One question that comes up a lot when I’m teaching students the LSAT: Why should I do untimed drills when the test is timed?
I’d like to raise a few questions that I’ve been wondering about:
Why should I start by curling 5-pound weights when I really want to curl 100 pounds?
Why should I practice scales when my goal is to play concertos?
Why should I get an internship when my goal is to be a C.E.O.?
If you want to climb Everest, you should start by taking a morning walk.
If you want to ace the LSAT, you start with untimed drills.
We need to embrace a graduated approach to our LSAT prep that will move you from untimed drills to full-on timed PT’s in a gradual and deliberate manner. I know how strong the impulse can be to move ahead straight to the timed sections. How do I know? Because I felt it myself when I started my studies.
And so you know what I did? I rushed. I skimmed. I outright skipped. And took my first (non-diagnostic) practice test entirely too early–
And my friends, it was a humbling experience.
So back I went…to square one. And I committed to doing it the right way.
As you progress through your studies, build in timed drills slowly and methodically. As you move towards test day, your work should transition to being primarily timed drills and practice tests. Does that mean you’re done with untimed work? No! We still should be slow and deliberate when completing our blind review, and throwing in an untimed drill of a question type you find particularly challenging can be a great way to add variety to your studies and dive deep on a problem area.
If you’re new to the LSAT, join our free “LSAT 101” live class https://7sage.com/event/lsat-101-15/ this Thursday 7/27 at 10:30 AM EDT.
This class is specifically designed for beginners with little to no knowledge about the test and is a great first step towards conquering the LSAT and getting one step closer to your dream law school.