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"What are some of the most common LSAT test center problems?"
One problem might be that the desk is too small. Or the person next to you is annoying. They could be blowing their nose. They could be erasing heavily. They could be knocking into you a little bit.
Maybe the room is too hot. Maybe the room is too cold. Maybe the proctors are circling around. Maybe they're even talking to each other or talking on their cell phones, or there's a marching band playing outside, or the fire alarm goes off.
Now, I'm not saying any of these things are likely to happen, but they might happen. It's entirely possible and you want to do what you can to minimize the risk of that happening. So, or at least how you respond to it.
Dealing with Proctors
For the old-fashioned paper LSAT, before the exam starts, talk to the proctors and ask or confirm with them, "are we getting a five minute warning before the end of each section? Are we getting a break between the third and fourth sections? How much time are you giving us per section overall?"
(Not all at once, of course.)
For the Digital LSAT, it's all automated, so the above are not issues for you if you're taking the Digital LSAT.
No matter what, try to be friendly with the proctors.
However, if it turns out that they won't let you bring in a permitted item and claim that it's banned, you could always show a printout of LSAC’s website saying that this item is permitted. You could have a printout from the website or email LSAC, get confirmation in the email and then print that out and bring that with you.
Room Discomfort and Noise
In case the room is too hot or too cold, bring layers. No hoodies though - they aren't allowed, but you could bring something else like a sweatshirt, cardigan, or blazer. Dressing professionally could also help you feel sharp, which is also a potential confidence booster. Or you can optimize for comfort, so there's that to consider also.
Obviously, there's not much you can do about a marching band or fire alarm. If this happens to you, contact LSAC afterwards, and they'll probably give you a free retake. That's probably the best that you'd do with them unfortunately. If other test-takers are the nuisance, you could call over the proctor and ask them to deal with that person if it becomes overwhelming.
Simulating Test Day Conditions
To prepare yourself for issues more minor than these, practice in conditions similar to those you can reasonably expect. Instead of practicing at home in a fairly sterile environment, where there's always a fresh glass of water next to you and the bathroom’s only a short walk away, go to a coffee shop, and time yourself strictly.
And if somebody knocks into you, or they bother you, or they interrupt you for a second, all of that's on the clock, and you still have to keep moving.
Practice to make it as real for yourself as possible and do whatever you can to think about, "what is MY worst case scenario?" and "how can I prepare for it?"
This way, if you encounter it on test day, it's not the first time that you're dealing with this issue, and you'll be ready.
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