standardized tests

In my 20s - early 30s, pre-medications and pre-most severe symptoms, I did very well on various standardized tests, including 99th percentile on one (I even taught standardized test prep).

Recently, I thought of a career for which I would need to take a standardized test and I took a couple of practice tests.

I get slightly above median results.

This is a huge change. The particular test is very fast, and I know that some slowness is from Lithium, but I wonder what else might be at play.

Has anyone had that trouble? Have disability accommodations helped at all?

Age is a factor. Humans tend to peak during their 20s.

Depending on the test and how closely it relates to the skills and knowledge you use on a daily basis, it could be that your abilities have atrophied. For example, I scored in a very high percentile for maths when I wrote the ACT, many years later? I'd be average or worse. Or is it that you never had them to begin with. You didn't state whether these standardized tests were similar to those you did in your 20s and early 30s.

If you do think accomodations might help you, ask yourself, which ones and why? I can never justify it for myself.

OK, thanks for starting to unravel it. I need to provide details:

1994 - LSAT 97th, GRE Logical (now defunct part of GRE, consisted of "logic games" a la LSAT): 99th, absolute score 800/800 without mistakes

2003 - GMAT 99th, 780/800, whereas 99th percentile began at 750/800.

As I said - now LSAT barely above median.

Issues that I see: trying to beat the time, lack of concentration, lack of knowledge. In 1994 I somehow handled LSAT without any knowledge. I did not read any books on test prep, just practiced on officially released tests for several weeks. For GMAT: studied a Kaplan book for two weeks and then went to test and actually enjoyed the process.

When I started taking Prozac, I had this idea that I would go to law school and study to become a public interest lawyer, for instance someone to represent people with mental illness. Such lawyers make VERY low wages, but they do not work long hours which I would not be able to work (I know my limitations by now). And, depending upon where you go to law school, your federal loans may get forgiven if you serve the public interest. So that plan preoccupied me for a while. I ordered my undergrad and grad transcripts - the GPAs were high enough, I secured an OK for a recommendation from someone from my most notable employer - things were falling into places. The thing is, I went into a top law school (with the 97th percentile LSAT) back in the 1990s, but did not finish (life interfered). I have good grades from that time. Also in my favor... The only problem is LSAT, but I read that LSAT IS the main decisive factor of the application process. And, from what I read, where SAT, GRE etc. would allow a time extension accommodation, LSAT would not permit it. The strictest of all. I do have a documented problem with processing speed (discovered recently during neuropsychological testing) though. Speaking of which, I wonder how I got top percentiles in the 1990s with a processing speed problem?

Sorry for such a detailed account. It is just hard to have a standardized test get in the way of what seemed to be a viable alternative. Maybe indeed I peaked in my 20s and there has been a steep fall since...

Actually for me, pre-medication and pre-treatment, my test scores were lower and then got better post. Then years later additionally learned about a learning disability in addition to the MI and in learning to work with it and study techniques, test taking ability and scores improved further. Most standardized tests do not allow for accommodations as you have discovered, some do, some don't. Also many certificatying exams unfortunately do not either, but the schools testing do allow for it. So throughout college I have used the accommodations but have worked on own to try to improve focus, concentration, and decrease time to prepare as the field I am going into requires timed certification and licensing exams. Concerned, but all I can do is try.

Follow your interest, and find your passion. Where there's a will, there's a way.

I actually looked into law school myself a couple years a go before realizing despite my mind, bipolar.

Officially at least, a lot of schools see the LSAT as an indicator but, don't base the decision entirely on that. Grades, references, application letters and life experiences do play a role. The school around here claims GPA x LSAT and given enough points consideration, for recent grads or those going from an undergrad program straight to law school. Those that don't meet that can apply for special considerations if they meet certain other requirements.

I'd say it doesn't hurt to apply but, applications cost money on their own. Have you sat down, emailed or talked with any advisors at the schools your considering?

