LSAT Prep Book Recommendations

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Here's the moment you've all been waiting for: my LSAT prep book recommendations.

Happy holidays to everyone. There WILL be more tips next week too, don't worry - not everyone is on vacation. :D Recommendations below. Stay warm!

PrepTests 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56
by LSAC

Each are only sold individually, as LSAC has not yet published a book of ten exams containing them. Because the exam has changed in recent years, you'll need several of these to study effectively.

When to use: after you've completed the other PrepTests.

The Next 10 Actual, Official LSAT PrepTests
by LSAC (older edition)

Contains PrepTests 29-38 and is the newest book of ten. It's essential that you get your hands on these in order to study effectively.

When to use: during exam prep.

10 More Actual, Official LSAT PrepTests
by LSAC (older edition)

Contains PrepTests 19-28.

When to use: during exam prep.

10 Actual Official LSAT PrepTests
by LSAC (older edition)

Contains most PrepTests from 7-18. Only worth doing if you're studying far enough in advance that you'll have enough time to do the most recent exams as well.

Note: These exams are really old - from 12/92 - 9/95. Don't be concerned if some of the games are a bit difficult. You'll rarely see these types on recent exams.

When to use (if at all): in early stages of preparation to familiarize yourself with the exam.

The Official LSAT SuperPrep
by LSAC (older edition)

Contains a few exams you can't find anywhere else: 2/96, 2/99, and 2/00. The explanations within are the biggest selling point, but most people find them to be confusing and technical.

When to use (if at all): in early stages of preparation.


June 2007 LSAT exam (PDF)
by LSAC

Free sample exam. Treat it as if it were PrepTest 52.5 when making your study schedule.


Logic Made Easy: How to Know When Language Deceives You
by Deborah Bennett (older edition)

Although not explicitly written for test-prep purposes, this book contains several logical reasoning-type questions and reviews several common fallacies. The author is clearly familiar with the LSAT, and this makes the book more relevant for our purposes. I highly recommend reading this because it is clear, full of simple examples, and concise. You can skip the parts on the history of logic.

American Scientist's review.

When to read: Before you begin LSAT prep or when you need a break from practice exams.

Informal Logic: A Pragmatic Approach
by Douglas N. Walton (older edition)

Clearly explains and demonstrate multiple examples of valid and invalid arguments. Walton is obsessed with logical fallacies and covers many of the common ones appearing on the LSAT.

When to read: Before you begin studying or when you need a break.

Elementary Logic: Revised Edition
by William V. Quine

At 144 pages, it's short and sweet. It's also the first-ever logic textbook (originally published 1941, revised 1980). It discusses many basic issues (necessary/sufficient, etc.) relevant to LSAT logic. If you have the time/inclination, feel free to look it up, but it's by no means necessary.

When to read: Before you begin studying or when you need a break.

How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method
by George Polya (Older editions)

Simple advice on problem solving and logical thinking. It's useful because it gives you a framework to identify and analyze the relationship between evidence and conclusion. Wikipedia, this summary, and the following will probably be enough for you.

The book gives you some questions to ask yourself about any Logic Game or Logical Reasoning Stimulus:

1. What information is unknown/provided? Does the evidence/premise satisfy the conclusion?
2. How is this game/stimulus similar to others you've done? Questions do tend to come back in future exams (with different topics, of course).
3. Does a restatement (the contrapositive) of the argument help?
4. What inferences can you make?
5. How can you use these inferences?

Another nice summary.

When to read it: Before you begin studying or when you need a break.

The Little Luxe Book of Sudoku: 335 Easy to Hard Puzzles and The Little Black Book of Sudoku: 400 Puzzles
by Will Shortz

Number puzzles exercise your brain and get it ready for the logic games.

When to use: Before you begin studying or when you need a break.

That's it - see you next year!

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Next week: How to study for a retake (or what to do when you've already used too many PrepTests)...

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Law School Admissions | Rankings

Some thoughts on choosing a law school based on the U.S. News rankings.

Here's a list of factors law schools consider when reviewing your application.

Here are the popular U.S. News law school rankings for 2012.

Here's some analysis of the U.S. News law school rankings system from the American Bar Association journal. Continue Reading...»

Easiest Way to Study for the LSAT Writing Sample

The writing sample portion of the LSAT is not something you need to worry about. In fact, reading this article is all you need to do to prepare for it. First, let's dispel with some myths.

Myth: The writing sample affects your score.
Fact: The writing sample has no impact on your LSAT score.

Myth: Admissions committees care about the writing sample.
Fact: Many admissions committees don't even look at it. However, this doesn't mean they won't. Some people believe admissions committees compare it to your personal statement to determine if you actually wrote your personal statement.

When is the Writing Sample given?

At the very end of the exam. Law schools know your brain is fried after taking a full LSAT exam, which is one reason the Writing Sample is considered less important than it otherwise would be.

What does the Writing Sample ask?

