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How to Tell if You Have Prepped Enough

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 3:10 pm
by lsat2011
How can you tell if you are ready to take the LSAT? I heard that some people find that the test suddenly seems to click.

I'm retaking a 167 and I really hope to go up by 6 points but I find it really hard to know where I am at. Any advice? Thanks!

Re: How to Tell if You Have Prepped Enough

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 3:38 pm
by Scotusnerd
You'll know you are ready by three things:

1) You can consistently hit your goal in a variety of circumstances (achieve a 170 on multiple tests)
2) You have established weekly routines that you stay with without effort.
3) It's test day.

For some people it does go 'click'. For the vast majority I suspect it doesn't. It didn't for me, but I felt comfortable and confident when the test came around. I don't think that there's some magic 'lsat state' of mind that you enter to do well and mysteriously get wonderful scores.

Re: How to Tell if You Have Prepped Enough

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 4:03 pm
by hotchkiss1
for 1, not asking this question

Re: How to Tell if You Have Prepped Enough

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 4:31 pm
by crumpetsandtea
When you are consistently scoring 4-7 points above the score you want when doing handicapped tests (unless you want a 180, in which case, when you are scoring 180 consistently).

Handicapped tests = tests with some sort of disadvantage (30 min sections instead of 35 or 2 exp sections or in a noisy area) ON TOP OF normal testing conditions (9 AM, not in your own house, strict proctoring, no cell phone timer, no mechanical pencils, timer still running if you go to the bathroom, can't eat/drink water, 10 minute break)

Re: How to Tell if You Have Prepped Enough

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 5:14 pm
by shasty
crumpetsandtea wrote:When you are consistently scoring 4-7 points above the score you want when doing handicapped tests (unless you want a 180, in which case, when you are scoring 180 consistently).

Handicapped tests = tests with some sort of disadvantage (30 min sections instead of 35 or 2 exp sections or in a noisy area) ON TOP OF normal testing conditions (9 AM, not in your own house, strict proctoring, no cell phone timer, no mechanical pencils, timer still running if you go to the bathroom, can't eat/drink water, 10 minute break)
+1. Expect to score 3 or 4 points less than what you get on practice tests because anything can happen on a real test. If you are aiming for 173, then work until you can get 176+ consistently in practice tests. If you aren't confident that you will miss less than one on each section, you should definitely prep more.

Re: How to Tell if You Have Prepped Enough

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 5:43 pm
by QuincyWagstaff
lsat2011 wrote:How can you tell if you are ready to take the LSAT? I heard that some people find that the test suddenly seems to click.

I'm retaking a 167 and I really hope to go up by 6 points but I find it really hard to know where I am at. Any advice? Thanks!
If I recall correctly, you said that you had completed EVERY released test previous, correct? If so, it will obviously be difficult to get an accurate measurement of your current score range.

In this case, I think all you can do is give yourself a time frame to retake, drill your weaknesses, take some of the more recent tests back-to-back for stamina, and hope for the best. Then, eat well, sleep well, exercise and give it your best shot.