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Study Effectively When Retaking the LSAT

By WTOP Staff

Now that the September LSAT scores have been released, many test-takers have decided to retake the LSAT in December in an effort to improve their score. Although there are some similarities between preparing to take the test for the first time and preparing to retake the test, there are also a few significant differences.

One of the most common misconceptions about preparing to retake the LSAT is that all you need to do is refresh your knowledge. The truth is that consistent, rigorous study is the most important aspect of your preparation, no matter your situation.

[See which schools attract students with the highest LSAT scores.]

Although you may be familiar with all the concepts and strategies from your previous preparation, there is always room for improvement. It’s equally important that successful test-takers consistently take two or three tests per week, not just because it’s great practice, but also to get as comfortable as possible with taking the test under timed, simulated conditions.

The more you do this, the more comfortable you’ll be on test day. I recommend that my students continue to take three tests per week, including the week of the test. Make sure to leave the day before the test completely free to relax, clear your head and rest.

Once you’re on board with the need to approach your preparation with the same rigor as before, take a hard look at what happened on the September test and identify areas of improvement. For every administered test except February, the Law School Admission Council sends each test-taker a copy of the scored sections of the test, an answer key and the answers entered on the score sheet.

The first thing to look at when reviewing your score report is whether there was a significant problem with timing. If you ended up guessing on a significant portion of any section of the test, some of your preparation should be devoted to taking timed individual sections, focusing on slowly improving your timing for that section.

[Understand how law schools look at LSAT scores.]

The second thing to do is to thoroughly review every question you got wrong and determine whether each question is of a type that you consistently had trouble with during your preparation. If most questions are of those types, you should come up with a different strategy for those questions.

If not, it’s possible that you were thrown off by the pressure and environment of the real thing, and you should take as many practice tests in simulated environments and with precise timing.

I often recommend that students take practice tests in a library. It will generally be quiet, but there will still be some noise, movement and other minor distractions just as there are during the real test.

A final consideration when preparing to retake the LSAT is whether there is value in retaking practice tests that you have already taken in your preparation for the previous test. Fortunately, the LSAC has published more than 70 practice tests, and most students have not taken all of them.

However, it is important to take 20 or so of the most recent tests, as these tests will be most similar to the next administered LSAT and there is likely to be significant overlap in most students’ preparation.

[Learn to conquer the December LSAT in six days. ]

On the extreme end, I worked with a student who had taken every single published LSAT but wanted to prepare to take the test a second time. Like most students, he worried that having seen a test before would makes retaking it a less effective preparation tool, but that is not the case.

If you have taken 30 practice tests — which is on the low end of what I recommend to my students — then you have seen over 3,000 questions, and unless you are blessed with an incredible memory, you will not remember the details of any of these questions with enough specificity to help you the second time around.

Furthermore, although the LSAT never recycles entire questions, passages or games, the test is formulaic, so taking a test that you have already seen will continue to reinforce your recognition of the formulas and patterns that the LSAT employs, which will ultimately improve your score.

Are you planning to retake the LSAT? What challenges are you running into in your preparation? Let me know in the comments, email me or tweet me @shawnpoconnor.

More from U.S. News

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Study Effectively When Retaking the LSAT originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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