2.3 - Talk to the Test

The best LSAT students I've seen all seem to be having a conversation with the test. They pause frequently to reflect. They argue and object. They rephrase things in plain English.

This is an LSAT superpower. It's fertile soil for making inferences and predicting answers. And it's valuable throughout the entire test.

In this lesson, we'll take this idea from abstract to concrete so you can put it into practice.

Let's go.

Read → Respond

Having a conversation with the LSAT just means reading and then responding.

Think of the last time you heard someone say something you vehemently disagreed with. Maybe you rolled your eyes. Maybe you shouted at the TV. Part of the reason you're able to recall that moment now is because of the reaction you had. Bring this into your LSAT studies.

Across each section, reacting to what you read will ground your thinking and help you identify logical inconsistencies, authors' points of view, and key inferences that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Logical Reasoning - Objection, Your Honor!

In LR, your main job is to eviscerate bad arguments. You're meant to identify conclusions and the evidence used to support them, and then absolutely tear them to pieces.

You should adopt a skeptical, aggressive, argumentative state of mind. React like an objecting courtroom attorney, or as if the argument just cut you off in traffic.

When you read something that doesn't make sense, ask why.

When you identify something left unsaid that the argument requires, take note.

When you read something objectionable, object!

Reading Comprehension - I'm Here to Learn!

In RC, you're meant to tease apart a verbose, often boring passage about a topic no typical person would find interesting.

You need to treat that mass of boring sentences as if you just can't wait to learn about it! Seriously.

Lawyers are lifelong learners. They're regularly tasked with becoming subject matter experts on topics no one really cares about along incredibly short timelines. If you're struggling to work your way through the 3-5 dense paragraphs of an RC passage, you're in for a rude awakening when you get to Torts or Constitutional Law, much less legal practice.

I've heard myriad strategies for getting around the kind of reader's block people experience in RC, but a few core strategies helped me the most, and I'm severely dyslexic with no more knowledge than you.

1. Pause at every punctuation mark. These sentences get long and wordy—break them up one clause at a time and rephrase complicated ideas before moving on.
2. Find a way to enjoy the passage. For me, this meant treating every RC passage as an opportunity to learn something new. Who doesn't love learning?
3. When you feel your eyes glazing over, that's your cue to go back a few lines and re-read.
4. When all else fails, fake it till you make it. I mean it! Treat the passage like it's the most fun thing you'll do today and your comprehension will improve.

Logic Games - Who/What Remains and What Do I Know About Them?

In Logic Games, talking to the test means constantly taking stock of the pieces you've put in play, the pieces you haven't, and what's still left to figure out.

This takes several shapes in practice. You might need to keep track of which game pieces themselves you've managed to bake into diagrams. You might also need to determine where a final, flexible game spot could end up being used. 

It's a constant process of checking in, considering what or who remains, and determining what you know about them in order to take a useful next step toward solving the game.

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So start talking to the test. You'll be amazed at how quickly you start connecting more dots and acing more questions.

Next, we're diving deep into conditional logic.

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