wastes of time when reviewing LSAT questions

Got a krazy (but kommon) question in response to my article the other day about reviewing. It was a bit rambly, but I'll boil it down to save us some time. She was basically asking: "Should I review EVERY single question I do?" Think about it for a second. If you go through 20 PrepTests or more (which you should)... That's about 2,000 questions. Each has 5 answer choices. That's 10,000 answer choices!!!! If you do 40 PTs (mix of timed and untimed), that ends up being 4,000 questions - and 20,000 answer choices!!! Ain't nobody got time for that. In an ideal world, we'd all have the time to review EVERY SINGLE QUESTION, whether right or wrong. But, you do have other obligations and limited time because of silly things like needing to sleep. Reviewing every single question you do isn't gonna happen without burning yourself out (more on that sometime soon). So.... Focus your review on questions you answered incorrectly, and you had a lot of trouble with or got down to two and got lucky, spent lots of time, etc. And if you need LSAT PrepTests, I put together a big list of them all (including how to get most of them for cheap in books of 10). Here's where to get LSAT PrepTests: GINORMOUS LIST OF EVERY LSAT PrepTest EVER ---> LSAT-obsessed but still making time for sleep (occasionally), Steve P.S. For those of you who ask, "I have some older book of LSAT tests, can I use those instead of getting newer ones?" my answer is, "No!" Shell out the 20 bucks and get the newest book of 10 exams. Your LSAT score is worth the investment. P.P.S. I got a question from one of y'all about how to solve "weird games," so I'll share more on that next time. 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.

LSAT Test Center Problems

"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.

For more, I've got an entire playlist focused on LSAT Test Day prep here -----> and several articles on LSAT Test Day prep here ----->

how to get ready for LSAT test day

Some tips on... How to get ready for LSAT test day, tl;dr style:  1. Practice at least once or twice on a small desk. 2. Bring layers in case the room is too hot or cold. 3. Practice in rooms where the temperature is slightly uncomfortable. 4. Try to take a few practice tests in the very room where you'll take the real thing. 5. Do at least one or two practice tests in distracting environments (like coffee shops and libraries). That was pretty short, so here's some bonus advice on what to do re: timing and proctors: -Confirm with the proctor beforehand that you'll get 35 minutes per section, a 5-minute warning before the end of each section, and a 15-minute break between the 3rd and 4th sections. (Be very polite about this. Proctors are the police / dictators of the room. Their word is law, so respect their authority. However, this doesn't mean you can't say something if they're cutting you short on time.) Anecdotal evidence (reports from students) indicates that LSAC generally does nothing for people shorted on time or not given a 5-minute warning. Of course, most test-takers probably don't experience this problem, but if it happens to you, it'll be a big deal. This is just one of the things that you need to be ready to handle on Test Day. If you'd like more of my best material on how to deal with the situations you're most likely to face on Test Day, my LSAT and Test Day checklists go into more detail about how to simulate Test Day and be ready for anything (even bad proctors). And if you get them now, you'll maximize the time you have between now and Test Day to take what you discover and put it into practice.  Because the completely unexpected might happen. And how do you prepare for the unexpected? How do you change your mind so you're ready for ANYTHING the test-makers, the proctors, and the universe itself might throw at you? That's the question I've been working on over the past several years. In fact, I've made it my mission to prepare my students for the "human element" of the exam - to go beyond just the exam content and question types. And the results have been incredible. Get the LSAT and Test Day checklists now and set yourself up for success. Yours, Steve Schwartz P.S. I've been getting a lot of questions about how to review wrong answers, so I'll make sure to cover that next time. P.P.S. If you're struggling with anything in particular right now, just reach out - I read every message myself.

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How I helped Allison increase her LSAT score from 150s to 170

Allison increased her score from the 150s to 170. That's a 15+ point jump! Check out this email she sent me:

