Ask a dozen LSAT experts this question, and you'll get a dozen different responses.
When I talk with others in the LSAT biz, they mention things like confusing necessary and sufficient assumption Qs, misunderstanding "weird" conditional indicators, etc.
But from what I've seen working with students for 10+ years, the most common LSAT mistake is even more basic than THAT.
The #1 most common mistake I see students make:
Not investing themselves fully in their LSAT studying!!!
(And I'm not just talking about people who can't make it through a section without checking Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, whatever.)
I'm talking about the 99% of people out there trying to balance LSAT prep with work, school, family, etc. It's not that these students aren't trying...it's not their fault...
It's just that they have a lot of other things going on.
Does this sound familiar?
I've been there.
IT TOOK ME A FULL YEAR to kick the LSAT's butt and finally be done with the damn thing myself.
Sometimes random people reach out to me asking what to do, how to study, and if I can help them.
I'm going to tell you about a long-time follower named James.
This guy has emailed me every month or two for the past year. We've even spoken on the phone a few times about working together. But he's never actually taken action, and nothing's changed for him.
Some people treat LSAT prep casually - like it's no different than choosing a restaurant on Yelp or walking into a coffee shop and ordering a latte. A lot of people haven't even gone through a fraction of my free material, but they email me as if I'm going to sit down and write a response that magically fixes everything for them.
Listen up, people - the LSAT is no joke, and there are already hundreds of LSAT tutors out there. If you want someone who charges by the hour and explains questions like a prep book would, that's fine. You can find them on sites like Craigslist.
What I do is completely different.
Instead, I coach under the framework of complete immersion. My coaching is tailor-made and deeply personalized.
I've designed an apprenticeship for the rare student who is willing to go deeper than they've ever gone before in order to completely transform their mindset.
My personal philosophy is that when someone invests in my coaching for anything over $5,000…the average person should be able to increase their score 5-10 points after working with me the FIRST MONTH. And 10-15 points from their investment in 2-3 months.
So if I had a $5,000 LSAT coaching option, someone who takes it seriously and follows my advice during their LSAT studying should be able to go from 155 to the low 160s in their first month and to the high 160s or low 170s in 2-3 months.
AND THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME!!
There is a minimum investment of $5,000 to work with me and students pay up to $20,000. But this opportunity will cost you more than just money. You must be ready to invest your time and energy. You must be ready to commit to this process and make it such a powerful force in your life that it will have a lasting impact into law school and beyond.
But if you're not ready to make that kind of investment in yourself, That's ok. Not everyone is. And you may not even need LSAT coaching. Some people do fine with books and courses. I actually only with students who DON'T need coaching - they're the ones who have the most potential for miraculous improvements if they add on my support.
Regardless of whether you're ready to make a serious financial investment in your LSAT prep, it's important to make sure you're investing the TIME. A lot of tutors sit there while students work through problems, and that's the only work the student does all week!
So here are some simple strategies for fitting in the time to study:
* Start your prep earlier than you think is necessary.
* Set aside specific times to study each day.
* Try to spread your studying throughout the week.
* Give yourself at least one or two days off from studying per week.
* Try to reduce other obligations during the period that you'll be prepping.
These might seem kinda obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people fail to do these basic things.
I know that's not really enough, so if you're looking for more detailed advice...click here for the full article I put together about this:
How to Balance LSAT Prep with Work and School ---->
And if you ARE fitting in the time, congrats! That puts you ahead of 99% of LSAT-takers.
The next step is to make sure you're not just taking test after test, but actually studying SMART, building a strong foundation before wasting tests. (That's what my day-by-day study plans are all about.)
Anyway, enough about that.
Next time, I'll share how I responded to James, along with some tips on how to avoid the dreaded "Test Day score drop."
Because after scores come out, I always get tons of emails from people who DON'T follow this advice, which is really sad because their mistakes could've easily been avoided.
So make sure you read my next article so the "score drop" doesn't happen to you, too.
Talk soon,
Steve - LSAT Coach
Recommended Resources:
1. LSAT Courses
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 Checklists
All the little items and details students don't usually think of. They hold you accountable and help you make sure you're not missing anything.
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