Before Test Day

Quick Silver

Hi All-

I just want to share some information I normally give my students before test day

Take care of yourself - This is a test you study for in the long term. Cramming won’t help and may hurt you if you skimp on sleep. There are always things you could’ve done differently, but overall if you’ve given it your best, that’s all you can ask for in the long-haul. If you haven’t, there’s always another test day. But if you’ve put in the long term studying, now is the time to take care of yourself before test day.

I wouldn’t advise taking any PT the day before the test. The best thing you can do is go over your review sheets or craft one if you haven’t already.

Make sure your “go bag” is ready with everything you need for the test - proper credentials, anything you want to bring. Have it ready so you aren’t worried about it before the test.

If you haven’t already, drive to the test center if possible. That way you’re familiar with the route. Even just seeing the route a second time the next day gives you the confidence that comes with some level of familiarity.

Set a firm deadline to finish any review before dinner time. Have a nice meal with protein and healthy choices. Maybe watch a movie or something fun to unwind.

Prepare a snack for the break during the test. My favorite is almond butter and jelly on whole grain bread (or pbj). It’s got protein and good carbs. Plus, it will keep you satiated without weighing you down.

Get plenty of sleep tonight. You’ve got to perform at peak mental condition tomorrow, and you can’t do that if you’re compromising your sleep. Obviously set an alarm, but I always say the ideal amount of sleep is the amount where you wake up refreshed before the alarm.

The morning of test day -

Have a good breakfast with protein and good carbs to sustain you.

If you drink coffee or some sort of caffeine in the morning regularly, go ahead and keep with your routine. If you don’t, now is probably not the time to start

Maybe 20 mins of light cardio.

If you have the time, it can be worth it to do some easy problems to get the kinks out and warm up i.e. the set up for logic games, reading an RC passage, and a few easy LR questions. The key point is that this material should be EASY. It’s just to get you warmed up and in the habit like stretching before physical exercise.

Get to the test center early so that way you don’t have to stress. Take any extra time to look over your review sheet.

During the break, I highly recommend that you keep to yourself. You don’t need anyone else’s energy to mess with you. Be polite but keep to yourself. You can always talk about the test later. Go to the bathroom whether you need to or not and enjoy your snack. Do some breathing exercises or stretching.

After the test, no matter how you felt you did and whether you think this is going to be your last time or not, write down your takeaways. Whether it’s the stuff that worked well or the stuff you want to figure out how to improve for next time, that information is invaluable. If you take the test again, this info is unique to your specific experience and you can use it to guide your future prep. It’s super important you do this! I’ve found it invaluable.

Best of luck tomorrow! I’m proud to say I took the LSAT three times - I’ve been both disappointed with my score and I’m grateful to have scored in the 99th percentile on my final take. I respect the time and work you’ve put in and I know you’re putting yourself on the line. It’s not an easy thing to do - I’ve been there. I get it. I’m rooting for you.

If you have any questions before or after the PT, feel free to reach out to me