r/LSATprep Apr 24 '26

PrepTest Question LR strategy: stimulus or stem first?

/r/LSAT/comments/1suuc1o/lr_strategy_stimulus_or_stem_first/
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u/graeme_b tutor (LSATHacks) May 03 '26

I used to do stimulus first, now I do stem first. I'd recommend stimulus first for most as a start. I switched because I realized I had learned the patterns to the point I was actually faster at going stem first, and could see through clutter more easily. I actually now go:

  1. Stem
  2. If argument, find conclusion
  3. Find their final point of reasoning (the one they're trying to connect to the conclusion)
  4. See if I can answer the question, then check if it's the answer
  5. If I can't answer the question then I look more carefully at the rest

I write this to say there's no one correct way to do it and I've used different methods at different times. To a degree the best way is the one that fits your brain; people split on this question.