April LSAT is here! I have been preparing for the LSAT since December, and although I am not taking the April LSAT, I will be sitting for the exam in June. For the pre-law baddies out there, I have some tips and tricks for preparing for one of the most difficult exams in your lifetime.
Take a practice LSAT:
The first thing you must do before you start is take a practice LSAT. You need a baseline. My score was not that great, but it gave me a guide on what I needed to improve on. Before my baseline test, I did not know what the sections looked like, how many questions I was going to be asked, or how much time I had. I take my practice tests through LawHub, which is what the exam will actually look like.
The LSAT consists of four sections: two logical reasoning sections, one reading comprehension section, and one experimental section that could be either reading or logic. You do not know which one is experimental, so it is important to work on every section wisely. You have 35 minutes for each section and a 10-minute break after the first two sections.
Pick a prep course, book, or class:
I picked The Princeton Review: Guarantee 165+ course. This course comes with two classes weekly, an online textbook, a syllabus with lesson plans, homework, several practice tests through LawHub, and ample supplemental prompts. Although the prep course was on the more expensive side, I fully believe you do not need to spend a lot of money on prep, as there are lots of online resources available. If you are trying to do prep on the cheaper side, I would stick to buying a book and using it to do lots of practice problems.
Make a set study schedule and stick to it:
I made a study schedule three times before it started to work as intended. Sometimes it takes a while to get the hang of the LSAT and the schedule. Take your time, make sure you have breaks, and make sure you are taking care of yourself! I do around 2-3 hours daily.
It is okay to have setbacks:
The first couple of months of preparing, I kept going down in score. It was mentally exhausting. As a result, I started to doubt my abilities and felt more and more discouraged. The LSAT can be very taxing on the brain, so it is important to make sure you are taking care of yourself. If you need a break day, take a break day. If you need to revamp the schedule, revamp it. Just make sure you are taking care of yourself during this time!
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!