Introducing
The LSAT – An Information Primer
This is a short compilation
of the most common questions and concerns “Law School Bound”
students have about the LSAT and its role in the admissions process. It
will also provide you with information about LSAT Preparation books, courses,
seminars, tutoring and workshops in Toronto, Ontario, the rest of Canada
and the U.S.
In addition to the
information here please you will find information on our four sites affiliated
with the Richardson Prep Centre:
http://www.prep.com
http://www.weekendprep.com
http://www.lawschoolbound.com
http://www.lawschoolbound.net
Outline Of
Frequently Asked Questions FAQs Organized By Category:
1.
What Is The LSAT, Where Does It Come From And What Role Does It Play In
The Admissions Process?
2.
How Do I Register For The LSAT And Why Should I Take The LSAT Early?
3.
About The LSAT - Exact Upcoming Dates
4.
About The LSAT - What Does It Test? What Counts? What Is Experimental?
5.
About The LSAT - How Is It Scored? What Does The Score Mean? Do All Questions
Count The Same? Is There A Guessing Penalty? Can I Cancel My Score?
6.
LSAT Preparation - "Success Favours The PREPared Mind!"
7.
About LSAT Books ...
8.
About LSAT Preparation Courses ...
9.
Richardson - Law School Bound - Our Experience - Since 1979
10.
Richardson - Free LSAT Strategy Seminars
11.
Find An LSAT Course Anywhere In North America
12.
Contact Richardson - Law School Bound
1. What Is The LSAT, Where Does It Come
From And What Role Does It Play In The Admissions Process?
Q. What is
the LSAT?
A. The letters LSAT stand for “Law School Admission Test.”
The test is required and is part of the admissions process for almost
every law school in North America. The LSAT is the same in both Canada
and the United States.
Q. Who administers
the LSAT?
A. The LSAT is developed and administered by a company called “Law
Services” based in Newtown, PA. They may be found at:
http://www.lsac.org
(215) 968-1001
A free sample LSAT is available
for download.
Q. What kind
of LSAT score is required for admission to law school?
A. Although the LSAT is very important, it is only one part of your application
file. (For applicants in the regular applicant category, your grades will
be more important than your LSAT score.) There is no established passing
or failing LSAT score and each school is free to decide what score will
satisfy its admission requirements. For example, there is at least one
school that treats the LSAT as fifteen percent of the decision and there
is another where the LSAT counts for almost fifty percent of the decision.
2.
How Do I Register For The LSAT And Why Should I Take The LSAT Early?
Q. How do
I register for the LSAT?
A. Complete information about the LSAT and registration may be found at:
http://www.lsac.org
The best way to register is online. There are deadlines for registration
and since the most popular test centers (for example Toronto) fill up
quickly, you should register as early as possible.
Q. How many
times may I take the LSAT and is there a fee?
A. There is a fee. Under the current rules you are permitted to take the
LSAT only three times in any two year period.
Q. When may
I take the LSAT?
A. At present the LSAT is available to be taken 4 times a year –
usually in June, October, December and February.
Q. Is there
a date by which I am required to take the LSAT?
A. Different schools may have different admissions policies and procedures.
You should research these deadlines on a school by school basis.
Q. When would
it be advisable to take the LSAT?
A. The deadline for the application to Ontario law schools is Nov. 1.
There is no reason to delay until that time. We recommend that you take
the LSAT when there is the least conflict with other academic commitments.
Q. Would you
recommend taking the LSAT in June?
A. In a perfect world, June is the perfect time for the LSAT. Most students
are finished school in May making May a perfect time to prepare. Should
you need to take the LSAT again – October is the perfect second
time. If you cannot take the LSAT in June, we strongly recommend that
you take the LSAT in October.
