This RC Advice Is Too Good To Be Free

Many students think Reading Comprehension is about staying focused for four passages. If they zone out, they assume they need to focus harder next time.

But focus isn't typically the issue. The question is how you focus. The best readers don’t simply pay attention to the passage. They engage with it.

Passive Reading Doesn’t Work

It's easy to let your eyes move across the page without actually processing what's there. Then you get to the questions and don’t remember what you just read.

Instead of asking, “How do I stay focused?” ask, "What is this author trying to tell me?" The moment you start looking for meaning, you're no longer reading passively.

Interrogate the Author

Don’t let the author lecture you.

Ask questions as you read. Why are they bringing this fact up? What point are they trying to make? Do they actually agree with the position they just described? If they're criticizing another viewpoint, what evidence are they relying on?

Treat reading like a conversation instead of a monologue.

Slow Down to Speed Up

Dense passages tempt students to skim. They hit a confusing sentence, hope the next sentence clears it up, and keep moving.

That almost never works.

When a sentence doesn't make sense, stop and untangle it. Restate it in simpler language before moving on. Spending twenty extra seconds understanding a difficult sentence is far more efficient than rereading an entire paragraph after you've gotten lost.

Build the Argument

Every paragraph has a purpose.

As you read, think about how each new idea connects to what came before. Is the author introducing a new position? Responding to an objection? Providing evidence? Strong readers  build a mental model of the passage as they go.

Stay One Step Ahead

To stay engaged, make predictions.

After each paragraph, ask yourself what might come next. You don’t have to predict correctly. The point is to think about where the argument is headed instead of waiting for the author to tell you everything.

You Need to Own the Passage

Many students are waiting for Reading Comprehension to get more interesting.

It won’t. At least not with the wrong mindset. 

The passages are intentionally outside your comfort zone because lawyers don't get to choose what they read. One day, someone will hand you a document you’ve never seen before and expect you to understand it. The LSAT is asking you to do that for 35 minutes. Law practice asks you to do it all day.

Treat every passage as if someone important needs you to understand it. That mindset makes it much harder to drift into autopilot.

Engagement Over Endurance

Reading Comprehension isn't testing how long you can stare at a page.

It's testing whether you can understand an argument, connect ideas, and comprehend what you read. 

Ask questions. Make predictions. Slow down when the passage gets difficult. The more engaged you are, the easier Reading Comprehension becomes.

Still need more help? Check out Your Ultimate RC Study Guide.