Whether you like it or not, there are two things that play the biggest role in determining whether you will be accepted into law school and whether you will get scholarship money: your LSAT and GPA, and your LSAT is weighted more heavily.
ALTERNATIVES TO THE LSAT: Recently, an alternative to the LSAT, called JDNext has started to be considered by a limited (but growing) number of law schools. This is still a risky choice, but you can learn more by listening to this podcast.
WHY DOES THE LSAT MATTER SO MUCH?
The American Bar Association (the ABA) is an organization for lawyers that sets ethics codes and other standards for the profession (like the bar exam), and also is the organization that "accredits" law schools. Accreditation is "quality assurance." To be accredited, law schools have to follow ABA policies regarding their admissions process.
The reason the LSAT is so important is that law schools are obligated by the ABA to admit students they think have a high likelihood of succeeding (this is ABA Rule 501). Your LSAT score is an incredibly good predictor of your performance during your first year of law school; there is tons of research to back this up. Until law schools can come up with another way of predicting the success of prospective applicants (such as more people taking advantage of JDNext), the LSAT will continue to be the standard.
Studying for the LSAT requires the kind of skills that you will need for law school and to be a good lawyer: the ability to concentrate and study difficult material for a long periods of time, dedication, and perseverance. You can think of preparing for the LSAT kind of like preparing for law school and even the bar exam; while the content is very different, the study skills needed are very similar.
BASIC INFORMATION
Format: There are two ways you can take the LSAT: 1. At a test center, or 2. At home or some other quiet location of your choice on your computer, but this is still proctored (i.e. someone is watching you!). You get to decide which setting is best for you. There are pros and cons to both.
Registering: The LSAT is offered 8 or 9 times every year. Some dates fill faster than others, so pay attention to when registration opens for the date you want.
LSAT Test Dates: https://www.lsac.org/lsat/register-lsat/test-dates-deadlines-score-release
Length: About 3 hours
Cost: Around $200. But that is just for the LSAT. To create your LSAC account, that's another $200. And this does not include any prep materials.
Score: A perfect score is a 180 (yes, this is weird). The national average is about a 151. It takes about 3 - 4 weeks to get your score. Your score is good for 5 years.
Content: The LSAT has 2 parts. The main part – the part that causes the most stress -- is a multiple-choice test with 4 sections. Each section has a 35-minute time-limit.
Through June, 2024, there will be 3 types of questions: reading comprehension, analytical reasoning (logic games), and logical reasoning. Beginning in August, 2024, there will be 2 types of questions: one section of reading comprehension, and two sections of logical reasoning (the logic games are going away). For more information, click HERE.
When you take the test, there will be 4 sections, but only 3 are scored. One section is "experimental" and not scored. The purpose of this experimental section is to allow the LSAC to test new questions for future LSATs.
The second part of the LSAT is the "LSAT Writing." This is a 35-minute essay exam that you do at home on your own computer whenever you want. You should do this within 2 weeks of taking the multiple-choice part. Law schools will not consider your application complete without your score on the LSAT Writing.
You should plan on taking the LSAT once, but take it again if you need to. A very common question is whether you should take the LSAT more than once. You should plan on taking it once, but if you want to take it again, the first thing you should know is that this means spending another $200. But there may be very good reasons for you to do this. If something happened when you took it the first time that you know would be different if you took it a second time, then take it again. For example, if you were sick or your dog died the night before (this happened to one of my students!). If you did not study as much as you should have before you took it the first time – and you have learned your lesson and now know that you must seriously prepare – take it again.
Law schools will receive both your scores, but they will base their decisions on your highest score.
Do NOT take the LSAT more than 3 times. Law school admissions deans see this as a big red flag.
Before taking it again, talk to Professor Palmer, your advisor, or admissions staff at the law schools you are interested in.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE?
For great study tips, go to the Applawz Resources page.
Ultimately, you have to figure out what works for you. Studying for the LSAT requires a tremendous amount of self-discipline and dedication, and potentially, money. But there are lots of resources out there to help you. Below are some that have been strongly recommended by students and pre-law advisors.
Where to Start
LSAC Official LSAT Prep through LawHub: After you create your LSAC account, through LawHub, you can get the free option, which offers four practice tests using the authentic digital LSAT test environment. If you want a bigger package, this will cost over $100.
Favorite Prep Books (in alphabetical order)
One of the most common – and relatively cheaper -- ways to prepare is purchasing LSAT prep books. But before you buy, check your local library! Occasionally they have these books on their shelves. Make sure whatever book you use was published in the last 2 years. You can order them directly through the company or via Amazon.
Using a book like this can be very effective, but it requires a lot from you. You have to be super disciplined and actually use the books. We recommend that you start with one book, and then purchase a different one as you get deeper into your studying.
Kaplan's LSAT Prep Plus: Kaplan is one of the big test prep companies out there. In addition to their courses, they offer this test prep book that includes study plans, learning strategies, access to digital practice tools and online workshops, and tons of practice questions.
The LSAT Trainer: A Remarkable Self-Study Guide for the Self-Driven Student by Mike Kim: Students rave about this book. It offers 200 practice questions with the answers fully explained, strategies for all 3 types of questions, unique drills to help you develop the skills you need, and all kinds of organizational tools.
PowerScore LSAT Bible Trilogy: Each book in this series covers one of the three types of questions (logical reasoning, logic games, and reading comprehension) and provides you in-depth techniques to recognize question types and solve them all. These books also teach how to manage your time while you are taking the test, which is critical for getting a strong score. These are some of the more expensive books out there, but students say they are worth it!
Additional Resources & Courses (in alphabetical order)
While this is not an exhaustive list, below are popular LSAT prep companies that offer a wide range of services at a wide range of prices.
7Sage: LSAT Prep is all they do, and they do it really well. Reasonably priced LSAT prep options. Students have recommended them. Their website also offers tons of free resources and a newsletter. https://7sage.com/
BluePrint: They claim they can increase your score by 15 points. Great reviews from students. https://blueprintprep.com/lsat
Kaplan: Kaplan is one of the largest and better-known test prep services in the nation. They have a wide variety of test prep formats and price points. https://www.kaptest.com/lsat
They also do F2F courses in several locations in northeast Ohio. https://www.lsat-center.com/class/lsat-ohio-cleveland/
PowerScore: They offer on-line courses based on the "LSAT Bible" series, which I highly recommend. https://www.powerscore.com/lsat
University of Akron F2F (in-person) classes: https://aceweb.uakron.edu/wconnect/ace/ShowSchedule.awp?&Mode=GROUP&Group=EXAM&Title=Exam+Preparation+-+Testing
Private tutors on WyzAnt: This could be an affordable option if you want a private tutor, because you pay by the hour, focus on only what you need, or can get together with a friend and share the costs. https://www.wyzant.com/
