Tips to Studying for Your LSAT Testing

Preparing for LSAT testing is they key to being accepted into any law school. The LSAT is the Law School Admission Test. The test is a half-day standardized test that is required for admission into all ABA-approved law schools. The test allows schools to determine the reading and verbal reasoning skills that are required for law school.

The Law School Admission Council provides several resources to prospective students. Their website provides many forms and information for preparing for the test. There are several websites on the Internet that provide information on preparing for the LSAT. There are also classroom courses that are prepared specifically for the test. These classroom courses provide lectures over the material and then students are required to answer questions concerning the lectures. Students should also explore private tutoring, online courses and small group tutoring.

Many advisors say that it is better to practice for the LSAT rather than study for the test. The test consists of several sections that test your logic and reasoning skills. These skills work best from practice rather than studying. There are several websites that are available to students with practice tests. These will be essential in sections such as the analytical reasoning section.

Students will also want to develop a test-taking strategy. The exam is timed and you know what the scoring is based on. Students should answer all questions, even if they don’t know the answer it is still better to guess. Students will also want to invest in some study materials such as LSAT books and CD-ROMS. The only area that students may want to study on is vocabulary. Most of the sections on the test are based on reading comprehension and expanding your knowledge of vocabulary may help you on the test.

Practice, practice, practice. Do not take the test if you do not feel you are ready. Prepare early enough to take the test so that you will not be rushed to prepare for it or apply to law school. Students can take the test twice but schools will average the two scores rather than take the highest score. Retaking the test may not work for you in the long run if you do poorly either time.

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Raise Your LSAT Score - Ways to Do It

Some people learn better in traditional classroom settings surrounded by their peers and face-to-face with their teachers. Others prefer a more self-directed approach like taking an online course or studying from a book. There are still others who require personal one-on-one interaction with a tutor or teacher. If you have already taken the LSAT exam but you didn't like your test scores, then you are probably searching for a method to raise your test scores the next time you take the exam.

Again, it is important to know yourself and by what method you learn the best. Here are some ways that you can prepare to retake your LSAT and get a higher score.

Time Management:

The truth is that most students score low on the LSAT because they feel rushed to complete all of the questions before time runs out. If it were not a timed test, the majority of the students would be able to answer the questions correctly. Unfortunately, it is a timed test so you need to learn how to manage the time allotted to take each part of the exam. One way that you can learn to manage your test taking time is to simulate the testing experience when you are taking your practice exams.

Set a timer for the amount of time you are allowed for each section. Take the test like it counts and see how well you do. The goal is to answer correctly as many of the questions that you can in the allotted time. This also means that you cannot spend too much time on any one question. If you get stuck on a question, try to make an educated guess or randomly choose an answer and then move on to the next question.

If you are still having trouble passing your practice exams, then you may want to consider one of the following 3 options as an alternative method to help you raise your test score the next time you take the LSAT.

Test Preparation Classroom Courses:

These courses are made for those who prefer the face-to-face interaction with a teacher. They may be visual learners that need someone to talk them through and point them through the process. LSAT classroom courses tend to be kept small, maybe 8-10 students, so that the teacher can spend more individual time with those that need it. With a live teacher students can ask questions and have them immediately answered.

LSAT class instructors tend to have taught this course over and over again. They have statistics on how their students scored and they teach you little tips and tricks to conquer the LSAT and raise your score. They provide extensive practice materials to pinpoint the areas that you may need to work a little extra on in order to raise your score.

Test Preparation Online Courses:

Another way that you can increase your LSAT score is by taking an online course. Online courses allow you to prepare for your LSAT when and where you choose. Online courses provide lessons and drills that are all self-directed. You can skip around to work on the lessons and drills that you need rather than having to learn the lesson that has been prepared by the teacher. Many of these online classes offer an online chat service that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for help, assistance or to answer your questions. These types of courses are better for those that self-motivated and do not need interaction with their peers and with their teachers.

Private Tutoring:

Private tutors are best for those individuals that need one-on-one attention or for those that get distracted easily by other students. Private tutors are usually more expensive than the classroom or online courses. Tutors can usually accommodate your schedule so that it is convenient for you to fit learning into your daily routine. Money back guarantees are usually also available through private tutors. And with private tutors, they are able to identify the areas that the individual student is weak in and concentrate on teaching in those areas.

You can raise your LSAT score by working very diligently at any of these options. Which option is best really is determined by your learning style and what your needs are. Cost may also be a factor in determining which method you choose. If you work hard and focus your efforts you can take the LSAT a second time and raise your score.

Review more industry related articles by Kristie Lorette at CareersandEducation.com Kristie Lorette is a CareersandEducation.com feature writer that often covers topics relating to Campus and Online Degree Programs and Career Planning.

