If you’re planning on taking a class to prepare for the September LSAT (say, perhaps, one of Blueprint’s soon-to-begin classes), you may be wondering what you should be doing to prepare before class starts.
The good news is that you don’t need to do much. The point of an LSAT class is to teach you the skills you’ll need to conquer the LSAT. There are no prerequisites, and the LSAT doesn’t test any kind of specialized knowledge or anything you’d need to start memorizing.
The most important thing you can do before LSAT class starts, then, is to have fun. Once class starts, you’re going to have to work your, uh, donkey off. You’ll have homework to do and practice tests to review. You’ll be that person who always points out the flawed logic in everything your (soon to be former) friends say. LSAT class will be fun, but it’s a different kind of fun.
So live it up. Go somewhere nice for a long weekend. Get some of that partying out of your system if that’s your inclination. Read those books you’ve been meaning to read. You want to start LSAT class refreshed and in a good mindset to start learning.
You may nonetheless want to get a head start on your LSAT skills. If so, here are some ideas.
One of the challenges of LSAT Reading Comp is that it throws short dense passage after short dense passage at you. So, as you might imagine, it’s a good idea to practice reading short dense articles. May I suggest The Economist? It’s got plenty. Focus on the author’s argument, and on how it’s supported. Also practice convincing yourself that whatever you’re reading is fascinating, no matter how boring you might find it.
LSAT Logic Games involve your problem-solving abilities. So if you enjoy Sudoku or crossword puzzles or anything else that exercises those abilities, it can’t hurt to do some. Note however that those things are different enough from Logic Games that I wouldn’t recommend picking up those hobbies just for LSAT reasons. Nothing can prepare you for LSAT Logic Games but LSAT Logic Games.
Note: As of August 2024, the LSAT will no longer have a Logic Games Section. The June 2024 exam will be the final LSAT with Logic Games. Learn more about the change here.
The Logical Reasoning sections of the LSAT test your ability to pick apart flawed logic. You’ll learn about all the various kinds of logical fallacies in LSAT class, but for now you can work on those skills in a more general way. Here’s what you do. Fox News or MSNBC. Pick one, whichever one makes you cringe more. Watch some. When you find yourself getting angry, calm down, take a deep breath, and try to define exactly what’s wrong with the logic you’re hearing. For bonus points, if you can spot the flawed logic on the side you agree with, you’re ahead of the curve.
Most importantly, don’t take anything too seriously yet. You’ll have lots of time to get deep into the LSAT once you’re in LSAT class, so make sure to enjoy the time you have before class starts.