But how'd she do it? The poor girl was plagued with stress and anxiety. In her LSAT Diary, she wrote: I had every workbook, every practice test, every possible resource, and yet I felt really stuck a few months into studying for the LSAT. I was nowhere near my goal in terms of scoring, and I felt like I was doing everything I could do without making any progress. I was studying hours every day over the summer, working on logic puzzles and logical reasoning questions until my frustration and exhaustion would become too much. It was a terrible routine, and I was feeling more and more defeated every time I studied. Finally, after a few months of studying and not a lot of improvement, I found Steve's blog and began reading, and ultimately I realized that Steve's strategies and ways of talking about the LSAT on his blog resonated with me and helped things click into place, and I hadn't even accessed any of his study materials yet. I decided to buy some tutoring sessions, and to take his online video courses. Within a few days of watching Steve's videos, I was getting better and faster at the LSAT. My thought process became more efficient and organized, and I no longer agonized over different answer choices. Then, in my tutoring sessions with Steve, I was able to discuss in detail with him questions that stumped me, and I began to identify patterns of mistakes I was making that I could now rectify with his help. With more confidence than I had felt in months, I threw myself back into studying for the test, and I was overjoyed to see my score slowly but surely climbing towards my goal. I worked with Caroline, one of my favorite students, a few years ago. She ended up scoring perfect on Logic Games after a few sessions with me! How'd she do it? I met with Steve and his advice was invaluable. He made something I had struggled with for so long look so easy. He showed me a completely different way of approaching games that would have taken me 10 minutes or more and taught me shortcuts that cut that time in half. Steve’s help with logic games combined with my determination to remain calm and collected about the test had me scoring an average of 173-174 leading up to test day. If you're struggling with any areas in particular, or suffering from test anxiety, it can sometimes be easier to work with someone personally. I'll soon have a few openings in my schedule for highly-motivated and high-performing students who are willing to invest significant time and energy in their LSAT prep. Because even with all the courses, books, and free resources, the fastest way to get the score you need is by working directly with somebody one-on-one who's already been through the process. So, if you'd like help identifying and improving on your weak areas, or just feel stressed about everything in general, reach out and let me know. LSAT Coaching is for you: * if you want me to give you some guidance on your study schedule. * if you want me to analyze what you're doing wrong in problem areas (and give you ways to correct those problems). * if you feel like you need some one-on-one help but don't have time to start over with a whole new course of prep. So, if you feel like LSAT coaching might help with your situation, or you just want to say "Hi," just reach out and let me know, and we can talk more about it. -Steve (LSAT Coach) P.S. For those of you who are feeling pretty good about your understanding of the LSAT, that's great! Either way, if you'd like some of my best advice on preparing for unexpected Test Day disasters.... I've got more coming your way on that next time. P.P.S. Aside from one-on-one coaching, some find it especially helpful to get coached alongside other highly-motivated students in a group. That's why I created 3PC: The 3 Percent Club. Click here to find out more.

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how to prepare for the worst on LSAT test day

My student Max went from 155 diagnostic to 176 on the real thing... And 176 was the highest score he ever got on practice a test. So part of it's just that he got lucky. But the bigger surprise? He didn't DROP below his PT score average like most test-takers do. Let me show you just one of many examples of the dreaded Test Day Drop:

That story gives me chills. Imagine if you had a nightmarish Test Day scenario like that one, and then dropped more than 15 points from your average! We have to make sure to avoid that kind of experience (and result!) at all costs. So let's work to figure this out -  why did things turn out so much better for my student Max? Well, he invested a tremendous amount of time and energy into his studying, unlike James from before. And do you want to know one of the biggest factors that led to his success? Simulating Test Day and Keeping Strict Time Limits! Taking your PrepTests under strict test-day-like conditions makes it more likely that your PT scores will reflect your actual score on test day. That's taking your LSAT study to the next level. Because things can, and sometimes do, go wrong. Unwanted factors like bad proctors (or distracting fellow test-takers) can lead to score drops. Or you could have a bad desk....or be crammed like sardines next to other test-takers. Want more on this? I show you how to simulate Test Day conditions and avoid score drops in my LSAT courses. In case you're still skeptical about Test Day horror stories, here's some PROOF: Check out these test-takers in India taking the LSAT on a TEENY-TINY desk they have to share... These desks are so small that the two girls in the middle have to balance the test booklet on clipboards. Awkward....

Girl on the far right might be cheating off the one in blue, but that could just be my imagination. There's no guarantee that taking the LSAT outside of India means your test center will be any better.  Generally speaking, some have huge private desks, others have long shared ones like what you see above (but they typically insert empty seats in-between to prevent cheating....and claustrophobia). Like most things in life, some are good, some are bad. I try to go by that old saying, "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst." And I tend to be more cautious than the average person. In future articles, I'll get more into preparing for worst-case scenarios in case you get a test center like the one in that photo, but first, here are some strategies from my LSAT courses. Things that often lead to score drops: * burnout * being tired / sleep issues * stress Things you can do to achieve your FULLEST potential on Test Day: * get enough sleep * eat well * get moderate exercise * DE-stress / relax (some kind of mindfulness / meditation, or even just spending time in nature can help) This stuff REALLY makes a difference. It's also the best way to reduce test anxiety and improve confidence. As you can see, there's clearly a lot more to acing the LSAT aside from basic understanding of LSAT concepts. If you'd like my best material on this, join my LSAT course. Next time, I'll share how I've helped a few students overcome test day stress and anxiety to achieve MASSIVE score increases (I'm talking 10-15 points or more). Talk soon, Steve P.S. Is there anything in particular giving you trouble right now? Lemme know, and I'll try to cover it in a future article. Just reach out :) “Even though I had the worst week ever leading up to the test, I still felt confident because I knew exactly what to expect when I walked into the testing center...from being prepared for the extra strain of the experimental section to not wearing a hoodie into the test...Wish the guy hyperventilating next to me in Section 3 had the same 'LSAT Blog' chill pill I did.”- Allison A., 158 to 171

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What's the most common LSAT mistake?

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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