Evaluating Answer Choices - A Simple System

The reason we need this is we want to not only consider every answer choice but we want to maintain a healthy skepticism because LSAC is not doing us any favors in the way they would answer choices. We don’t want to give too much credit to an answer choice we like before evaluating all of them. At the same time, we don’t want to discount an answer choice it might be worth a second look. This is especially true on the more challenging questions.

We need to read EVERY Answer Choice - LSAC wants you to grab an answer choice that looks correct, and then rush off because you're concerned about time. But all too often, the correct answer is later on, and, not coincidentally, it's worded in a less obvious way.

Consider EVERY Answer Choice using the following 3 categories:

Contender: This is the category for answer choice(s) you like. Notice the importance of the word contender. Even if you think “This has to be the answer,” you’re still just going to label it a contender because contender means it has a shot, but we’re not going all the way in calling it the winner – at least not until we have evaluated ALL answer choices.

If you have more than one contender, fine, they’re both contenders, evaluate them, scrutinize them, let them “fight it out.” Bring in the Hold Ons for consideration, IF after further scrutiny, you think they’ve got a shot as well.
Note: The phrase contender can be our best friend because it can prevent us from jumping the gun and picking an answer prematurely. 

Eliminate: These Answer choices do NOT reasonably match your anticipation. AND, even considering the possibility the answer is something you haven’t anticipated, this answer choice still doesn’t cut it.

Hold On: This is probably the broadest category, you don’t see enough to completely eliminate the choice, but you don’t see enough support for it. Also, if you don’t fully understand the answer choice, or need more time to scrutinize it, you can always use this option to be safe.

Once you’ve gone through every answer choice, then you can evaluate what’s left of the contenders and any of the ones you’ve held onto that you might need to further think through.