First time test takers....read thiis if you're nervous

[Sean1269]

The night before the LSAT you probably will not sleep, you will not feel well in the morning, you will feel unprepared and probably look for an excuse to get out of the test. Don't worry it's natural. Push through the excuses, eat a large breakfast and bring some snacks to the test location (and a few five hour energies). You will get to the test location, everyone will be talking about how they scored 170+ on PT's, or how they recently got a 170 on the LSAT and they just want to improve a little more to get into Harvard. You'll hear people talking about how they never miss any in logic games or how they typically finish RC in under 10 min, you will hear all kinds of things which are intimidating. Take them with a grain of salt. If everyone scored like they say they do, a 170 would be in the 80th percentile. The fact is they don't its a way for people to comfort themselves, tune them out. You will fear a weird sense of nervousness coming into the test, hands won't stop shaking etc. However, once the test starts, that nervousness will go away. If you have prepped hard, training takes over. Your eyes dart across the pages looking at key words. Your pencil will move faster than it has ever moved before. The nervousness is gone (until 5min is announced). After the test you will think....maybe I should just cancel my score, don't unless you have A VERY GOOD REASON. Relax and remember why it is you are taking this test, you want to practice the law and help people make the most important decisions in their lives.

Tips for before the test:
Eat a good breakfast
Test week is not a good week to start a relationship....or end a relationship
It is not a good week to start drinking coffee.....or stop drinking coffee
Not a good week to become a vegetarian or stop being a vegetarian
Not a good week to become abstinent
Not a good week to start smoking pot...or stop smoking pot
Not a good week to stop studying for the LSAT
Not a good week to go on a drinking binge
Eat a good breakfast

All of that being said, there will be haters on this website who will say I only got a 166 (93%)...and don't know what I am talking about...BFD. For what it is worth, only 7% of LSAT takers did better than me, most of them are not on this forum, and some never went to law school. You will get into law school and realize most people have never heard of TLS...nor do they care. Don't cry about the LSAT, just take it and do your best. BTW i consistently scored 170+ on PTs as well...but its probably bad Karma to brag on test day...because you'll most likely do a lot worse than that.

GOOD LUCK TO THE OCTOBER TEST TAKERS, REMEBER YOU ALWAYS HAVE DECEMBER TOO

[3|ink]

I'll sleep that night even if it means killing a fifth of Jameson

[almostthereee]

The night before the LSAT you probably will not sleep, you will not feel well in the morning, you will feel unprepared and probably look for an excuse to get out of the test. Don't worry it's natural. Push through the excuses, eat a large breakfast and bring some snacks to the test location (and a few five hour energies). You will get to the test location, everyone will be talking about how they scored 170+ on PT's, or how they recently got a 170 on the LSAT and they just want to improve a little more to get into Harvard. You'll hear people talking about how they never miss any in logic games or how they typically finish RC in under 10 min, you will hear all kinds of things which are intimidating. Take them with a grain of salt. If everyone scored like they say they do, a 170 would be in the 80th percentile. The fact is they don't its a way for people to comfort themselves, tune them out. You will fear a weird sense of nervousness coming into the test, hands won't stop shaking etc. However, once the test starts, that nervousness will go away. If you have prepped hard, training takes over. Your eyes dart across the pages looking at key words. Your pencil will move faster than it has ever moved before. The nervousness is gone (until 5min is announced). After the test you will think....maybe I should just cancel my score, don't unless you have A VERY GOOD REASON. Relax and remember why it is you are taking this test, you want to practice the law and help people make the most important decisions in their lives.

Tips for before the test:
Eat a good breakfast
Test week is not a good week to start a relationship....or end a relationship
It is not a good week to start drinking coffee.....or stop drinking coffee
Not a good week to become a vegetarian or stop being a vegetarian
Not a good week to become abstinent
Not a good week to start smoking pot...or stop smoking pot
Not a good week to stop studying for the LSAT
Not a good week to go on a drinking binge
Eat a good breakfast

All of that being said, there will be haters on this website who will say I only got a 166 (93%)...and don't know what I am talking about...BFD. For what it is worth, only 7% of LSAT takers did better than me, most of them are not on this forum, and some never went to law school. You will get into law school and realize most people have never heard of TLS...nor do they care. Don't cry about the LSAT, just take it and do your best. BTW i consistently scored 170+ on PTs as well...but its probably bad Karma to brag on test day...because you'll most likely do a lot worse than that.

