Harvard Law Sees Surge In Applications

Tips for Acing the LSAT

While the GRE is growing at law schools across the nations, the LSAT still remains a choice for admission for many.

Brian Burnsed and Ilana Kowarski, of US News, recently spoke to a few experts on how applicants can best prepare for the LSAT.

SKILLS-BASED EFFORT

The LSAT, by nature, is an assessment of law skill. To that fact, experts say, if applicants want to succeed in the LSAT, they need to put in months of effort and practice.

“This is entirely a skills-based test,” Jeff Thomas, executive director of admissions programs at Kaplan Test Prep, tells US News. “There is no knowledge required, and therefore it is impossible to cram for. This is like learning how to play a sport or musical instrument. And the only way to get better at this is to practice consistently and regularly over a long period of time.”

IMPORTANCE OF ANALYSIS

Practice is a critical component to succeed on the LSAT. However, it’s important to understand what you’re getting wrong.

Experts recommend that applicants look closely at each practice questions and examine what they’re falling short on.

“Real review takes time,” Steve Schwartz, an independent LSAT tutor and author of an LSAT Blog, tells US News. “Most people don’t spend enough time reviewing. If you got 10 questions wrong, and another 15 you weren’t 100% sure of but still got right, that could take at least three to four hours if done properly – a full day of study.”

CRITICAL THINKING

Critical thinking is a large component of the LSAT. Experts say taking classes in logic, philosophy, or critical thinking may be helpful in giving applicants an understanding of complex theories and a logical mindset going into the LSAT.

“Any course that requires lots of dense reading on unfamiliar topics is helpful, as the LSAT’s reading comprehension topics are specifically chosen to be areas with which few test-takers have any prior familiarity,” Schwartz tells US News. “Being comfortable with dense passages on new topics is very helpful when the LSAT suddenly throws you a curveball topic on test day.”

Sources: US News, Tipping the Scales

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