Self-study
I find myself getting nervous with the time constraints of each section on the test. My score has not improved much since starting the study plan. I feel a huge part of it is because I feel like I need to answer all of the questions as fast as possible, which I feel myself rushing to get to an answer and move on. What is a good strategy for someone who cannot answer every question in the allotted time given? How do you increase speed in answering these questions? I have been studying for several months, reading books, taking test, solving individual problems and nothing seems to be working. I don't know what to do and any strategy to get a higher score would be appreciated. Thank you.
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14 comments
For LR I often skip the first 7 and start at 8 giving myself a bit more time on the back end then looping back to the first 7 because I usually get them all right regardless of time.
You sound like a highly motivated individual, so you may be up for this tall order. You could try a really affective meditation to help you focus on one thing at a time. I can suggest one if you like. It's true, you don't need to answer all questions to get a good score. You can focus on accuracy and guess the rest. Maybe target a certain number like 20? Divide up the clock accordingly and give yourself a certain amount of time for each block of 5 and ten questions?
Whenever I was having trouble with time I would completely stop paying attention to it. I would do sections with unlimited time and take as much time as I needed and hide the clock. For my mental, the most important thing was knowing that I CAN get these questions right. Once I know I can get the questions right then I can work on getting them right quickly. Once I gained that confidence in my logical skills and reading comprehension, I started completing sections naturally under time. I think confidence in your ability to get questions correct is paramount to staying under time.
I 100% resonate with this, and get just how frustrating it is. I honestly think that trying to get over my test anxiety as much as possible has been the greatest hurdle to my getting anywhere near my desired score, and I've found a few methods of coping/getting over it (to a realistic extent, as someone with anxiety):
One) Slowww dowwnnnn. Seriously. I was, like you, focused so much on trying to get through as many questions as fast as I could while watching the timer tick away that I was inadvertently screwing myself over. The irony is that, of course, I would get many wrong, and that just fueled my anxiety further like a vicious cycle. Once I started doing drills and sections with unlimited timing--and trying to maintain a reasonable speed--and truly focusing on each question, I started seeing improvement. Makes sense because I was no longer preoccupied with that darned clock, lol. Once I was getting a good grasp of the test, then I moved on to doing it with the time constraints, and felt reassured that I could get through it just fine. I had to acclimate myself to the limited time without the external pressure first.
Two) Change the way you regard the test. I was reinforcing in my head that this is some massive beast that'll impact the rest of my life, etc., etc., and obviously that just compounded my anxiety, thereby making my performance worse! Yes, the LSAT is important, but it may do you a massive and relatively-effortless service to view it as a game/enjoyable feat instead. And at the end of the day, this test genuinely isn't the end-all-be-all of your law journey!! It just asks for a few months of your life, and then the best part is that you never have to take it again once you're done. But in the meantime, frame it as a unique learning experience rather than a daunting exam. On that note, I found that truly immersing myself in the RC passages as compelling texts made remembering them sooo much easier. This may serve you greatly in that section!
Also, it's good to reward yourself when you make strides in your learning because it'll serve as motivation, and also take care of your other needs, such as enjoying hobbies and life generally, because that also is of great help in regulating those negative emotions.
I'm wishing you a low-stress & productive learning journey! :) If I of all people, lol, have managed to diminish my LSAT anxiety, I'm quite certain you can, too. Take care, and happy new year!!!
I'm in the same boat. While 7sage has helped me understand the concepts and reasoning, I still struggle with time. I get anxious when doing timed questions. I'm hoping practice will help me improve.
For LR: I try to do the first 10 questions in ten minutes keeps me more engaged with the sections and more alert.
For RC: I try to finish the first 2 passages in 7-8 minutes EACH; then leave around 10 minutes each for the last two.
I can relate to you. I struggle with timing but sometimes it all comes to accuracy over timing in the end. Focus on the questions you get wrong and watch videos. I can also send a discord link to a LSAT study group I’m in. I’m sure they could help you.