GOOD LUCK TO THE OCTOBER TEST TAKERS, REMEBER YOU ALWAYS HAVE DECEMBER TOO

I always saw pot as very detrimental to RC sections so that's why I stopped

[2014]

I can sleep through anything, including the anxiety of the night of Oct. 8

Now you have me thinking of what I'm going to have for breakfast though....that is an extremely important decision.

[2011Law]

For what it is worth, only 7% of LSAT takers did better than me, most of them are not on this forum, and some never went to law school.

hmm, you're definitely right that most people who got above a 166 aren't on here, but the same could be said with literally any other group of scorers. I'd bet though that there is a disproportionately high number of people with 167 and up on this site (self selecting bias).

My advice to anyone who is nervous, and not for lack of studying, is much simpler: get laid the night before if possible (would be a good time to gave a gf/bf, but a hooker will do), and eat some good ol' eggs with bacon and freedom toast the morning of the test.

[Sandro]

I feel like I will be much much much more ready to walk into the test center, ignore all the pre test bullshit that induce nervousness and just destroy the Oct10 lsat. Looking back on last september I hadn't taken a full timed PT really.

[Bless]

The night before the LSAT you probably will not sleep, you will not feel well in the morning, you will feel unprepared and probably look for an excuse to get out of the test. Don't worry it's natural. Push through the excuses, eat a large breakfast and bring some snacks to the test location (and a few five hour energies). You will get to the test location, everyone will be talking about how they scored 170+ on PT's, or how they recently got a 170 on the LSAT and they just want to improve a little more to get into Harvard. You'll hear people talking about how they never miss any in logic games or how they typically finish RC in under 10 min, you will hear all kinds of things which are intimidating. Take them with a grain of salt. If everyone scored like they say they do, a 170 would be in the 80th percentile. The fact is they don't its a way for people to comfort themselves, tune them out. You will fear a weird sense of nervousness coming into the test, hands won't stop shaking etc. However, once the test starts, that nervousness will go away. If you have prepped hard, training takes over. Your eyes dart across the pages looking at key words. Your pencil will move faster than it has ever moved before. The nervousness is gone (until 5min is announced). After the test you will think....maybe I should just cancel my score, don't unless you have A VERY GOOD REASON. Relax and remember why it is you are taking this test, you want to practice the law and help people make the most important decisions in their lives.

Tips for before the test:
Eat a good breakfast
Test week is not a good week to start a relationship....or end a relationship
It is not a good week to start drinking coffee.....or stop drinking coffee
Not a good week to become a vegetarian or stop being a vegetarian
Not a good week to become abstinent
Not a good week to start smoking pot...or stop smoking pot
Not a good week to stop studying for the LSAT
Not a good week to go on a drinking binge
Eat a good breakfast

All of that being said, there will be haters on this website who will say I only got a 166 (93%)...and don't know what I am talking about...BFD. For what it is worth, only 7% of LSAT takers did better than me, most of them are not on this forum, and some never went to law school. You will get into law school and realize most people have never heard of TLS...nor do they care. Don't cry about the LSAT, just take it and do your best. BTW i consistently scored 170+ on PTs as well...but its probably bad Karma to brag on test day...because you'll most likely do a lot worse than that.

GOOD LUCK TO THE OCTOBER TEST TAKERS, REMEBER YOU ALWAYS HAVE DECEMBER TOO

Good post.

[am060459]

For what it is worth, only 7% of LSAT takers did better than me, most of them are not on this forum, and some never went to law school.

hmm, you're definitely right that most people who got above a 166 aren't on here, but the same could be said with literally any other group of scorers. I'd bet though that there is a disproportionately high number of people with 167 and up on this site (self selecting bias).

My advice to anyone who is nervous, and not for lack of studying, is much simpler: get laid the night before if possible (would be a good time to gave a gf/bf, but a hooker will do), and eat some good ol' eggs with bacon and freedom toast the morning of the test.

I dont suggest that. maybe 2 days before the test date. Testosterone has been linked to help stay focus (low testosterone equals low level of focus).

I personally have felt that if i took a PT the day after i had sex i seem much more relaxed and not on point (yes its my personal experience and we all know its not enough to support a generalization ).

