7 LSAT Test Day Tips for the Final Week

I've written a ton of posts on preparing for LSAT Test Day. These are just some key points to remember for the final week.

1. Visit your LSAT test center.

2. Decide what you'll wear and bring before the morning of.

3. Relax the day before your exam.

4. Get to bed early the night before and set multiple alarms.

5. Wake up early the day of.

6. Leave for the test center early.

7. Complete a logic game or some LR problems as a warm-up immediately before the exam.


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Details on what to bring:

Pack a clear plastic bag with your admission ticket, #2 pencils, energy bars, bananas, a bottle of water, photo ID, and admission photo, a logic game or LR problems, and an analog watch. (Make sure you bring a watch because it's possible that the room won't have a clock.)

Consider bringing a magazine or something to read on your way to the test center if you're not driving. See LSAC's test day rules since they're updated frequently. Remember that the rules do not allow you to bring a cell phone, so plan how you'll manage without one.

LSAT PrepTest 75 Explanations Available for Instant PDF Download

Complete explanations for all 4 sections of LSAT PrepTest 75 (June 2015 LSAT) are now available for instant PDF download. Both Logical Reasoning sections, the Logic Games section, and the Reading Comprehension section have been fully explained.

One of the most common requests I get from my students and blog readers is for explanations of particular LSAT questions.

Although I'll explain any question in my LSAT tutoring, there's a limit to the amount I have time to write down.

Fortunately, I just learned that fellow LSAT tutor Graeme has written complete explanations for every question in all sections of LSAT PrepTest 75 (June 2015 LSAT). Not only do these explain why the right answer is right, but they also discuss why each wrong answer is wrong.

Get explanations for all 4 sections, or just get explanations for specific sections by clicking the relevant links below:

- Complete Logic Games Explanations for LSAT PrepTest 75 (only $3.97)

- Complete Logical Reasoning Explanations for LSAT PrepTest 75 (only $4.97)

(explains both Logical Reasoning sections)

- Complete Reading Comprehension Explanations for LSAT PrepTest 75 (only $3.97)

Want to know more? Get further details on these Logic Games, Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension explanations.

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PrepTest 75 is the most recently released LSAT, so it's the best reflection of the LSAT's current state. It's especially crucial for anyone preparing for the June 2015 LSAT and beyond to thoroughly study this exam. The LSAT evolves over time.

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Day-By-Day LSAT Study Plans with Donation

From now through the end of the weekend, I'm giving away day-by-day LSAT study schedules (normally $20-$25) to anyone who makes a donation for the equivalent amount (or more!) to Watsi.org

For those of you who don't know, Watsi is an awesome, reputable, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that directly funds people who need medical care in developing nations around the world. You can read more about them on Wikipedia and their FAQ page.

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Quick Law School Recommendation Letter Tips

The below quick tips on law school recommendation letters are from A Guide to Law School Recommendations.

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Targeted Law School Recommendation Letters

The below post on targeted law school recommendation letters is an excerpt from A Guide to Law School Recommendations.

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LSAT PrepTest 75 (June 2015 LSAT) Available

Just wanted to let you all know that LSAT PrepTest 75 (the June 2015 LSAT) is now available on Amazon.com

PrepTest 75 is the most recently released LSAT, so it's the best reflection of the LSAT's current state. It's especially crucial for anyone preparing for the October 2015 LSAT and beyond to thoroughly study this exam. The LSAT evolves over time.

Law School Personal Statement Outside Help

The below excerpt on getting outside help for your law school personal statements is from A Guide to Optional Essays and Addenda.

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LSAT Fee Waiver? Free LSAT Prep Book from LSAC

If you're able to demonstrate financial need to LSAC's satisfaction, you can get an LSAT fee waiver (in other words, you get to take the LSAT for free, and you get some other free law school admissions services from LSAC's Credential Assembly Service.

However, LSAC doesn't make it obvious to everyone that if you get an LSAT fee waiver, you're also entitled to a free copy of LSAT SuperPrep. All you have to do is ask. 

If you got an LSAT fee waiver, email or call LSAC and ask for your free copy of LSAT SuperPrep.

However, make sure you get LSAT SuperPrep II (the newest edition of LSAT Superprep).

Details on this book in the May 2015 issue of the LSAC Report Newsletter (PDF p10):

New SuperPrep to Be Published
 A new LSAT preparation book, The Official LSAT SuperPrep II, is being prepared for publication and should be available by mid-June. Like its predecessor—the original SuperPrep— published more than 10 years ago, the book will include three previously administered tests with an explanation for each question. This amounts to 303 mini-lessons. This practice book will help users learn how to approach LSAT questions as they prepare to take the test.
 SuperPrep ll will replace SuperPrep as the test prep book provided to LSAC fee waiver recipients upon request (emphasis added).

Law School Letter of Continued Interest | Sample

If you get waitlisted by a law school, it's a good idea to send a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) in order to increase your chances of acceptance.

LOCIs demonstrate to law schools that you are serious about attending their school if accepted which will help increase their yield (a factor on which they're ranked in the US News rankings.

Here's a sample law school application Letter of Continued Interest to get you started:

To Whom It May Concern / Dear _____ Admissions: 

I would like to reiterate my unwavering desire to attend _________. There is no law school I would rather attend. 

