Recently, I’ve learned that things don’t always go the way I planned. Case in point: I’m currently pursuing law school, and my application has numerous requirements, including essays, transcripts and … the LSAT. Gasp. And unfortunately, my LSAT journey has not exactly gone the way I’d hoped.
No matter how much we pre-law girlies wish this wasn’t the case, the standardized Law School Admissions Test undeniably carries a ton of weight in the application process. In fact, an applicant’s LSAT score is one of the most important deciding factors for not only law school admission, but also how much scholarship money is awarded to a candidate. Law school isn’t cheap, and if just a couple point increase on the LSAT can translate into more cash, then count me in.
Originally, I planned on taking the LSAT once and wiping my hands of the test forever. Unfortunately, it’s taken a little longer to reach my target score. On my past two testing attempts, my scores landed a bit under what I’d hoped for. Consequently, I’m preparing for my third (and hopefully final) attempt at the LSAT.
While it can be super frustrating when the perfectly calculated plans we create for ourselves don’t work out, I’ve come to understand it’s totally OK to take a few twists and turns before arriving at my destination. What matters most is how we choose to bounce back and grow from our mistakes. For my final shot at the LSAT, I’m being more strategic by focusing on what didn’t work in the past so I can adjust accordingly. Here’s exactly what I’m doing differently this time around to hit my target score.
Reading Each Word Carefully (Instead Of Skimming!)
As I reviewed the questions I was getting wrong in my past two LSAT attempts, I discovered my mistakes were often caused by missing portions of the text entirely — that made me realize how much I skim-read. When the reading material piles up (from my multiple classes, all on top of my actual LSAT studying), it’s easy to become pressed for time, and for me, that’s resulted in taking shortcuts. But when I skim the things I read for sake of efficiency, I realize that I’m actually hurting myself even more. On the LSAT, every single word is crucial and can greatly affect the meaning of a text. For example, “which of the following supports the conclusion” versus “which of the following does not support the conclusion” are very different — and if I skim, I might miss that.
So now, I’m slowing down, being super careful not to miss even a single word. While this approach takes longer, it’s almost certain to improve my accuracy. Plus, I’m figuring out the more practice I get at reading closely, the faster the process becomes.
To get started, I forced myself to tap each word with my pencil as I read so I wouldn’t skip any words. As I did this more, close reading became second nature, even without tapping the words. It actually works!
Emphasizing Quality Over Quantity
When studying for my previous tests, I was constantly focused on hitting certain benchmarks: two hours of studying, 25 practice questions — really any kind of measurable goal. I’ve realized, though, that how you study matters a lot more than any arbitrary number. It might sound great to do lots of practice tests, but it’s ultimately useless if you aren’t really learning from what you’re doing. I often found myself rushing from one task to the other, just for the sake of doing more questions. In reality, it’s a much more effective use of time to really lock in on particular questions and any corresponding wrong answers. There’s so much value in really deeply analyzing the questions you missed so you can keep from repeating the same mistakes.
Utilizing New Study Materials
After using the same study materials for a long time and not getting the scores I wanted, I figured it would be a good idea to switch things up. Sometimes, a fresh perspective or new way of explaining things can make all the difference. Currently, I’m using two new study materials: LSAT Demon, an online platform with full practice tests and drills, has been an incredibly valuable resource. Each question has written and video explanations on the right and wrong answer choices, which is helping me to fully understand the mistakes I’m making. As for books, The Loophole by Ellen Cassidy really breaks down the elements of the test in extreme detail.
Avoiding Burnout
When I was studying for my second LSAT, I experienced intense burnout — as in, “Don’t even speak the word LSAT to me.” Burnout is the result of prolonged, unmanaged stress. For me, this was likely because I pushed myself to do as much studying as I could fit in every single day. This time around, I’m more mindfully planning my time and compartmentalizing. I set my plan for the day — and when I’m done, I’m done. I’m being more mindful to not fixate on my LSAT score when I’m not studying, preventing the stress from seeping into other aspects of my life. This way, I can keep myself from tiring out before I reach the finish line.
If you take away anything from my LSAT advice, let it be this: Do not let this test consume you. I’m excited to see where my new study methods take me, but ultimately, I won’t let my score define me.