LSAT Anxiety

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• 1 Like

  Alex Alum Member ⭐

  July 2017 23929 karma

  @"Idil.Beshir" said:
  I know this has been talked about endlessly...but here's to one more thread haha.

  How do you deal with your LSAT anxiety? I find my mind races before I take a PT... and for the first few questions of the exam. I'm a yoga teacher, so I have the breathing and meditation down...but for some reason i can't get my mind to slow down when i first start a test. I'm okay after the first few questions...but the panic shows in my scores. It's like I'm not reading English anymore for the first two or three questions, and then I'm okay. Any advice on how to get over this?

  I use positive affirmations to get over this exact feeling. I sometimes write down and say aloud 15x something positive about myself and this test. As simple as "I am capable of scoring a 17X on this test" I find that it calms me and helps me change my mindset to something positive, or at the very least neutral.

  I know it sounds little Tony Robbin's-eqsue, but it is what works for me, haha. I'm not saying that it will work for you, but I find that when it comes to anxiety what works for some people can honestly makes things worse for others. For instance, it's incredible to me that people get medical marijuana prescriptions for anxiety when I can't think of anything that would make me more anxious than doing drugs, lmao.

  Also, equally important is you need to go into PTs/sections with confidence. I find that if I'm lacking in my confidence, I do noticeably worse. This is where I make sure I have blind reviewed AND addressed what issues I had on the last PT I took. Once I make sure I have done my absolute and honest best to eliminate any weaknesses of which I am aware, I can take another PT with more confidence. This is key to feeling better and less anxious.

  Good luck!
• AnthonyScalia Alum Member

  July 2017 edited July 2017 330 karma

  Everything Alex said is great! Additionally, I'd say to simply keep in mind that with time, the LSAT will become more comfortable, and eventually feel so routine that you don't even think about the fact that you're doing a PT.

  Also make sure you've had plenty to eat or drink, and consider playing around with really minty gum. It clears your sinuses and makes you feel cool, crisp and calm on the inside. I'm a private tutor for high school and college entrance exams, and I tell all of my students to use Dentyne Ice Arctic Chill! Try it out
• stepharizona Alum Member

  July 2017 3197 karma

  I prepared pretty much entirely for the June LSAT by only doing a MBSR mindfulness program. (I'd taken the Dec LSAT) and improved 5 points from that score

  I highly recommend a program like that and the Meditation Studio IOS app.
• 1 Like

  Cant Get Right Yearly + Live Member Sage ⭐ 🍌 7Sage Tutor

  July 2017 27900 karma

  Do a warmup to try to work out the jitters. I typically do a couple games, an RC passage, and about the first 15 minutes of an LR section. Beyond that, don't be afraid to skip those early questions. A lot of people won't because they're the "easy" ones. That doesn't matter though. What matters is how well you comprehend what's going on. If you read a stimulus and don't comprehend it, it doesn't matter if that's because it's really hard or because you're not altogether there mentally. Just skip it, bank that time, and come back to it once you've found your groove.