Timed PrepTest Question

Epic waffles

Hello,

I have finished the core curriculum and have done four prep tests but I have been using the 50% added time to them. Is this bad practice I plan on reducing my time until I can hit the 35 minute mark.

Thanks

zacharytsmith26-1

I think to best prepare yourself you should do practice tests just like the real LSAT then when you blind review you will have all the time you need to answer questions that you may not have got to during the test.

taschasp

When are you planning to take the LSAT? If you have a substantial amount of time, I think that's fine--naturally, you'll get faster with practice---if you can take at least 10 properly timed prep tests with strict timing. 50% added might be too much, though. I would try to aim for like 40 or maybe at most 45 min, so you're also practicing skipping questions when you need to and working on timing. But try to get it down to 35 as soon as you can even if it means you're pushing yourself and having to circle a lot of questions that you didn't have time to thoroughly answer (and just do them on BR).

FYI I did this myself at first too, because timing was the biggest challenge for me, but I knew I could get near perfect with extra time. In my case, I still set the timer for 35 min, but if I went a bit over that, I'd draw a line in my answer sheet to take note of the fact that I didn't get to the last X number of questions. If you're using the 7sage digital test taker, you can't do that, so you have to select the 50% time option but you could still aim for 35min and make a note somewhere which questions were still left and how much extra time you used. You should keep track of that so you're constantly pushing to try to bring it down.

Michael.Cinco

I'm a big proponent of timed tests all the time. Time is a huge component to the lsat and it's never too early to incorporate it into your training. The BRs are of course untimed and that's where you can really take time to dig deep into a question.

By splitting the pt to a timed testing component and an untimed review component you get the best of both worlds. Timed tests allow you to put the knowledge you learned in the CC to work but it also allows you to come up with your own process of how to weaponize that knowledge with respect to time and process.

The review component allows you to really test your understanding of the material.

You can have great understanding of the material but poor processes and ultimately you need both to achieve a good score on the LSAT

RealLaw612

In Army Basic training, when first learning a new skill, we would practice through the steps "by the numbers." For example, in formation movements, we would drill each step of the movement until we could retain muscle memory well enough to do it at full speed. After my initial diagnostic I took four more full prep tests, one per week, un-timed. Just like military training, I rehearsed each step. For example, in LR I would 1. read the question stem 2. define what it is specifically asking for 3. carefully read the stimulus 4. restate the stimulus in my own words 5. predict the answer 6. carefully evaluate the answer choices.
Practice does not make perfect - practice makes permanent. Be very, very demanding of yourself to employ the specific way you want to attack each question. Eventually you will be able to be very fast while still retaining a high degree of accuracy. By the end of my studies I was able to finish each section with 7-10 minutes remaining to go back over any question of which I was uncertain. Use the study methods taught here at 7Sage or choose PowerScore, LSAT Trainer, the Loophole, Manhattan, Fox or any combination of courses or books (as long as they use official LSAC material.)
In summary: slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Add the time constraint after you've mastered the material and have developed your strategy.

taschasp

@99thPercentileOrDieTryin said:
In Army Basic training, when first learning a new skill, we would practice through the steps "by the numbers." For example, in formation movements, we would drill each step of the movement until we could retain muscle memory well enough to do it at full speed. After my initial diagnostic I took four more full prep tests, one per week, un-timed. Just like military training, I rehearsed each step. For example, in LR I would 1. read the question stem 2. define what it is specifically asking for 3. carefully read the stimulus 4. restate the stimulus in my own words 5. predict the answer 6. carefully evaluate the answer choices.
Practice does not make perfect - practice makes permanent. Be very, very demanding of yourself to employ the specific way you want to attack each question. Eventually you will be able to be very fast while still retaining a high degree of accuracy. By the end of my studies I was able to finish each section with 7-10 minutes remaining to go back over any question of which I was uncertain. Use the study methods taught here at 7Sage or choose PowerScore, LSAT Trainer, the Loophole, Manhattan, Fox or any combination of courses or books (as long as they use official LSAC material.)
In summary: slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Add the time constraint after you've mastered the material and have developed your strategy.

I love this.