WHEN SHOULD I TAKE THE LSAT?
One of the biggest concerns for aspiring lawyers is when they should take the LSAT. The LSAT (Law School Admission Test) is very important. In fact, it probably plays a bigger role than anything else in determining if a pre-law student gets admitted into law school. It's definitely a big deal for law students. Knowing when to take the test can be beneficial to students enrolling in law school and may actually play a part in how well they do on the test. Here is some valuable information regarding the Law School Admission Test.
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What is the LSAT?
The Law School Admission Test is an exam that most law schools require as part of the admission process. It often plays a big role in if the student is accepted into the college. The test can be taken seven times a year, so students do have some choice in when to take the test. The test, which takes 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, consists of four parts: logical reasoning; analytical reasoning; reading comprehension, and an unscored writing sample. There are 99-102 multiple-choice questions on the test.
Choosing the Date
Prior to choosing a date to take the test, students should be aware of their law school's application deadline. The reason for this is so they have a better idea of when to take the test. The Princeton Review recommends scheduling it early enough so the scores will be available by their first school's deadline. A good time to take the test is the previous year. For instance, a student who is applying for admission in the fall of 2020, should schedule the test between June-October of 2019. Students can get information on application deadlines on the school's website under the "Admissions" tab.
When is the Best Time?
The test should be taken no later than the summer or fall of the year in which the student applies. In other words, it should be a full year before the student plans to start school. There are a couple of good reasons for taking it so early. The main reason is so the scores are available when the student sends in the application. The LSAT scores play a large part in determining if a student is accepted into a law school, so the school needs to have access to the scores.
The second reason is that law schools have a very competitive application process and use a rolling process. They go by first-come-first-serve, so the earlier the student applies, the less chance that all the slots will be filled. By taking the LSAT early and applying early, the student has the best chance of being accepted into the school of his or her choice. Another reason for taking the test early is so in case the student needs to retake the test, there is sufficient time to do so.
Preparing for the LSAT
Because of the importance of the LSAT, students should take as much time as possible to prepare for the test. Most successful students state they allowed from two to three months just to study, prepare and take sample exams.
Becoming a lawyer is generally not something an individual decides overnight. It takes a lot of education, training, and commitment to become a lawyer, and it all begins with the admission test, which can determine if the student gets into the law school. Once students determine when the best time is to take the LSAT test, they're well on their way to reaching their goals.
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