"Learn the test" Forum

[Susan_Walid]

So, I've heard a lot of people advise me to "learn the test" before I start taking practice tests. What is the BEST way to do this? Sit there and analyze a 100 questions? See what led to the correct/wrong answer? Learn the test. What exactly does this mean?

[EMZE]

There are very many nuances to the test. First and foremost, what threw me off what my own understanding of colloquial english vs LSAT english. Formal logic words turn what you may understand a sentence to mean on its head. Questions asking for the best or most supported answer make it seem like there is a best answer and several less good answers though reality only one is right and the rest are all wrong for good reason.

There's really no one all inclusive list of such nuances. But I imagine that's what that advice means

[mtbssd]

Work through the powerscore bibles and you will pretty much learn the test.

[Berkeley13]

I'd say that when you're reading the books (powerscore, manhattan, etc. whatever your flavor is), your main goal should be to identify two things:

1. What is the most efficient thought process that I can use for each question type that will reliably get me to the right answer.

2. What tricks are used that commonly throw me off of the scent of the right answer.

Most of the books go over these two things, but you need to adapt it to your particular needs. Once you know these things, you can go into PTs and evaluate whether the thought process you're using really is the most efficient (and if not, what is) and whether you really know all the tricks the LSAT has (you won't, not all of them are covered well in the books).