This week in the Law School Insider I had the pleasure of bringing back Ashley Heidemann of JD Advising as she shared secrets to conquering the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) with all of you. Ashley Heidemann has been working with current and prospective law students for a number of years helping them find success in the law school journey.
While we have not talked a lot about the LSAT, it is an important test as it is one that is used in the admissions process for all law schools and for some it is weighted more than in others.
When I asked Ashley about the topics that she typically talks to students about when talking about the LSAT she stated that she will ask:
- Have you taken the LSAT before and if so:
- How did you do?
Depending on the answer that is given she may start by having a student take a practice LSAT test, as the practice test helps to show what you struggle with and what you need to work on such as timing, or logic games.
Ashley Heidemann also mentioned that she will ask students how much time they have to prepare for the LSAT. She sees preparation as critical as she said that "4 years of undergraduate work is sometimes seen the same or equivalent as the results of a four hour exam at many law schools. " Thus, you can see now how important this test would be in this regard.
If you do well on the LSAT, not only can it provide you with admission to the law school that you wish to attend, but it also can equate to large amounts of scholarship money too. The other thing to consider when thinking about admissions is that some schools may have minimum scores to be considered for admissions, so you need to be aware of scores if they do exist for the schools that you are considering.
What are some ways to prepare for the LSAT
- Be Disciplined - Be disciplined about studying for the LSAT and practicing it everyday during your study period 5-6 days a week. A lot of the skills and sections of the LSAT can be improved if you practice. (Most students will start to study at least 2-3 months before the LSAT).
- Read - Read things that will improve your critical thinking such as:
- Books that are somewhat difficult to read.
- Taking critical thinking, philosophy, history or English classes.
- By reading or studying in these areas you will enhance your vocabulary and your ability to synthesize the information.
- Practice - Use past released LSAT questions to prepare for the LSAT
If you have taken the LSAT in the past and you are thinking about taking the LSAT a second time, Ashley Heidemann suggests that you:
- Assess why you did not receive the score that you wanted.
- Did you not spend adequate time preparing?
- Did the course that you took not adequately prepare you?
- Were there external factors that caused you to get the score that you received? (Death in the family, sickness, etc?)
- Identify what type of test preparation is right for you and use this early on.
- Have discipline to practice and follow through.
- Consider individual tutoring instead of a LSAT course as it can be less expensive than taking a test prep course.
- Knowing how you learn best will help you identify what way you should proceed when it comes to getting outside help on LSAT preparation.
What should you ask test preparation companies?
- How much does it cost?
- When does the course start in relation to the LSAT?
- Does the test preparation company use actual released test questions in your preparation?
- Is the course online or in person?
- How many students are in the course?
- How much one on one attention can you have with your instructor?
- All New LSAT study prep at Magoosh.com.
As we finished up Ashley concluded by sharing three thoughts:
- Don't be afraid to start early.
- Ask yourself targeted questions early on
- Realize how important the LSAT exam is!
Did you like this interview? Do you have a question for Ashley Heidemann? Leave a comment below to let me know!
Are you a practicing lawyer? A law student? Would you like to be a guest on an upcoming episode of the Law School Insider? Send me an email at lawschoolinsider@cooley.edu