We are officially in the home stretch for the February 2017 LSAT. With less than three weeks until the LSAT, we thought it would be a good idea to review the dos and the one don't of crunch-time LSAT prep.
1. Do NOT Burn Yourself Out
The last thing you need to do now is ruin all your hard work by overdoing it and burning yourself out before your actual LSAT. The key here is no more than one full-length practice LSAT under simulated exam conditions per week—preferably on Saturday, during the time of your actual LSAT.
The rest of week, to continue practicing under time pressure, do individual 35-minute sections instead. Even if you do two sections in the morning and two sections in the afternoon, you will complete an entire LSAT Prep Test but you will avoid the mental fatigue that follows a full-length simulated practice LSAT. Win, win!
2. Review Your Work
Whether a practice LSAT, individual section or handful of practice questions, make sure to spend the time to review your work. Remember, you will never see that LSAT question again, so the key to take something away from the question that you can apply to future LSAT questions.
For Logical Reasoning questions, we highly recommend doing the question again without time pressure before checking the correct answer. Did you pick the same answer you selected under time pressure? If not, why not? What are you seeing now that you missed when under the clock?
This strategy is also a great way to get a look inside the minds of the test-makers and see how they will try to trap you and trick you with subtle differences in the answer choices.
3. Memorize the Sufficient & Necessary Keyword Indicators
As you know by now, the LSAT is not a test of memorization and regurgitation. But you still need to know certain concepts like the back of your hand. The rules and keyword indicators of Sufficient & Necessary Conditions are at the top of this list.
So spend the time to memorize them! Make flashcards, write them down repeatedly, have a friend or family member test you, do whatever you do to memorize. But do it now! You will thank yourself come exam day.
4. Review Your Strategies
You also want to make sure you review your strategies for the Logical Reasoning question types and the different types of Logic Games.
We will even get you started on your Logical Reasoning list:
Must Be True Questions — answer choice is 100% supported by the information in the stimulus.
Cannot Be True Questions — answer choice directly conflicts with information set forth in the stimulus.
Main Point Questions — answer choice (1) must be true and (2) is the main point of the argument.
You're welcome!
5. Review the Lost Boys Games
If you have been practicing on the most recently released practice LSATs, you will have noticed a trend in Logic Games. The Lost Boys (uncommon games with weird or new setups) are becoming more prevalent.
While these games may be strange, you have all the tools you need to attack them properly. Review the Lost Boys Logic Games in LSATMax to get your mind accustomed to tackling these games.
6. Study Smart!
Time is winding down so you really need to hone your focus now. Identify sections and/or question types that are still giving you trouble and review your approach on them.
If you are using the LSATMax LSAT Prep iOS app, use your analytics to quickly identify these weaknesses and practice more of these questions directly from within the analytics section.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and are aiming for a score in the high 150s/low 160s range, focus your attention in Logical Reasoning on the following:
(1) Sufficient & Necessary Conditions(2) Must Be True
(3) Strengthen
(4) Weaken
(5) Methods of Reasoning
(6) Errors in Reasoning
(7) Principle
7. Practice Reading Comprehension
Make sure you spend the time to practice Reading Comp. Do not make the mistake of completely ignoring this section in favor of Logic Games and Logical Reasoning. By continually practicing Reading Comp, you will fall into a groove and eliminate wide fluctuations in your performance on this section.
You can also prepare for the Reading Comp section by reading well-written periodicals, such as The Economist, in your free time.
8. Take Breaks
This is directly related to our first point here. The last thing you want to do before the February 2017 LSAT is burn yourself out. You have worked too hard to throw it all away due to mental fatigue.
So make sure you take breaks from your LSAT prep during this stretch run. Spend time with family and friends, exercise, veg out with your favorite TV show, etc. This balance will keep your mind fresh and ready for your big day.
And there you have it! Our last minute advice for the February 2017 LSAT.
Wishing you nothing but the best!