Why I Thought I Didn’t Understand the LSAT (But Actually Did)
Introduction
For a long time, I believed I didn’t understand the LSAT.
Not just that it was difficult, but that something about the test didn’t “click” for me in the way it seemed to for others. I could study, review explanations, and even get questions right in practice. But when it came time to perform under pressure, everything felt different.
My thinking felt slower.
My comprehension felt fragmented.
And I often left the test feeling like I had missed something fundamental.
For years, I interpreted this as a lack of ability.
I was wrong.
The Misinterpretation
Many people assume that struggling with the LSAT means they don’t understand logic or reasoning.
But that assumption doesn’t fully explain a very common experience:
You can understand the material while studying, but feel completely lost during the actual test.
If the issue were purely knowledge-based, that wouldn’t happen.
The gap between practice and performance suggests something else is going on.
The Missing Piece: Access
What I eventually realized is that my issue wasn’t understanding.
It was access.
Under pressure, my nervous system would shift into a stress response. When that happened, my ability to access reasoning became limited.
I would reread questions.
I would second-guess simple conclusions.
I would feel like I couldn’t “grab” the meaning of what I was reading.
This is often described as “brain fog,” but it’s more than that.
It’s a temporary loss of access to cognitive processes you already have.
Why This Happens
When your nervous system perceives a situation as stressful or threatening, your body prioritizes survival over complex thinking.
Get Sincere Experiences’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
This can affect:
- working memory
- processing speed
- reading comprehension
- focus
These are all essential for LSAT performance.
So even if you understand the material, you may not be able to access that understanding in the moment.
Reframing the Problem
Once I understood this, my perspective changed completely.
Instead of asking:
“Why don’t I understand this?”
I started asking:
“What is preventing me from accessing what I already understand?”
That shift changed how I approached the LSAT.
What This Means for Other Test Takers
If you have ever felt like the LSAT “doesn’t make sense” — especially under pressure — it may not be a reflection of your intelligence or potential.
It may be a reflection of your state.
Understanding this distinction is important, because it changes what you focus on.
Instead of only trying to learn more, you also begin to consider how to create the conditions where your brain can function at its best.
Closing
The LSAT is often framed as a test of reasoning ability.
But for many people, it is also a test of whether they can maintain access to that ability under pressure.
Recognizing that difference was one of the most important turning points in my own journey.
Because once access improved, performance followed.
