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Introduction to the LSAT
Let’s begin this introduction on the right foot by dispelling several common misconceptions:
- The LSAT is not a modern-day Goliath existing simply to obstruct your path to law school.
- The LSAT is not an instrument of torture.
- The LSAT can (really!) be a fun experience.
- The LSAT is your way of proving to law schools how promising a candidate you are. . . not their excuse for rejecting you. With proper practice and effort, the test can become your tool and work to your advantage.
These four points are meant to be humorous, but, all jokes aside, it is imperative for prospective law school students to see the LSAT for what it is, or, perhaps more importantly, for what it is not.
The Law School Admission Test is comprised of six sections—two logical reasoning, one analytical reasoning, one reading comprehension, one writing, and one (unscored) experimental—of which the logical, analytical, and reading sections are factored into a single score between 120 and 180, while the writing sample is sent along with your score to the schools to which you apply. The LSAT is required by all law schools and is, along with your undergraduate record and personal statement, one of the most important components of your law school application.
Interestingly enough, the LSAT will not require you to have any knowledge of law or, for that matter, any other subject, though a secure foundation in reading and formal logic (or critical thinking) is extremely helpful. All that is required of you on the LSAT is the ability to read and reason quickly and well. This being the case, you cannot “study” for the LSAT. What you can do is practice. It is crucial to learn how to answer each question and practice to improve your time and accuracy.
LSAT Format
This is the general setup of the exam:
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Section
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Time
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# of Questions
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Reading Comprehension
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35 minutes
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About 27
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About 80 seconds
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Logical Reasoning
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35 minutes
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About 25
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About 80 seconds
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Analytical Reasoning
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35 minutes
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About 25
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About 80 seconds
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Break
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10–15 minutes
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-
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-
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Experimental
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35 minutes
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About 25
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About 80 seconds
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Break
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1 minute
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-
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-
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Essay
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35 minutes
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1 essay
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35 minutes
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Logical Reasoning
Logical reasoning makes up 50% of the scored section of the LSAT, which means it is the most important type of question on the test. In these two sections, you will be presented with short arguments (usually one or two paragraphs each) and asked one or two questions about the material. Logical reasoning questions can be subdivided into nine categories: assumptions, main point, inference, strengthen, weaken, parallel the reasoning, principle, reasoning, and flaw. Each type of question will require you to use your reasoning skills in a different way. At the Learning Center, we can help you master techniques unique to each type of question.
Analytical Reasoning
The analytical reasoning (otherwise known as the logic games) section is the part of the LSAT many testers find most off-putting and strange. This may be because you are literally asked to play four games at break-neck speed and your answers account for about 25% of your overall score. Prospective LSAT students should take heart at this, however, because logic games are precisely that: games. As such, once you learn the strategies behind them, just like any game, they can be fun.
There are several important strategies which are essential to success in this section. The first is good note-taking and diagramming skills. Attempting to memorize the rules and conditions of each game is highly inadvisable, so note-taking is a skill which must be developed. The second strategy is a firm knowledge of logic rules (e.g., the contrapositive) which can help you to make valuable inferences. The third and final strategy is pacing. Analytical reasoning is perhaps the most difficult section of the LSAT in terms of pacing and, again, practice is essential to success. In your tutoring sessions, we will work on all of these strategies as well as many others.
Reading Comprehension
The LSAT has the most difficult reading comprehension section among all the graduate school entrance exams. The passages are long and difficult to understand (and let us be frank—they are boring too!) and the questions often engineered to be deceiving. This being the case, you must learn to be an active reader; allowing the passages to simply wash over you while you attempt to remember every minute detail will be frustrating and ineffective. Essentially, you must change the way you read during the LSAT reading comprehension section; approaching the passages as you would approach a novel or newspaper will not get the job done. Note-taking, paraphrasing, and different reading techniques are just a few of many ways in which you can begin to take command of the passages.
The LSAT Writing Sample
This 35-minute writing section comes at the end of the LSAT and is a good way to wind down. If you can formulate a five-paragraph essay (yes, exactly like the ones you learned in high school), you can rest assured that you will do well in this task. The biggest challenge is limited time. However, practicing a formulaic way to answer the questions (boring as it may seem) is the best way to tackle that issue.
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