LSAT TOPICS

SECTIONS OF THIS CHAPTER LSAT RECOMMENTED WEBSITES COMMENTS  SOME KEY FACTS WHERE AN LSAT SCORE STANDS WITH RESPECT TO THE FIRST-YEAR CLASS LSAT AND UGPA: WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY ARE NOT IN SYNCH

 

LSAT GENERAL INFORMATION PROVIDERS

The MASTER THE LSAT and ONLINE GUIDE TO THE LSAT EXAM provides useful information abou the LSAT Exam.

LSAT SECTIONS OF THIS CHAPTER

LSAT TEST DATES AND DEADLINES. The LSAT is administered four times a year. WHEN TO TAKE THE LSAT? Except for good reason (not being prepared is a good reason), a prelaw student at a college on the semester system should take the LSAT in June, after the junior year. A prelaw law student on the quarter system may find it convenient to take the LSAT in September/October after the junior year. If convenient, a college graduate should take the LSAT circa 15-19 months prior to when planing to begin law school. LSAT REGISTRATION can be done online, by phone, or by mail-in. To increase your chances of obtaining the LSAT test center of your choice, register online and early. LSAT SCORING. Since an LSAT score depends only on the number correct, the only thing better than guessing an answer is knowing an answer. We shall show you how to guess for success. LSAT IMPORTANCE. For various LSAT scores, we give a rough idea of the limitations that this LSAT score will impose. LSAT PREP TESTS are available from the LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION COUNCIL (LSAC) and others. LSAT PREPARATION. For each subject or skill, there are fast learners and there are slow learners. Without having to take needed time away from other activities, a fast LSAT learner can begin LSAT preparation four to eight weeks in advance of the LSAT and earn a very good score. But for others, beginning four to eight weeks in advance of the LSAT may lead to unpleasant consequences. Our suggestion is that you slowly begin LSAT preparation at least two semesters (perhaps even one year) prior to your planned test date. For a laugh, you may want to begin your LSAT preparation by taking a previously given LSAT test  under test conditions. After having a good laugh over this LSAT score, begin by spending a couple of hours a week working on one of the question types (Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning, and Logical Reasoning) of the LSAT; this should involve taking the section(s) of previously-given LSAT tests involving this question type. Your goal eventually is to take these previously-given LSAT tests under timed conditions and earn a decent LSAT score. After proficiency in the three question types, begin taking previously-given LSAT tests with the goal of taking these tests under LSAT test conditions with a decent LSAT score. The preceding is general advice, you must fill in the details (e.g. how many previously-given LSAT tests you should take, what LSAT prep books to buy, whether you should take a LSAT prep course, etc.). LSAT PREP COURSES. LSAT prep courses are available to students who need the reassurance such courses can provide. They are not necessary for an applicant to do well, but a good prep course taught by a good instructor can be of great value. These classes are expensive in terms of time and money, so it is important to take enough previous LSAT tests beforehand to determine if a prep class is necessary. If you decide to take a prep course, check out the instructor (oftentimes one is allowed to attend a class for free) before you invest your time and money; students tend to report that the instructor is the most important factor in determining the success or failure of a LSAT prep class important factor. No matter how good the instructor is, just as in the class room, learning the material is in your hands.         Some of this is similar to material from the University of Chicago Prelaw website.       If you are doing your best on your own and your scores on previous LSAT tests begin to stabilize and you are not happy about this, then the answer may be one or more of: working harder, working differently, or looking for a useful LSAT prep course. For example, with scores on your six previous LSAT tests being 158, 161, 162, 159, 161, and 160, we see that your scores are stabilizing around 160 so unless you will be happy with a real LSAT test score of around 155-158 something must change. NON-ACADEMIC LSAT PREPARATION. We give thirteen steps to follow so that on the day of the LSAT, you only have to worry about at most one thing--the LSAT. NO SHOW OR POOR SHOW ON THE LSAT. If you sign up for the LSAT and then decide not to take the LSAT on the scheduled day, see about a TEST DATE CHANGE OR REFUND.      If you take the LSAT test and then decide not to have it count, there are two ways to cancel your score: complete the score-cancellation section on the LSAT answer sheet at the test center or send a written cancellation to LSAC; the written cancellation to LSAC  must be received by LSAC within nine calendar days of the test. RETAKING THE LSAT. If you did poorly on the LSAT, you have two choices: retake the LSAT or try to explain your poor score.       Fortunately the following paraphrasing of Zeno of Elea (we replaced said  by done) is true for the LSAT:           What has been done once can always be repeated. Zeno of Elea (c.495BC-c.430BC), a Greek philosopher and mathematician, is especially known for his paradoxes which contributed to the development of logical and mathematical rigor. These paradoxes seemed insoluble until the development of precise concepts of continuity and infinity.

LSAT RECOMMENDED WEBSITES

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) administers the LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS TEST (LSAT). LSAC'S WEBSITE is one of the best organized that I have seen and it is a great source of information about the LSAT test. It is de regueur to read LSAC's response to LSAT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. For additional information from LSAC, check out the LSAC SITE MAP (See the left column). For an introduction to the LSAT test, read  LSAT ORIENTATION; especially note their first item, which is LSAT at a Glance.   See the AVERAGE LSAT SCORES FOR 29 MAJORS. The data is over twelve years old but seems to be the latest available. WIKIPEDIA covers the LSAT. Frank X.J. Homer (University of Scranton, Pennsylvania) provides a good introduction to the THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION TEST; you may also see the same article at LSAT ADVICE and elsewhere. Reading one of these webpages is de rigueur for anyone contemplating taking the LSAT test.  Frank X.J. Homer gives facts about the LSAT test, eight common misconceptions about the LSAT test, preparation for the LSAT test, four important points to remember about the LSAT test, and some pointers to increase testwiseness. Frank X.J. Homer also gives the excellent advice, "Applicants can help themselves by working with an elementary logic text, learning to recognize common fallacies, many of which may exist in their own thinking." Of course, taking a course in logic is a good idea.   Pre-Law Studies at Florida Atlantic University considers HOW LAW SCHOOLS DECIDE ON WHOM TO ADMIT considering the effect on admission of the LSAT score, GPA, letters of recommendation, and personal statement. WIKIPEDIA provides some general information abouet the LSAT.  The University of Massachusetts Pre-Law Advising has some useful information about the LSAT.  4LawSchool provides information about many aspects of the LSAT.    Make sure not to commit one or more of the SEVEN DEADLY LSAT SINS.    ACE THE LSAT provides tips on the LSAT.   .

PRELAW LSAT TEST COMMENTS

Law schools admission committees first focus in on the applicant's LSAT score and GPA. In many cases, these two factors alone, perhaps with a casual look at OTHER ADMISSION FACTORS, determine the admission decision. For other law school applicants, a more than cursory look at other admission factors may be necessary to determine the admission decision. Although it certainly happens that other admission factors may help an applicant overcome minor LSAT or GPA deficiencies, it is unlike that other factors will be able to overcome major LSAT or GPA deficiencies. Your primary focus should be on your LSAT score and GPA (probably in that order).   Ideally, preparation for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) should begin six months to a year before the LSAT is taken (we recommend one year) and this preparation should be so serious that there could be no reason to repeat the LSAT although there may be reasons not to take the LSAT at the scheduled time (e.g. illness, family emergency).  Napoleon said that "God is on the side of the big battalions." If Napoleon were applying to law school today, he would probably say that God is on the side of the high LSAT scores.