Quick Tip: Tough Inferences
For many students, Inference questions are the hardest part of Reading Comprehension. Sometimes it can feel like a tough Inference question asks you to guess what the author is thinking, which can make trap answer choices attractive. But remember: you don’t have to read the author’s mind! Even with the toughest Inference questions, the correct answer will always be strongly implied by the passage. This means that the “stronger” answer choices—those requiring more support—are often trap answers. Be wary of these answer choices: if you choose them, make sure you can support the inference with information from the passage!
Discussion: You’ve Taken the LSAT. Now What?
The June administration of the LSAT is traditionally the one with the most test-takers, and many of you have just taken your test a couple weeks ago. If that’s you: first off, congrats! Just taking the LSAT is an achievement—it means that you’ve likely put in many hours of prep, and have sacrificed a great deal of your time and energy for this test. So what now?
You likely have some extra time on your hands that you didn’t have before! And with all the nervous energy of waiting for your score to come in (just one more week!), you might be feeling like you should be doing something in the meantime. While you can’t do anything to change your June test outcome, here are a few pieces of advice for while you wait.
Enjoy some of your newfound free time
Obviously this is easier said than done. But take this as your sign: stop refreshing Reddit, and try to enjoy some of your newfound free time. For many of you, this is your first break from the LSAT in a long time. And if you’re planning on applying to law school this fall, the coming months will be filled with essay writing, applying, and decision-making! There’s nothing you can do to change your answers on that one LR question, so enjoy this short break.
When you get your score, try not to compare your situation to others
Next Wednesday (June 29th), scores will become available on your LSAC account right at 9 am ET. (Sometimes they even come out a few minutes early!) Whether your score is an amazing surprise or a major disappointment, try not to compare your situation to others. Keep in mind that the LSAT is a means to an end, and if you have to change plans or revise your strategy, that is completely okay. And with that being said…
Make a plan
It never hurts to plan. Based on your PTs and how you felt during the official test, you probably have a rough idea of your possible score range. Based on that range, consider what decisions you might make based on your outcome. For this, I like to think about goal score vs. minimum acceptable score. As an example, let’s say my goal is a 170, but if I get a 165 or higher, I’ll happily walk away from the LSAT. In this case, I may want to think about what my game plan would be if I scored below a 165: how it would affect my goals, whether or not I would retake, etc. All of these decisions are highly personal, so I hesitate to give any specific advice other than it can be helpful to think about things ahead of time to avoid being blindsided. And if you’d like to talk through some of your next steps, our admissions team is offering free, 30-minute consultations here!
In just a week, you’ll know your score! As you get ready for that, remember: you have a lot to be proud of. Taking this test is moving one step closer to law school, and you should give yourself a pat on the back for making it this far.