The Nexus of Speed and Accuracy
Strong performance on the LSAT depends on two factors: speed and accuracy.
If you rush to complete every question but miss most of them, you will not
receive a high score. On the other hand, if you increase your accuracy by
slowing down, you may be able to increase your score despite doing fewer
questions. The key to finding the correct pace is practice. As you work through
LSAT sections, use a timer (more on this later) and keep track of how well you
perform on each section, including how many questions you complete and
where you were at important time markers during the section.
If early in your studies you find yourself struggling to complete all of the
questions, do not worry. It takes time to become comfortable with the types of
questions presented on the LSAT, and it takes time for the techniques you have
learned to become second nature. Once you become comfortable with the test
and begin to apply the techniques without stopping to think about them, you
will see your accuracy rise and your speed increase.
One of the crucial factors in a solid performance is good decision-making. You
must maintain your composure as you work through each section, even if you
feel as if you have missed a few questions. From the discussion throughout this
book you know that the test makers employ a variety of psychological tricks to
keep you off balance, and how you react to those traps has a tremendous effect
on your score. Half the battle is understanding the way the questions are
constructed, but you must also be smart in how you handle your emotions and
reactions to each question. In particular, keep these ideas in mind:
• Do not get caught up in trying to answer one question. You cannot
spend an exorbitant amount of time on a single question and still hope to
complete the section. For instance, if you spend four minutes on one
question, then you have lost the opportunity to complete at least two
other questions. Remember, the goal is to win the war, and it is
acceptable to lose a battle now and then.
If you do accidentally get caught up in one question, do not let the
frustration carry over to the next question. Once you have completed a
question, put it out of your mind and move on.
• Know when to say when. If you have spent a minute and a half on a
question, ask yourself how much more time you will need to solve the
question. You want to maximize your return on the time you spend on
each question, so if you think you can solve the question in relatively
short order, go ahead and finish off the problem. On the other hand, if
you do not see a clear path to solving the question, cut your losses and
move to the next question without remorse. As they say, don’t throw
good money after bad.
Let’s talk in more detail about the amount of time you have to complete each
question. Each section of the LSAT is 35 minutes in length, and since there are
always 24, 25, or 26 questions in a Logical Reasoning section, you have just
less than 1 minute and 30 seconds to complete each question and transfer your
answers:
Number of Questions Time per Question
24 1 minute, 27 seconds
25 1 minute, 24 seconds
26 1 minute, 20 seconds
However, no matter how hard you try, you will not complete each question in
the exact amount of time allotted! Instead, completing a Logical Reasoning
section is like riding a roller coaster: sometimes you will go very fast and other
times you will slow down to a crawl. This is to be expected because some
questions are much harder than others and naturally take more time to complete.
As you practice, one of your tasks is to determine a reliable guideline for where
you should be during certain points in the section (more on this in a moment).
The table above also assumes you will complete every question. For some
students that is neither possible nor advisable. Consider the following
comparison:
Student #1 Student #2 Student #3
Questions
completed 24 20 16
in section
Accuracy 50% 75% 100%
Rate
Total Correct 12 15 16
Answers
Obviously, actual performance in a section depends on a variety of factors, and
each student must assess their own strengths and weaknesses. Regardless, the
message is the same: you might benefit from slowing down and attempting
fewer questions. The way to determine this? Create your own Pacing
Guideline.
Strong performance on the LSAT depends on two factors: speed and accuracy.
If you rush to complete every question but miss most of them, you will not
receive a high score. On the other hand, if you increase your accuracy by
slowing down, you may be able to increase your score despite doing fewer
questions. The key to finding the correct pace is practice. As you work through
LSAT sections, use a timer (more on this later) and keep track of how well you
perform on each section, including how many questions you complete and
where you were at important time markers during the section.
If early in your studies you find yourself struggling to complete all of the
questions, do not worry. It takes time to become comfortable with the types of
questions presented on the LSAT, and it takes time for the techniques you have
learned to become second nature. Once you become comfortable with the test
and begin to apply the techniques without stopping to think about them, you
will see your accuracy rise and your speed increase.
One of the crucial factors in a solid performance is good decision-making. You
must maintain your composure as you work through each section, even if you
feel as if you have missed a few questions. From the discussion throughout this
book you know that the test makers employ a variety of psychological tricks to
keep you off balance, and how you react to those traps has a tremendous effect
on your score. Half the battle is understanding the way the questions are
constructed, but you must also be smart in how you handle your emotions and
reactions to each question. In particular, keep these ideas in mind:
• Do not get caught up in trying to answer one question. You cannot
spend an exorbitant amount of time on a single question and still hope to
complete the section. For instance, if you spend four minutes on one
question, then you have lost the opportunity to complete at least two
other questions. Remember, the goal is to win the war, and it is
acceptable to lose a battle now and then.
If you do accidentally get caught up in one question, do not let the
frustration carry over to the next question. Once you have completed a
question, put it out of your mind and move on.
• Know when to say when. If you have spent a minute and a half on a
question, ask yourself how much more time you will need to solve the
question. You want to maximize your return on the time you spend on
each question, so if you think you can solve the question in relatively
short order, go ahead and finish off the problem. On the other hand, if
you do not see a clear path to solving the question, cut your losses and
move to the next question without remorse. As they say, don’t throw
good money after bad.
Let’s talk in more detail about the amount of time you have to complete each
question. Each section of the LSAT is 35 minutes in length, and since there are
always 24, 25, or 26 questions in a Logical Reasoning section, you have just
less than 1 minute and 30 seconds to complete each question and transfer your
answers:
Number of Questions Time per Question
24 1 minute, 27 seconds
25 1 minute, 24 seconds
26 1 minute, 20 seconds
However, no matter how hard you try, you will not complete each question in
the exact amount of time allotted! Instead, completing a Logical Reasoning
section is like riding a roller coaster: sometimes you will go very fast and other
times you will slow down to a crawl. This is to be expected because some
questions are much harder than others and naturally take more time to complete.
As you practice, one of your tasks is to determine a reliable guideline for where
you should be during certain points in the section (more on this in a moment).
The table above also assumes you will complete every question. For some
students that is neither possible nor advisable. Consider the following
comparison:
Student #1 Student #2 Student #3
Questions
completed 24 20 16
in section
Accuracy 50% 75% 100%
Rate
Total Correct 12 15 16
Answers
Obviously, actual performance in a section depends on a variety of factors, and
each student must assess their own strengths and weaknesses. Regardless, the
message is the same: you might benefit from slowing down and attempting
fewer questions. The way to determine this? Create your own Pacing
Guideline.
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