Why One-Size-Fits-All LSAT Strategies Don’t Work and How Personalized Prep Changes Outcomes

The LSAT is often framed as a learnable test with universal strategies that work for everyone. Students are told that if they memorize the right methods, practice enough questions, and follow a proven system, their score will rise. This belief drives much of the traditional LSAT prep industry.

For some students, these approaches produce modest gains. For many others, especially students with learning disabilities, ADHD, processing differences, or anxiety-related needs, one-size-fits-all LSAT strategies lead to frustration, burnout, and stalled progress.

At Ginsburg Advanced, many students arrive after months or years of traditional prep feeling discouraged. They have done what they were told to do. They watched the videos, followed the steps, and completed the drills. Yet their scores remain inconsistent, and their confidence is low.

The problem is not effort or ability. The problem is that standardized LSAT strategies were never designed for how many students actually think and learn.

Understanding why these strategies fail, and how personalized LSAT prep changes outcomes, can completely reshape a student’s experience with the test.

The False Idea of the “Average” LSAT Student

Most corporate LSAT prep programs are built around an imagined average student. This hypothetical learner:

• Processes information quickly

• Maintains focus for long periods of time

• Has strong working memory

• Responds well to rigid, multi-step frameworks

• Performs consistently under time pressure

In reality, LSAT students are cognitively diverse. Many process information more slowly but deeply. Others struggle with attention regulation, reading fatigue, or test anxiety. Some students need repetition and structure, while others need flexibility and conceptual understanding.

One-size-fits-all strategies assume that differences do not matter. When those strategies fail, students are often blamed for not applying them correctly.

At Ginsburg Advanced, the starting point is not a generic system. It is the individual student.

How Standardized Strategies Increase Cognitive Overload

Many popular LSAT strategies are complex by design. Students are asked to:

• Memorize multiple steps for each question type

• Diagram or label information while reading

• Predict answers before reviewing choices

• Eliminate answers in a prescribed order

• Apply the same process regardless of context

For students with strong working memory, this may feel manageable. For students with ADHD, processing differences, or executive functioning challenges, it often creates cognitive overload.

Instead of clarifying the task, the strategy becomes an additional burden. Students find

themselves juggling the method and the question at the same time.

Personalized LSAT prep changes this dynamic. At Ginsburg Advanced, instructors work with students to:

• Simplify strategies

• Reduce unnecessary steps

• Build processes that align with how the student naturally reasons

• Focus on accuracy and understanding before efficiency

The goal is not to follow a script. The goal is to think clearly.

Timing Strategies Are Not Universal

Timing is one of the most misunderstood areas of LSAT prep. Many programs emphasize aggressive pacing strategies designed for a single testing experience.

Common assumptions include:

• Faster is always better

• Struggle means you are behind

• You should rush difficult questions

• Everyone should aim for the same pacing benchmarks

These assumptions can be harmful, particularly for students who qualify for LSAT accommodations or who would benefit from them.

Students testing with extended time need to prepare differently. Even students without accommodations vary widely in how they manage time effectively.

At Ginsburg Advanced, timing is treated as an individualized skill. Students learn to:

• Align pacing with their testing conditions

• Balance comprehension with efficiency

• Develop strategies that reduce anxiety rather than increase it

• Build endurance gradually and intentionally

When timing strategies fit the student, performance becomes more consistent and less stressful.

Reading Is a Complex Skill, Not a Single Technique

Traditional LSAT prep often treats reading as a uniform ability. Students are told to read faster, read actively, or read for structure, with little attention to why reading may be difficult in the first place.

In reality, reading challenges can stem from many sources, including:

• Processing speed differences

• Difficulty retaining information

• Trouble synthesizing ideas

• Anxiety that disrupts comprehension

• Fatigue during long passages

One-size-fits-all reading strategies rarely address these underlying issues. As a result, students may practice extensively without seeing improvement.

Personalized LSAT prep approaches reading diagnostically. At Ginsburg Advanced, instructors identify where breakdowns occur and tailor strategies accordingly. This might include:

• Adjusting annotation techniques

• Changing how passages are paced

• Teaching explicit methods for managing dense language

• Reducing cognitive load while reading

When reading strategies match the student’s cognitive profile, improvement becomes achievable.

