LSAT Archives - Write Track Admissions
All Things LSAT- A Practical Guide on Preparing for the LSAT
Reading Time: 4 minutes   Are you confused about all things LSAT? Do you feel unprepared and overwhelmed? Well, you’re not alone and we want to help. The next LSAT test date is fast approaching, and here are some study tips to make sure that you are successfully preparing. Most law school applications open any time between the end of August to the beginning of October. With this in mind, it’s safe to say that it’s time to start preparing, and Write Track Admissions has some tips to help you out. 

When to take the LSAT

It is best to get the test-taking done ASAP, for peace of mind and for the optimal admissions decision. Also, the longer you hold off on taking your LSAT, the later you finish your application. Law school has rolling admissions, so if  you wait to apply to your top choices, your chances of admission will have diminished. Taking the LSAT early, allows you to retake it, so that you can improve your score with time to spare.  There are several more LSAT testing dates available in 2021. Be sure to keep track of when you need to register.   

Hacks to Help you Prepare

To prepare yourself for the harsh reality of standardized testing, here are some LSAT prep tips from Write Track’s founder, Hamada:
  • TAKE PRACTICE EXAMS: Note the common mistakes you make in each set of questions and keep practicing them until you feel confident. 
  • REAL EXAMPLES: Don’t use anything but REAL past exam questions (also known as LSAT Direct Questions), because once you see and understand the patterns in real questions, you will be able to master anything they give you.
  • TESTING CONDITIONS: Make sure to simulate real exam conditions and timing. For example, do three sections back-to-back with a minute break. Then, take a 15 mins break and do two sections back-to-back. Also, use the same pencil, timer, and chair you will use/find in the exam. If they don’t allow ear plugs then don’t use them in the practice exams.
 

The Digital LSAT

The digital LSAT is being universally administered electronically on Microsoft Surface Go tablets. They have been pre-loaded with LSAC patented software that features a timer with 5-minute warnings, and interactive options such as answer elimination, text highlighting, and question flagging (so you can revisit those tough ones later).  The digital LSAT is comprised of Logical Reasoning, Analytical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and Writing Sections. 

Here are some hacks that can help during the LSAT:

  • Figure out the question type to help you narrow down the answers.
  • The digital LSAT test allows you to flag questions. Skip ones that take you a long time to answer, and come back to them questions later. 
  • Use the text highlighting feature to flag the root of each question. The question is often hidden amongst a lot of other extraneous information. 
  • Read all the answers before selecting one to help you identify potential test, tricks, and red herrings.
  • Practice for speed, because often the exam comes down to technique, practice, and timing.
  • If all else fails, just skip hard logical reasoning questions, then come back to it at them at end.
If you follow this methodology, you will already be ahead of the game. And if for some reason you don’t score where you want to, keep a cool head and try again! Write Track’s Founder, Hamada, took the LSAT 3 times and still did not do great. However, by using storycrafting he managed to get into Berkeley Law. It is important to stay strong in the face of adversity, even when that face is the LSAT staring you down.  A strong application can help balance out test score weaknesses!

LSAT Scoring

While on the subject of test scores, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page regarding how, exactly, the LSAT is scored. Your LSAT score is comprised of a raw total of the number of questions you answered correctly. There are then converted into a score in the range of 120-180. The average LSAT score is 150… but if you have your sights set on attending a top law school, your score should be in the “well above 160” range.    If you are not meeting your LSAT score goals, contact Write Track for help with rounding out your application. We will use your story to craft a winning application, ensuring that you have the best chance at getting admitted to your dream law school, just like our founder, Hamada.     Aly Hartman | Write Track Communication Officer Write Track Admissions  
Effects of COVID-19 on Your Law School Competitiveness
Reading time: 5 minutes Undertaking a series of extracurricular activities and even work experience contributes positively to a law school applicant’s likelihood of admittance. Yet, in light of the COVID-19 quarantine, the list of viable in-person extracurriculars seems to have dwindled. However, there are still a number of activities law school hopefuls can partake in to bolster up their application and set themselves apart from the competition.  
  • First and foremost, Law School officiates are looking to their law students to take advantage of their extra time. Their recommendation? Make up for the lost opportunities and instead focus more intensely on coursework. Dedicating some of your downtime to really getting a handle on the material can work to your advantage, since the topics may also correspond to your extracurricular pursuits that have been put on hold. If you can demonstrate academic proficiency in these classroom topics, it will spur you forward when the time comes to pursue it outside of your in-home classroom.
 
  • Thinking outside of the box is your biggest asset in this situation. Participating in online forms of mock trial, debate systems, or pre-law societies are definitely a plus. Check out UCLA’s Transfer Pre-Law Society who is super active during this time, inviting speakers remotely and staying connected to their community. However, do not discredit options that are off the beaten path. Thinking about how you can demonstrate your leadership experience, application of critical thinking, and overall depth (not breadth) of community contribution can also bolster your law school application. Such examples include volunteering to help the elderly during the crisis through phone banking and organizing or creating an online support community for your peers.    
 
