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November 1, 2018

Should You Do Warm Up Questions the Morning of the LSAT?

Should You Do Warm Up Questions the Morning of the LSAT?

“Should I do a set of warm-up questions the morning of the LSAT? Just to get into the right frame of mind?” This is a question that comes up often among test-takers. The idea is that by doing questions prior to the start of the exam, you’ll hit the ground running. Thus, setting you up for the best possible score. In theory, it sounds like a good idea. But does it really work? Should you try it?

It Depends

The answers are sometimes and maybe. Some people are naturally slow starters! After taking several practice tests, if you notice that your performance in the first section of the exam is lower than the remainder, this might be you. If it is, then you’re a perfect candidate to use the warm-up strategy. However, not everyone is a slow-starter. Mental energy is so precious during the LSAT, so you may want to conserve it all for questions that count. Only implement this approach if you find that practice proves you need it or that it helps in a demonstrable manner.

Determining the Best Strategy

When first implementing this strategy, don’t start with a lot of questions. Doing a full game, a full passage, and 5-10 LR questions expend a significant amount of mental energy. We recommend starting small. 2-3 LR questions and maybe one game or passage depending on your weaknesses. See if that is enough to get your mental engine going. If not, add a few more questions until you’re able to start the test at full throttle. Use your practice tests as a proving ground for whether you need to use this tool. If you do, use it to figure out how many questions are required to get on track.

Warming up sounds pretty beneficial! We know that it’s an integral component of athletic performances, so shouldn’t everyone need to warm-up before the LSAT? Well, most obviously is that your mental muscles are different than your physical muscles. However, the real reason is that many people already walk into the LSAT jacked up and ready to go. Warming up then burns off that useful energy. Events that are high-pressure tend to get the mental juices flowing for many people. By the time they arrive at the test center, they’re already ready to tack the test on. This leads me to my final point. If you arrive at the event too jacked up, then doing some practice questions can actually help. It allows you to calm down and get you in the flow.

Choose What Feels Right

So, warming up is helpful for some test-takers, but not others. If you are a slow starter or if you are prone to high excitement, maybe try a few warm-up questions on a practice test. See if it helps stabilize your performance. If it does help, practice a few times to find the right number of pre-test questions. Need more advice on what to do on the morning of the LSAT? Here’s a great resource for you to use.

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Posted by Dave Killoran / Studying / LSAT Prep, Mentality Leave a Comment

  • Jason Crandall
    November 18, 2013 at 9:48pm

    I think another aspect of warming up that deserves to be mentioned is the idea of a quick confidence boost. For students who really want to warm up, I encourage them to do just one linear game or something else they know they can crush, so their last memory pretest is of a resounding success.

  • Egp
    December 02, 2015 at 4:14pm

    Should you check these answers before the test? I tried this today and got them wrong.. But in general I think this is a good strategy

  • Dave Killoran
    December 02, 2015 at 4:58pm

    You know, I think that depends on you. If you think missing a few could shake your confidence, then don’t check the answers. The point of this is to get your mental juices flowing, so knowing if you answered it correctly or incorrectly isn’t essential. On the other hand, if you are one of those people who will be bothered if you don’t know how you did, then check it.

    There’s no right answer to this, just what you think will work best for yourself.

    Thanks!

  • Giovanni Fiorentini
    July 17, 2017 at 1:32pm

    Hi Dave,
    Great arricle. I am considering using powerscore to study for the LSAT which I am taking this December. I am in Rome Italy going to school full time so I will have to do the courses online and on demand. My goal is to get the highest score possible so that I can start applying for law schools. Which course do you recommend? Do you recommend the $350 logic game courses or the $175 a month on demand courses? Thank you.

  • Dave Killoran
    July 18, 2017 at 2:42pm

    Hi Giovanni,

    Thanks for the question! Between the Advanced LG and the On Demand, there is no question: go with the monthly On Demand course. the Advanced course is designed for use after someone has created a great base but is still struggling to become perfect; it’s not a starter course and will use terminology and ideas on the assumption you already know the basic and intermediate concepts extremely well.

    I’m personally a big fan of the On Demand course since it allows you to review any course section as much as you’d like (like having a rewind button for real life), and I know students have been able to use that to pick up key points they otherwise would have missed.

    So, short answer is On Demand all the way.

    Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

  • LAWRENCE FERRARA
    August 15, 2018 at 1:48pm

    For me warming up is crucial. But since I do not want to fatigue my brain prior to the test. I have a few logic games that I have already completed a few times in the past that I plan to do on the morning of the test just to reenforce and solidify my skills. Same with some of the LR diagramming and other questions types. I’ll do some that I’m already familiar with just to strengthen my skills and getting into the state of flow for the test.

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