Burnout Advice

[taehwanjo]

I'm in the same position as Thales and LessThanLiz, except I don't think it has anything to do with burnout.  I used to consider myself an LR ace... I would regularly ace LR sections, and the worst I did on pre-2004 tests was -3.  However, on post 2004 tests, I've been missing a lot of LR questions.  I got -9 twice.  The thing is, last week I did -7 for a 2006 test, then immediately the day after, I did -0 for June 2003.  I really think it might have something to do with the LR questions changing with the supposed change in question-writers that occurred in 2004.  I don't feel burned out at all. 

[Pretentious Undergrad]

Well I for one am not in this position at all. I've been smoking pot just about every day and have written exactly one full length prep test since the beginning of the summer. @#!* it. I burned myself out the first time I wrote, I'm doing something totally different for the rewrite.

[TimMitchell]

Well I for one am not in this position at all. I've been smoking pot just about every day and have written exactly one full length prep test since the beginning of the summer. @#!* it. I burned myself out the first time I wrote, I'm doing something totally different for the rewrite.

Spelling 420 across your answer via the bubbles

[blairchuckalways]

Hrm, I'm unsure if LR necessarily got harder. However, some tests (I just took June 2006, 49) have a ridiculous number of assumption/hard logic/weaken/must be true questions, which can fry your brain over time (as did with me, most of my wrong answers showed up in the fifth section towards the end when nothing made sense anymore and heavy bouts of self-doubt started to settle in).

So for me, I know that to prepare for the worst, a mix of these types of questions and practicing them will do my brain some good. Maybe something similar could help you out with LR in the more recent tests?

[CTL]

Here's what I did differently this time (I hope it works on my retest - I HAVE been scoring much more consistently in the range I hope to achieve in):

-Every other night I go through the review for each question type chapter in the LR bible
-On those same nights I add a review of a game type chapter in the LG bible
-I practice 3-5 game types of the chapter reviewed in the LG bible
-Review
-I take a timed LR section from an unused preptest
-Review
-On alternate nights I take a timed preptest

I've only started this routine last weekend, but before that I was reviewing the chapters from the bibles independently and doing question types from the chapter(s) studied.  I find that the constant review of strategy entrenches the concepts in my head.  When I come across any LR question I either know immediately what to look for, or I know how to go about finding the solution (or at least checking to see if what I've chosen is right).  I also set certain strategies for LR sections.  First 10 in 10 minutes, next 15-16 in the next 20 minutes.  5 minutes to go back to those difficult problems.  My pacing has gotten to a disturbing point.  Last night I finished each LR section of PT 46 with 5 minutes to spare - I finished the LG section with 9 minutes to spare! 

Since you haven't scored within your target range for a couple tests you're probably psyched out.  Before taking another test, don't just jump in.  Sit for a minute and prep yourself.  Think 'I'm going to destroy this test', 'I'm going to stay ahead of the questions'.  By starting out fast, you give yourself time toward the end to work over some more difficult ones.  If you spend too much time early on, its easy to feel rushed and start to lose focus.  Trust me, it is what happened to me in the final RC section on the June 2007 text.  I spent too long on one passage and I paid dearly for it on the last passage. 

[!закон и право!]

Here's what I did differently this time (I hope it works on my retest - I HAVE been scoring much more consistently in the range I hope to achieve in):

-Every other night I go through the review for each question type chapter in the LR bible
-On those same nights I add a review of a game type chapter in the LG bible
-I practice 3-5 game types of the chapter reviewed in the LG bible
-Review
-I take a timed LR section from an unused preptest
-Review
-On alternate nights I take a timed preptest

I've only started this routine last weekend, but before that I was reviewing the chapters from the bibles independently and doing question types from the chapter(s) studied.  I find that the constant review of strategy entrenches the concepts in my head.  When I come across any LR question I either know immediately what to look for, or I know how to go about finding the solution (or at least checking to see if what I've chosen is right).  I also set certain strategies for LR sections.  First 10 in 10 minutes, next 15-16 in the next 20 minutes.  5 minutes to go back to those difficult problems.  My pacing has gotten to a disturbing point.  Last night I finished each LR section of PT 46 with 5 minutes to spare - I finished the LG section with 9 minutes to spare! 

Since you haven't scored within your target range for a couple tests you're probably psyched out.  Before taking another test, don't just jump in.  Sit for a minute and prep yourself.  Think 'I'm going to destroy this test', 'I'm going to stay ahead of the questions'.  By starting out fast, you give yourself time toward the end to work over some more difficult ones.  If you spend too much time early on, its easy to feel rushed and start to lose focus.  Trust me, it is what happened to me in the final RC section on the June 2007 text.  I spent too long on one passage and I paid dearly for it on the last passage. 

Thanks man. I did another PT and got owned yet again (June 2008). Almost perfect on LR this time (-1 per section). Not well on RC (-5) and I got destroyed on the games. (-13) I found myself losing focus and getting frustrated far too easily this week.

I'll review the bibles for the remaining days before the test and do sections timed. No more PTs. I'm obviously not taking them seriously enough anymore.

[Lindbergh]

Well I for one am not in this position at all. I've been smoking pot just about every day and have written exactly one full length prep test since the beginning of the summer. @#!* it. I burned myself out the first time I wrote, I'm doing something totally different for the rewrite.

Do you wear a canadian tuxedo?

[Pretentious Undergrad]

Only when I'm oot and aboot

[High Life]

Only when I'm oot and aboot

163 LSAT and applying to canadian law schools = very unpretentious.

Go drink another labatt lite.

[CTL]

Lol.  Actually, a 163 LSAT is probably enough to get you in to every Canadian law school except UofT.

And given the price of all beer in Canada, only the foolish would opt to have a Blue light.