The prompt is written differently for every exam, but it's always similar in several important respects: every prompt presents a scenario. It asks you to choose between two different options based on a number of considerations. Each option will have some pros and cons, so you can't go wrong by picking either option. As long as you weigh the pros and cons of each, and you pick one option or the other, you've done your job.

How do you start writing it?

Put your conclusion in the first sentence. Don't make the reader dig for it. Say something like: "I believe Option A is the best course of action for an individual presented with scenario X." Scenario X might be choosing a teacher to hire for a school district or choosing one of two marketing plans for a corporation. Then make a statement about the scenario in your own words to show you have a clear understanding of the situation. End your introduction by demonstrating how Option B is worse than Option A for a person in this scenario.

But that's only a few sentences! How do I fill the page?

Begin a second paragraph by weighing the benefits of each option. Show you recognize each one's redeeming qualities. Proceed by arguing that the pros of your choice significantly outweigh the pros of the other. You can also argue that the inferior option's cons far outweigh its benefits.

How do I conclude the Writing Sample?

Rephrase your original sentence (the conclusion of your argument) and demonstrate why it's better when taking the organization's larger objectives into account.

What should I actually do to prepare for this between now and test day?

Well, now that you've read this blog post, your work is almost done. Re-read it and make sure you understand it, look at a few writing sample prompts (they're at the end of each PrepTest), and you'll be ready for whatever they throw at you!

I'd rather take a look at your example. Can you write a fake writing sample prompt for me?

Absolutely!

Steve's Entirely-Fabricated Writing Sample Prompt

Steve has been tutoring all day, so he is now very hungry. As such, he is trying to decide what to eat for dinner. Consider the following, and then write an argument in favor of one of Steve's dinner options:

-He wants to eat something delicious.

-He wants to eat something close to his apartment.

Option A: Happy Taco serves delicious chicken tacos, but it is five blocks away.

Option B: Taco Kitchen serves halfway-decent chicken tacos, and it is only one block away.

After reading the above, you'll see I can't go wrong choosing either option. It all depends upon which consideration is more important to me. Option A is delicious but not close. Option B is close but not delicious. I can easily choose one option or the other, and they're both reasonable choices.

Every Writing Sample prompt is written with this structure, although they're a bit wordier. All you have to do is simply pick one option or the other and make a decent argument for it.

That's all for this week, folks. Send me any more questions by email, and I'll post an answer for you next week!

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LSAT News and FREE Law School Personal Statement Assistance

I was recently interviewed about the possibility that some law schools will reconsider the LSAT as a factor in admissions. Any widespread changes in admissions won't take place for several years, but it's nice to think that maybe your children or grandchildren won't have to deal with this!

Some good news for you is that I've compiled some free law school personal statement tips, so be sure to use them as you're writing a draft of your personal statement when you have a chance!

Continue Reading...»

Should You Retake the LSAT? Seven Questions to Consider

Many students contact me after they've taken the LSAT once or twice already, and they ask me if they should retake it. In response, I ask them the following seven questions to determine if retaking the exam is in their best interest.

1. Do the law schools to which you are applying average multiple LSAT scores?

Because most law schools no longer average multiple LSAT scores for applicants, retaking it is more advantageous than it used to be. The highest LSAT score will be the only score that they consider in forming your "admissions index" (a combination of your LSAT score and Grade Point Average which is unique to each law school).

2. Will retaking it delay the review of your application?

Law schools practice rolling admissions. This means that admissions officers review completed applications upon receiving them. This means that the earlier you submit a completed application, the better. Think about whether or not your LSAT score after retaking it will be high enough to counteract the disadvantage of applying later in the admissions cycle.

3. Did something out of the ordinary happen on test day or the few days beforehand?

If you had to deal with an illness, family/personal issue, test center mishap, or another issue that impacted your performance the first time around, retaking it may be in your best interest.

4. How did your performance on practice exams compare to your actual LSAT score?

Think about your performance on practice exams prior to the original score and your overall level of comfort with standardized tests. If your actual LSAT score was at least a few points lower than your practice exam scores, you have the potential to achieve a score that more accurately reflects your abilities.

5. Do you have enough time to study again?

Getting your brain back into "test mode" will require a significant investment of time and effort. Can you study in the morning or evening during the week? Can you study on the weekend? Make a study schedule for yourself between now and your test date to determine if you'll have the time to adequately prepare.

6. How did you study for it the first time?

Take a look at the materials that you used to study the first time around. If you didn't use books containing real LSAT exams, then this may have caused you to get a lower score than you deserved. If you studied from real LSAT exams, but you didn't do enough of them, or you didn't spend enough time reviewing incorrect answers, then you might not have fully understood why you were getting certain questions wrong.

7. Do you believe that you're capable of a higher LSAT score?

Law school is "kind of a big deal." If you believe that you're capable of a higher score, your investment in studying again and retaking the LSAT will pay off when you gain acceptance to a better school, receive scholarship money, and, ultimately, snag a better job when you graduate.

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