LSAT Exam Preparation India 2022 – 2023

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a 4 hour long standardized test administered 4 times in a year for candidates looking for admission in law schools in the US, Canada, Australia, and other countries.

It serves as a reliable indicator for law school admission committees, including sections such as Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning, and Logical Reasoning. Subject areas tested on the exam are almost directly translated into real-world skills required for a successful law career: reading skills to glean insights from reams of complex jargon-filled documents, a critical eye to spot relevant information, analytical prowess to make connections among disparate sources, arriving at unique insights from the data, and the examination of arguments presented by others.

How to prepare for the LSAT

Depending on your target school, you need to cross a certain score threshold. The top schools are looking for almost perfect scores (~170 out of 180). Prior planning is beneficial – initial score on diagnostic tests will form the baseline for your target schools (you will improve upon the score with practice, of course). As the test is offered 4 times in a year (6 times starting in 2018-19), the choice of location and date should be made early enough to avoid last-minute headaches. One should also factor in some buffer time in case a re-attempt is needed.

After the diagnostic test, you need to take a stock of your strengths and weaknesses to create an efficient study plan. The default strategy of giving equal attention to all subject areas is fairly sub-optimal, and a well thought-out study plan can provide with disproportionate returns in terms of time and effort. Though the amount of time needed to prepare for the LSAT varies widely among candidates, 8-10 hours per week for almost 4 months prior to the test is usually enough to attain full potential (150-200 hours of study time in total).

Methods of preparation for the LSAT

Most test preparation companies have comprehensive packages for helping you prepare adequately for the exam. The method of delivery is also an important criterion: in-classroom teaching has the advantage of being more personal/customizable, whereas online teaching usually has the advantage of better international instructors. If you are a visual learner, learning through videos is also an attractive option. These study options are pretty expensive though (1000$+ in some cases), so it is a good idea to perform thorough research about the Institute and instructor before investing your hard-earned money.

The main reason to opt for a commercial course is usually the structure and accountability to ensure that you stay on track. A good instructor can also provide personalized recommendations that can put your improvement goals on a fast-track. For folks who are driven enough to make a self-study plan and execute it religiously, a guided preparatory course might not be necessary.

Preparation tips to crack the LSAT

Scoring high on the test day requires not just deliberate and persistent practice, but also effective stress-management techniques.

One of the best methods to practice for the LSAT is to solve the prior actual tests. It is an excellent way to familiarize yourself with the exam structure/format and serves as a good means to identify gaps that need to be plugged. You should be well-familiar with even the test instructions and question types to avoid any surprises on the d-day.
You should consult some good preparation material for advice and strategy on tackling various question types, especially tricky ones such as “logic games”.
Pacing is key. Just solving all the test problems is not enough for a high score, the real test requires you to be accurate under timed As you progress with your preparation, make sure you solve the practice exams in conditions that mimic the actual test conditions as closely as possible.
While timed practice tests are important, the job of a student is not complete till a feedback loop is in place. Analyzing the wrong answers makes it highly probable that you discover your weaknesses and avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future. Some students assume that just sitting for the practice exams is enough; deliberate practice is vital to improving your score.
It is important to put in dedicated hours of preparation every day to keep your mind sharp, and cramming for the test over weekends has ever diminishing returns. The same duration of a study done over a longer period also utilizes the spacing effect which has proven to be quite effective in studying. Remember: it is a marathon, not a sprint.
As there is no penalty for incorrect answer choices, you should not leave any question. The process of elimination helps a lot in making educated guesses. Also, it is important to not get bogged down by a particular question as all of them carry equal weight. It is wise to mark the questions that are taking more time than usual and revisit them at the end afterward.
It is imperative to be cautious while learning from preparation questions that are not coming from actual prior tests, the “model LSAT questions”. There is usually a high chance that they do not adequately represent the type of questions that appear on the actual test.
As the LSAT is a paper-based test, it is a good idea to practice solving the questions by using scratch paper. Especially for logic games, it is good to put your diagramming skills to use as it is easy to get entangled amongst all the variables and their relationships.

LSAC, the test-setter has provided a free sample test on their website. You can also enroll for a single free practice test from all the major test preparation companies: Princeton Review, Kaplan, and Manhattan Prep. However, there is a high chance that the questions that you’ll see on the practice test administered by these companies will be recycled versions of questions from the LSAC test itself.

Tips for LSAT Test Day

Getting a good diet and sleep the day before a test is under-rated. Also make sure that you have all the things that you’ll require the day before: passport, admission ticket, wooden HB pencils, sharpeners, and erasers. It is a good idea to take your favorite snacks and drinks to consume during the breaks. You can visit the LSAC website for a complete idea on LSAT day of the test.