4 Tips to Ace the LSAT

By Ian Acosta on November 30, 2016

The LSAT. The ACT of law school. It is tough. The first major hurdle in attempting to be a lawyer is this five 35-minute section test composed of roughly 100 questions. Sound tough? Depends on who you ask.

Like any standardized test, the LSAT is designed to see how well a student performs under pressure and to measure three specific areas deemed necessary to succeed in law school: reading comprehension, analytical aptitude, and demonstration of logical reasoning.

One big key for the LSAT is to answer as many questions as possible. There is zero penalty for guessing so do not leave any blank! Here are some general tips to tackling each section as best as possible as well as some overall tips useful in any test taking environment.

pixabay.com

1. Reading Comprehension

The first section is mainly comprised of reading dense, expository and argumentative passages and documents any lawyer would see such as cases, contracts, briefs and the like. The documents contained involve comparison, analysis, and application of various methods needed to properly understand them. The purpose of this section is to measure the student’s reading and comprehension skills as well as being able to draw conclusions, make inferences, and properly analyze materials.

First tip: do not panic. Any questions related to the given passages or documents is strictly related to what is given so do not fret if there is vocabulary or concepts that look unfamiliar. Each strategy test takers prefer is different, especially when it comes to timed reading. A popular one is to skim the passage in order to save time and then answer the questions in a quick manner. This will save time reading and allow for more thought in choosing the best answer.

Be sure to go through the passages with a keen eye and make annotations to help point out important points. Utilizing time effectively is a key trait all future lawyers must possess.

pexels.com

2. Analytical Reasoning

The second section is made up of questions structured to assess how well a student can consider a group of facts and rules and then from those, determine what is true or untrue. These questions are based on a passage given, anywhere from a couple passages to a few.

The main skills that will help here are being able to form inferences and think in a logical manner. When attacking these passages, again, the best way is to focus on one at a time and this time be thorough. Thoroughness is a key quality many lawyers possess and this is what this test is designed to measure.

In addition, draw a picture. A lot of people are aided by diagrams and problem solving and this test is a perfect time to employ that strategy as well. Focus on the relationships being asked and success will come.

stocksnap.io

3. Logical Reasoning

This third section is created to assess how well a student can analyze arguments and is a key element of legal analysis. Critical thinking is a key skill needed for this subject area and will play a big role in law school when in a crunch. The questions in this section require the reading of a short passage followed by one question pertaining to it.

Skills needed for legal reasoning will be tested in this section so it is important to be able to understand what exactly is being asked and the best way to answer the question. Take the time to not overthink any question. Remember, these are designed to not have any hidden meanings or tricks so answer them like any other standardized test question.

Shutterfly.com

4. General Test Tips

No one likes standardized tests. Unfortunately, they are a huge part of academia. The best way to combat them? Treat them like a game. The goal is to score as many points as possible. Because every question is a multiple-choice format, there is at least a 20 to 25 percent chance of answering it correctly given four or five different answer choices. The probability increases even more if you are able to eliminate obvious wrong answers.

Furthermore, the LSAT is designed so that there are no penalties for wrong answers. This means do not leave any blank! Even if unsure of an answer, be sure to put your best idea. Something is better than nothing here.

A skill not so easy to learn is mental toughness. Standardized tests are exhausting. These tests are designed as a mental marathon to see if the applicant can withstand the pressure and environment that comes with a multiple section, multiple hour test and how that applicant will perform in these conditions.

The best way to train for this? Take multiple practice exams under similar situations. By the time test day rolls around, the innate fear many experience when it comes to timed tests will prove to be a strength rather than hurt.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format