Some LSAT “gurus” suggest taking 30, even 40 practice tests in the course of several months; others recommend taking one or two tests a day in the weeks leading up to the exam. Cranking out test after test is a grueling regimen and not necessarily a productive one.
You are ready to take the LSAT when your practice scores reach a level that is slightly above your target. This can take anywhere from 1 month to over a year, so plan accordingly. In the last 7-10 days before the exam, review your Word document or Excel spreadsheet and re-do every question in it.
Take 1—2 timed tests per week. While there are certainly advantages to taking untimed tests, nothing can improve your endurance and stamina better than taking practice tests under real test-taking conditions. Don’t forget to add that fifth “experimental” section to the test!
The closer you are to the LSAT the more exams you should be taking. Three months out from exam day it's perfectly fine to take a practice exam a week. But three weeks out from exam day you should be taking three practice exams a week if you can.
How to Take an LSAT Practice TestConsider your mindset. Like any serious discussion of the LSAT, the most appropriate way to begin is by talking about mentality. ... Use official LSAC questions. ... Stick to recent tests when possible. ... Add an experimental section. ... Time yourself. ... Get out of your comfort zone. ... Take it early.
2-3The closer you are to test date, the more intense you will need to be with your practice schedule. If you decide to start studying for the LSAT two months before your test, you should still try and fit in about 20 practice exams (2-3 per week).
Ideally, you should study for at least six weeks ahead of taking the LSAT.
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Some LSAT “gurus” suggest taking 30, even 40 practice tests in the course of several months; others recommend taking one or two tests a day in the weeks leading up to the exam. Cranking out test after test is a grueling regimen, and not necessarily a productive one.
For most students, a three-month period of preparation (of approximately 20 hours per week) is a great goal. This is, of course, an estimate; most students are not all students. To find out how much LSAT prep time you're likely to need, we recommend taking a practice LSAT to get a baseline score.
Two months is the optimal LSAT prep schedule for many students. While you can make great score improvements with one intense month of study, practice, and review, most expert LSAT faculty will recommend a longer schedule if one is possible for you.
There is plenty of time to improve and achieve your ideal LSAT score. With approximately four months until test time, you should spend at least 10 hours a week studying. Ideally, one to two hours a day should be spent on studying.
If at all possible, take a preparation course, as they can be very meaningful to your LSAT score. Even if you only get a two-point bump in your score, this investment is well worth the money and effort. Many people will tell you can do as well doing self-study as a prep course if you have enough discipline.
How to Improve LSAT Score By 10 PointsComplete an Assessment.Wait to Test.See the Top LSAT Review Courses.Make a Plan.Call in the Big Guns.Purchase a Logic Games Bible.Get Discounts On LSAT Review Courses!Pace Yourself.More items...
Wondering if you're overdoing it and studying too much for the LSAT? That's a normal worry to have. You might just be working really hard, propelled by a healthy sense of responsibility to fulfill your dreams. Or you might be overdoing it.
Three of the four LSATs administered each year are given at about 8:30 AM on a Saturday (June is the exception as it’s held on a Monday just after noon), an odd time for most people to be performing the mental gymnastics needed to score well.
The LSAT consists of five 35-minute sections, four of which are scored, and one of which is an experimental. So we always encourage people to add a fifth section to their timed practice tests, as you are guaranteed to encounter that on the actual LSAT. Anyone who has taken this exam will attest to the fact that it is in part a test ...
Regardless, if you cannot commit your full mental and physical resources to the task, you’re going to underperform, and likely develop bad habits and undermine some self-confidence in the process. So always consider your mental state before you take a practice test, and make sure you have the right attitude before you begin.
You need to perform a thorough post-test review, analyzing your performance and determining the most appropriate study plan moving forward. Without this type of comprehensive self-analysis there is no way to determine why you scored as you did, which means your potential for improvement is severely restricted.
If your target score range is way above where you’re currently scoring, taking an earlier course might be your best bet. Early courses are particularly advantageous if you don’t think you can complete all your homework while also taking additional practice tests in the course of your study.
Taking a later course offers you the obvious benefit of having the material “fresh” in your memory. This is best for students who can’t take an earlier course but is able to devote more time to LSAT prep in a short period of time. A later course also gives you the opportunity to study on your own before classes begin.
