Preparing for LSAT is a long process and something that does not happen in an instant. With the right materials and study plan, you can definitely crush it and stroll your way into law school.
Are you preparing for the LSAT?
Getting into top-tier law schools requires an LSAT preparation that is effective and efficient. Whether you’re about to start to study for it or is in the middle of your preparation, you need all the tried-and-tested strategies you can get.
Well, we got you covered.
In this article, we’ll give you eight LSAT study tips that will help you ace the test and get into the law school of your dream.
Let’s begin.
- Set up your study schedule
In preparing for any admissions test like the LSAT, it is important to create a study plan that is suitable for your goals, priorities, and daily activities. In setting it up, the first thing you should do is to choose a test date and register for the LSAT.
Doing so will tell you how much time you have to study before the exam day. Registering for the LSAT will also help you plan out other activities you want to pursue in between studying such as going on vacations or participating in extra-curricular programs. More importantly, knowing the test date for the LSAT will help you determine the number of hours you should spend studying per week.
How much time do you actually need to prepare for LSAT?
It is recommended that you spend at least two months to prepare for the test. A healthy range is around 20-25 hours of studying per week. This includes all prep activities such as taking prep courses, answering practice tests, or tutoring sessions.
As you set up a study schedule for the LSAT, avoid cramming. It is important that you go through a stress-free preparation for the test. This would mean setting ample time to prep for LSAT, especially because developing the skills to ace the test, such as critical thinking and analysis of facts, can take time.
- Use good quality prep resources
Using good quality prep materials is key on how to prepare for the LSAT with a guaranteed positive outcome.
Your study resources for the LSAT will play a major role in effective preparation for the LSAT. Choose prep materials that are of great quality. Some of the good LSAT prep books you can buy are:
- Complete coverage (all sections of the LSAT)
- Organized format
- Well-explained terminologies
- Lots of practice questions (preferably official practice questions)
- Detailed explanations
If you have a high target score for the LSAT, you will need to have a more intensive preparation. If that’s the case, we recommend that you take an LSAT prep course. Enrolling in one can be advantageous for you, especially if you choose a course with live classes with experienced coaches or instructors.
What’s good about LSAT prep courses is that mock LSATs are usually conducted. This is how you get to experience what it will be like during the actual exam. Also, good prep courses provide unique analytics that can help you improve in areas you find challenging.
The good news is, there are lots of good LSAT prep courses available online. It’s just a matter of finding one that will fit your budget and study preferences.
- Take full-length practice tests
This is the best way to prep for the LSAT. To get the most out of your preparation for LSAT, it is best to take full-length practice tests.
These will help you familiarize how the LSAT is structured and how the questions are asked in the test. Unlike other tests, the LSAT is entirely a skill-based exam rather than memorization. Thus, the need to improve your skills through constant and consistent practice.
The best way to prep for LSAT is to simulate test-day conditions. Time yourself during practice tests to experience the pressure of time-bound exams and to gauge how fast or slow you are in answering the questions.
A word of caution: constant doesn’t mean every single day. Focus more of your time in developing your skills, then put them into practice with practice tests.
- Double down on the LSAT Logical Reasoning
Logical Reasoning makes up 50% of the whole LSAT, so your performance in its two sections is crucial in the outcome of your test. This is why the best way to study for LSAT is to put more time to practice on the questions covered in this section.
The Logical Reasoning section is what most students find frustrating, but the right strategies will spare you from such a situation.
The easier questions in this section are given at the start, while more difficult ones are given in the latter half. So adjust your time accordingly.
In answering the easy questions, it is a good idea to stick with your intuition and go with the choice you think is best. In dealing with the more challenging questions, it is best to use the process of elimination.
The key to ace the Logical Reasoning section is to be familiar with its question types, such as argument, inference, and assumption. You then have to identify the ones that you find challenging and focus on them.
- Don’t disregard the LSAT Writing Sample
If the Logical Reasoning is the most important section, the Writing Sample is mostly skipped because it is not graded and will not affect your overall score in any way. However, law schools evaluate your writing sample as a part of your application, so be sure to work on this section too.
As you prepare for the LSAT, practice the writing sample as well. It won’t take much of your preparation time and will definitely go a long way. Constructing a good writing sample and a personal statement will play a major role in your admission to a good law school.
- Timing is everything
One of the challenges that the LSAT brings is time pressure. When you answer practice tests, you’d probably feel like the given time is not enough. Don’t worry, because that’s just natural. Acing the LSAT comes down to answering the test efficiently rather than quickly.
In taking the test, don’t try to read the passages or texts really fast. If you do, chances are, you might need to reread the text and waste a lot of time. Don’t compromise your analysis with speed reading. Instead, you should practice how to analyze an argument after reading it once to save time.
Another timing tip you should consider is to save the more difficult questions for the latter part of the test. Parallel reasoning and parallel flaw questions, for instance, take a lot of time to answer compared to the strengthen or weaken questions. It is recommended that you answer them later in the test.
- Figure out what’s challenging for you
The key to an effective prep for the LSAT is to identify your weak spots and work on them. While practicing, try to determine the patterns. What makes that question type so challenging? Once you identify that, work on it through constant practice.
This is also why it is not recommended that you study in a group or with a partner. The LSAT is a skill-based test, and what you find challenging might not be so difficult for your study buddy. In preparing for LSAT, self-awareness is key.
One of the best ways to study for the LSAT is to identify not only the question type that you find difficult but what made it challenging for you. According to Steve Schwartz, founder of LSAT Blog and LSAT unplugged in a podcast episode from Accepted.com titled Acing the LSAT, the review process after taking a practice test is important.
Schwartz stated that before checking the answer key for the practice test, identify what caused you trouble answering a particular problem. Was it timing or was it the content? Identifying this pattern will be crucial in your review process.
- Relax on the day before the LSAT, but be prepared
What you do the day before the LSAT can make or break your performance on the actual test day. Don’t try to cram and pull an all-nighter before the test. It won’t do you any good. Instead, you should spend the day relaxing your mind and body, so you’ll be in your best condition come test day.
Don’t be complacent, however. Prepare everything that you will need for the test the day and go to bed early, so you can wake up early.
Be mindful of where the test center is and the start time for the test. Plan your way to the test center so you won’t have delays. Most importantly, relax and believe that you’ll do a great job!
Final thoughts
There you have it, our eight effective tips on how to prepare for the LSAT with better efficiency! Combine these with strategic time management tips and you can properly budget your time without sacrificing other aspects of your life.
Remember, getting a high score on the test requires a tremendous amount of practice and review. So make sure to take these test-taking strategies to heart.
Preparing for LSAT is a long process and something that does not happen in an instant. With the right materials and study plan, you can definitely crush it and stroll your way into law school.
Good luck!
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