Taking a PrepTest Properly

[vincent.m]

Hi guys,

I plan on taking the LSAT this coming September and I am just curious as to how I should be putting experimental sections into my PrepTests if I am not doing so in an acceptable manner already. I have taken at least 20 since late January and I have done so by putting an experimental section as the first section of every test. I usually use old RC sections and LR sections that I have not seen for at least a week. Is this a bad way to practice?

[ohthatpatrick]

I have two issues with your method that I would suggest tweaking:
1. Don't always do it first
2. Don't ever do a section you've already done

A lot of people struggle with their first LSAT section of the day (their brains aren't warmed up yet, so they do worse than normal). You're giving yourself a little crutch by letting your brain always warm up on the Experimental.

You shouldn't be RE-doing a section you've done. Now, in addition to knowing that you're doing an experimental, you're not even expending full brain power trying to get stuff right because you're looking at a test you're already subconsciously aware of (you could redo something you've done MONTHS ago, but not 4 weeks or less).

There are two things about the experimental section that matter on test day

1. The test is harder when you take 5 sections (than if you only took 4)

2. We don't know which one is the experimental section

It sounds like your current method only gives us #1. That's understandable, since it's pretty hard to disguise which one is the experimental section for yourself.

If you WERE going to try to, you could:
1. print out a pdf for the new test you're taking
2. print out an additional section as your experimental (try to avoid peeking as you're doing this).
3. have a friend shuffle the experimental into the real one. Make sure the numbers at the top flow correctly. For example, if your experimental section happens to be a section 3, make sure your friend knows to insert it BEFORE the real section 3 or AFTER the real section 3, so you won't know when you hit that point whether you've gone on to the next real section or whether you're now doing the experimental.

The experimental is almost always in the first three sections, so make sure you're doing three sections (one of which is the experimental), taking a 15 minute break, and then coming back for your last two sections.

Let me know if you have questions.

Have fun!

[dbuurmasjsu]

I agree with the above poster. A small, but truly important side note -- make sure you're actually bubbling in an answer sheet. People typically just work directly on practice test and do not realize how long it actually takes to do this (usually 2 mins over an entire section).