What would you tell yourself at start of your LSAT journey? Forum

newrich · Post by **newrich** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:30 pm

Hey guys,

I've decided to take the LSATs in October. What would you tell yourself at the beginning of this "journey". I really would like to score a 170 plus (as would everyone). Any tips/general advice?

Thanks guys

OhBoyOhBortles · Post by **OhBoyOhBortles** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:33 pm

Lots of PTs. Identify where you need work. Then use the bibles to help shore up those areas. PT some more and under real testing conditions. Find a study schedule that works for you and stick to it. Make sure you are PTing a few points higher than your goal before you sit for the test.

GreenEggs · Post by **GreenEggs** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:35 pm

Don't waste PTs early on (especially the newest ones).

Aim for doing PTs 50-75 as fully timed 5-section tests. So that's 25 PTs that you'll have as close comparisons to what the actual exam will be. Drill PTs 1-49 as individual sections.

That was my only regret about my study regime. I used more recent PTs way too early. And ran out of good fresh material.

kray · Post by **kray** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:35 pm

Timed PTs! How you're scoring under non-timed conditions is pretty irrelevant. Even if you're just doing a section, time it.

Hand · Post by **Hand** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:37 pm

"The LSAT is a journey, not a destination"

BP Ralph Waldo

schmelling · Post by **schmelling** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:40 pm

Post removed.

NL2424 · Post by **NL2424** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:49 pm

Dr. Nefario · Post by **Dr. Nefario** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:44 am

Give up and pursue acting

FairchildFLT · Post by **FairchildFLT** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:54 am

"Stop watching Suits and do this PT..."-Me to Myself

Blueprint Ben · Post by **Blueprint Ben** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:04 pm

The only thing standing between you and a 180 is work. Seriously, that's it. It's not a magic number. It's the product of a certain amount (spoiler: a ridiculous amount) of work. Just do the work, and don't make any excuses. Push yourself beyond your perceived limitations every single day, and eventually you'll master this test.

ilikebaseball · Post by **ilikebaseball** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:05 pm

dont fucking cheat yourself. just do it under the right conditions. if you aren't timing your pt's taking 5 sections, taking approrpriate breaks, you're cheating yourself. dont.

ymmv · Post by **ymmv** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:07 pm

Don't go.

kaiser · Post by **kaiser** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:15 pm

Take real PTs and breakdown real questions top to bottom. Analyze every single answer choice afterward. The key issue isn't why the right answer is right. Rather, its why the wrong answers are wrong. If you can coherently explain why the wrong answers are wrong (in a relatively quick manner), then you are golden. But you only learn the patterns through repetition.

BearsintheRafters · Post by **BearsintheRafters** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:18 pm

Don't start too early. I feel like I peaked about 3-4 weeks before the LSAT, then started dragging a little bit. I remember hitting something like 175-177 a few times in April, then I was down to 171-172 in June. By the time I took the test, I had been thinking for a while, "I wish the test was today." I ended up scoring a 170. Longer test prep doesn't necessarily mean better.

Also, practice bubbling the answers in during your PT's!

cheesy145 · Post by **cheesy145** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:57 pm

BearsintheRafters wrote:Don't start too early. I feel like I peaked about 3-4 weeks before the LSAT, then started dragging a little bit. I remember hitting something like 175-177 a few times in April, then I was down to 171-172 in June. By the time I took the test, I had been thinking for a while, "I wish the test was today." I ended up scoring a 170. Longer test prep doesn't necessarily mean better.

Also, practice bubbling the answers in during your PT's!

If you're taking a morning test wake up early and take the test at the exact time you would on the real day.

m27 · Post by **m27** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 3:40 pm

"Don't take that prep course, you idiot"

kjartan · Post by **kjartan** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 3:44 pm

ymmv wrote:Don't go.

So CR.

CaptainJapan · Post by **CaptainJapan** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 3:57 pm

Don't skip RC prep...you may not move the needle a lot, but if you give RC some attention you'll at least protect yourself from big negative swings (this guy missed 8 on Feb '14 RC

)

Ron Don Volante · Post by **Ron Don Volante** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 4:03 pm

newrich wrote:What would you tell yourself at the beginning of this "journey".

Probably something like: "Find something else to do with your life, fucktard"

Shakawkaw · Post by **Shakawkaw** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 5:25 pm

hereisonehand wrote:"The LSAT is a journey, not a destination"

BP Ralph Waldo

Underappreciated poast.

ub3r · Post by **ub3r** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 5:35 pm

RC gets really hard in the late 2000s and onwards.

McJimJam · Post by **McJimJam** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 6:45 pm

Post removed.

GameOfLoans · Post by **GameOfLoans** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:32 pm

I'd give myself all of the answers for test day.

Or just to actually review the questions I did thoroughly, take note of what I did wrong more rigorously and keep track of what was working for me. I got lazy at times and I wish I could just tell myself to not waste time if you don't have to.

Also, don't spend so much time on test 1-45ish and use them as practice, not to gauge progress. 1-45ish should be practice sections and problems, as well as possibly experimental sections to use on prep tests 45ish and beyond.

rungoodinc · Post by **rungoodinc** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 2:28 am

You're so money and you don't even know it.

googlyeyes · Post by **googlyeyes** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 5:31 pm

make sure you take 5-section PTs. with the LSAC prep test books they are 4 sections so I got really used to the pace and flow of those, but then on test day at the last section I was mentally drained. that extra section really is important, especially since you don't know if it will be scored or not.