Powerscore - the mentality of a 170-level test-taker

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Expectation is Reality: The Mentality of a 170-level Test-taker

Working with students over the years, we have come to believe that an essential

component of LSAT success is positive thinking. As new age as it may sound, your

expectations and self-confidence have a major impact on your performance. Literally,

what you expect to occur often does occur.

As students prepare to take the LSAT, certain questions inevitably arise regarding the

most effective test-taking strategies. How much time should I spend preparing for this

exam? What is the best way to increase my speed? Should I attempt all four Logic

Games? Rarely will an informed student attempt a test like the LSAT without first

considering these issues (and many others). What is surprising, however, is how often

potential test-takers are either unaware of or simply disregard what is perhaps the single

most critical aspect of LSAT success: a positive attitude.

Consider for a moment a pair of students from two of our recent full-length LSAT

courses. Both students began the class scoring in the upper-140s (a 147 and a 148), both

attended all of the sessions, both were equally diligent in their preparatory efforts

(homework, practice tests, hotline, etc.), and, subsequently, both achieved a 164 on the

final proctored exam in their respective courses. What most people would find peculiar

(if not altogether shocking) is that the scores that these two very similar students reported

from the June exam differed by nine points (a 157 and a 166 to be exact). To put this into

perspective, one of the two students increased her score in the week before the test by

two points, while the other managed to lose seven crucial points between the last day of

class and the LSAT. What would explain this apparent paradox?

The answer is painfully simple. I was fortunate to be in frequent contact with both

students for the duration of the course and during their post-LSAT activities, and the

dramatic, last-minute divergence in scores was unfortunately somewhat predictable. The

final three conversations I had with the student whose score decreased were characterized

largely by an ever-increasing element of pessimism and self-doubt, despite the 17 point

in-class score increase. The student even remarked, “My 164 had to be a fluke. I can’t

possibly score that well on the real thing.” It is amazing how often these self-deprecating

prophesies are fulfilled. Much as the student had expected, when the test-date came,

panic and doubt set in, and a lower score was the ultimate result. While a 157 is a very

respectable LSAT score and a 10 point increase from 147, this student admittedly fell

well short of his potential, a victim of his own self-doubt.

What about the other student, the one with the two-point increase in the last week? What

set this test-taker apart, allowing her to not only maintain her already outstanding score,

but actually increase that score in the week before the exam? The answer, as you

probably have guessed, is that the student was both eager to take the exam and confident

that she could not only repeat, but improve upon her previous performance. I cannot deny

that she was nervous about the exam (as are all test takers), but what ultimately

outweighed this anxiety was the conviction that a great score was well within her reach.

Many people reading this have undoubtedly thought to themselves that the plight of the

first test-taker could very well become their own. While this is disheartening, the good

news for insecure test-takers is that test anxiety is largely preventable. You do not need a

course or a workbook, and there is no homework section that covers this. All that is

required is an improved attitude. A more positive mentality. Confidence!

To help understand how confident test takers think and act, here is a comprehensive list

of remarks that test-takers scoring in the 170s would never say (and the more

empowering mindset with which they typically arm themselves). Be on guard against

these negative thoughts, as they are frequently predictive of a less-than-optimal LSAT

performance, and use this list to recast your approach to the test:

1. “I just wish this exam was over with.”

While on the surface this does not seem like a terribly crippling mentality, a more

appropriate attitude would be expressed as, “I’m ready for this test, and I wish

that I could take it tomorrow.” The key difference is that the latter statement lacks

the impending sense of doom that is so pervasive in the first. A great test-taker

sees the LSAT as a chance to excel, and, because they are eager for the

opportunity to showcase their abilities, they do not approach this exam as a

burden or an inconvenience. The LSAT is, for most people, the last major,

unfixed variable in the admissions process (your GPA is permanent, your work

experience is in the past, and your extracurricular activities cannot be altered).

This exam should be regarded as a final opportunity to enhance your law school

applications, not as a potential blemish inciting fear and anguish.

2. “I’ll never be able to score this highly again.”

For the last 13 years the LSAT has remained fairly constant. That is, the practice

tests that you take during the course (or on your own if you are strict with the

timing) are no different in content than the officially administered LSAT that you

are preparing for. The format does not change, the question types do not change,

and the timing does not change. The only difference is that one test “counts”

while the others do not. This added pressure is certainly a factor, but to doubt

your ability to score comparably on two tests of the same material is illogical and

ultimately detrimental to your performance. A 170 test-taker knows that

attempting successive LSATs does not increase the odds of failure, but rather

increases their knowledge base and their experience, ultimately resulting in

improved performance.

3. “This is my one and only shot at the LSAT.”

This is simply not true. First, if you are concerned about your performance, you

have 5 business days after the test to cancel your score (you will never find out

what you scored, but then neither will law schools). You are allowed to take the

LSAT up to three times in any two-year period, so, unless this is your third test

within that time frame, you always have the option of repeating the LSAT in a

few months. It is far, far better to cancel your score from a disappointing LSAT

performance than to have a low score on your application that is not wholly

indicative of your potential.

Second, there are several tests within any given year, each of which is accepted by

law schools for admission the following year (fall of the next calendar year). The

only real concern is that of rolling admissions (a separate text would be needed to

adequately address this subject), and a score increase of three points or more

negates any advantage gained by submitting your application early. In other

words, if neglecting to take the October exam in favor of the December test will

likely result in anything more than a 1-2 point score increase, you should feel

entirely justified in your decision to wait, regardless of the two-month delay in

law schools receiving your application. The improved score more than makes up

for your slightly adjusted position in the admissions committee’s chronological

ordering of applicants.

