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Preparing for the LSAT
Resources for Students Considering Graduate and Professional School

The LSAT is a test that is weighed very heavily by law schools in the admissions process and therefore its preparation must be taken seriously. Students frequently make the mistake of not practicing adequately for the test, not performing up to par when they take it and then having to retake it. Although it is a good idea to retake the LSAT if you know that you can perform significantly better, it is optimal to take it once ,when you're in top form. Different law schools handle two LSAT scores differently: some average them and some look at the higher score.

• The LSAT is made up of five sections and a writing sample. The test is composed of four sections: reading comprehension (1 part,) logical reasoning (2 parts) and analytical reasoning (1 part,) and there is a fifth, experimental section in one of those three areas. Each section is 35 minutes long, except the writing sample, which is 30 minutes. Total length of test: three hours and thirty minutes plus.

• Reading comprehension is made up of four passages and 26 to 28 multiple-choice questions; analytical reasoning provides four situations with 22 to 24 questions; and logical reasoning contains 24 to 26 questions.

• The score of the test is based on the number of correct answers so there is no penalty for guessing. Standardization of scores is based on a formula that takes into consideration the difficulty of correct answers. The score scale is 120-180 with a median (or fiftieth percentile) of 150.

• For detailed information on preparation options, click here

• One way is to obtain preparation books or software (e.g. Bonnie Gordon's Official LSAT Prep Test With Explanations; Kaplan Deluxe GMAT, LSAT & GRE 2002 Test Prep Software; or Peterson's LSAT Success: Test Prep.)

• Buy from Law Services (www.LSAC.org), or xerox from the Career Services library, copies of old LSAT tests. Become completely familiar with the exam's structure and its questions.

• Take a couple of practice exams and diagnose your weaknesses. Then work on those weaknesses. (Suggested methods below.)

• Take more practice tests, alone, in a quiet room, timing each section carefully so that you can be sure to replicate, as much as possible, the timed conditions of the test.

• Practice efficient techniques for guessing and eliminating wrong multiple-choice answers. Learn how to manage your time while taking the test - one way is to do the easiest questions first. If you run out of time for a section, guess the rest of the answers.

• Preparation courses have disadvantages and advantages. On the negative side, they can be expensive (please talk to your pre law advisor or your pre law mentor about cost issues if these are a problem.) And they don't take the place of study and drill. On the plus side, prep courses usually cover the entire exam, keep you disciplined and on a schedule, provide all the materials you need including practice exams, and can give you confidence. NO MATTER HOW MUCH WORK YOU DO FOR YOUR CLASSES, HOWEVER, TO REALLY IMPROVE YOUR SCORE YOU MUST TAKE SEVERAL TIMED PRACTICE EXAMS.

• In an ideal world, June is an optimal time to take the LSAT because it permits you to apply early to some schools in the fall and your scores will be returned to you in time to retake it, if necessary. May is sometimes a good month to prepare for the LSAT because you are not taking courses at college then and perhaps not working full time yet at a summer job, and can give LSAT practice your full attention.

• Many students prefer to take the test in October, however, because they want to have the summer to prepare for it. Even taking the test in December is acceptable, because you are still able to apply for the following academic year. It is important to keep in mind that you need to balance your schoolwork with your application and LSAT preparation, so if you are taking finals for several courses at the same time that you are taking the LSAT, you may find you don't perform up to par in any of these challenges. Be sure to assess whether you can handle all these simultaneous responsibilities effectively.

• In conclusion, the only time to take the test is when you are FULLY PREPARED.

• Be sure to know exactly how to get to the test center and plan the kind of transportation you will use well in advance, along with how long it will take you to get there.

• Relax the day/evening before the test. Don't be preparing up to the last minute, but rather, do something fun, like watch a movie, or hang out with a friend. However, GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP BEFOREHAND.

• EAT BREAKFAST if possible, and bring along a powerbar and water, or even candy, to eat during the break so you can recharge.

• Be prepared for administrative snafus or for other test-takers to exhibit nervous behavior. Try to be patient and focused on your own work rather than on others. Concentration is key.

• Release information to your pre law advisor (yes on question 19, sec. B of the order form.)

Schools do not penalize you for canceling tests. If you are certain that you did unusually poorly on the test then cancel it within five days. Good reasons for canceling tests are the following: feeling sick; being distracted or disturbed by a personal problem; realizing that you really messed up a section which you don't normally do; or a disruption at the test center…

The most effective way to improve your LSAT score it to focus on improving your success with questions that cause you the most difficulty. First identify the types of questions that do this, then determine WHY you chose the wrong answer and WHY you DID NOT choose the right one.

To do this, following the steps listed below:

1. Pinpoint the sections where your percent right was low and figure out - (a) whether this was because you ran out of time or (b) whether you chose the wrong answer because of repeated misunderstanding of certain types of questions.

2. If (a), re-budget your time for the section, try to read more efficiently, and skip more quickly over difficult questions to go back to later.

3. If (b), learn to recognize and categorize the types of questions you have difficulty with. Practice them and their typical solutions, and if you continue to have difficulty, skip over them and return later (even if you might have to guess as time is running out), rather than waste time with them at the expense of other, more solvable questions.

There are specific types of questions in the LSAT:

• For reading comprehension you can be asked about the main idea; the meaning of phrases; facts; inferences; the organization of ideas; the application of ideas in a new setting; or the tone or attitude of the author.

• For logical reasoning questions you will be questioned about the following: main point/ thesis; assumptions; conclusions; principles; structure of the argument; reasoning errors; impact of new evidence; and explaining conflicts in the facts.

• Analytical reasoning questions tend to be in the following categories: assignment; ordering; grouping; spatial.

• During practice, when you choose a wrong answer, try to guess why you are choosing the wrong one, not just why the right one is right. The right answer will always be clear and unarguable. It will answer the specific question asked, and be more likely to paraphrase the text than repeat its exact words or phrases. If you are consistently saying to yourself, "I can see how that could be right," you are probably falling into the testmaker's trap and being distracted by the wrong answer.

• To guess effectively, begin by eliminating the obviously wrong answers. For the remaining answers ask: "Is there any way this could be wrong?" The right answer should stand out more obviously.