The best preparation can still be undermined by a chaotic test morning. Here's a complete, practical checklist that applies across the LSAT, MCAT, and GRE.
Lay out everything you need so morning-of decisions are minimized. Confirm your test center location and travel time (or your remote-testing setup and software, if applicable) one final time. Avoid cramming new content the night before — at this point, rest matters more than one more review pass.
Valid, unexpired photo ID matching your registration exactly. Your admission ticket or confirmation. Permitted snacks and water for breaks, if your test allows them. A watch, if permitted and not connected to your phone. Check your specific exam's current policy closely — permitted items vary by test and change over time, so verify a few days out rather than assuming last year's rules still apply.
Phones and smartwatches are typically prohibited in the testing room entirely, not just during the test — bringing one can create real problems even if you never intend to use it. When in doubt, leave anything not explicitly permitted in your car or at home rather than risking it at the test center.
Eat something substantial enough to last through a multi-hour exam, arrive with real buffer time before your check-in window, and do a brief warm-up with a few practice questions to get your brain into test mode — not new material, just activation.