Adding to the LSAT Talk

I thought I would add my $.02 worth to the LSAT conversation, as seen over at Narkoleptomania and Bad Glacier. I only have non-class advice, though, because those classes were so far beyond my budget to be laughable.

To be completely honest, I didn't hate the LSAT. Well, I didn't hate - and sometimes really enjoyed - the practicing of the LSAT. The stress of the Real Thing, that was not so much fun. But I enjoyed challenging myself, trying to beat my high score. Also, the feeling of elation when I got all of those damn games questions right - that was fun, too.

I agree with most of the conventional advice. Be disciplined. Do lots of real past tests under real conditions. Go over all the questions, even ones you got right. Realize what makes the right answer right and the wrong answer wrong. Learn the games.

I will add a piece of advice that I don't see very often, and that is to take a logic class if you haven't already. Intro to Logic was the one and only elective I took in my entire college career. It also turned out to be one of my favorites, and one of the most useful. Some may say this is overkill, but I do believe it helped with my LSAT performance.

Some more specific advice: I had problems concentrating all the way through a Reading Comp passage. I used two methods to help lessen this tendency. First, and I don't remember where I read this, maybe the Kaplan book, anyway, first I picked a really long article on subject matter that didn't interest me in a newspaper. Then I made myself read it beginning to end and try really hard not to think about anything else but the content of the article. It did become easier with practice, and I would recommend trying this method to anyone with a similar problem.

Second, I went down to the local Buddhist center and learned how to meditate. This made a real difference because, with practice, I became able to really focus and even if distracting thoughts came up they did not interfere with my concentration. Meditation also helped with my stress levels surrounding the LSAT, and with stress in general.

My last piece of advice is: Be really careful the days before the Big Day. While I am perfectly happy with and proud of my score it was lower than that of any of my practice tests, and I think the pain of my newly broken ankle was a contributing factor. Again, not complaining, just warning any future 0Ls who may want to, you know, walk around and fall down the day before the test that it isn't a good idea.

Good luck future LSAT takers! Don't worry, you'll do great!