Last 5 Minutes Forum

[LSAT Taker]

I'm pretty sure that there are some on TLS who might share this problem with me:

When "5 minutes left" is called (or in case of self-timing, when you realize that you have 4-5 minutes left) and you have not quite finished your section, my brain seems to stop functioning. My eyes keep running over the test booklet, but usually with very limited, at best, productivity. Hence, I'm seriously considering fully focusing on questions (instead of bubbling after finishing every 2 pages) until the "5 minutes" is called, and then bubbling for the whole section at the same time. Would it be too risky?

In a way, it seems quite reasonable b/c I really don't seem to efficiently utilize the last 5 mninutes any way. What are your thoughts on this? Also, for those of you who join me in not usually finishing each section within 30 minutes, what do you usually do for the remaining 5 minutes? I'm curious to know what strategies are out there.

Thanks, and GOOD LUCK!

[WhatSarahSaid]

Just keep in mind that your proctor might forget to give a five-minute warning (it's happened before), so you probably don't want to be reliant on the proctor for that on test day.

If this works for you, then do it. Seems like you're giving up a lot of time, and a better strategy might be to just focus on fixing this concentration problem -- does it really take you five minutes to bubble?

[1000bmr]

not bubbling until the end worked fine for me despite the fact that i'm incredibly OCD about scantrons. i check my bubbling by using literally 3-4 different methods totaling probably 8-12 checks. since college i've probably caught a bubbling mistake less than 3 times, though one was on a practice LSAT.

so yeah, if i can wait until the end anybody can.

[bartleby]

This was something I was thinking about doing too. I get way too nervous after 5 mins are called (even with the online proctor) and I keep glancing at the questions and at my watch.

But at the same time, 5 mins for bubbling is a ridiculous amount of time. I think when 5 mins are called, I'm going to do ONE problem and then finish bubbling. Whatever I don't get to, if anything, I'll skim or guess.

[alex_cryp]

When 5 mins are called I tend to freak out a bit as well. Now when five minutes is called, I actually jump to the last question in the section and bubble in my guess "choice" which is always D all the way up, and then I leave two questions blank, know that in the 4 mins and 30s that I have left I can answer at least two questions. For me this takes away the anxiety of the possible scenario where I run out of time and can't even bubble in my guesses, and gives me back my concentration for the final two questions that I do have time to answer. In some sections, I answer one or two more in which case I do need to erase the previous guess bubble, a small price to pay for being able to focus the last five minutes.

[confusedlawyer]

The only section the 5 minute warning affects for me is RC. But I usually just speed up and try to read the last passage as quickly as possible so I can make some educated guesses on the questions instead of random bubbling

[HiLine]

I would never leave the whole answer sheet unfilled till the last 5 minutes. Feeling more secured would probably boost your confidence for the last few questions.

[confusedlawyer]

I would never leave the whole answer sheet unfilled till the last 5 minutes. Feeling more secured would probably boost your confidence for the last few questions.

definately, for LR if I am going through it quickly I bubble the sheet after each answer. If I am going slower I bubble after every page is complete. RC I finish a passage then bubble. LG I finish the game then bubble. If I am on the last section of RC or LG and I am running out of time I will bubble after each answer.

[Bildungsroman]

The 5 minute warning usually affects me on logic games section, because it's the section in which I usually have to go right up to the full 35 to finish comfortably, and when 5 minutes is called I worry too much about trying to find the questions that will take the least time to answer and worry too much about avoiding getting sucked into a time sink of a question. I spend too much of those last 5 minutes figuring out what to do, and not enough time actually doing it.