The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is the most important factor in admission to all ABA–approved law schools, many non–ABA–approved law schools, and most of the law schools in Canada. It is considered by many to be one of the toughest test on the planet for graduate school admission. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a genius to get a great score –although it doesn’t hurt, either. With plenty of preparation, many students see an increase of 12 or more points on the LSAT test.
With summer here, it is the perfect time of year to study for the LSAT test. We asked M, the founder of TestSherpa LSAT Test Preparation, to share his top five tips for LSAT Test preparation.
LSAT Test Tip #1: Analyze Released Tests.
“The LSAT is more like a sport than a traditional test,” TestSherpa’s M says. “It doesn’t test knowledge, it tests thinking styles.” According to M, the best way to improve your thinking style for a high LSAT score is to break apart as many tests as you can get your hands on. Fortunately, LSAC releases previous LSAT tests for students to study. There are two things M suggests you do with your released practice tests. First, take them like the real test and analyze your strengths and weaknesses question by question. If you know your weaknesses, you know where to focus your practice time. Second, spend time trying to see why the test makers wrote the arguments, questions and wrong answer choices the way they did. Understanding what the test is really testing and why is the key to navigating the course on test day.
LSAT Test Tip #2: Focus on Assumptions.
Half of the LSAT test -- the two logical reasoning sections -- are about analyzing arguments. The key to understanding arguments is understanding the central assumption of an argument. The central assumption of any argument is like a hidden piece of evidence. It is a secret key to unlocking the argument author’s thinking. Many LSAT questions are based on finding the central assumption, including questions asking you to find an inference, find the assumption, weaken an argument, strengthen an argument or describe a flaw in reasoning.
LSAT Test Tip #3: Learn the Wrong Answers.
“The LSAT test features the same types of wrong answers over and over, quarter after quarter,” says M. Your can see an immediate score jump just be being able to eliminate a few common wrong answer types. “There is no penalty for wrong answers,” says M, “so if you can eliminate three out of every five answer choices, it’s essentially like getting half a point right even if you don’t know what the actual right answer is.” If you’re currently scoring about half of the test right, and then make a guess between the right answer and another answer you couldn’t eliminate, you’d score another quarter of the test correct as well. Getting 75% of the test right, even through a process of elimination, could raise your score on the LSAT test above the 160 level.
LSAT Test Tip #4: Don’t Fear the Games.
Most students fear the game section because they’ve never worked with anything like it in their undergraduate curriculum. But the key to a high score in the Analytical Reasoning section of the LSAT test is practice. “Most of our TestSherpa students begin feeling extremely intimidated by logic games,” says M, “but when they finish the course, it becomes their favorite section.”
LSAT Test Tip #5: Don’t Ignore the Written Essay.
Many students don’t pay enough attention to the written essay of the LSAT test because it is unscored. Unfortunately, it is one of the key factors that can separate you from the rest of the pack. “Students pick their application schools based on their LSAT scores and GPA,” says M. “That means you’re going to be in a pile with a bunch of other applicants with similar scores and grades. The written essay, along with your personal statement, work history and some other outside factors, are what help you rise out of the giant pile of application folders.
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LSAT test preparation.