Some LSAT “gurus” suggest taking 30, even 40 practice tests in the course of several months; others recommend taking one or two tests a day in the weeks leading up to the exam. Cranking out test after test is a grueling regimen and not necessarily a productive one. Without a concerted effort to improve their conceptual understanding of the test, ...
This allows sufficient time for test review and relaxation. Do NOT take a practice test the day before the LSAT.
You are ready to take the LSAT when your practice scores reach a level that is slightly above your target. This can take anywhere from 1 month to over a year, so plan accordingly.
Your diagnostic test should be taken under real test-taking conditions (i.e. 5 sections of 35 min each, with one break between Sections 3 and 4). It’s important to add a fifth, “experimental” section to the test you’re taking, even if that means “borrowing” a section from another test.
Repeatedly making the same mistakes is not only unproductive but also counterproductive in most instances, as it can reinforce an erroneous way of approaching certain question types or logical reasoning paradigms. Clearly, taking a huge number of practice tests is neither necessary nor sufficient for achieving a phenomenal score on your test.
Identify the type of “decoy” answer you chose and make a point not to repeat the same mistake again. Although no two LSATs are the same, there is a high level of consistency between the tests. Use this consistency to your advantage! Avoid making the same mistake twice and your score will improve. Guaranteed.
Ideally, don’t take another test until you have developed an adequate conceptual understanding of the LSAT. At the very least, become familiar with conditional and causal reasoning, develop a solid grasp of the different LR question types, and learn the basics of setting up Linear and Grouping games.
Typically, the LSATs administered on Saturdays have been 8:20am exams. This is an odd time for most people to be performing the mental gymnastics needed to score well.
The LSAT consists of five 35-minute sections, four of which are scored, and one of which is experimental. So I always encourage people to add a fifth section to their timed practice tests, as you are guaranteed to encounter that on the actual LSAT. Anyone who has taken this exam will attest to the fact that it is in part a test of mental endurance, ...
Any practice test is incomplete without it. You need to perform a thorough post-test review, analyze your performance, and determine the most appropriate study plan moving forward. Without this type of comprehensive self-analysis there is no way to determine why you scored as you did.
It’s a sad truth that the LSAT would be a much more appealing experience if it could be taken from the comfort of your home or office. “Truth” because people tend to perform better in an environment with which they are familiar. “Sad” because as much as you prefer your kitchen table, LSATs are administered in a public room full of strangers. Try to take at least one or two practice tests in a similar public setting to simulate test day. The stark difference can be unnerving, not to mention distracting, so acclimating yourself can help.
A 4-section test, a test from 1994, or a test taken in the evening at home are all better than no test at all, provided you do your best to meet as many of the recommendations above as possible.
Your goal is to understand each question as well as possible, so take your time. There is no time limit as you review each question. As you complete the review of each question, determine whether you would have kept the same answer choice or changed your answer to a different choice.
With every question now reviewed in detail, you can now check all of your answers against the answer key. You should produce two separate scores: one score for your original timed performance, and then a second score based on the answers you changed during your blind review phase. Your second score should be better!
Assuming you still have access (sorry post-grads), academic libraries are ideal for test taking. There’s general quiet interspersed with occasional, unpredictable interruptions, which is test day in a nutshell.
Yes, they still exist, and not just as restrooms for the homeless. If you have one nearby a public library guarantees privacy with just the right amount of distraction. Win-win.
Here’s one I can speak for from personal experience. I was fortunate enough to wander into a (name withheld) luxury hotel in the early days of my prep, and recognize immediately the potential its lobby held for practice tests.
We’re reaching now, but this is still legitimate. A restaurant booth, provided you can trust the staff to leave you alone to your studies (a heads up and $20 should do it), is also a great place to take a practice test. You’ll have the scattered diners to tempt your attention, while spending the majority of your time in isolation.
Dark, I know. But hear me out (and as a disclaimer let me note that I’ve never done this). Truth is it’s hard to deny the test site similarities: inside voices, conspicuous self-consciousness, tentative and discreet shuffling, anxiety galore…taking a practice test in an ER waiting room might just be the ultimate proving ground.