my entire family is a lawyer, no one gets how hard that is. So all they see is the 180 and think it's pie to get there and that I must not be working hard enough if I'm "just" at a 171.

I hate this. What to do? Any advice, thoughtful please. Thanks.

Without having read the rest of the thread, @#!* your parents, they seem very TTT. HTH.