At 18 I took the entrance exam to community college. I got 99 on both reading and writing skills at that time, and was required to take no English to graduate because of it. In my first English course that year, an for sharpening writing skills, at the end of the ear, the teacher asked me why I bothered to take the class.

Last year I was helping my husband study for the exact same test, and taking the practice tests. I scored a 30 on both tests...

So, either I just don't have the sharpened skills because I'm no longer in schoo, have grown lax thanks to internet and text speach (), I'm getting older, or it has something to do with bipolar. Or it is a mix of all of those things. That's my best guess.

Please tell more about what made you decide the way you decided.

No. I have not decided whether to "come out" yet, so it is premature for me to talk in detail. I did talk with the local school (whose LSAT requirements are not very high) in general and received what you convey: they look at a variety of factors. I basically from the looks of it have all factors in my favor besides LSAT. But I still need to read books on LSAT, as I see opportunities to get marginally better. And a little marginally here plus a little marginally there gets you those extra points that make a difference. So I still have something that I can improve. It is just that when a thought about my personal life's failings occurs, I can freeze and do nothing for a minute. That probably has nothing to do with medications.

1. I would look into whether the computerized tests are doing the thing where you don't even get shown a "harder" question if you fail an easier question. This makes it basically impossible to skip questions; say you don't know one kind of equation, or part of speech, the computer assumes you can't know anything more difficult. Which I personally think is totally bogus. Who decides if one grammar concept is more difficult than another?? Or maybe you can do one type of equation but not another. I think you can ask for a paper test, if that is what you used before and did well on.

2. there is kind of a glut of lawyers. I don't mean to discourage you, and actually my cousin just graduated law school, but the marketing promises made by the schools are not being fulfilled, graduates are not finding jobs. there were articles in the nytimes.com last year, there is one this weekend about people going into debt just for bachelor degrees. so just buyer beware.

3. but you are obviously a smart cookie. Once you start applying around and get your scores back up, you should start receiving unsolicited program material. 20 years ago, I got stuff to study gerontology social work. I shoulda done it.

It is a paper test. Was then, is now. Something is with me, the test is reportedly easier by a bit.

Yes, I am afraid of joblessness. When I was in law school, I had multiple job offers, but the market is different plus I am older, dustier and rustier.

Gerontology 20 years ago? Yes, that would have been smart.

Short version:

Personally I'm not there. It isn't priority.

Longer short version:

I cycle too much, even on medication, you can look at my undergrad transcipt and know what my mood was even after accepting the diagnosis and meds. I don't seem to have the ability to really sit down and focus anymore or at least not consistently. I used to but, something happened when my moods started. There are periods where I can't read or write. My mind can be racing with anything else, I'd do so well when it would race with school work, or I'm just dull.

Hypomania, maybe mania, jury is out on whether I've been full blown manic, had an effect on my perceptions too, huge effect. If I could do and think like I do hypomanic,...comparing my abilities and my self confidence. I'm never happy anymore because happiness has turned into that focused euphoria where I'm confident, capable, have energy and thinking so clearly, maybe too clearly. No need to sleep, goals clear as ice, excited.

I try to see myself in a career and can't. I just see my moods taking over. I'm watering the gremlins with all those thoughts.

So, like with everything else affected by this disorder it isn't only bipolar but, bipolar is a big factor in my ability to cope. I'm working on it. Maybe one day, but I don't want to get ahead of myself. My personal challenge is to be accepting of what is now rather than looking back or too far forward. So, it isn't really something that can be generalized, provide helpful insight or worked around, it's the freakin' quick sand and I need to be still with it.

Know what I mean?

As we get older and time distance is placed between us and school, we start losing our speed, our test taking abilities, and our skill/knowledge gets a bit rusty. Not at all uncommon.

Like you, I could ace any standardized test I took back when I was in college or relatively fresh out of college, but if I had to take those same tests now I would need some serious test taking practice and skill refreshers. My brain just doesn't work the same way it used to. That is completely an age and distance thing for me, and I completely know it.

Yes, I understand, especially the quick sand part of it.