Got this email from my LSAT student Mark recently.
I just finished week 1 of the 4 month study schedule. I more than a little rusty and was wondering what you though would be the best approach to completing the logic games. Ive been able to figure them out, but it takes me around 10-12 minutes and occasionally having to reference to your study guide. Do you suggest I time myself now for under 8.45 or wait until I get more comfortable in understanding them?
My response:
I'd NEVER recommend timing individual games to 8:45, since that's only the AVERAGE amount of time you have for each game - some games can and should take less time, others will take longer for most people. Don't worry about timing for now.
Nice thing is,
The time you save on the easier games can be applied to the harder ones!
So, when you're timing yourself, time the full section as a whole.
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As a kind of follow-up to my last article about the day-by-day study plans, I wanted to take the time to answer some more general questions about LSAT studying - how to study, and, more importantly, when.
When should I start studying? Is 1-2 years before too early?
That's probably too early to start looking at LSAT-specific materials.
And starting too early could be bad if you burn out / get sick of it, use up practice tests too early, or if you're studying at the expense of your GPA.
So, enjoy your free time, keep up your GPA if you're still in college, and read dense LSAT-like material to get familiar with the type of thinking the LSAT requires.
You don't need to read anything LSAT-specific this early in the game, but I do recommend Walton's Informal Logic and similar books. Also, you might want to do sudoku and Dell/Penny Press logic puzzles on the side, just to prepare you for the kind of thinking that Logic Games require.
And try to enjoy your free time. There's only so much of it.
What if I want to spend a year?
A year's still a long time.
If you can study hardcore over a winter break....
you might want to take in February. This gives you time for a June retake if necessary, and you'd still be able to apply at the very beginning of the cycle that fall.
On the other hand, if you can study hardcore over the summer....
you might want to take in September/October, this gives you time for a December retake, and you can still apply that cycle.
(Applying early matters less than it used to, and law schools don't average multiple scores, so retaking is usually a good idea.)
Bottom line:
Try to make sure you have a lighter-than-average workload/courseload during the time you're studying for the LSAT.
If you can't reduce it, then why not spread out the work over a longer time period?
This way, you'll be able to spend less than 2-3 hours each day studying, and you won't feel like you're falling behind.
What about 3 months?
Sounds good in theory (who wouldn't want to be done sooner, right?)
Thing is, many people end up needing more than 3 months to get up to their goal score, so I wouldn't wait until only 3 months before test day to get started.
If any part of that 3 months involves:
* going away on vacation
* planning a major life event (like a wedding)
* a major illness
* a super-busy work schedule
you MIGHT need more time.
Some unexpected things (like illnesses or weddings) can come up, so while I TYPICALLY recommend a minimum of 3 months, 4 or 5 months may be even better.
Depends on:
- how busy you are
- how quickly you learn
- how much you want to improve
When should I start taking timed practice tests?
Taking several dozen tests without learning techniques first is far from the most effective way to go about your prep. I'd go so far as to say it's a sucky method.
You should learn techniques first, then practice.
So, spend the earlier part of your prep building a strong foundation and learning techniques, then spend the later part of your prep APPLYING that foundation and those techniques to full tests.
(You might also want to spend some time toward the end of your prep drilling question-types that give you trouble as you're moving through the timed tests.)
Anyway.....
Have other questions?
Just reach out and lemme know what's giving you the most trouble. Lots of LSAT things I can talk about all day, but I want to know what YOU need the most help with.
Til next time,
LSAT Steve
The best of my LSAT material with exclusive access to attend my Live Online LSAT Master Classes + Q&As, and on-demand video lessons you can watch anytime. Plus, LSAT study plans to keep you on track. Save hundreds of dollars with an LSAT course package.
2. LSAT Day-By-Day Study Plans
Preparing for the LSAT is confusing. There are dozens of prep books and practice tests out there, and 1,000+ articles on my website alone. When, and how, should you use them all? These super-specific study plans give you a clear plan of attack.
3. LSAT Cheat Sheets
Based on what I'd typically do in college: read what the professor emphasized and condense it all onto a single piece of paper. It gave me a quick reference, making things a lot less threatening and a lot more manageable.
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