The LSAT is pretty cut and dry. It's your typical standardized test that is specialized for the specific field you would like to enter. To prepare for the LSAT, there are a myriad of options available. There are specialized classes that are offered through Princeton Review or Kaplan (generally a grand per class or more - out of my league). There are also numerous study aides (I purchased about 7 of them at Half Price Books). Lastly, there is a practice test published every year by the LSAC (Law School Admissions Council, the organization that administers the test as well as manages students' application process - we will discuss them more in a later post) and actual practice tests given at universities across the country as well. These are the most popular tools; I am sure there are many more available. Since I'm broke and I prefer studying in my pajamas, I elected the self-study route. I timed my own tests (this is an EXTREMELY important thing to do while studying for the test) and I went though basic, advanced, and every level inbetween when it came to study aides and tests examples. I studied for a minimum of 2 hours every day for about three months, but I skipped to hang out with my friends and drink beer more times than I should have. It all worked out in the end though. ;)
The test itself is made up of 5 different sections. The themes of the sections are: games, analytical reasoning (aka arguments), and critical reading (yes, the same annoying thing you did for the SAT's and every other standard test, ever). There is also a writing section. Now, the LSAC is sneaky. Each year, they put in an "unscored variable section" which repeats one of the subject matters (excluding the writing section). So, you will end up expending precious brain cells on one of the aforementioned subjects twice. Each section is 35 minutes long, hence the need to time the hell out of yourself during your practice rounds. The test is worth 180 points.
The games section is super cool, it was my favorite to study for and the section I consistently did well on during practice, so naturally (spoiler alert!) it was the one I bombed during the actual exam. Surely you have completed a game at some point in your exhilerating educational career. Basically, they place all the testers into a poorly lit room, and declare the girls shirts and the guys skins. There's this long table, with cups on either end, and a collection of little white ping pong balls and...
Team Beer Pong shooting for a 168 on the test.
I wish. The games section is the area where the tester is presented in a scenario such as this: 9 students, Tommy, Angela, Michael, Ricardo, Kenisha, Juan, Leroy, Billy, and Jay-Z all ride the bus to school. One bus can only carry 4 students, the other 3, and the final bus carries 2 students. Tommy and Angela are a couple so they always ride together. Juan doesn't like black people so he cannot ride in the same bus as one. Leroy has a history of statutory rape so he cannot be on the same bus as a female, and so on. The idea is that you are presented with a series of facts (usually slightly more politically correct, though the names I used could definitely appear on an actual test) and you are to come up with the correct answers to a set of complicated multiple choice answers. You usually have (4) games to crack in the time period allotted. The trick is to make cool pictures as much as possible and be able to make logical connections that are not presented but may be implied by the clues - both very handy tools in a lawyer's repotire.
The next section is analytical reasoning, or arguments. These are fun as well. The following is an actual question taken from the LSAC website (www.lsac.org):
Laird: Pure research provides us with new technologies that contribute to saving lives. Even more worthwhile than this, however, is its role in expanding our knowledge and providing new, unexplored ideas.
Kim: Your priorities are mistaken. Saving lives is what counts most of all. Without pure research, medicine would not be as advanced as it is.
Laird and Kim disagree on whether pure research
Pretty spicy stuff, eh? Each one of the answers has it's appeal, but after considering all the options, the correct answer, 4, is deduced. Numbers 1-3 are all things that Laird (if someone out there is named Laird and can prove it to me, I swear I will send you 5 bucks) agree upon. Number 5 is appealing, but Kim says that "saving lives is what counts most of all," implying that she thinks there are other things that matter, just not as much as saving lives. Number 4 is the only one without any drama. So, you go through about 15 of these suckers within 30 minutes as well. Ugh!
I would expand a little on critical reading, but you know the drill. Read a passage, select the correct answer to multiple choice questions, etc. The only note here is that the most recent version of the LSAT has introduced side by side passages, which require a little more practice to master.
The writing section is the least important of all. It is ungraded. The LSAC will supply this section to schools you apply to, but the meat of your score is determined by the multiple choice sections. If you have successfully passed COMP 101, you do not need to worry about this section. Review the format and just do it. "But it's part of the test and I want to do good and and and..." YOLO brother. Believe me they don't care.
Now that you know a little bit about the test, I'm sure you can't wait to hear about my awesome experience taking it...until next time kids!
Wonderful post! These facts about LSAT are truly very informative. If you are also a law school aspirant who has to pass LSAT to be accepted in law schools then such info will be useful. If you need guidance for passing this test then I would highly suggest joining the TestMax LSAT Prep Courses.
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