By Samuel Huryn
Much like the ACT or SAT for undergraduate college, an applicant for law school has to take the LSAT, or the Law School Admissions Test. In a previous post, I outlined background information concerning the LSAT, what the LSAT is composed of, and when the LSAT can be taken. In this post, I will describe the necessary steps for studying for the LSAT. The LSAT is arguably the most important factor law schools will look at when analyzing a student’s application. With that in mind, it is recommended that a student “prepare for the LSAT at least a[n academic] quarter in advance of the test date.” (OSU1) It is offered in June, October, December, and February. Ohio State recommends that “the optimum time for taking the test is June of your Junior year” because this “gives you time to assess your chances for admission at a given school and allows time for a re-take if necessary.” (OSU2) Given that time frame, a prospective student should begin studying in early March. Lsac.org recommends that “[a]t a minimum, you should take a practice test, including the writing sample, under actual time constraints” 3. Additionally, the site recommends that you “[f]amiliarize yourself with the test instructions and question types” and “study test taking techniques and strategies” 4. The site also includes free practice materials, including sample questions with explanations and a practice LSAT from June 2007 (found here: http://testprep.about.com/od/thelsat/tp/Study-For-The-LSAT.htm). There are several other invaluable steps to take when preparing for the LSAT. Not only is it important to start studying early, it is also important to study smart, which entails making a schedule for a long-term study plan and sticking to it. There are other options available for studying as well. For example, testprep.about.com states that a prospective test taker “can purchase LSAT study apps for your phone, find free practice LSAT tests online, purchase a book, [and] hire a private tutor” 5. It is up to the test taker themselves to determine which course of action is best suited for their study habits, but all plans have benefits to them. In conclusion, the most important steps for studying for the LSAT are to understand the background information of the test, to start studying early, and to set a schedule according to your time frame. There are many available options to aid student preparation, whether it is apps, tutors, or workbooks. With proper studying, everyone can succeed at the LSAT. Good luck! Some examples of study schedules can be found here: http://testprep.about.com/od/tipsfortesting/tp/Monthly_Study_Schedule.htm 1 “The LSAT”, (Pre-Professional Programs, The Ohio State University), https://preprofessional.osu.edu/prelaw/lsat 2 “The LSAT” 3 Kelly Roell, “How to Study for the LSAT”, (About Education), http://testprep.about.com/od/thelsat/tp/Study-For-The-LSAT.htm 4 Roell, “How to Study for the LSAT” 5 “Preparing for the LSAT”, (Law School Admission Council), http://www.lsac.org/jd/lsat/preparing-for-the-lsat
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