Don't have a clue about the LSAT where do i start?

[Herta]

I have always wanted to go to law school, as far back as I can remember.  I got my BA in Polisci, now I am ready to start a new chapter in my life.  I am ready for law school.  Someone advise me, where do i start?  i was doing some research and some of those preparations course cost thousands, are they really worth the money?

[anon]

By and large, the LSAT prep courses are a waste of money.  That's not to say that you shouldn't try to find some sample tests to practice with.  Just practice with those and you should do fine.

[lp4law]

You should begin with the following steps:

1.  Get an LSAT prep book (I used Princeton Review's "Cracking the LSAT") and spend a few weeks completing it, taking the practice exams at the end.  This will give you a general prediction of your LSAT performance.

2.  Take your practice LSAT score and your undergrad GPA, log on to LSAC.org, and look at the schools you're interested in.  There are a number of good tools on that site that allow you to determine your odds of getting into any of the ABA law schools using an LSAT/UGPA index.

3.  If your practice LSAT score is comfortably on target with what you need for your selected schools, then you probably shouldn't spend your money on an LSAT course.  Just get ahold of one of the "10 Official LSAT Preptests" books and practice while you're waiting for your LSAT test date.

4.  If your practice tests are significantly off the mark with what you need to get into the school(s) of your choice, then an LSAT course would probably be worth the money.

Good luck.

lp

[Evan]

That's really great advice.

Don't be surprised, though, if you don't do as well as you'd like on your first few practice tests, since you've been out of school for a while. It can be a shock to the system, let me tell you!

I agree that studying and doing practice questions before taking a full test is a great way to start. The PR book is really good, and they also have an Analytical Workout book that will help with the games section. Also do a real LSAT or two to help gauge your progress (you can buy old LSATs from LSAC -get the more recent ones, they're harder). When you do your first practice test, whether it's the PR tests or the LSAC tests, do it untimed so you're not pressuring yourself. Just get comfortable with it. Then do a timed one. There are lots of practice tests out there, so it's unlikely you'd run out!

I disagree that courses in general are a waste of money. The LSAT is definitely a killer and it's a test you can master. Even people who score well can get an extra 7 points or so out of a class, and as you do your research, you'll see that 7 points, and sometimes even 5, can make a big difference - not just in your acceptance rates, but in scholarship money. The course might cost a grand up front, but can save you thousands down the road if the higher score gets you that scholarship.

One last thing - don't take the real LSAT until you are solidly prepared. Most schools average your scores, so if you don't do well and retake, a low first attempt can still hurt you. There's a bunch of info about law school admissions on review.com, 4lawschool.com and nontradlaw.com, besides here, of course!