4. “If I don’t do well this time, I can just take it again later.”

While this seems to be in direct contradiction to #3 above, students need to realize

that (excepting unique and rare circumstances where there is a wide margin of

score differentiation), law school admissions committees will average your

multiple LSAT scores. Thus, this is not a test that you should plan on taking more

than once. I know that this seems counterproductive in relaxing an apprehensive

student, but the damage done by a flippant, cavalier approach to this test is

irreparable. Outstanding LSAT performances are the result of giving this test the

respect that it deserves and treating your first time as your only time.

To be fair, if you do find yourself in the position of debating whether to keep your

score, remember that it is always better to cancel your score than to have a score

that you feel is not indicative of your true potential, both on the LSAT and as a

law student. Retaking this exam with a relatively blank slate (a cancelled score) is

infinitely more desirable than retaking it with a low score on your record waiting

to compromise your future efforts as the scores are averaged.

5. “I hate this exam and the people who make it.”

The other common iteration is, “the test makers are evil.” The truth is, several

hundred thousand dollars are spent designing each LSAT, and it is one of the

best-constructed standardized tests in existence. The test makers themselves are a

highly intelligent (and slightly insane!) group of psychometric professionals

whose goal is not to thwart your law school dreams, but rather to provide as

accurate a measure of future law school success as possible. An accomplished test

taker views this exam as a challenging puzzle to be solved, not an impossible task

designed to torture them. Find a way to make the LSAT (and the requisite

preparations) stimulating and enjoyable and I guarantee that you will see an

improvement in both your outlook and your score.

6. “I will never be able to figure out Logic Games.”

If this statement sounds familiar, take comfort—you are not alone. I am confident

that if students could vote to remove a section from the LSAT the vast majority

would immediately eliminate Analytical Reasoning. This general frustration does

not stem from the unequivocal difficulty of the Logic Games (people who “get”

Games repeatedly clamor for more), nor is this discontent the product of some

unpredictable element (if predictability was the issue, Logical Reasoning or

Reading Comprehension would surely come under fire more often). Rather, the

seemingly universal apprehension regarding Analytical Reasoning is likely the

result of test takers’ fear of the unknown.

Few people have ever attempted anything resembling a Logic Game, whereas

argumentation and comprehensive reading are familiar to everyone taking the

LSAT (test takers’ increased comfort with Logical Reasoning and Reading

Comprehension further substantiate this notion). As in life, when people are faced

with an unfamiliar, daunting challenge, two groups become immediately

apparent: those who welcome the challenge, tackling it head on; and those who

shy away from the unknown, hampered by self-doubt. Not surprisingly, these

same two elements are apparent on the LSAT and their respective performances

mirror that varying attitude.

Appreciate the Logic Games section for the advantages that it conveys to test

takers, rather than disparaging it for presenting a unique challenge. No other

section of the LSAT allows for one definitively correct answer to every question

and four that can be proven to be wrong. In other words, the subjective element

that exists in the other sections is unrelated to success in Analytical Reasoning.

There is no “best” answer choice – only the singular, correct answer choice that

satisfies the conditions presented in each question. If answer choice “B” can be

shown to meet those conditions, you can be confident choosing that answer and

moving forward. The same theory applies to answer choice elimination – you

should feel entirely justified selecting an answer choice simply by proving the

other four wrong. The advantage here is two-fold: you can save a tremendous

amount of time by selecting answers without having to consider all five as

possibilities, and you can proceed from question to question with the confidence

that comes only through proving answers to be categorically correct.

Great test takers embrace the objectivity of Logic Games and take comfort in the

respite, however brief, from having to compare the relative “correctness” of

answer choices. Adjust your own mentality accordingly and you will be amazed

at the immediate improvement in your performance.

7. “I would be happy with a 160 (or any score below a 180).”

Another variation of this sentiment is “I would gladly take that score on the

LSAT,” usually in reference to a practice test that was recently completed. The

question I often ask test-takers when I hear this is, “Why be satisfied with

anything less than perfection?” I realize that the vast majority of students are

unlikely to score a 180 without dedicating an extensive and, in all likelihood,

excessive amount of time to preparing for the LSAT. However, a great test-taker

is never satisfied until they have reached their potential, whether that is a 158 or a

178. Do not settle on a particular score because you feel like you could never

score higher (believe me, this is rarely ever the case, at least until you reach a

180), and, more importantly, do not give up the hope that improving your

performance is possible—it almost always is.

There is a further point of clarification that should be made here, as well. If you

find yourself in a position where you have consistently scored at a level that

exceeds the requirements of the law schools you hope to attend, a certain requisite

level of confidence should accompany that achievement. For instance, if your

goal is to attend a law school where your acceptance is all but guaranteed by a

155 and you repeatedly score in the mid-160s on practice tests, rest assured that

there is nothing, I repeat, nothing, that should stop you from achieving your goal

(see #2). Allow yourself to embrace this confidence-inspiring fact, and your

performance will consistently reflect that improved mindset.

Remember, your approach the test often determines your success. Expectations

frequently become reality, and if you believe you will do well, your chances for success

increase dramatically. The power of positive thinking must be a regular part of your

preparation, and although you will likely stumble a few times while preparing, never

forget that you have the ability to conquer this test. You just have to believe in yourself.