Top Law Schools

I am very sensitive to noise while taking the LSAT and I am taking the LSAT for the fourth time. I was wondering if any one has any advice how to build your resistance to distraction.

Also has anyone tried the proctor DVD does that help.


Thank you

Try screaming silently to yourself. I studied listening to a SFX track of bells and whistles. The sound of styrafoam cups and tapping pencils become child's play...

Take your practice tests in a noisier library, or just a noisy place in general works too.

I don't know how much this really helped, but I took my PT's in various places because I didn't want to get to comfortable in one place, then go to the test center and feel different.

lakerfanimal wrote:Take your practice tests in a noisier library, or just a noisy place in general works too.

+1 This is what I did as well.

I didn't notice much noise when I took the LSAT. Regardless, just go the library. You'll get the effect of people walking around, opening books, ad shuffling papers.

legallybound wrote:I didn't notice much noise when I took the LSAT. Regardless, just go the library. You'll get the effect of people walking around, opening books, ad shuffling papers.

I studied several hours a day at a public library and had the added benefit of distracting homeless people washing, talking, coughing and eating as loudly as humanly possible. You could also try a coffee shop where people around you are talking, making drinks and eating.

If you can survive either of those environments, or at least build up a tolerance to distractions, it should harden your skin when it comes down to test conditions.

People get nervous when they take tests, which seems to make their noses run. As a result, the LSAT is often a cacophony of snorts and sniffles, since people would rather snort 100+ times than blow their nose once. To prepare myself for this audible onslaught, I took practice tests in the middle of a crowded library. I think that it helped to some degree, although test day remained a disgusting ordeal.

I admit that I'm somewhat neurotic, but once you become aware of the noise, it's all but impossible to ignore.

I usually studied in a Starbucks. The last 2 weeks I invited a bunch of friends who were also studying for the LSAT to do some practice tests alongside me using the LSAT proctor DVD in a classroom. The first practice test was jarring because of the silence and the quiet subtle distractions, but the second practice test was no problem at all. I felt calm, cool, and confident on the actual LSAT being familiar to white noise distractions and even quiet subtle distractions. Scored a 171.

jarofsoup wrote:I am very sensitive to noise while taking the LSAT and I am taking the LSAT for the fourth time. I was wondering if any one has any advice how to build your resistance to distraction.

I'm sympathetic, and it's important that you're taking the step of trying to handle this sensitivity.

The fact is that you can't let some stranger with the sniffles throw you off your game. Should you get into law school, you're going to be taking dozens of exams in similar situations and perhaps under even more pressure. The advice to take your PTs under less-than-ideal circumstances (unfamiliar libraries, for instance) are good, but ultimately I think you should also work on your attitude toward these distractions.

You might have a proctor answer her cell phone during the real LSAT (as I did my first time). Things happen. The best thing to do is let it slide -- I care more about what happens to me over the next 3 years than I do about some stranger taking a 30 second phone call.

UFMatt wrote:People get nervous when they take tests, which seems to make their noses run. As a result, the LSAT is often a cacophony of snorts and sniffles, since people would rather snort 100+ times than blow their nose once. To prepare myself for this audible onslaught, I took practice tests in the middle of a crowded library. I think that it helped to some degree, although test day remained a disgusting ordeal.

I admit that I'm somewhat neurotic, but once you become aware of the noise, it's all but impossible to ignore.

+1
I may be a bit neurotic too, but what drove f-ing NUTS was the sound of people cracking their knuckles. Completely destroys my concentration. I'm still working on over coming that distraction......

cavebat2000 wrote:I usually studied in a Starbucks. The last 2 weeks I invited a bunch of friends who were also studying for the LSAT to do some practice tests alongside me...

I also did a lot of studying in coffee shops and with others that were practicing too, we'd take turns being the one in charge of the time. At first it was hard, but then I realized if I can study and PT to the sound of 3 blenders going at once, people giving orders over the noise of the blenders, the door opening and closing, and the trolley and bus going by that I could handle the coughing/sneezing. I also did some practice in extremely quiet areas just to get a variety of experiences.

