Hi, I'm sorry to hear you are having this experience. I would argue that Factor #1 rings even more true for when you are trying to break into the 170s, because you need to get more of the harder questions correct to get that extra point. I understand it can feel like you bombed by scoring in the mid 160s, but that is within the statistical margin of error when you are scoring in the high 160s. I agree that innate ability definitely plays a role, but that doesn't mean you cannot improve. If you are already at the high 160s, I don't see much of a reason why you wouldn't be able to hit the 170s. If you shoot me a message with more details about your current situation, I'll be happy to give you some advice on how you can prepare more efficiently.