[Mike12188]

If your going to take a sleeping pill, do it early. I waited until it was 5am and I still couldn't sleep to take one. I woke up at 930/10am and felt like shit. Felt sick and barely ate, got to the test center and tried to do a game in my car and couldn't do a simple game. The two hours it took waiting in line, getting seated, and material handed out allowed me time to calm myself and I ended up scoring my average on the dot. If you prepared well, regardless of how horrible you feel the morning of, you just need to realize you have the potential to score your average. For me I just kept thinking that I prepared as much as I could and there was nothing else I could do. Also some really obvious advice I want to point out; go with your first instinct unless you have ample time to re-read the question (game in my case). Last minute I changed one of my answers on a game, as they were calling time. Being a splitter that 172 I feel would have given me the boost I need for certain schools.

[almostthereee]

For what it is worth, only 7% of LSAT takers did better than me, most of them are not on this forum, and some never went to law school.

hmm, you're definitely right that most people who got above a 166 aren't on here, but the same could be said with literally any other group of scorers. I'd bet though that there is a disproportionately high number of people with 167 and up on this site (self selecting bias).

My advice to anyone who is nervous, and not for lack of studying, is much simpler: get laid the night before if possible (would be a good time to gave a gf/bf, but a hooker will do), and eat some good ol' eggs with bacon and freedom toast the morning of the test.

I dont suggest that. maybe 2 days before the test date. Testosterone has been linked to help stay focus (low testosterone equals low level of focus).

I personally have felt that if i took a PT the day after i had sex i seem much more relaxed and not on point (yes its my personal experience and we all know its not enough to support a generalization ).

Wow I thought I was the only one that felt that way I feel like my mind drifts more after sex and just more out of it in general... like I just don't have the motivation to focus as much as I normally do.

[sophia.olive]

For what it is worth, only 7% of LSAT takers did better than me, most of them are not on this forum, and some never went to law school.

hmm, you're definitely right that most people who got above a 166 aren't on here, but the same could be said with literally any other group of scorers. I'd bet though that there is a disproportionately high number of people with 167 and up on this site (self selecting bias).

My advice to anyone who is nervous, and not for lack of studying, is much simpler: get laid the night before if possible (would be a good time to gave a gf/bf, but a hooker will do), and eat some good ol' eggs with bacon and freedom toast the morning of the test.

I dont suggest that. maybe 2 days before the test date. Testosterone has been linked to help stay focus (low testosterone equals low level of focus).

I personally have felt that if i took a PT the day after i had sex i seem much more relaxed and not on point (yes its my personal experience and we all know its not enough to support a generalization ).

+1 now we can make a generalization

[whymeohgodno]

I'm pretty sure I could sleep through WW3.

[Blindc1rca]

All of that being said, there will be haters on this website who will say I only got a 166 (93%)...and don't know what I am talking about...BFD. For what it is worth, only 7% of LSAT takers did better than me, most of them are not on this forum, and some never went to law school. You will get into law school and realize most people have never heard of TLS...nor do they care. Don't cry about the LSAT, just take it and do your best. BTW i consistently scored 170+ on PTs as well...but its probably bad Karma to brag on test day...because you'll most likely do a lot worse than that.

GOOD LUCK TO THE OCTOBER TEST TAKERS, REMEBER YOU ALWAYS HAVE DECEMBER TOO

Sound advice... That said I have yet to take the test, so while I can't judge it based on experience, I can say it sounds pretty damn good. Lol all I could think about when I was reading your statement preempting anybody that might discount your advice because of your 166 was "right on brother, genetic f*cking fallacy."

[Knock]

Solid post, thank you for that! Please also amend the title to include us nervous retakers .

I'd also suggest after every section, pausing, taking a few deep breaths, and pushing the bad or good of the last section out of your mind, and refocusing for the next section.

[beachbum]

My test center was a 180 of what you're describing: most people had done minimal prep, some barely knew what was on the test, and almost all were gunning for the area TT/TTTs. Some random girl actually called me out for bringing a PT to warm-up with.

...But with that said, +1 to most of your advice. The week before the test is not the time to experiment with something new or to change your schedule; you want the test to feel as routine as possible. I'd also add a few more points:

-Exercise, diet, and regular sleep go a long way in test-day performance. Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
-Do a dry-run to the test center to make sure you know where you're going and how much time it's going to take you.
-Relax the day before the test. Watch a movie, hang out with friends, go for a run, etc.
-Have all your stuff ready to go the night before the test.
-Use the restroom before the test and during the break. Even if you don't have to go.
-I'd be willing to bet money that, because you're on TLS and reading this thread, you've done more prep than the vast majority of your peers. So relax, get in the zone, and have confidence in the hard work you've poured into this test.