I found the biggest help to be having the area immediately surrounding my test booklet be clear. Focus the eyes, focus the mind, focus the ears.

the ultimate solution involves jamming q tips into your ears right before the exam. your ear drums will burst, allowing you to enjoy complete silence during the exam. after you score a 180 go have a surgeon take skin off your bum and make you some new ones...you want to get into a top law school right?

cavebat2000 wrote:I usually studied in a Starbucks. The last 2 weeks I invited a bunch of friends who were also studying for the LSAT to do some practice tests alongside me using the LSAT proctor DVD in a classroom. The first practice test was jarring because of the silence and the quiet subtle distractions, but the second practice test was no problem at all. I felt calm, cool, and confident on the actual LSAT being familiar to white noise distractions and even quiet subtle distractions. Scored a 171.

I did the exact same thing. Starbucks and occasionally use the LSAT Proctor DVD it helped a lot.

I have the opposite problem. I need some constant noise (AC, or fan, or something like that). Otherwise my ears rings like I am sitting in an enclosed room with 100 computers running. I have permenant hearing loss so the only way for me to concentrate is to have ambient noise. But I found out when I try really hard to figure something out I stop paying attention to the noise/ringing in my ear. I think look up some concentration excercises to work on your ability to seperate yourself from the enviornment. I think my hearing problem over the years helped me being able to concentrate whenever I want (because I have to deal with the distraction 24/7, with no recourse).

Once you get it in your head that a noise bothers you you're screwed...

I did study with earplugs when I was first learning the material and taking my first dozen PTs... I couldn't deal with the dense material and any surrounding noise. The earplugs put me in my own little world. About two months away from the test I threw away my earplugs and while the first week did suck I got over it pretty quick since I had already down all the learning (reading bibles) and was just working on performance.

While I did have favorite comfort spots to study I used five different libraries so I wouldn't get too comfortable/dependent. By the end I wouldn't even notice kids running at the public library... I would finish a section and realize that I hadn't noticed a dozen people around me come and go.

You can't fix it by telling yourself not to think about it. I think you have to learn enough first so you start attacking the test and your mind is only on the clock and your section.

I also had to leave me phone in my bag otherwise I would constantly be checking it to see if anyone texted, emailed, etc.

Variety is key. Don't study to AC/DC for 6 months to overcome it otherwise you'll be dependent on AC/DC.

I study on the floor of the library that allows groups to meet and talk aloud, and the cafe is down there as well, so there's always lots of noise, which is good for this purpose.

Also, during RC, while reading the passages I sit like this (albeit not naked):
--ImageRemoved--
with my elbows on the desk and plug both of my ears so that I can concentrate. It really cuts down on the noise, and I don't really care if I look silly.

jarofsoup wrote:I am very sensitive to noise while taking the LSAT and I am taking the LSAT for the fourth time. I was wondering if any one has any advice how to build your resistance to distraction.

Also has anyone tried the proctor DVD does that help.


Thank you

it does help.

You can also set it to very noisy, which is unrealistic. But if you need to prepare do that and turn your t.v. volume all the way up, with this you'll be to take the test through armageddon.

I'm very noise resistant and this actually hurt me since it was way too quiet and I could hear everything someone would do at any time. It was horrible. I'm used to loud music, non-stop noises around, not to casual distractions that come up once per 5 minutes let alone complete silence. I get too conscious and bored when music's not playing.

My point is: make sure to have that balance.

take it in a busy borders/barnes bookstore coffee shop ... if you can take a PT and do well trying to drown out people's intimate conversations you will be ready for anything.

Thanks for all the help! I think I will buy the proctor DVD as soon as I register for the test.

It seems like the DVD proctor DVD is very hard to find right now on Amazon. Anyone have any suggestions?

Seems to be available (for $25) here: http://www.simugator.com/lsat-prep.html

I agree with the Starbuck's suggestions. It's not just the patrons. They have some stupid espresso machine at Starbuck's (or some kind of contraption, I don't know because I don't drink coffee). The point is that there is a lot of noise at Starbuck's, and studying there can help you learn to block out distractions.

if you can resist the urge to listen in on the conversation of two hot undergrad girls sitting next to you about their weekend exploits... you can resist anything.