Are you planning on taking the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and applying to law school? There are several things you need to know before you take the test.
The Test Takes Half a Day to Complete
The LSAT is a standardized test that is offered six times a year and takes a half-day to complete. The test is required for admission into law school. The Law School Admissions Test is designed to determine how you comprehend what you have read, use logical reasoning techniques, and analyze text. The exam will assess if you are prepared for law school.
You can register for the LSAT up to 10 to 12 months in advance. When you register for the test, you will want to take it early. It is advised that you take it in June, September, or October. Many schools require that the LSAT is taken by December for admission the following fall.
What is on the Test?
The exam consists of multiple-choice sections that take 35-minutes to complete and also includes an unscored experimental section.
The first two sections on the LSAT is the Logical Reasoning, which is worth 50% of your total score. The Logical Reasoning section will test your ability to analyze and evaluate arguments. You will read short passages and answer a question about each one.
The second section is Reading Comprehension and is work 27% of your total score. You will need to understand the passages structure, purpose, and various points of view, rather than knowing the facts. You will see four passages, each with 5-8 questions to answer. One of the passages will be “paired passages” with questions asking you to compare and contrast the two.
The third section is Logic Games is worth 23% of your total score. The section will test you on basic logic, systems of order, and outcomes. The analytical reasoning questions in this section will ask you to make deductions from a set of statements, rules, or conditions.
The fourth section is the Experimental section and is a wild card that is used by the test maker to see how questions will perform on future versions of the LSAT.
Finally, there is the Writing Sample. The essay portion of the LSAT is unscored but is sent to law schools along with your LSAT score. The writing samples are frequently used as a comparison tool to confirm your personal statement or help choose between two relatively equal candidates.
How Do You Prepare for the Test?
Once you know your test date, you can properly study and prepare. First, you will want to set up a study schedule to make sure your test date fully prepares you. Next, you should invest in the best study materials and study guides. Look into signing up for an LSAT prep course either online or in-person. You can also join a study group or find a study partner to help you practice for the test. When studying for the LSAT, make sure you take as many prep tests as you can. You will want to make sure to do real ones that are timed to give you an idea of what test day will be like.
When taking practice tests, make sure to review your answers before grading your practice test. Do want is called a “blind review.” As you take your practice test, make sure to circle the questions you are unsure of the answer. Once you’re done, take your time and go over each question without looking at the answer. Then when you mark your test, you will have your real score and your blind score. If your blind review score is low, then you need to work on your grammar and logic.
When studying for the LSAT, make sure you master grammar and logic. Grammar is the language of law, and the LSATs will use it to try to confuse you intentionally. The LSAT tests your ability to analyze and decipher complicated sentences. Once you understand what the questions and answers say, you will need logic to understand how things play out — concepts like validity, conditional statements, and premises.
Final Thoughts
By making sure you know what to expect when taking the LSAT will help you prepare to ace the test.