Um, all the conventional pre-test day advice isn't going to work for me... Help!

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• 1 Like

  LivingThatLSATdream Alum Member

  June 2018 500 karma

  Try to get as consistent sleep as possible. As for the routine, if you can at least maintain a steady sleep and wake up routine it might put your body at ease. I think the purpose is to not put unnecessary stress on your body. Even just a cup of tea at bedtime and a smoothie in the morning could prove beneficial.

  Traveling can reek havoc on your body. Take a multivitamin or some vitamin C if possible. You have 20 days before the exam, so if you do start taking a vitamin I would do it sooner rather than later so you know how your body reacts (if you don't normally take one). Also, you should consider wearing a mask on the flights. Traveling can bring about illnesses such as a cold or flu. As you mentioned your "diet varying pretty substantially", be caution about what you eat outside of your normal/typical diet.

  Last thing to consider, when you get to Singapore, check out the testing center in advance. Know your route and time schedule if you aren't familiar with the area. It sounds like you have a good handle on the LSAT material and are going to crush the LSAT! Keep it up and go into the test feeling confident!
• AudaciousRed Alum Member

  June 2018 2689 karma

  Honestly? You shouldn't PT that last week, if you believe what everyone says. Even my lawyer friends are like "Do NOTHING that last week". Relax before your test and focus on your physical and mental health. That last week isn't going to lead to test score improvements, anyway. But your better mind and body state might.
  Best of luck to you! Enjoy your travels!
• 1 Like

  FixedDice Member

  June 2018 edited June 2018 1804 karma

  @AudaciousRed said:
  Honestly? You shouldn't PT that last week, if you believe what everyone says. Even my lawyer friends are like "Do NOTHING that last week".

  Who's "everyone"? I know that a significant proportion of people with LSAT experience claim that at the very least the last day is sacrosanct. But this is the first time I heard someone saying that the last week should involve no amount of work at all (unless 7Sage does, in which case my ignorance will be subjected to public humiliation).
• 2 Likes

  Seeking Perfection Alum Member

  June 2018 4428 karma

  I wouldn't take more than one or maybe two PTs in the last week and I would try to keep those near the weekend before the test. I would review said PT over the course of the week and study, but probably less than normal especially if travelling.

  That said as long as you don't study so much that you burn out I doubt last minute studying or flying or getting sick will do you any harm. I say this because the first time I took the LSAT, I prepared by working through the Power Score logic games bible and taking more 25 or so PTs in the last three or so weeks which also featured me having my wisdom teeth out and being on pain medication. I ended up scoring one point below my average at a 172. On my retake I tried to rest more heading into the test, studied for months, took one PT near the beginning of the week, but ultimately got a bad case of the flu the day before the test, stayed up most of the night vomitting and coughing(which I thought was a strange combination), decided to take the test anyway, muffled my coughs as much as I could for four hours and scored a 180 two points above my then average. I have taken PTs with bad migraines, hungry, tired, and almost always scored close to whatever my current average was except when I was trying out a new medication for my migraines which caused me to lose the ability to speak coherently and dropped my PT score about 6 or 7 points below my then average. Essentially nothing we can do other than studying over a long period of time will mess with our average much. This inability to change PT score in the short term is why you might as well relax and limit your studying in the last part of the week. It's not so much that studying would do harm(except for maybe burnout if you badly overdid it) as that it is too late by then for studying to help.

  Honestly, I think two days is plenty to rest up and get in a good sleep pattern especially since we are talking about a fairly small time change. As far as dietary things I would avoid anything which might cause diarrhea or food sickness since those seem to me like they could actually force you out of the testing center and ruin your test that way.

  It sounds like you are in a great position to score what you want to or miss it by a hair and have a very solid score to keep in your back pocket during a future retake. You will be fine, but good luck and safe travels!
• AudaciousRed Alum Member

  June 2018 edited June 2018 2689 karma

  @"Seeking Perfection" said:
  This inability to change PT score in the short term is why you might as well relax and limit your studying in the last part of the week. It's not so much that studying would do harm(except for maybe burnout if you badly overdid it) as that it is too late by then for studying to help.

  That.
  The last week, you really wont be able to improve. You can practice a bit to keep sharp, but ultimately, PTing right before the test is just going to create unnecessary stress. There's much more potential harm than good by trying to jam that last week full of practice.
  Your last week, in particular, is already full of stress with having to travel and change diet. Do what you feel is best, but if it were me, I'd ease off the PTing entirely.
  That being said... I can't help it, either. I swear... after Wednesday... No more studying

  https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/blog/2015/12/04/stop-studying-for-the-lsat-right-now-seriously/

  https://7sage.com/lsat-final-stretch-what-to-do-the-final-week/