THE INS AND OUTS OF THE LSAT

In pursuing admission to a U.S. law school, you may choose to take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test), or the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) for those law schools that also accept the latter. Generally, law schools tend to prefer the LSAT over the GRE as the former leans more towards evaluating your logical, analytical, and reading comprehension skills. As such, the LSAT arguably is a better predictor of success in law school which perhaps may explain the preference.

The LSAT is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Law schools consider LSAT scores along with other components such as GPA, Credential Assembly Service (CAS) application, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. Many law schools place significant importance on LSAT scores, similar to the weight given to undergraduate grades.

The LSAT is offered seven times a year, and the exam lasts for approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. It consists of 99 to 102 multiple-choice questions. The test is intentionally challenging, designed in a way that most test-takers cannot comfortably complete all questions within the allotted time. Individuals are allowed to take the LSAT up to five times within a year and up to seven times over the past five years (the period during which LSAC reports scores to law schools). Additionally, individuals can take the LSAT a maximum of seven times in their lifetime. Preparing for the LSAT involves honing your logical reasoning skills, and a strong LSAT score can enhance your chances of admission to prestigious law schools.

The LSAT consists of four main sections:

Logical Reasoning: This section evaluates your ability to analyze and critically evaluate arguments, as well as your ability to construct arguments.

Analytical Reasoning (Logic Games until June 2024): Analytical Reasoning assesses your ability to understand the structure of various relationships and draw conclusions based on that structure.

Reading Comprehension: Reading Comprehension presents passages similar to those you might encounter in law school, assessing your ability to read and comprehend complex materials.

Unscored Writing Sample (Essay): LSAT Writing is conducted separately online using secure proctoring software, which can be installed on your own computer. LSAT Writing can be conveniently taken up to eight days before the scheduled test date for multiple-choice sections. LSAT Writing is remotely available to all test-takers. The prompt for LSAT Writing presents a decision problem, asking you to choose between two positions or courses of action and advocate for your choice. There is no "right" or "wrong" position, and the writing sample is designed to showcase persuasive writing skills. Law schools will review the sample for skills such as inference, clarity, organization, language use, and writing mechanics. Copies of the writing sample will be sent to all the schools to which you apply.

The LSAT also includes an unscored experimental section. Most test-takers have the option to decide whether to take the test in-person or remotely.

The LSAT exam is scored on a scale of 120 to 180 points. Most top law schools consider multiple LSAT scores, so it is advisable to thoroughly prepare and ideally take the test only once. The average LSAT scores for the top 25 law schools typically fall between 168 and 172, representing scores above the 95th percentile. Answering 61 questions correct out of 75 scored questions will equal approximately a 90th percentile, which comprises a very competitive score. There are no penalties for wrong answers, so it’s better to make an educated guess than to leave any questions unanswered.

On October 18, 2023, the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) announced significant changes to the LSAT format. The Analytical Reasoning section, commonly known as logic games, will be excluded from the LSAT starting from the August 2024 exam. This change, though abrupt, was anticipated and has been long-awaited. In 2019, LSAC agreed to abandon logic games as part of a legal settlement with two visually impaired test-takers who claimed it was unfair to them. Diagrams used in setting up logic games often rely on visual spatial concepts.

Recent reports from the exams have suggested that LSAC is testing a new type of logic game. However, instead of this, the second Logical Reasoning section will simply replace the Analytical Reasoning section in a straightforward manner. Starting from August 2024, the LSAT will consist of two Logical Reasoning sections, one Reading Comprehension section, and an unscored experimental section that could be either of the two.

While learning logic games may require significant preparation, many test-takers find them relatively straightforward once they become familiar. When set up correctly, game questions typically have clear and definite right or wrong answers. In contrast, when faced with choosing between two similar options in reading comprehension or logical reasoning sections, many test-takers experience hesitation in making a decision.

Therefore, if you have already learned how to perform logic games and feel confident in this skill, it might be advisable to take the LSAT before August 2024. LSAC has announced test dates for January, February, April, and June 2024. There were almost no tests conducted in July, and schedules beyond June 2024 have not yet been announced.

If you have plans to apply in the next application cycle or later and have not started LSAT preparation, waiting to take the test without logic games might be a favorable option. This is because it simplifies test preparation. Law school applicants with STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) backgrounds, who may find logic games easier than challenging sections, or non-native English speakers, might prefer to take the LSAT by June of 2024.

Achieving an excellent score on the LSAT can significantly increase the probability of admission to top law schools. Rather than evaluating what you have already learned, this test focuses on showcasing and predicting your analytical abilities for success in law school. Due to this emphasis, the LSAT differs significantly from other standardized tests that many students take in high school or college. Understanding the unique format and types of questions is crucial.

Kellye Testy, the President and CEO of the Law School Admission Council, states, "The purpose of the LSAT is to assess skills needed for success in law school classes and a legal career, such as logical reasoning." According to her, preparing for the LSAT helps in developing the skills necessary for future law school students and lawyers.

To prepare for the LSAT, a thorough plan over at least 3-6 months is necessary. Many questions on the LSAT will be unfamiliar, so regular practice is essential to become accustomed to the format. However, practicing alone is not sufficient. After completing timed practice sections or tests, it is crucial not just to summarize the results and record scores but also to carefully review each incorrect answer with the help of an LSAT Tutor and understand why the wrong choice was selected. Only through this process can you improve your scores. After learning the basic test preparation strategies, it is important to review incorrect answers through one-on-one tutoring with a teacher. This allows you to learn how to correctly answer such types of questions.

YES Consulting provides LSAT 1:1 private tutoring from instructors who graduated from prestigious U.S. law schools. M. Son, a student who graduated from Korea University and received a full scholarship to UC Law SF in the fall of 2023 gave the following testimonial, "I had to balance my school studies, LSAT exam, and application preparation from April to November. Following the plan provided by Yes Consulting, I focused on both my school studies and LSAT preparation. Under the guidance of Daniel, my consultant, through weekly Zoom meetings, I received personalized tutoring on how to correctly answer my most challenging questions in the logical reasoning section of the LSAT. This process helped me improve my scores significantly."

After taking a diagnostic test, YES Consulting can identify and address your weak areas on the LSAT exam to help plan your study schedule and improve your score significantly. Given that the LSAT carries so much weight in your law school application, we strongly encourage you to obtain private instruction from professionals as early as possible so that you can maximize your odds of admission.