How to Prep for the LSAT | 7 Tips from Top LSAT Scorers

In this LSAT Blog post, I've compiled 7 tips from blog readers with top LSAT scores and significant score improvements. (Read previous LSAT Diaries compilations.)

Enjoy, and if you want to be in LSAT Diaries, please email me at LSATUnplugged@gmail.com. (You can be in LSAT Diaries whether you've taken the exam already or not.)

1. "I think it was crucial to my success that I felt connected to the test: connected by regularly reading LSAT Blog, by making studying part of my daily routine...When I thought of the people behind the test, instead of thinking of an army of anonymous evil geniuses who delight in crushing the dreams of law school hopefuls, I thought of Michael, the rep I met at the [LSAC law school] forum...He didn’t look like a man who wrote out questions while cackling evilly. He looked like what he said he was – a guy who wanted to be an English professor, but ended up writing test questions instead." - Rebecca, 174 (LSAT Diaries)

2. "In terms of practice techniques...the most important part is to go over each question you get wrong, and, taking your time, articulate why you got it wrong, and what the correct answer was. After each mistake, I’d resolve to do something different...So long as I stuck to that advice, I was able to eliminate a number of careless or tactical mistakes, and my score averages slowly climbed." Brandon, improved from 150 to 170 (LSAT Diaries)

3. "When I first read Steve’s posts about loving this exam, I concluded that he must really be deranged. But what I found is that the more you drill, the more you understand the setup and the more that you can come to admire it. There were some questions that I got wrong during practices that after examining again, I would think to myself, 'Wow, what a really cool question...' " - J, improved from 157 to 166 on LSAT retake (LSAT Diaries)

4. "The worst part about the LSAT was showing up on test day and seeing how many other people had been working just as hard and aspiring towards the same goal. I forced myself to pretend that they were at the testing center for other reasons; it was just me and my test. I had the same pencils and eraser I used over the course of my studying and reassured myself that nobody had the same relationship with the test that I did." - Danielle, 166 (LSAT Diaries)

5. "Mentally pre-phrasing answers can help. But don’t consciously spend time doing this. Pre-phrasing should happen in that split-second when your eyes move from the stimulus to the question. In fact, “pre-phrasing” can occur mentally without words; that is, the idea of the right answer can fill your mind without effort. Thus: reading the stimulus, pre-phrasing, and identifying the credited response can and should occur in a wave."  - Samson, 174 (LSAT Diaries)

6. "Relax on Test Day morning. I know it is easier said than done, but if you’ve done the appropriate prep you will be fine. If you have done PrepTests under the right conditions, nothing is new. The worst thing you can do is freak-out about it, get out of your head and trust yourself. If something throws you off, take a deep breath, close your eyes for a second and move on." - Ricky, improved from 153 to 160 on retake (LSAT Diaries)

7. "One of the most important aspects of my studying was pinning down the variations of my mental state during each PrepTest...I cannot stress its importance. I understand that everyone has to study when they can and how they can, but try to make the environment as realistic as possible. That means turning off the tv and the stereo, getting off the couch, and pretending every time that you put pencil to paper, that you are taking a test." - Brad, improved from 167 to 179  (LSAT Diaries)

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