How I Scored a 180 on the LSAT

One of the most important steps to getting a high LSAT score happens before you ever open a book to begin studying. The test date you choose can have a significant impact on how high you score. To understand the importance, you should know that all LSAT scores are sent to the law schools to which you are applying. This means that law schools will see every LSAT score you have taken, your best, your worst, and everything in between. Due to this score reporting, it is advisable you only take the LSAT once, and make your one score count. The best time to take the LSAT is the June before your senior year. Taking the test in June means that you are far along enough in your studies, yet you still have plenty of time to apply, and you get the advantage of taking the test during the summer, when you are on a break from school. While the October test date is still early enough to apply for law school, it also falls around the time of midterms, and you could find yourself stressed and ill-prepared to take the LSAT in the middle of the school semester when so many exams and papers are taking up your time.

Take your first practice test long before you take the LSAT. Three to six months before June, schedule a saturday where you will wake up early, sit down at your desk, and take a practice test under the exact same conditions as the real LSAT. Buy a small, cheap, kitchen timer from the store and set each section's time exactly. Only allow yourself the allotted time, and don't stop or get distracted. You can easily download practice test online, or buy books with multiple tests. This first practice test will help you see what score you would make with no studying, and thereby tell you how hard you need to study to get the score you want. Most importantly, this test will tell you which section you need the most work on. More than likely you will not have an infinite amount of time to study for the LSAT, so you need to use your time effectively and spend the most time on the sections you score the lowest on. The national average LSAT score is 150, so you want to strive for over 150.

Use the data from your first practice test and take more practice tests. If your worst score was in Analytical Reasoning, take that section of practice tests many times. As you complete each practice test you will learn how the questions are structured so that you can answer them faster. You will also start to understand how the tests are scored, so you will learn which answers are correct. Additionally, you will become familiar with the test so that on test day, you are confident and calm. Continue taking individual sections as practice tests until you are happy with the score. Remember that the LSAT is not about memorizing facts. Therefore, you don't need to study books or notes. The LSAT tests your thinking skills. The best way to improve these skills is with practice.

The final step in achieving the LSAT score of your dreams is in understanding the scoring of the test. Each test has approximately 101 questions. Your score is based on the number of questions you answer correctly. This means you are not penalized for guessing. You should answer every question, even if you don't know the answer. Always make an educated guess if you don't know the answer. This also means every question is given the same weight. If one question has you stumped, circle it and move on. When you are done, go back to the questions you have circled and try to answer the questions that will require the least amount of time first.

Kelli runs the LSAT Test Preparation Center where you can find all the information you need to get a high LSAT score. Start your studying with an official LSAT practice test.

LSAT Logic Games - How Can LSAT Logic Games Have Anything to do With Law School

LSAT Logic Games

How Can LSAT Logic Games Have Anything to Do With Law School?

Here's a typical LSAT Logic Games question:

 

Nine housewives - Alice, Barbara, Carol, Delores, Evelyn, Francis, Gertrude, Hillary, and Ingrid - will be shopping at Safeway this week. They may shop on either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Exactly three housewives will shop on each of these days. The following conditions apply:

 

 

1. Barbara will shop on Tuesday.

 

2. Carol and Francis must shop on the same day.

3. Alice and Evelyn must shop on the same day.

4. Gertrude and Hillary cannot shop on the same day.

5. Barbara and Ingrid cannot shop on the same day.

6. Carol and Ingrid cannot shop on the same day.

 

If Alice shops on Tuesday, and Carol shops on Monday, which of the following must be true?

 

 

A. Gertrude shops on Monday.

 

B. Gertrude shops on Wednesday.

C. Hillary shops on Monday.

D. Delores shops on Wednesday.

E. Francis shops on Wednesday.

 

I'm not going to waste all of our time by explaining why, but the correct answer is D (Delores shops on Wednesday). I have neither the patience nor the expertise to teach you how to reach this solution, but if you want to excel on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) you had better be able to answer any question like that within 30-40 seconds.

 

Is this really possible? Yes, by seeking professional instruction and taking hundreds of LSAT practice tests, you can master the LSAT Logic Games.

Which brings us back to the question posted in the subtitle: How can this have anything to do with law school?

Well, I don't have any inside information, but the LSAT in general is designed to address skills and abilities that are considered vital for success in law school (note, not in the legal profession). The Logic Games section in particular addresses the prospective law student's ability to comprehend complicated factual scenarios, analyze arguments and reach reliable conclusions - largely by elimination weaker positions.

I can attest that these skills are indeed important to your law school success. Obviously, facts like those in the question above have nothing to do with law school or legal practice. The intellectual ability to deal with such situations, however, is absolutely necessary.

The thing about law school, and the LSAT, that is fortunate for those of us who may be less-than-brilliant, is that everything you need to know is in the question. You don't need to know the quadratic equation, the elements in the periodic table or any other background information. You must simply analyze the information you are given and reach the best conclusion.

The practice of law is very similar, but we'll get to that in a few years...

This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

H. Jefferson, Jr. is an expert on on law school admission, having applied to and been admitted by 11 of the top law schools in the United States. To learn more about the the techniques and strategies you can use to get into the law school of your choice, visit http://www.coverttactics.com.