[LSAT Study Guide] Why Speed Isn't the Key to LSAT Success: Focus on Accuracy First

Many LSAT students and prep companies emphasize the importance of speed, teaching strategies to complete sections within the time limit. However, I believe this approach misses the mark. In reality, students shouldn't worry about timing at all. Instead, they should focus on accuracy. The truth is that speed is a byproduct of accuracy; as you become better at predicting the correct answers, you'll naturally get faster. You can't pursue speed and accuracy simultaneously—focus on the latter, and the former will follow.

The Myth of Speed and Timing in LSAT Prep

The emphasis on timing and speed is pervasive in the LSAT prep market. This is because timing strategies can lead to modest score improvements for beginner test-takers, which helps companies meet score improvement guarantees. You might gain two or three points with a focus on timing, but this approach won't lead to the kind of transformative score jumps needed for admission into a T-14 law school or to earn a full scholarship. Real LSAT success—the kind that opens doors to top schools and scholarships—requires a different focus: accuracy.

Why Accuracy Should Be Your Priority

Accuracy should be your primary focus because it directly contributes to better performance on the LSAT. One of the most effective ways to achieve accuracy is by predicting the correct answer before looking at the choices. This approach requires more time upfront to fully understand the passage or question stem but saves time overall.

Imagine this scenario: You spend 10 seconds reading a passage and then 2 minutes agonizing over three potential answer choices. You’ve spent 2 minutes and 10 seconds on the question, with no guarantee of getting it right because you lack confidence in your choice. Often, if you’re unsure, you end up rereading the passage, so what was the point of rushing through it the first time?

Now consider a different approach: Spend a minute carefully reading and understanding the passage. Identify the conclusion, figure out any flaws, read the question stem carefully, and predict an answer that directly addresses the question’s requirement. This process might take a minute, but when you turn to the answer choices, you’ll only need to spend about 10 seconds skimming for the one that matches your prediction. You finish in 1 minute and 10 seconds, moving on to the next question confident in your answer. The upfront investment in understanding saves time and boosts confidence, resulting in more correct answers and a higher score!

Overcoming Anxiety About Timing

A common issue students face when adopting this accuracy-first approach is anxiety about not finishing sections. My response to this concern is straightforward: "Are you taking the test tomorrow?" The answer is always no, which means the anxiety is misplaced. Practice tests don’t affect your law school admissions prospects, so why stress over them? If this method doesn’t work, you can always go back to your old way of studying. However, most students experience significant score improvements shortly after committing to this approach. The only delay usually comes from initial resistance and reluctance to fully embrace the change.

A Targeted Approach to Logical Reasoning (LR)

For the Logical Reasoning section, the focus should be on getting the first 10 questions correct consistently. These questions are the easiest and should be treated as "free points." Take all the time you need on these questions, which are worth just as much as the tougher ones. Use the full 35 minutes of the section if necessary; it's more than enough time to confidently answer the first 10 to 14 questions for most test-takers.

Once you consistently get the first 10 questions right, gradually aim for more—first 14, then 15, 16, and so on. The better you get at these questions, the more likely you are to finish the section within the time limit, but that should be a secondary goal. Focus first on mastering the basics: identifying premises and conclusions, understanding common flaws, and applying the order of operations.

Applying the Same Principles to Reading Comprehension (RC)

The Reading Comprehension section is remarkably similar to Logical Reasoning. In essence, RC passages are just longer LR passages with multiple questions instead of just one. Therefore, the same principles apply: take your time to understand the passage thoroughly before attempting to answer questions.

Start by focusing on mastering the first two passages in the RC section and guess on the rest. As you become more comfortable and accurate, gradually increase to three passages, and eventually aim for all four. Accuracy should always be the priority. For more on guessing strategies and how to effectively use them when you’re short on time, check out my upcoming blog post on the best guessing techniques for the LSAT. Most RC questions are about what must be true, so while reading, consider these key questions: What is the author trying to convince me of? How does the author feel about the topic? Why is this important? What is missing, or what hasn’t the author explicitly stated?

By taking your time to understand the passage, you save time on the questions themselves. The confidence you gain from understanding the material thoroughly allows you to move quickly and accurately through the answer choices, spending far less time second-guessing yourself.

Conclusion

Speed on the LSAT is a byproduct of accuracy. Rather than rushing through questions, students should focus on understanding the material deeply and predicting the correct answers. This approach not only improves accuracy but also builds confidence, reduces anxiety, and ultimately leads to faster completion times. So, in your next practice session, try focusing on accuracy instead of speed. You might be surprised at how quickly your scores improve.

-Micah

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