So you’re taking the LSAT. Welcome to the club of people voluntarily training their brains for months to decode arguments and navigate dense reading passages. We’ve compiled the best tips from test takers who scored 170+ — basically the closest thing to LSAT cheat codes without the LSAC getting involved.
Here’s what came up over and over again:
1) Take your time — months, not weeks
People who hit 170+ didn’t get there in two weekends.
Improvement took months. Plateaus were common. And most only started seeing 170-range late in their prep.
2) Review like your score depends on it (because it does)
Blind review is king. Don’t just check the key — re-solve without looking. You’re fixing your thinking, not just the question.
3) Don’t chase speed — chase clarity
Speed is a side-effect of understanding. If you rush before you understand, you just get faster at being wrong.
4) Treat practice tests like real tests
Simulate test day: same time, same environment, same break rules, no pauses. Realistic practice = calmer test-day brain.
5) Track mistakes like data, not shame
Log which question types you miss, when you miss them, and why you miss them. You can’t fix what you don’t track.
6) Mark your “lucky” answers
If you were unsure, mark it — even if it ends up correct. Go back and understand why it was right so luck doesn’t trick you twice.
7) Burnout kills scores
Tired studying = sloppy thinking. Rest is not weakness — it preserves accuracy.
8) Set a goal higher than “reasonable”
Aim above what feels safe (e.g., aim for 172 even if you think 165 is realistic). Ambitious goals pull scores upward.
9) If you plateau, change something deliberately
A flat line means something in your system needs adjusting — schedule, methods, resources, review process, something.
10) Mindset is part of the exam
If your nerves blow up mid-test, knowledge won’t save you. Confidence and composure are skills — train them through realistic PTs.
11) Teach the question back to someone else
High scorers said one of the biggest unlocking moves was explaining tough questions out loud — to a friend, a study buddy, or even to your empty room.
Talk through:
- The passage / stimulus in your own words
- Why the credited answer is right
- Why each wrong answer is actually wrong
If you can teach it clearly, you understand it. If you can’t explain it, you don’t own it yet.
Final Thoughts
The secret to a 170+ score isn’t “do more.” It’s study longer than you think, review deeper than is comfortable, and train your brain under conditions that feel like game day. Track relentlessly, rest deliberately, and explain things out loud until the reasoning becomes second nature.
Stick with that, and future-you is the person writing these tips.