  • Another starting point for activities that can help with bolstering your application would be remote campaign work during this downtime. Getting involved in a political organization (especially with the run-up to the November general elections) remotely is a great step to take, as it will show law schools that you are socially conscientious and in touch with your beliefs. However, when it comes time to discuss your role, the focus should be on the experience you’ve gained, and not drift to a manifesto of your political affiliations. You never know who is going to come across your application or your political history, and when applying to law school it is imperative that you successfully toe the line of polite discussion of your political affiliation. 
  A quick note for those readers who are already in law school:  Stanford Law School, Harvard Law School, the University of Michigan Law School, the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and Cornell Law School amongst others have adopted a pass/fail system as a response to the COVID crisis. This is leaving students to question the implications of this change on future employment opportunities, which are privy to a student’s grades and class rank. It is likely that hiring decisions will be made off of whatever grades law students had pre-pandemic as well as their other extracurricular activities, i.e. clinics, journals, student organizations etc. So it is critical to always be mindful of how to bolster your profile in addition to academic record in the coming months ahead.    If you are still feeling unsure of how to utilize your time during quarantine to bolster your law school application, or are worried about your law employment opportunities, contact Write Track Admissions for help! Also check out our latest YouTube Video on COVID and Law School Admissions.   Aly Hartman,  Communications DirectorWrite Track Admissions  
Measuring Up: How does the GRE compare to the LSAT/GMAT, and which one is right for you?
Reading time: 5 minutes When it comes time to apply to Law School or an MBA program, everyone must take a standardized test. Recently, more and more schools have allowed students to opt for Graduate Record Examination (GRE) versus the LSAT (for law school) or the GMAT (for business school). This has caused some confusion among test takers as to which exam is best suited for you while still giving you a competitive edge for that particular graduate school!  
Setting the baseline: GRE 
The GRE Format: The GRE is a multiple choice, computer based standardized exam that measures the individual’s readiness for graduate school. It consists of a 60 minute Analytical Writing section (2 essays), two 30 minute verbal reasoning sections, two 35 minute quantitative reasoning sections, and a 30-35 minute experimental section that is either math or verbal. In total the GRE is about 3 hours and 45 minutes long on its own. It is more widely accepted for all graduate programs. A huge benefit of the GRE is that it allows test takers to save and return to particular questions while taking the test. If the pressure of having to answer a question immediately really gets to you, the GRE could be the better option for you if indeed the schools you are applying to accept it!   
Business School: GMAT 
The GMAT Format: The GMAT is a multiple choice standardized test reserved solely for MBA programs (and in some cases Masters in Finance etc.) available both on paper or on the computer, though it is more common taken electronically. You can register and take the GMAT whenever you want. It consists of one 30 minute Analytical Writing section (1 essay), one 30 minute Integrated reasoning section, one 62 minute Quantitative section, and a 65 minute verbal section. The total estimated time is 3 hours and 7 minutes, not including breaks.    GRE vs. GMAT: Some schools strongly prefer the GMAT (so do your due diligence and check to see what the majority of your schools prefer), while others like Stanford’s Graduate School of Business weight them equally. The GMAT’s quantitative section is said to be markedly more difficult than those on the GRE. They are far more reliant on honed math skills, so if math is your forte, the GMAT is a great way to demonstrate those quantitative skills. Further, the GRE has more geometry based questions, whereas the GMAT seems to favor logic questions. Sometimes, firms in the management consulting or investment banking industries require prospective employees to submit their GMAT scores. You may find it easier to just knock out two birds with one stone when applying to MBA programs if you also see yourself in one of those industries in the future. Also note, if you are applying to dual degrees such as an MBA/MPA, or applying to those degrees separately, then the GRE is strategically a better test, as it covers your admission into not just the MBA program but also any other graduate programs you choose, basically allowing you to diversify your options.   
Law School: LSAT
The LSAT Format: The LSAT is 175 minutes long, and the writing sample is 35 minutes long. When you factor in the time for administrative formalities and breaks, the whole process takes between 4 – 5 hours. It is now offered up to 8 times a year (double the number from previous years), and consists of two 35 minute logical reasoning sections, one 35 minute analytical reasoning section, one 35 minute reading comprehension section, one 35 minute experimental section, and one 35 minute writing sample section. The writing sample is unscored but still sent along with your LSAT scores to any law schools you apply for. Starting with the October 2019 test, the LSAT will be administered entirely digitally. LSAT vs. GRE: Law programs at some schools, such as Harvard and The University of Arizona, have decided to accept both the GRE and the LSAT to give graduate students more flexibility and broaden their applicant pool.    The LSAT is accepted at all law schools, whereas the GRE is only accepted at a select few. Though both are administered digitally, the GRE does have more commonly available paper options. Law school applicants who excel at Math and/or Vocabulary, might want to sway towards the GRE, as these sections are not included in the LSAT, thereby giving the test takers the opportunity to leverage their quantitative and verbal reasoning skills. However, the LSAT does include logic problems, where the GRE does not. If your law brain loves logic, the LSAT may be easier for you.     At the end of the day, go with whatever test you think is going to work to your advantage in terms of substance and performance results. The LSAT/GMAT isn’t for everyone, and if you fall into this category, it’s helpful to be aware that the GRE may be an option, but always keep in mind, which school accepts what exam. Emily Gold Waldman, an Associate Dean at Pace University, says that Pace’s Law program began accepting both the GRE and LSAT with the goal of giving more options for different types of test takers.    If you can’t seem to figure which test is strategically best for you, contact Write Track Admissions for a free consultation to solve this riddle! Remember this decision and your performance on the “better” standardized test can certainly have a huge influence on your chances of admissions.   Aly Hartman | Write Track Communication Officer Write Track Admissions