I asked the following questions to some blog readers who recently took the LSAT:What do you know now that you wish you'd known before starting your LSAT prep? What would you have done differently?
Here are their responses:
-I wish I hadn't focused exclusively on the LSAT. My one track mind had a detrimental impact on other parts of the application preparation (getting recommendation letters). I also wouldn't have taken 2 consecutive days off [the week before]. It negated progress to some extent.
-I think your recommendations prepared me very well. The most important thing I learned was to take a lot of practice tests, and that it's all about timing.
-I wish I had started taking timed tests sooner. I only did them in the last two weeks and it was definitely not enough.
-I wish I knew how much harder the newer LSATs are--at least in terms of the curve. I also would have prepared better for reading comp. The newer passages seem to take a lot longer to get through.
-Your LSAT book recommendations! if I had known about them a year ago I could have saved a lot of money on Kaplan classes.
-I took the LSAT twice, but the second time I wasn't sure how much to study. I think it might helpful to set up a schedule for retakers who experience LSAT burn-out the first time from too much prep but who still want to adequately prepare for the second testing.
-I would have approached it less as a "general intelligence" test and more of a set of skills to master, particularly the logic games. I don't know if that would have changed how I prepared, but it would have been a different mindset. I did not take a prep course and still would not have chosen to do so.
-The typical burnout timescale. It freaked me out and almost broke me down until I talked to some other LSAT studiers who happened to be experiencing the same thing at the same time. I wish I would have known it was coming so I could have just pushed through it knowing there was light at the end of the tunnel instead of wasting valuable time freaking out.
-not get stuck on one problem in my logic games lol. I still think about that now. I got stuck on my 3rd game, the colors and toy dinosaurs, remember mauve lol. Anyway, my strategy was to focus on reading comp and games since those were my strongest areas and less on reasoning. I wish I would have know the LSAT will get you distracted on a question to prevent many from getting to the easier questions, like the 4th game with 7 questions.
-I wish I'd known the position of the experimental section. It would've helped prepare me better for a shocker first section on the February LSAT.
-started earlier and read your blog sooner!
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If you've taken the LSAT before (or have been prepping for a while), how would you answer those questions?
Leave your thoughts in the comments!
Photo by lwr / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
I've taken the LSATs quite a few times (I've probably taken it more than your average person), and there were quite a few things I learned along the way. The first thing is, STAY CALM. Freaking out, before, during, or after the test is not going to do you any good. I know it's easier said than done (trust me, I know), but staying calm really does help a great deal. The second thing I learned is to study, study, study! BUT don't study so much that you get burned out. You need to take breaks, too. Third, find your strengths and focus on improving those. Fourth, take lots of practice tests, timed and untimed. Fifth, realize that there are going to be some areas in which you will just not be good at, and if you can see/realize this as you're studying, move on. Don't waste your time on something that you're not likely to improve upon (which I did). Lastly, remember that you CAN get in SOMEWHERE.
ReplyDeleteI started taking timed tests very early and had (for the most part) a consistent performance (time and accuracy) for the logical reasoning and reading comprehension sections.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I noticed that my results could vary widely in the analytical reasoning sections and grew used to looking at my digital timer to check my progress. Unfortunately, I think that was a poor habit to pick up.
If I decide to take the test again, I plan on practicing the logic games skills while working on dropping my reliance on checking a timer (hopefully the former will make the latter less necessary).
Studying a little each day is more beneficial than cramming a month or two before the exam. I took a month off work to study and was so unprepared that I had to cancel my score. Also, it's not the amount of money your books cost that matters, but the quality of what they offer. I LOOOOOOVE Steve's recommendations:) Finally, I do agree that timing is everything--start timing yourself as soon as you feel you have a handle on the material, especially logic games. Finally, read Steve's blog--he's amazing:) I just started tutoring with him, and he's worth every penny!
ReplyDeleteIn the final weeks leading up to your exam (when you should devote at least 90% of your studying energy to full, 5 or 6 section exams), it is absolutely ESSENTIAL to be realistic in your timing. This means holding yourself strictly to 35 minutes, literally not a single second more. I found that it is really easy to allow yourself 2 or 3 or 4 minutes and justify it leading right up to the exam. Here's the problem: on test day, if you don't stop immediately when the proctor calls time you risk serious disciplinary action (not at all worth it). This means every single bubble must be filled whether you're guessing or not by the time the clock strikes 34:59. I really can't emphasize this enough...
ReplyDeleteI just took the Feb exam and I was PT'ing around 173-175 going into the test. I was a bit inconsistent with timing on all 3 sections and with accuracy on RC/LR (anywhere from -1 to -6). Games, on the other hand, were my rock, -0 or -1 everytime. However, although sometimes I'd finish in as few as 25 minutes, I had a few LG sections in the last few weeks where I gave myself 2-5 extra minutes. I reasoned that I'd review them hard later (which I did) and that I'd be good by test day.
I was so confident on games that during the form-filling time before the test I was hoping for 2 LG sections. I opened section one to see games and was ecstatic. Then the first one took me about 10 minutes, and again another 10 or so for the second game, and then something about the third just threw me off. After spending a few minutes diagramming the third and not feeling great about it I went on to the fourth. It didn’t help. My stride (and my pride) were broken. When they called 5 minutes I literally froze. I couldn’t do anything over the next 3 minutes I was so full of panic. Luckily I had the presence of mind with about 2 minutes left to put down something for all the questions I had no answer (or even educated guess on). In the end, on the section where my worst score in the past 3 weeks was a -1, I bubbled in “D” for 8 questions.
