No one wants to take the LSAT a second time, but alas, it becomes a reality for a lot of us pursuing our dreams of attending law school. When I got my first LSAT score back in October of 2015, I felt a whirlwind of emotions. I felt disappointed that I didn’t get the score I wanted, frustrated that I had spent an entire summer studying, and angry that I would have to endure the process all over again. The silver lining? I took my first LSAT in my third year of university, which meant that I still had a lot of time to take the test again before applying for law school in my fourth year.
When this article is published, I will have just taken the LSAT for a second time. Although I don’t know my score at this point, I do know that my second time studying for the LSAT was much more rewarding and successful than studying for the first. For those of you thinking about taking the LSAT, or for those needing to take it again, here is a list of the tips I have for getting a great (or better) LSAT score!
1. Start early
Try to take the LSAT as early as you can to give you the most amount of flexibility. Because I took my LSAT the fall of my third year, I had the wiggle room necessary to take the time off from studying that I needed, and then resume studying in the summer when I was ready. For many, a lower-than-expected LSAT score means taking the test again within a couple months, which leaves little time for a well-needed break or change in methods!
2. For the self-studier: get a schedule!
During the summer before my first LSAT, I left it completely to myself to figure out how to study and what books to buy. I studied a lot, but I wasn’t effective in my studying. The second time around, I purchased a schedule from LawSchooli. The schedule made my studying far more effective and focused, and it introduced me to the LSAT Trainer, which is a book that I highly recommend and loved!!
3. To take a class or not to take a class?
LSAT month-long courses are very expensive. Are they worth it? The danger of taking a course is that you’ll learn all the strategies, but that you won’t reinforce them enough through practice outside of class. While I personally wouldn’t recommend taking a course because of this reason, I realize that not everyone feels comfortable completely self-studying. If you do decide a course is right for you, remember that over 50% of your preparation needs to take place outside of the classroom.
4. Mimic real testing conditions
Practice with your non-electronic wrist watch and number 2 pencils early on! Make sure you get used to what it will be like on test day! I wish I had forced myself to do this more my first time around.
5. Take time to rest
Unless you’ve left yourself only a few weeks to study (which I don’t recommend), taking time to rest is helpful. The first time around, I felt the pressure to study every day, even though I was working full-time. Studying all the time, especially when you’re studying ineffectively, does not equal an amazing score. The second time around, I made sure that I had multiple days a week off from studying. Not only did I feel better-rested, but my practice test scores didn’t suffer in result!
6. Believe in yourself
Studying for the LSAT can be extremely frustrating. Sometimes it will feel like your score will never improve. Sometimes it will feel like the process is worthless. Trust me, I’ve experienced all of these feelings over the 10 months in total I’ve spent studying for this test. Changing my studying methods has raised my average practice test score by over 10 points more than my first score. It is possible to get better at this test, but you have to be persistent.
We can do it HCUBC cuties!