Don't Get Wrapped Up In The "Game"
May 11 '00
When I took the LSAT, I was concerned that I wouldn't have enough time to prepare. I submitted my application only days before the deadline, leaving myself barely two months to get the materials and study. I didn't have time or money to spend with a Test Prep class, so I ordered the review materials offered on the application form. And, of course, I put off preparing until the last minute.
When I finally did sit down and look at the materials, I had less than a week to go before the test. After reading over the explanations of the different parts of the test, I decided to take the practice test, score it and see how I did. I did ok, but not great. However, I did notice that there was one area of the test in which I lagged severely behind the others. So I decided to concentrate the bulk of my time on that section, and repeatedly reviewed that area until I felt I was at least as proficient in it as in the other areas. Then I moved on to the other sections, eventually taking the last practice test the day before the LSAT.
What I noticed at the test was that a lot of people who had spent the bulk of their summers in a classroom (there were no online courses when I took the LSAT) seemed to be more nervous than I felt. In talking to them before the test I realized that what they were all wrapped up in was the "tricks" they had learned in classes. They were more concerned with how to "beat the system" than with the actual material that was on the test. I have always advised people in any standardized testing situation to be sure they learn the MATERIAL first before they start worrying about how to "crack" the test.
I did well on the LSAT (scoring above the 85th percentile) and when I got to Law School, I found that my observations on test day still rang true. And when we sat for the Bar exam (which I passed on the first try and waived into a neighboring jurisdiction) I found the same "strategies" being attempted. Sadly, some of my friends who were extremely concerned about how to best TAKE the Bar didn't learn the materials that were the SUBJECT MATTER of the Bar and they didn't pass.
My advice is, don't worry about the test-taking strategies. Learn the materials, learn how to think a question through, and the rest will follow.
Good Luck!!!
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
sllesq
|
|
Reviews written: 64
Trusted by: 26 members
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.