May Study Schedule

[Frank]

Hello,

I'm planning to write the LSAT in June. I took the PowerScore online course during the month of January and I've been working through the lessons on my own since the course ended. So far I've completed all the material in the first two textbooks (lessons 1-8) and I feel like I have good grasp on the all the material covered in the first eight lessons. I've taken the month of May off to prepare for the exam and my plan is to start doing timed sections along with practice exams.

I'm wondering if you guys have any input on how I should structure my study schedule for May (should I start with timed sections and then move to practice exams or rotate between the two throughout the week?). At this point I've only taken one practice exam (the October 2011 LSAT) back in January when I first started studying. After working through the lessons I feel like I am much better at recognizing and attacking different questions, but I need to improve my timing and this is what I was hoping to do during May.

Also, do you have any advice on which practice tests to start with; I've read that it is better to start with the earlier exams and progress to later ones as you get closer to test time.

Thanks for your help!

Frank

[Robert Carroll]

Frank,

Definitely keep working through all the textbooks, as they cover what you need, and also use the online supplemental materials. If you find you need more material, the Bibles are good; consider getting them sooner rather than later so you leave yourself enough time to incorporate them into your practice.

Mix practice tests with individual sections, and if you notice an issue with a certain type on a practice test, focus on that in your study so you're improving on that weakness and not merely repeating the same thing on future tests. So, as you get more information from your practice test results, you can adjust what you need to focus on.

Practice tests from the current (1991 to present) LSAT all contain relevant content.

If you need further advice feel free to ask!

Robert Carroll

[Frank]

Thanks for the reply Robert!

I have the PowerScore bibles so I will use those as extra practice.

What is the best way to review the practice exams I write, and is there any benefit to writing timed sections or should I just be looking to write full exams at this point and then practice the concepts I am weaker at by using the lesson material and the bibles? Also, how should I decide which sections to use as experimental sections?

Thanks again for your help.

Frank

[Lucas Moreau]

Hey, Frank,

I'd say a good way of reviewing the practice exams you write is to sort the questions by question type - Must Be True, Weaken, etc. Then you'll be able to see which types of questions you're strong at, and which types you'd do well to put more work into. Targeting specific question types and practicing them is a great way to shore yourself up for a strong LSAT performance.

Doing timed sections never loses its value. If you're struggling to finish in time, try completely finishing a section and timing yourself on how long that takes (say, 50 minutes). Then set a timer for 48 minutes, and try to finish another section in that amount of time. Then once you can, 46 minutes. Or whatever increments of time you like. This should help you get faster without being pressed and constantly leaving multiple questions undone - that can get frustrating!

Practicing full exams is more useful for building speed and stamina for enduring the lengthy LSAT, not as much for developing specific concepts like individual question types. So it's up to you which part of the test you think you should spend more time on.

Hope that helps,
Lucas Moreau