The LSAT: Law School Anxiety Test
It’s the middle of the night and you wake up in a sweat. A nightmare. You are scared and anxious. Your mind is racing and your heart is pounding. There is only one thing on your mind: the LSAT. The infamous Law School Admission Test is administered for future law students to take before applying for law schools so that admissions offices can rank you by a number between 120 (the lowest possible score) and 180 (the highest possible score). The test has 3 main sections: Logic Games, Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension. The actual exam has 2 sections of logical reasoning, 1 logic games section, 1 reading comprehension section, 1 writing prompt, and 1 experimental section which can be a repeat of any of the 3 main sections. Even though the experimental section is not graded, you will not know which one it is. Nobody in the history of the world has ever liked standardized testing. We all remember taking the SATs, right? Well, the LSAT is the SATs…in no way. It takes rigorous amounts of preparation and unfortunately, it is the most important thing on your law school applications. It doesn’t matter if your GPA is a perfect 4.0. Without a decent LSAT score, your application is moot. If you are planning on taking the LSAT, here are some guidelines that could be helpful:
1. Start early. I cannot begin to emphasize how crucial it is to give yourself time to prepare. Most prelaw students are planning on taking their LSAT during their late junior year or early senior year. Figure out when you want to register for the exam and give yourself at least 4 months to start studying. It all depends on what school year you’re planning on starting law school.
2. Figure out what kind of studying works best for you. If you’re like me, you cannot self-study. I suggest registering for an LSAT prep course ahead of time to help guide you. I signed up for the Test Masters prep course and found it to be very helpful. Go online and research different online and in person classes. Some websites, such as Khan Academy, offer free LSAT prep online. If can trust yourself to self-study, invest in the right supplies. Research different prep books and as well as books with just practice tests. I bought the PowerScore Bible Trilogy and 10 Actual, Official LSAT PrepTests: Volume VI. I would also invest in a timer to help you time yourself during the 35 minute sections.
3. Create a study schedule and STICK TO IT. I was working part-time and was a full-time student while studying so I had to create a study schedule around my daily schedule. I would suggest setting aside at least 15 hours a week (if you are giving yourself 4 months) for studying, which can be divided up throughout the week to fit your schedule.
4. Register for the exam. If you have a test date in mind, register for the exam 2 months in advance to reserve your seat. The earlier you register, the more likely you will get a seat at a testing center near you. Also, registration closes a little over a month before the test date. You do not want to miss the deadline and be forced to take the next exam. All deadlines and details for how to sign up for the LSAT are on the Law School Admission Council website.
5. Relax the week before the LSAT. Don’t try to cram in new lessons and practice tests a week before your exam. Take that week to relax and have a little fun. Rest up before taking the exam and do not burn yourself out.
6. Fuel yourself the morning of. I would suggest eating a healthy breakfast the morning of your exam. But truthfully, you should eat what you’d normally eat for breakfast so that you’re not messing with your body’s routine. But definitely eat breakfast. Additionally, I’ve found doing 4-5 practice questions, whichever section you prefer, at home before leaving for the exam to be very helpful. It can get your mind moving before the exam. Do not do an entire section or exam at the risk of burning yourself out.
7. Be at ease while taking the exam. I completely understand the nerves you will experience but you have to do your best to calm down and trust that you prepared enough. Remember, you have the option to take the exam again down the line if you feel that you did not do your best work. Do not put an unbelievable amount of pressure on yourself, especially while taking the exam.
I am not going to lie to you, it is hard. You have to truly prepare and dedicate time to studying. There is no easy way out of this (believe me, I have tried to find the easy path). If you want to go to law school, you have to work hard at the LSAT. You have to show admissions offices that you are willing to put hours and hours of hard work in for your future career. The only skills you will need to master this exam is to learn to beat the exam. There is no additional information to be learned. Practice is EVERYTHING. Good luck!
(Photo courtesy of Chaahat Kachhia)