LSAT is all about FUN | What Test Prep Companies Don't Tell You

The LSAT is seriously all about F.U.N. This isn't a joke or some "hurrah, hurrah" pep talk.

F = Familiarity
You can achieve this without test prep companies. Just go through one practice test, and you'll be familiar with the LSAT. You'll know that the test has four (4) scored sections - two (2) logical reasoning, one (1) logic games (a.k.a. analytical reasoning), and one (1) reading comprehension. You'll know that the lowest score is 120, while the highest is 180. Some prep companies actually spend an entire lesson going over these basic aspects of the LSAT. Complete and utter waste of your money.


U = Understanding
This is what you're paying test prep companies for - understanding the LSAT question types, understanding how to attack that hybrid game, etc. It's possible to understand the LSAT on your own, but you'll need the help of some good books. If you've enrolled in a test prep course, be sure to attend EVERY class - you paid a high premium to gain understanding.

But here's the secret that most prep companies don't tell you - understanding how to attack the question types is just the beginning and it's not enough to ace the LSAT. On average, students need approximately 2-3 months to adequately gain a comprehensive understanding of the LSAT. That's the typical length an LSAT prep course. This is the root of the reason why the vast majority of students who take an LSAT course end up needing to retake the course (again and maybe again). It's because the first time through students are scrambling to understand the different question types and strategies. The second time through students are comfortable with the concepts and finally implementing the next phase...

N = Naturalization
Now that you understand how to attack the various question types, you must make it your own. This is the aspect of LSAT prep that many prep companies fail to provide - the naturalization (a.k.a. internalization) of the concepts you understand. Don't think that homework problems (often categorized by question types) will help you internalize the concepts. Ask anyone who rocked the LSAT, and 99.9% of 'em will profess: "I just took a ton of real practice tests." Once you understand the different question types and strategies, you really need to buckle down and work through several practice tests. Work through as many as you can, or until you are consistently scoring comfortably within your target range.

Test prep companies do offer Naturalization via Mock/Diagnostic/Practice tests. But often times they are completely ineffective because there are only 4-5 practice tests offered throughout the entire span of the LSAT course. Here's my advice: if you are a serious LSAT student, then do yourself a favor and take more practice tests on your own. Don't rely 100% on the test prep curriculum.

Whether you are studying with a prep company, on your own, or with a tutor, PLEASE remember the "N" of "F.U.N."