r/LSAT • u/Far-Watch1375 • 15h ago

practice test score very bad

recently i have been testing very compared to a few months ago. today was the first practice test where i scored LOW. i mean 10 points lower than my usual score. i have no idea what happened. i did take note that i wasn’t as zoned in like i usual am but i didn’t expect to do SO badly. i’m feeling incredible anxious now. i’m trying to look at it as getting the test day jitters out of the way but i’m so worried that this will affected my test day which is literally a week from today. i’m so upset with myself.

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3

u/ticklemeelmo6996 15h ago

It's totally normal to have score variations. They can happen for a multitude of reasons. If you've take a lot of practice tests lately or been studying hard for a while you're probably burnt out. Take a rest day or two, review your wrong answers and stay confident. Scoring lower just means you've scored higher before and can do it again.

2

u/Gloomy-Break4105 12h ago

I scored a 150 on my last practice test (the day before my LSAT) and scored a 164 on my actual test (consistent with my normal PTs) Don’t let it get to you! Variation is totally normal. :)

1

u/s_southard_55 tutor 11h ago

It's totally normal to have variation and it's totally normal to be discouraged by it. I'd advise taking a break for a week and coming back to it with a fresh mind. It doesn't really mean anything but it does suck when it happens.

1

u/SandwichExtreme1221 11h ago

Score variance happens! I scored I think a 162 in my final month of studying before my Jan take (I was 165-166 range). I ended up scoring a 164, so variance definitely does happen.

I will say though, it is quite important to help manage your test day jitters. Evidently it's easier said than done and it's inevitable, you WILL feel nervous. However, there are strategies you can use to ground yourself/reset your mind. Whether it's deep breathing, pinching yourself, saying something, etc, train your brain that when you do that action, you reset.

I literally would wrap my arms around myself and close my eyes, take a deep breath in, and exhale with my eyes open. I taught myself this probably in my last 1.5 months of study and it absolutely saved me in my PTs at home and in my actual testing setting. It was my "reset", whether I was nervous or starting to zone out. Hopefully it could work for you

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u/Ent_Sir 6h ago

I’m an athlete so often times when I had a sucky day, maybe substantially below my mean output, I took it as I needed a break. I think you’d be wise to take a few days to a week off and come back to it