Top Five Tips for Studying for the LSAT

1.       Practice As You Play. Don’t go into test day with only one or two practice tests under your belt. Make sure you do a minimum of five practice tests – and do those under actual timed conditions with only one short break between sections three and four.  Since the LSAC (the company that writes and administers the LSAT) adds an extra, experimental section to everyone’s test, make sure to add in your own extra section to simulate the actual length of the exam.

2.       Wrong Isn’t Everything. Most students only review the questions they answered incorrectly on their practice tests.  Instead, as you take your practice test note the questions that give you trouble or take too long.  Give those questions extra review along with the ones you get wrong.  In short, if you’re not confident about your answer, consider it a “mistake,” and learn from it.

3.       Work from Wrong to Right. For the logical reasoning and reading comprehension sections, note which answers you can easily eliminate, and leave unmarked those which are somewhat attractive to you.  When you review your work, go back and figure out why each tempting wrong answer is wrong.  There are only so many ways to create an attractive incorrect answer.  Learn the different types of wrong answers and you’ll find it much easier to eliminate them going forward.  Top test-takers generally focus on eliminating wrong answers since the correct answer may be far from ideal but be the last one standing.

4.       Play it Again. One of the most under-utilized study techniques for logic games is to re-solve them a second and third time.  When you face a tough game, review it soon afterwards to consider what you wished you had done.  Figure out the diagram you wish you had made and what inferences did you overlook.  Then let the game sit for a week and then try it again.  This can dramatically improve your speed.

5.       Give it a Break. The 3-day marathon before test day isn’t the best idea!  Don’t take any full-length practice tests within the week preceding test day.  Your brain is a muscle, and it needs to rest.  The last few days should include only a couple hours of practice work, and the night before, watch Legally Blonde to get your mind off the big day.