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How to Use Timed LSAT Practice

By U.S. News & World Report

Recently, I discussed the power of untimed LSAT practice and how to use it most effectively as part of your LSAT preparation. But untimed practice is just one component — timed practice is equally important.

While untimed work gives you the opportunity to practice methods in a controlled, thoughtful manner, timed practice best replicates test conditions and helps you practice the speed and efficiency you will need to employ to maximize your LSAT score.

[Discover how to make the most of untimed LSAT practice.]

Why Timed Practice?

Taking timed practice tests is your opportunity to cultivate the speed you will need on test day and practice time-management strategies.

Cultivating speed is straightforward: No matter how much untimed practice you complete, you will eventually need to get comfortable at your test-day pace. To build up speed, first identify which sections are giving you the most trouble by looking at how many questions you are unable to get to in each section.

To more precisely identify which question and game types take the most time, review timed work immediately after completing it, when your memory of each question is freshest. Practicing timed individual sections is the best way to accomplish this.

After you have worked to improve your speed, turn your focus to time-management strategies. It’s one thing to be able to answer a question or set up a game quickly, but it’s another to know how to allocate your time most efficiently within a section. The only way to do this is through timed practice.

Using timed work to practice time-management strategies, though, is a little less obvious. It’s one thing to be able to answer a question or set up a game quickly, but it’s another to know how to allocate your time most efficiently within a section. The only way to do this is through timed practice.

[Know how to manage your time for each section of the LSAT.]

How to Complete Timed Practice

The two best ways to complete timed practice are to take full, timed practice tests and to take individual timed sections.

When taking full practice tests, make sure to replicate the test-day experience by doing the first three sections back to back in 35 minutes each and giving yourself a 10-minute break before taking the 35-minute fourth section. Published tests only contain the four scored sections, but on test day you will have four scored sections, an experimental section and the writing sample.

The 10-minute break follows the third section. Inserting the break before the fourth section most closely replicates the test-day experience.

When taking timed sections, simply give yourself 35 minutes to complete the section. Some students attempt to do timed practice in smaller chunks — for example, answering five or 10 questions in eight or 15 minutes, respectively. This strategy ignores an important reality of the LSAT: Not all questions are created equal — although they are given equal weight from a scoring perspective.

Some questions, passages and logic games are intended to require lots of time, while others are written to be finished quickly. The LSAT writers build sections with a balance between time-consuming questions and those that can be answered quickly.

It is unwise to break sections into smaller chunks and know how quickly you should move through each chunk, since this will be misleading on test day.

[Discover how to make the most of LSAT practice tests.]

When to Practice Timed Tests

In the early stages of LSAT prep, only intermittently practice full, timed tests — untimed practice should be your focus at the beginning. However, timed practice should become the bulk of your preparation in the final 4-6 weeks before the exam. During this period, you should be ready to put your untimed practice skills to work under timed conditions as well as to build your stamina.

Stamina is an underappreciated skill in an LSAT test-taker, and you must cultivate it like any other skill. The best way to do this is by through lots of timed practice. Increasing your timed practice during the weeks before the test helps you build the sustained focus necessary to earn your best LSAT score.

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How to Use Timed LSAT Practice 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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