My professional and personal backgrounds would bring diversity to the community. My experience in _____ demonstrates my ability to excel in an intense, highly competitive environment. At the same time, I ___________. 

(Here, I would add a sentence or two with some kind of update on anything new you've been doing since you submitted your application. Can be work or community service-related, GPA-related, etc.) 

I would be honored to be offered the privilege to join the ______ Class of 20XX. 

Thank you very much for your consideration. 

Sincerely,

(Just don't use word-for-word, or they'll know you copied it from LSAT Blog!)

Why (and How) to Send Letters of Continued Interest to Law Schools (from this guest post):

Many law schools claim that they don’t want or need to hear why you wish to attend their law school. Do yourself a favor, and ignore these claims. Law schools - and particularly admissions offices - care a great deal about enrollment rates. If half of everyone they accept goes to a different law school, that reflects terribly on the admissions office, and the entire law school. They want to know that if they accept you, you will come.

Many individuals placed on the waitlist at top law schools will get into other top law schools. The admissions office knows this. If you are waitlisted at Columbia, there is a decent chance that you will be accepted at NYU, Chicago, etc. If you are one of the lucky few taken off of the waitlist, admissions officers want to know that you won’t just end up at one of these other schools.

How do you accomplish that? Simply, straightforwardly, and in a letter of continued interest. Send the letter shortly after you have been waitlisted. Let the admissions office know that you continue to be very interested in their school.

Explain why you are interested in their school. What makes them unique? Why can’t you get the same things from another law school? The more specific and detailed you are, the more likely that admissions officers will believe you.

In addition, be straightforward. If you are waitlisted at your top choice, tell them that they are your top choice. Don’t just say that you are “very interested.” If they are your top choice, you should make it very clear that you will be attending their school if you are accepted.

The letter of continued interest may be sent separately from your supplemental essays or materials. However, I would recommend that you send them together. At the bottom of your letter, you can mention that you’ve included additional materials that may be of help in assessing your application.

Balancing LSAT Prep with Work and School

Besides learning to solve LSAT questions, one of the most common issues I hear from you is that it's difficult to find the time to study.

A lot of this comes down to starting and maintaining the habits that can help you stay organized and productive.

These include:

-sleep
-diet
-exercise
-stress reduction

I love listening to podcasts, and I just started listening to The 66-Day Experiment podcast. It's all about starting and maintaining habits (iTunes, Stitcher), which is something I know I want to get better at, so I actually subscribed to it.

Relatedly, I talk about daily habits that can help you find the time to study on a recent episode of the Actuarial Journey podcast (iTunes, Stitcher). Although it's a podcast for aspiring actuaries, a lot of the tips I share (and the tips shared in other episodes) apply to anyone studying for an exam.

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If you prefer to read, rather than listen to podcasts, I've written a few articles on habits that can help you balance LSAT prep with other obligations and find the time to study.

LSAT Prep While Working or in College

Daily LSAT schedule recommendations for each day

How daily meditation / mindfulness can help you stay focused

Why sleep inertia can ruin your LSAT studying

You can find more concrete tips in my LSAT study schedules on how to structure your LSAT studying.

Should You Retake The LSAT?

If you took the LSAT and are thinking about canceling your score, or you already got your score and it wasn't what you wanted.

Here are some thoughts on deciding whether to retake. (Also see How to Study for a Retake.)

1. Does your dream law school average multiple LSAT scores?

Most law schools don't average them anymore. Instead, they'll only count your highest LSAT score when they create your "admissions index," which is a formula combining your LSAT and GPA - each law school does it differently.


2. If you retake it, will you have to apply later?

Law schools review applications in the order they receive them (it's called rolling admissions). It's better to apply early in the cycle (usually September or October). Make sure that you'll get at least a few points higher on your retake to outweigh the downside of applying slightly later in the cycle. Consider retaking it and waiting a year, if necessary.


3. Did anything unusual happen the previous time?

If you had were sick, had a personal crisis, the test center was too noisy, or something else happened, you might do better the next time around.


4. Was your LSAT score similar to your scores on practice tests?

If it was significantly below your practice scores, you can probably score better on a future exam and demonstrate your ability.


5. Will you have the time and determination to adequately prepare?

You'll need to salvage your books from the trash and get your brain in gear. This takes effort. Create a plan that allows you a comfortable amount of time to study during both the week and weekend between now and your future test date.


6. What did you do to study the previous time?

It's best to complete several PrepTests before taking the exam for real. If you didn't do this, a retake may be in your best interest. However, doing the PrepTests is necessary, but it's not sufficient. It's also important to analyze your incorrect answers in order to understand why you answered those questions incorrectly.


7. Do you think you can improve your LSAT score?

The LSAT has a great deal of weight in the admissions process. If you think it's within your ability to improve your score, the time you invest in preparing for the LSAT and taking it again will pay for itself when you get into a better school, get merit aid, and, eventually, get a better job after you graduate.


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I hope you don't need to retake and that you're done with the LSAT for good. If you decide to retake, see some LSAT study schedules for retakers (scroll down). Even if you've used up every single LSAT PrepTest, there's still plenty to learn from them, so don't worry. You'll still be able to study just fine.

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I also hope my thoughts in the above post are sufficient to help you make your decision.

Unfortunately, I can't give everyone personalized advice about whether to retake, but if you leave a comment, maybe others who read this will give you some thoughts on what to do.

Wish you all the best!