I tried my best to regain my composure during the 15 seconds before the clock started on section two. I did so reasonably well but there is no question now that I didn’t perform anywhere near my potential for the rest of the day. And it was all because of timing.
Among those who prep for the test there is a lot of anecdotal evidence for a drop of a few points from your PT average to the real thing. I think this is the reason. In your final prep, DO NOT CUT YOURSELF ANY SLACK! There is no bending the time on the real thing so don’t fall into the alluring trap of giving yourself those few extra minutes or even seconds when you practice.
Good luck!
A thought: I took the Kaplan course online (big mistake!) but supplemented it with the LSAC publications. I started to realize that the Kaplan questions are SUBSTANTIALLY easier than the actual LSAT ones. As a test, I took three of the Kaplan timed section tests, but only until I had actually answered all of the questions (i.e. not going over any answers I was unsure of), which was sometimes happening to me on real LSAT timed sections. For each of the three Kaplan questions, I stopped with 10-12 minutes to spare, and STILL got the same number incorrect as I usually did for real LSAT sections of the same type!!
ReplyDeletePossibly the Kaplan course is designed to work students up to the difficulty level of actual questions, but what if someone does the Kaplan course and never gets to real questions because of a lack of time? They're in for a serious surprise on test day.
I would strongly advise against prep courses!
I agree with all the advice given so far. A big thanks to everyone for contributing their knowledge and experience to help future test-takers. :)
ReplyDeletePlease keep it up with all your great suggestions.
Suzanne, thanks for the shout-out - I love working with you!
Catherine, I'm not a fan of Kaplan either (or of prep courses in general). However, to be fair to Kaplan, their courses (whether online or in-person) do include real LSAT questions (as most prep courses do). I just double-checked with a Kaplan rep who confirmed that even the online course uses real LSAT questions.
You can see my thoughts on LSAT prep courses vs. private tutoring.
Suzanne noted something which I think is very important - studying a little every day. It's going to be difficult to juggle work, school, and other obligations and fit in a five-section test each day. That's okay - just make sure you do something. There were days when I only had time to do a few Logic Games and I'm glad I did. The LSAT is about cultivating certain skills so you have to be consistent if you want to get better at it.
ReplyDeleteJill noted the importance of staying calm and I want to echo that as well. The LSAT does not reward timidity. If you analyzed the stimulus, found the conclusion and are sure about the right answer then put it down and move on. If you run up against a tough question don't let it eat your time - move on. There are certainly easier ones ahead. Nothing is more annoying than wasting two to three minutes on a difficult question that you got wrong anyway instead of taking care of two easy questions after it.
Good luck on it, ya'll!
The most important thing I learned in preparing for my re-take was how to study.
ReplyDeleteFor the June exam I did only timed LR sections and then review only the questions I got wrong. Huge mistake! When I got the results back I needed improvement on EVERY section (unexpectedly - I had done fine on RC and LG before).
Steve helped me set up a schedule where I did work every day. Started with drilling questions types I repeatedly got wrong on LR as well as timed RC passages also focusing on the types of questions I got wrong.
By week 3/4 I was doing a timed test every other day using the off days to review EVERY question right or wrong. This is key.
Also, bring something you actually want to eat at break. In June I brought some mixed nuts for energy and looked longingly at the dude next to me who was eating a Snickers. The test sucks enough so you better believe I brought a Snickers in September.
Tyler Rutherford -- I had the exact, I mean EXACT same experience. I chose randomly for the last 6 or 7 questions, but I chose "C." That third game really threw me off somehow. My timing problem is quite embarrassing, really. I didn't realize start and end time wouldn't be posted on the board, so that I did not see that 5 minute reminder coming AT ALL. I was scoring less consistently than you, 168-175, giving myself a little slack in timing. You're advice here is great. I can't do that when prepping for the inevitable June exam.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to everyone (scores expected tomorrow?)!
I agree with Tyler's post as well. I wasn't strict enough on the timing of my PT's (I used the digital timer on my BlackBerry) and it hurt on test day. I basically had no idea when the section was about to end (It felt like I was wasting too much time trying to calculate the time remaining on my watch). On one section I double marked at least two questions, and on another I may not have filled the last few circles in enough to register on the scantron--all because I was not strict enough during my practice testing.
ReplyDeleteI also psyched myself out over the experimental portion. The Games section of my test was second, and it seemed "different" than the games I had become used to; so I told myself that this was the experimental section. Two RC sections later I realized I was mistaken.
Thank you Steve for all of the good advice I received from your blog. Keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow's score!
I wish I would have known more about the new twists and turns that have been on the Games section in recent years. I was regularly scoring -1 to -3 on Games and did a -10 on the test - obviously, completely sinking my score and dooming me to a retake. How can I crack the code on the new ones? The old ones seem so much easier...
ReplyDeleteIs anybody here anymore? Ie is this site still relevant? It's now getting ready to be 2013 and some of us are still aiming at our LDs. Does anyone know how much the LSAT has changed since 2010?
ReplyDelete