I will touch on my tutoring services at the end. But first, I wanted to share some broad practical tips I wish I would've known during my study journey.

Part I: Before You Start Studying

1. The LSAT is a skills-based test, not an IQ test.

The only time it's an IQ test is the first time you take it. After that, the sky is really the limit score wise, it just depends on the amount of work and time someone is willing to put in.

2. If you're still in college, make sure you're focused on GPA.

If you're not getting straight A's, you probably shouldn't be studying for the LSAT right now. Your GPA is permanent. The LSAT can always wait.

3. Consistency is how growth occurs.

I like to tell my students studying for the LSAT is a lot like working out. One week apart you probably won't see much improvement. After two weeks maybe a little. After a month or two you start to notice some solid gains, but it will still feel like you haven't changed much. Improvement is incremental and often difficult to see. Sometimes your score won't fully reflect how much you've improved, but that doesn't mean the growth isn't happening.

4. Take a diagnostic test.

Realize your score is probably not going to be where you want it to be. Many people push this off because they don't want to see a disappointing score, but all you're really doing is limiting what you'll eventually see as growth in the future.

Part II: Learning the Test

5. Learn the fundamentals, but don't only learn through theory.

Learn how to break down arguments, understand conditional reasoning, recognize question types, and how to make predictions. But don't study exclusively through books or a study program. Make sure you're mixing in drills, timed sections, and occasional practice tests as well.

6. Become extremely critical of everything you read.

If an argument isn't fully proven, it's a bad argument. Too many people approach the LSAT with an everyday mindset of, "Well, I see where they're coming from." On the LSAT, that doesn't matter. If someone makes an argument that isn't fully proven, it is a bad argument.

7. Don't push off RC.

Many people think, "I'm going to focus on LR first and then work on RC once I've mastered LR." This is a big mistake. RC is a slow battle, and the best way to improve is to do at least one passage every day from the moment you start studying until the day you take the test.

8. Start incorporating timed work early.

In the beginning, I recommend doing one timed LR section and one timed RC section each week with immediate review afterward. I personally tell my students to customize their blind review to only questions they missed or flagged but find a review workflow that works for you.

Part III: Improvement and Review

9. Stop worrying about finishing sections.

Unless you're scoring in the high 160s, I don't think you should be worried about finishing sections. If you're finishing a section and scoring 13/25, you're missing easy questions to get to hard ones. Focus on accuracy first because accuracy leads to confidence, confidence leads to speed, and speed leads to more questions finished.

Students always tell me, "There's no way I can get my goal score without finishing." My response is that I scored a 180 and guessed on the last question of one section because I ran out of time, so I humbly disagree.

10. Review is where your gains are made.

Too many people focus on quantity over quality. When you miss a question, you didn't make one mistake, you made two. You failed to identify the correct answer and selected the wrong answer. 

This applies to RC as much as LR. Most people review LR far better than RC, but reviewing RC thoroughly is just as important.

11. Lock the hell in.

You're competing against very smart people who are willing to commit hours every day to studying. 

12. But also, don't overstudy.

If you're training for a marathon, you don't run a marathon every day leading up to it. For most people, 1-3 focused hours a day, 6-7 days a week, with maybe one day pushing into the 3-5 hour range, is all you need. The key is that those hours are actually focused. Not studying while scrolling your phone or with a tv show on. Just pure locked in studying.

Something I hear often is, "I'm just too busy to study everyday." The harsh reality is that most people are busy and your competition is finding time to study. If you can't commit to studying consistently, ask yourself whether becoming a lawyer is really important to you right now.

Part IV: Applications

13. Stop rushing.

Everyone always has an artificial deadline when the reality is that you should be getting the best score possible. The LSAT and GPA make up the vast majority of your application, and you can take the LSAT up to five times. There is very little reason not to maximize your score before applying.

If you plan on taking the test, I recommend signing up for at least two administrations and after the first one until score release treat it like you failed. Unless you score drastically above your normal PT range on the first exam, you've essentially given yourself another month to improve.

14. Apply early, but don't sacrifice your score.

Applying early matters, but applying on day one isn't critical. Many schools sit on applications and review them in batches. If you can apply in September with a 165 or later in October with a 170, the choice is obvious.

Likewise, forcing an application at the end of a cycle because you "need" to go to law school the following year is a great way to put yourself into unnecessary debt. You don't need law school next year, and that type of thinking can get you into trouble.

15. Write the Why X essay.

When you apply, do the optional "Why This School?" essay. Schools are weighing these more heavily than they used to because they want to know whether you're actually interested in attending. If they're setting aside a seat and potentially scholarship money for you, they want to know there's a realistic chance you'll enroll.

Part V: Concluding Thoughts/Tutoring

Everyone's journey is different, and though it can feel very isolating at times, everything you're going through and feeling has been felt by countless other students before you.

I do offer one-on-one tutoring and admissions advice and have had great success with 80+ students. If interested, feel free to comment below or send me a DM.

If you found this helpful, please upvote it so others can see it and read through it as well.