2.1 - Accuracy Beats Speed

Students often approach the LSAT with the goal of "finishing" the test—in other words, getting to and addressing every question in each section. While it's true that you're going to have to answer the overwhelming majority of questions to score in the highest percentiles, simply reaching the end of each test section should not be your goal.

In this short lesson, we'll walk through a personal anecdote that illustrates the value of focusing on accuracy over speed.

Let's dive in.

Story Time

Before I hit my official 175, I ran through two practice tests about a week apart. I scored 177 on both of them and didn't finish the Reading Comprehension section on either of them.

Think about that for a second. I was able to score on par with the 75th percentile at Yale Law School without completing a section of the test—twice.

That's because your scaled LSAT score is based entirely on how many questions you answer correctly, not how many you manage to address.

You can think about getting to the final questions in each section as necessary, but not sufficient to earn a great score.

The Math Made it Stick

If it still isn't sticking, consider another angle: one perfect passage at a time.

When I was still struggling with reading comp, I was focused on completing the section. "How can I score in the 170s if I don't address each question?" I would ask.

My teacher at the time, LSAT Demon's Nathan Fox, diagnosed my issue and showed me the math behind it. He recommended that I focus on perfecting three passages, one at a time, instead of trying to finish all four. I give him 100% of the credit for this advice:

He pointed out that I was too focused on reaching the end of the section. That, by focusing there, I was stumbling and making sloppy mistakes. Sure, I was reaching each questions, but I wasn't getting them right. I'd miss something like two questions on every passage.

Most RC sections have 27 questions, but imagine a 28-question section broken down into four, 7-question passages to simplify the math. On average, this Old Me was averaging something like a 20/28, or a minus-8 (-8) you might hear it called. That's unacceptable performance.

Then Nate showed me how getting three perfect passages would net me a better overall RC score on average, and he was right. Since we have 7 questions per passage in our hypothetical section, getting three perfect leads to a 21/28, a -7. That's already an improvement, but then factor in that random chance would probably net me an extra point or two on the fourth passage, even if I didn't read a single word of it before bubbling in answers.

My brain melted. I immediately changed my approach and my scores skyrocketed.

And here's the kicker. Old Me? That dude isn't very coachable. New Me on the other hand? He can improve—a lot.

That is, I can't convince you not to focus on the clock, but I can teach you how to comprehend what you read more efficiently.

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The moral of this story is that the LSAT rewards those who approach it like a marathon, not a sprint. Taking time to get whatever question / game / passage you're working on 100% correct will pay dividends in the form of a higher score.

So next time you sit down for a practice session, remember: It’s not about how many you answer. It’s about how many hit the mark.

Next up, we'll cover what to do when you inevitably make mistakes during your studies.

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What did I miss? Leave a comment below to help me improve this course for you and future test takers.