Welcome to the latest installment of Law Admissions Q&A, a monthly feature that provides admissions advice to readers who send in questions and admissions profiles.
If you have a question about law school, please email me for a chance to be featured next month.
This week, I will answer questions about emotions and the LSAT.
I have taken the LSAT twice — in September and December 2016 — and both times I scored in the low 160s. I know I can do better. Leading up to both exams, I was scoring consistently in the low 170s on full, timed practice exams.
Right before the September exam, a family member was dealing with a medical emergency, so I wasn’t sleeping well in the week before the test and was distracted taking it. In December, my mind was clear going into the test, but I got thrown off by a difficult game and underperformed on the rest of the section as a result. Do you have any advice for how I can make sure I do well when I retake the test in June? –LSAT Advice Seeker
[Learn more about preparing for the LSAT.]
First of all, I would entirely discount your September LSAT experience. A significant personal situation like the one you mentioned would affect anybody, and there’s very little you can do to prepare for something like that.
Regarding your December test experience, encountering a difficult part of the test and having it affect you during the rest of the exam is a common phenomenon. Here are three recommendations.
First, be vigilant. As you’re taking practice tests in preparation for the June LSAT, be aware of your tendency to allow difficult questions, passages or logic games to negatively affect you. Pay attention to your level of optimism and pessimism as you take practice tests.
[Discover how to make the most of LSAT practice tests.]
If you feel yourself becoming pessimistic during or after a difficult part of the test — or at any other time — acknowledge that feeling and reflect on it after the test. Identify what triggers your pessimism and work to anticipate that pessimism.
Second, don’t be afraid to pause. When you encounter discouragement or pessimism during a test, don’t be afraid to give yourself 10-15 seconds to take a couple deep breaths and refocus.
Because the LSAT is such a difficult test from a timing perspective, many LSAT takers are reluctant to give up even 10 or 15 seconds. Taking a few deep breaths and refocusing, though, is often a more productive use of time than pushing forward with the wrong mental state.
Finally, focus only on the question in front of you. Like the first suggestion, this is something that requires consistent practice.
As you take practice tests, do your best to remain entirely focused on answering the current question, with a small part of your attention devoted to time management. This is especially key in the moments when you encounter pessimism.
Regardless of your level of optimism or pessimism, taking the LSAT requires intense and sustained focus, and developing that focus is a key to preparation.
Practice techniques to combat what you experienced in December. Becoming familiar with the feeling of pessimism and practicing ways to combat it will help you in June.
[Read these tips on approaching the hardest LSAT questions.]
I took the LSAT in September and scored a 164, and I’m taking the February exam in a couple of weeks. As the test approaches, I feel myself becoming more and more anxious about how important my score on this test will be for my future. I’m worried that this anxiety will affect me on test day. What can I do? –Anxious Tester
Anxiety surrounding the LSAT is completely normal. It’s also reasonable — the LSAT is the single most important aspect of your law school application.
But it’s also not the only aspect. Schools care very much about your undergraduate GPA, personal statement, letters of recommendation and other application components.
More important, keep in mind that you already have a great score in your pocket. It’s frustrating not to perform up to your potential, but in a sense you are playing with house money right now.
There is only upside to taking the June exam. The worst-case scenario is that you apply to schools with a score that is below the median at only 21 schools in the country and below the 25th percentile at only seven schools in the country.
In short, even without any improvement, your LSAT score is very competitive right now, and since the vast majority of schools take the highest of multiple LSAT scores, you can only improve your chances of admission. Focus on this as you approach the exam to help quiet the anxiety.
More from U.S. News
4 Ways College Grads Can Expedite the Law School Application Process
4 Ways Undergraduates Can Strengthen Law School Profile
Create an LSAT Plan for Next Year’s Admissions Cycle
Overcome Emotions for LSAT Success originally appeared on usnews.com