Emotional Safety Supports Real Learning

Many large LSAT programs emphasize toughness and endurance. Students are encouraged to push through discomfort and self-doubt. While resilience matters, this approach often ignores the emotional realities of students who have struggled academically in the past.

When students feel:

• Constantly behind

• Confused by instruction

• Ashamed of asking questions

• Pressured to perform without support

Learning becomes harder, not easier.

Personalized LSAT prep prioritizes emotional and cognitive safety. At Ginsburg Advanced, instructors create environments where:

• Questions are encouraged

• Mistakes are treated as learning tools

• Students are met with understanding rather than judgment

• Progress is framed realistically

This supportive approach does not lower expectations. It removes barriers to learning.

Strategy Without Context Leads to Rigidity

One of the biggest flaws of standardized LSAT strategies is that they are often taught without context. Students learn techniques without understanding when to use them or when to let them go.

This results in rigid application. Students try to force strategies onto questions where they do not belong, wasting time and increasing confusion.

Personalized prep emphasizes flexibility and judgment. Students learn to:

• Recognize patterns in questions

• Assess what a question actually requires

• Choose strategies intentionally rather than automatically

• Adapt when something is not working

At Ginsburg Advanced, strategy instruction evolves with the student. The focus is on developing strong reasoning, not blind adherence to rules.

Accommodations Must Shape Prep

Many LSAT prep programs treat accommodations as separate from instruction. Students are expected to prep one way and test another.

This disconnect undermines performance.

Students testing with accommodations need prep that reflects their actual testing conditions. They need to practice pacing, stamina, and focus in ways that align with how they will take the exam.

Ginsburg Advanced integrates accommodations awareness into every stage of LSAT prep. Support includes:

• Guidance through the LSAC accommodations process

• Prep aligned with approved accommodations

• Strategy development that reflects real test conditions

This alignment is one of the reasons personalized prep leads to better outcomes.

Progress Is More Than a Score Increase

Large programs often measure success using only score changes. While scores matter, they are not the only indicator of growth.

Personalized prep looks at progress more holistically, including:

• Accuracy trends

• Reasoning quality

• Timing stability

• Confidence and endurance

• Ability to self-correct

At Ginsburg Advanced, instructors use these markers to adjust instruction and support sustained improvement.

Personalized Prep Builds Independence

One-size-fits-all strategies often create dependence on external systems. Students rely on scripts rather than understanding.

Personalized prep builds metacognitive skills. Students learn:

• How they think

• Where they struggle

• How to adjust strategies independently

These skills extend beyond the LSAT and support long-term academic success.

Rethinking What Effective LSAT Prep Looks Like

Standardized LSAT strategies persist because they are easy to scale, not because they work for everyone. They prioritize efficiency over effectiveness.

Personalized LSAT prep requires expertise, flexibility, and intentional design. It requires instructors who understand both the test and the diversity of students taking it.

Ginsburg Advanced was built around this understanding. Their approach recognizes that students do not need to change who they are to succeed on the LSAT. They need instruction that works with their minds.

Getting Started

One-size-fits-all LSAT strategies fail because students are not interchangeable. Learning differences matter. Testing conditions matter. Emotional context matters.

Personalized LSAT prep changes outcomes because it respects these realities. It adapts strategies to students rather than forcing students to adapt to strategies.

For students who have felt stuck, unseen, or discouraged by traditional prep, Ginsburg Advanced offers a different path. One grounded in expertise, accessibility, and the belief that every student deserves the opportunity to demonstrate their true potential.

Contact us today to get started on your personalized LSAT Prep.

Article by: Shana Ginsburg, Esq.

Shana Ginsburg is the founder of Ginsburg Advanced and a nationally recognized expert in LSAT accommodations and neurodiverse LSAT prep. She earned a BA in Education from Duke University and her law degree from the University of Maryland and is a practicing disability attorney. Her work focuses on helping students with learning disabilities access the LSAT in a way that reflects their true abilities through personalized, accommodations-aware instruction.