LSAT Test Day Tips

Tips for the Day of the LSAT

It’s finally here! The day you have spent so many hours preparing for. The day of the LSAT can be very stressful. With all the pressure it entails, here are some helpful hints that will hopefully make your test day go smoothly!

LSAT Test Day Tips

1. Relax the day and night before

This probably goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. The day and night before your LSAT should be a time where you rest and mentally prepare for the next day. I often tell students that they do not need to do any review starting two days before the exam. Let your mind rest so you can do your best work on test day. In fact, if at all possible, relax the entire day before. See if you can get out of any work, class, or family obligations, and just take a day for yourself.

2. Know where you are going/Give yourself plenty of extra time

Acquaint yourself with your test site. Usually, LSAT test sites are located on college campuses. If possible, schedule your test for a campus you are familiar with. If you are unable to do that, or if you have a decent distance to travel to your site, give yourself plenty of extra time. A good rule of thumb is to double or triple the amount of time you need to get someplace. So, if it normally takes you 30 minutes to get to the particular classroom, give yourself somewhere between an hour and ninety minutes.

If you have a long distance to travel, it might be worth it to see if there are hotel accommodations near the testing site.  That way, you complete any long commute the day before the exam and make your test morning (relatively) stress-free. Don’t let transportation issues cause you any additional headaches. You already have enough on your plate.

3. Check LSAC account to see permissible items

LSAC has very specific guidelines about what can and cannot be brought into the testing site. They are posted on your LSAC.org account. I won’t go into every specific here (and you really should check the official list to see if anything has changed for your administration), but generally, you can bring in your entrance paperwork, a form of ID, some sort of snack, a clear water bottle, pencils, highlighters, an analog watch, and your wallet, all in a clear bag no larger than a gallon sized Ziploc.

Anything conspicuous missing from that list? Yes, you cannot bring your phone into the testing center, even if you promise to turn it off! Many takers have to return to their hotel room or car to secure their phone. Don’t be one of these people! Leave your phone behind the first time and save yourself some hassle the day of the test.

4. Make sure your ID works for entrance

LSAC also has some very specific guidelines on what ID is permissible to prove your identity. I won’t even try to summarize them here. Check out your LSAC account and make sure that you have proper identification. They conveniently have a toll-free number if you have any questions. Call them if there is any doubt about the ID you are going to bring, especially if you are going to be using an unusual one (i.e., anything that is not a state ID or passport).

Another good rule of thumb is to bring multiple forms of approved ID. For example, when I took the test, my current driver’s license picture was 5-6 years out of date. Knowing that might be an issue, I brought my passport, which had a more recent picture, with me. I’m lucky that I did! The official that admitted me to the test thought that I looked too different from my license picture.  Bringing my passport stopped what could have been a potentially stressful situation.

5. Bring plenty of extra supplies

Don’t bring just one pencil and highlighter to your administration. The time restrictions of the test mean that a broken pencil tip could cost you precious seconds. Come prepared with sharpened back up pencils,, and use the down time before or between sections to make sure you have a ready supply.

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