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Written by Guest Author
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Wednesday, 12 March 2008 13:20 |
In order to apply to law school, almost every law school (every ABA) require that you take the LSAT (Law School Aptitude Test). This article will tell you about the LSAT, when to take it, how to prepare for it, and other useful information.
Overview of the LSAT
The LSAT is a four hour test, with four multiple choice sections and an ungraded essay section.
Logical Reasoning (Arguments) Section. This multiple choice section of the LSAT asks test takers to analyze and evaluate arguments. The LSAT has two logical reasoning sections, with twenty five questions, each of which are to be completed in thirty five minutes.
Analytical Reasoning (Games) Section. This multiple choice section of the LSAT has logic games that the test taker must solve by making deductions and coming to conclusions in order to answer the accompanying questions. There is one section of approximately twenty five questions to be answered in thirty five minutes.
Reading Comprehension Section. This multiple choice section of the LSAT has passages to be read, and in some instances compared, followed by questions to be answered. Each section has about twenty seven questions to be completed in thirty five minutes.
Essay Section. This section is not graded, but is sent to the law schools to which you apply, along with your LSAT score. The law school may review the essay to assess your writing skills, and to compare you to other law school applicants. Test takers are presented with a hypothetical, and asked to choose one of two courses of action, and give reasons why. This section must be completed in thirty five minutes.
Experimental Section. This section is used by the test makers to develop new questions for future LSATs. It will be an extra Logical Reasoning, Analytical Reasoning, or Reading Comprehension sections. Test takers are not informed as to which section is experimental. It is about twenty five questions over thirty five minutes.
When to Take the LSAT
The LSAT is offered four times a year, in February, June, October and December. It is best to take the LSAT as soon as you feel you are ready, to allow ample time to retake the test if needed. You should not wait to take the LSAT in February if you plan to attend law school in September of the same year, as your law schools may not receive your scores in time to assess your application. Some testers who are still in school may find studying for the June LSAT while preparing for undergraduate graduation to be too much work.
The LSAT is scored on a scale of 120 to 180 points. As discussed, four out of five of the multiple choice sections are graded, while one is experimental. The essay section is not graded. Correct responses to questions receive equal credit, and you are not penalized for guessing. If you take the LSAT multiple times, all scores will be reported to the law schools to which you apply. Law schools generally average your multiple LSAT scores.
How to Register for the LSAT
You may register for the LSAT by mail, online, or by phone. Go to www.lsac.org for full details. This website provides the means to apply, times and dates, cost, and test centers, as well as all other relevant information.
Preparing for the LSAT
Proper preparation for the LSAT is crucial. The material on the examination is not intuitive, and few test takers excel without some sort of preparation. Furthermore, this is a long and arduous exam, and it helps to not only be fully familiarized with the types of questions that will be asked, but to actually take as many sample tests as possible in a setting replicating actual testing conditions. There are a number of materials and courses available to assist you in your preparation.
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Study Books. There are a plethora of study guides out there to help you prepare for the LSAT. These books will provide you with strategies to attack and answer the different types of questions on the LSAT, as well as practice questions.
LSAT Books at Amazon.com
Test Preparation Courses. A number of test preparation companies offer courses to prepare prospective LSAT test takers. These courses are typical taught by law school students and/or graduates who have obtained high scores on the LSAT exam. Some even provide one on tutoring. Others provide guarantees that your score will go up, or you will get your money back. Some even have online courses, in addition to live courses, in the event that you are too busy to attend a course in person.
LSAT Course ith Kaplan
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