8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
1/22
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
2/22
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
3/22
Law School Admission Test (LSAT)- administered bythe Law School Admission Council (LSAC)
Required for application and admission to approvedLaw Schools
Standardized test that attempts to assess reading and
verbal reasoning skills
Similar to SAT and ACT
Overview
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
4/22
Dates and Deadlines
8 June 2009
Deadline: 5 May
26 September 2009
Deadline: 25 August
5 December 2009
Deadline: 3 November
Fee: $132
Sign up at
www.lsac.orgIncludes more info on latefees, fee waivers, etc.
Those planning to attendFall 2010 should register for
these dates.
http://www.lsac.org/http://www.lsac.org/8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
5/22
A Word about Retakes
8 June 2009
Deadline: 5 May
26 September 2009
Deadline: 25 August
5 December 2009
Deadline: 3 November
Fee: $132
Plan to do well thefirst time.
Give yourself timeto retake if needed.
The highest score isreported, but
schools will see bothscores.
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
6/22
Importance
Most schools willtypically combineUGPA and LSAT to
produce a predictionindex which they useto separate applicants.
Some schools apply aholistic approach,meaning that they will
read the entireapplication beforemaking a decision.
For virtually all schools, the LSAT is the mostdeterminative factor in the decision making
process.
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
7/22
What affectsadmission
decisions?
Personal Statement Letters of
Recommendation
LSAT Writing Sample Rsum Major course of study Extra-curricular Community Service Church Mission
Certain factors can overridethese ratios like ethnic or
cultural disadvantage, etc.
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
8/22
WHY?!
The need for an across-the-board standard
Wide variety of majorsGrade inflation
Average GPA at BYU-Idaho: 3.51
Statistical evidence has repeatedly demonstrated that LSATscores combined with UGPA yields a strong correlation with
first year grades in law school.
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
9/22
Applicant
Admit
Deny
The Admissions Process
Waitlist
Admit
Deny
Wait may be severalmonths, even up to the
day before classes begin.
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
10/22
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
11/22
School LSAT (25%-75%)
Harvard 170 - 175
UC - Berkeley 163 - 170
Cornell 166 - 168
Duke 167 - 170
Boston University 164 - 166Brigham Young 162 - 167
University of Washington 159 - 165
University of Utah 156 - 162
Arizona State 156 - 162
Seattle University 155 - 161
University of Idaho 151 - 159
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
12/22
Scoring
Scaled from 120 to 180
Based on raw score (number of questionsanswered correctly out of 101 questions)
No penalty for incorrect answers
Raw score converted to scaled score
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
13/22
Score Raw Score
180 98175 95
170 90
165 84160 78
155 69
150 60145 51
140 42
Raw Score:Number of questions
answered correctly
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
14/22
Score Percentile
180 99.9175 99.6
170 98.0
165 93.0160 81.8
155 65.3
150 44.8145 26.4
140 12.9
Percentile:Percentage of testtakers nationally
from the previousthree years who
scored lower
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
15/22
Breakdown
Five 35-minute sections drawn from three types ofquestions:
Logical Reasoning- About 25 questions
Analytical Reasoning(Logic Games)- 4 Games
Reading Comprehension - 4 Reading Excerpts
One of the five sections is an un-scored experimentalsection. It is virtually impossible to identify theexperimental section during a test.
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
16/22
Logical ReasoningWhich one of the following most accurately expresses
the main conclusion of the economists argument?
(A) If an action taken to secure the survival of a
business fails to enhance the welfare of the businesss
employees, that action cannot be good for the business
as a whole.
(B) Some measures taken by a business to increase
productivity fail to be beneficial to the business as a
whole.
(C) Only if the employees of a business are also its
owners will the interests of the employees and owners
coincide, enabling measures that will be beneficial to
the business as a whole.
(D) There is no business that does not make efforts to
increase its productivity.
(E) Decreasing the number of employees in a business
undermines the sense of security of retained
employees.
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
17/22
Logic Games
Exactly three filmsGreed, Harvest, and Limelightare
shown during a film clubs festival held on Thursday, Friday,
and Saturday. Each film is shown at least once during the
festival but never more than once on a given day. On each day
at least one film is shown. Films are shown one at a time. The
following conditions apply:
On Thursday Harvest is shown, and no film is shown after
it on that day.
On Friday either Greed or Limelight, but not both, is
shown, and no film is shown after it on that day.
On Saturday either Greed or Harvest, but not both, is
shown, and no film is shown after it on that day.Which one of the following CANNOT be true?
(A) Harvest is the last film shown on each day of thefestival.
(B) Limelight is shown on each day of the festival.
(C) Greed is shown second on each day of the
festival.
(D) A different film is shown first on each day of the
festival.
(E) A different film is shown last on each day of the
festival.
______
H
______G/L
______G/H
TH F S
H
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
18/22
Reading Comprehension
Similar to Logical Reasoning, only longer, and 5 to 8
questions test the comprehension of form, tone, andlogic
Subject matter can range from oil drilling, to African
literature, to global warming, to ancient Chineseagricultural techniques, and so on.
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
19/22
How to Study??
Take a practice test to assess your standing.
Be willing to invest a lot of time and money.Were talking about a relatively small investment for potentialscholarship opportunities and a perhaps a 6-digit income.
PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE.Average increase of about 10 points
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
20/22
How to Study??
The recommendation: 4-6 months, 10-15 hours/week
Methods:
Practice Tests - Over 50 published actual LSATs:$8/test or a set of ten for $20
Test Preparation Books -$100 to $200
Classes 8-10 weeks with practice tests -$600 to$1200
8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
21/22
How to Study??
My recommendations:
Powerscore - www.powerscore.com
TestMasters- www.testmasters.net
Dont touch these:
Kaplan
Princeton Review
http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.testmasters.net/http://www.powerscore.com/http://www.powerscore.com/8/2/2019 LSAT Presentation
22/22
Dont Get Discouraged
The TRUTH about the LSAT that test prep companies and USNews & World Report dont want you to know:
Where you went to law school is secondary to what gradesyou earned in law school.
You dont have to go to Harvard to get your dream lawyer job.
The majority of lawyers in top-100 firms went to law schoolin the immediate region where they work.
The time spent on LSAT prep will help your studies immensely inwhatever field you pursue.