3. About The
LSAT – Exact Upcoming Test Dates
What follows are
test dates from June 2005 to February 2007:
2005 - 2006
Monday June 6, 2005
Thursday September 29, 2005 (Saturday Sabbath Observers)
Saturday October 1, 2005
Saturday December 3, 2005
Saturday February 4, 2006
Tuesday February 6, 2006 (Saturday Sabbath Observers)
2006 –
2007
Monday June 12, 2006
Saturday September 30, 2006
Tuesday October 3, 2006 (Saturday Sabbath Observers)
Saturday December 2, 2006
Monday December 4, 2006 (Saturday Sabbath Observers)
Saturday February 10, 2007
Monday February 12, 2007 (Saturday Sabbath Observers)
The above information comes
from Law Services. It may also be found at:
http://www.lsac.org/LSAC.asp?url=lsac/test-dates-deadlines.asp
4.
About The LSAT – What Does It Test? What Counts? What Is Experimental?
Q. What does
the LSAT test?
A. The short answer is that the LSAT is multiple choice test of reading
and reasoning in context. The reading and reasoning skills are tested
in the context of three question types – Analytical Reasoning (Logic
Games), Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension.
Q. What is
the format of the LSAT and how many questions are there?
A. The LSAT is composed of five thirty-five minute sections. Four of these
sections contribute to your LSAT score and one is experimental (meaning
it does not contribute to your score). The four sections that count are
(in no particular order):
1. Logical Reasoning 24 –
26 questions
2. Logical Reasoning 24 – 26 questions
3. Reading Comprehension – 26 – 28 questions
4. Analytical Reasoning – 23 – 25 questions
Regardless of the exact number
of questions in each section the LSAT is composed of 101 questions.
LSAT test takers are required
to complete a thirty minute writing sample which does not contribute to
your LSAT score.
Q. Can you
tell me more about the experimental section? Why is it there? How is it
used?
A. The experimental section is an additional thirty-five minute section
that test takers are required to complete. It is NOT identified as being
experimental. The purpose is so that LSAT can try out future questions
for possible use. It will be a repeat of one of the three question types
that counts. All questions in the experimental section will be of that
one question type. For example, your LSAT might have an additional section
of Reading Comprehension. Although all test takers get exactly the same
four sections that count – different test takers will receive different
experimental sections.
Q. Is the
LSAT a paper based or computer based test?
A. At the present time the LSAT is a paper based, standardized test.
5. About The LSAT – How Is It Scored?
What Does The Score Mean? Do All Questions Count The Same? Is There A
Guessing Penalty? Can I Cancel My Score?
Q. How is
the LSAT scored?
A. The LSAT is reported on a scale of 120 to 180. Your score corresponds
to a percentile ranking. This means that it is a reflection of how you
perform relative to all test takers. There is no established passing or
failing score. At the risk of oversimplification:
First your raw score is determined
– the number of right answers out of 101 is counted up.
Second – the raw score
is then converted to a scaled score which corresponds to a percentile
ranking.
For example, a score of 151
reflects a performance in approximately the 50th percentile (although
is does vary a bit from test to test).
Q. Do all
LSAT questions count the same or do some count more than others?
A. All LSAT questions have exactly the same weighting – they count
the same.
Therefore, it is essential that you make sure that you first answer the
questions that are easier for you (I emphasize “for you” –
different people have different strengths and weaknesses.)
Q. Is there
a penalty for selecting the wrong answer?
A. No there is no penalty for selecting the wrong answer.
Therefore, it is essential that you put an answer for every question on
the test.
6.
LSAT Preparation – “Success Favours The PREPared Mind!”
Q. Should
I prepare?
A. Obviously you should be prepared when you take the LSAT. Even Law Services
(the creators and marketers of the LSAT) encourage preparation.
Q. How much
should I prepare?
A. You have two preparation objectives. They are:
First, to actually be prepared.
Second, to feel that you are prepared.
Different people have different preparation needs.
Q. How early
should I start preparing?
A. This is a matter of opinion and is subjective. But, it would be a mistake
to presume that you will needs months and months of preparation (although
some people may). Our advice is to begin with a period of four to six
weeks prior to the test and then to add more time if necessary. (This
is another argument for taking the test in June or October.)
Q. How should
I prepare?
A. This is done through a combination of actual LSAT practice questions
and additional books and courses.
7.
About LSAT Books …
Q. What about
books that come directly from LSAT?
