The LSAT has a steep learning curve.
For example, at first questions about flawed reasoning may seem bewildering, but they will become much easier once you familiarize yourself with the most common fallacies.
Using the right study strategy, you can methodically work through every type of LSAT question. Within a couple of months of practice you will see that despite its difficulty, the LSAT tests only a narrow range of skills.
Unfortunately, after making steady gains while you learn the fundamentals, it’s common to hit a rut.
It’s tempting to respond by churning through more practice tests, praying for a breakthrough. But when your tires are stuck in the mud and you’re spinning your wheels, it won’t help to hit the gas. You need a fresh approach.
[Read: Weighing LSAT Test Prep Options]
Here are six ways to refocus your practice to get out of a rut:
— Focus on what you find hardest.
— Investigate your past performance.
— Stop the clock.
— Get curious, not judgmental.
— Face reality.
— Take a break.
Focus on What You Find Hardest
Not all LSAT practice is equally valuable. Skill gains come when you work at the edge of your knowledge, according to the theory of deliberate practice
.
Imagine you’re learning tennis. As a beginner, you’re learning every day. As you become good enough to hold your own on the court, your gains taper off. Why?
First, you may get complacent. You rely on your strengths to compensate for your shortcomings. That may be OK for regular play, but seasoned competitors can readily recognize and exploit your weaknesses.
Second, you may not encounter new challenges in routine practice. The hardest situations, like a tricky drop shot, come up so rarely that you never get used to facing them.
Likewise, if you want to keep raising your LSAT score, seek discomfort. Do you dread the science passages on the reading comprehension section? Devote extra time to practicing them, to turn your weaknesses into strengths.
[Read: What Is a Good LSAT Score?]
Investigate Your Past Performance
If you miss questions on a scored LSAT, you lose points. If you get practice questions wrong, you gain valuable lessons and insights.
To make the most of your wrong answers, record them and keep track of trends. Like a detective, trace how you missed a key point or got tricked by a wrong answer. Come up with new ideas about how to avoid those mistakes in the future.
Stop the Clock
Taking practice tests can tell you how you perform under pressure on a scored test. But if you’re fixated on the clock, you won’t take the risks that lead to breakthroughs.
When deciding between similar answer choices, you may fall for trap answers rather than evaluate them using reliable methods.
This is why untimed practice is so important. Without time pressure, you can experiment with new approaches that may be game changers. If you find yourself losing focus in untimed practice, set a loose time limit and gradually return to timed practice.
Get Curious, Not Judgmental
Don’t beat yourself up when your LSAT score is stuck. It doesn’t mean you’re “not a good test-taker” or that you’ve hit your ceiling.
Self-doubt and self-limiting beliefs are common symptoms of test anxiety, which must be managed like any other LSAT skill.
Rather than criticize yourself or rush into new practice tests to feel productive, seize the opportunity for new growth and new learning. Think of the test like a challenging puzzle and approach it with curiosity rather than dread and shame.
[Read: How to Do Your Best on LSAT Test Day]
Face Reality
Often, there is a difference between how test-takers say they approach the test and what they do in practice.
So, when you review your mistakes after a practice test, be honest about what actually went through your mind in the heat of the moment. Until you are aware of a bad habit, you can’t change it.
If you find that fatigue, distraction, overthinking or other mental states are clouding your judgment, find practical ways to notice and allay those thoughts.
Take a Break
Finally, avoid burnout by taking a few days away from studying. Turn toward other helpful daily habits to keep your mind sharp without the repetition of practice. After a break, you might see your problems from a fresh perspective.
The best time to break through a score plateau is before you take the test. Law schools typically take your highest LSAT score if you retake the test, but a trendline of improvement looks better than score slump.
So, don’t wait until it’s too late to step back and try a new tact.
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LSAT Practice Score Stuck? Here’s What to Do originally appeared on usnews.com
