Law school is a big commitment. You need to prepare beforehand to get into a great law school. There are two big factors: GPA & LSAT score. Your recommendations, essays, and so forth are factors, but your grades and test scores are the most important. If you are still in school, then make sure to focus on getting a good grade point average. And if you are close to graduation then start working on the LSAT.
The Basics:
First thing you need to learn is logic. Get a LSAT book and go over all the rules. You need to learn about logical terms, such as material conditional, contrapositive, modus tollens, and more. These might sound like strange words now, but you should know them like the back of your hand if you want to do well.
Next Step:
Once you learn the basics, then you want to take some practice tests. Luckily, there are countless practice exams. Keep taking them and make sure to track your wrong answers. Always go over the ones that were difficult. Remember, practice make perfect.
There are 5 sections on the LSAT, which can be broken down into the 4 sections, which two will be logical reasoning and the other two split between reading comprehension and logical games. The fifth section is experimental and does not count to your final score, but you do not know which section is which. It can be anyone, so make sure to try your best on each section.
Logic games is a difficult section for many students, since they are quite different from anything taught in school. It is confusing with the complex language, limited time, and weird questions, but these problems can be tackled one by one.
A key point is familiarity. The logic games can be classified as different types, such as linear games, and by understanding the type of game you are dealing with can give you a starting point. Eventually it becomes second nature and you start going faster.
Reading comprehension, like its namesake, tests your ability to read and parse information effectively. It is similar to the reading sections on the ACT or SAT, but there are slight nuances. The texts are bit more complex and you need a greater understanding. To do well you have to be a well-versed reader. Reading the Economist and other deep or technical literature is a great to hone your skills.
Final Thoughts:
Lastly, the logical reasoning is the meat of the LSAT and the most important. To do well on this section you need to learn all the different question types and understand the techniques for each. In more general terms, you need to read precisely, understand logic, and think creatively.
If you are having trouble, then you can always take a class or hire a tutor. The LSAT is hard test, and you need all the help that you can get. Follow through and get a great score.