A. At a minimum you should familiarize yourself with the LSAT using actual
LSAT questions. They are available for purchase from LSAT and in many
university bookstores, Chapters/Indigo and of course online. At present
there are approximately 45 actual released LSATs many of which are available
for purchase. With few exceptions the actual LSAT tests come with answers
but not with commentary. Hence, the need for additional books.
Q. What about
books that don’t come directly from LSAT but come from other sources?
A. There are many LSAT books on the market. You will want them to provide
the commentary on the test that LSAT fails to provide with their own tests.
Obviously, we would recommend our own:
Mastering The LSAT – How To Prepare Effectively And Successfully
– John Richardson – ISBN: 0-9696290-3-6.
A site that specializes in
LSAT Prep Books is:
http://www.lsatbooks.com
8. About LSAT
Preparation Courses …
Q. What about
LSAT Preparation Courses?
A. A very high percentage of LSAT test takers do take LSAT courses. LSAT
Preparation is a large industry. There are many different courses of varying
durations, formats and prices.
Q. What should
I consider when selecting an LSAT course?
A. We suggest that in selecting an LSAT course you consider at least the
following:
- Does the course
teach a general approach (see information about courses below) which is
firmly rooted in the twin LSAT realities of timing (you will run out of
it), LSAT technology (all LSATs must be designed in the same way)?
- The experience
level and quality of the teachers (remember that all courses are taught
primarily from actual LSAT questions)
- Time of day the
classes are run (some people are too tired at the end of the day for evening
classes) evenings or weekends or both
- Duration and format
– do you want a longer or shorter course? Both have their benefits.
9.
Richardson – Law School Bound - Our Experience – Since 1979
We have taught our LSAT courses
since 1979 – making our program one of the longest running programs
in existence anywhere. In fact we are aware of only one other program
(anywhere in the world) that has existed for as long as we have.
Weekend Courses
Of Various Durations
Our courses are available in
Toronto, Ottawa, London, Kingston and other locations in Canada.
We offer our courses
on the weekends in the format of four, three, two or one weekends.
Our pricing is
the most competitive in the industry.
What Our Course
Teaches - The Approach
Our course teaches approach. We teach systematic ways of eliminating wrong
answers. We teach the identification of right answers.
The LSAT is not a
test of background knowledge. Rather, it is a test of reading and reasoning.
It is important that a score on say the June test has the same meaning
as a score on the October test. To achieve consistency, every edition
of the LSAT must measure the same things in approximately the same ways.
As a result, LSAT questions are the "end product" of specific
rules of design.
Our course exploits
this design requirement. We teach specific principles of approach that
will allow you to "identify" the answers to LSAT multiple choice
questions. These principles INCLUDE (but are not limited to):
• diagraming
techniques
• the recognition
of ways that LSAT test designers make wrong answers seem attractive
• the recognition
of ways that LSAT test designers make right answers seem unattractive
• the best
order to attack LSAT questions
• reading "between
the lines" in reading comprehension
• avoiding
"clutter" in logical reasoning
10. Richardson - Free LSAT Strategy Seminars
In order that you may meet
our instructors and learn more about our programs, we offer numerous free
LSAT strategy seminars. A directory of dates may be found at:
http://www.prep.com/law/lsatstra.html
11.
Find An LSAT Course Anywhere In North America
Ontario – Canada:
Richardson – Law School Bound offers LSAT Preparation Courses and
Seminars in Toronto, Ottawa, London and Kingston and in some other parts
of Canada.
http://www.prep.com
http://www.richardson-prep.com
Canadian provinces outside of Ontario:
For information about LSAT courses offered by other providers outside
of Ontario visit:
http://www.prep.com/law/lsatprepdirectory.html
U.S.:
For information about LSAT Preparation Courses offered across the U.S.
visit:
http://www.getprepped.com
12. Contact
Richardson – Law School Bound
Information on our
LSAT preparation programs is available at:
http://www.richardson-prep.com
http://www.prep.com
http://www.lawschoolbound.com
http://www.lawschoolbound.net
Tel: 416-410-PREP
Richardson
Prep Centre
Box 19602, Manulife P.O.
55 Bloor St. W.
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
M4W 3T9
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