Emotional Preparation
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Emotional Preparation |
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I have taught LSAT preparation courses since 1979. During that time period I have learned that Mastering The LSAT is about seventy percent "emotional mastery" and about thirty percent the mastery of specific principles of approach.
The Only Thing You Have To Fear Is Fear Itself
The LSAT is a very important test. There is no test in your academic career that is as big a factor in determining whether you will be admitted to law school. So, there is reason for concern but there is no reason to experience incapacitating fear. People frequently fear what they do not know and do not understand.
I once heard it said that fear is: False Evidence Appearing Real.
The key to conquering fear is understanding. Once you understand a bit of LSAT reality you will understand why the LSAT feels difficult for everyone, and why this feeling of difficulty should not be a particular concern for you. So, let's begin by exploring where the test comes from, its role in the admissions process, what the test measures, how it is constructed, and how it is scored.
The responsibility for the development and administration of the LSAT is that of Law Services. Law Services is based in Newtown, Pennsylvania. In the same way that Ford builds and markets cars, Law Services designs and markets the LSAT. In the same way Ford can stay in business only as long as it sells cars, Law Services can stay in business only as long as it sells the LSAT. To sell the LSAT, Law Services requires customers. By using the LSAT as part of their admissions criteria, the law schools have become the customers for the LSAT. Law school applicants pay for the law schools' decision to purchase the LSAT.
There are two reasons.
First, the cost to apply to law school is very low relative to the time that it takes an admissions committee to review the file and the secretarial costs required to process the file from beginning to end. By using the LSAT the law schools have an excuse for spending less time on the rest of the applicant's file.
Second, the LSAT is the great equalizer. The debate can go on forever about which undergraduate school has the hardest grading standards and the most difficult courses. The debate can go on forever about which kind of undergraduate program is most challenging. But, the LSAT is an objective test. When interpreting an LSAT score an admissions committee need only understand that a higher number is greater than a lower number. The LSAT makes the evaluation of part of an applicant's file quite easy.
Law Services and the law schools claim that one's LSAT score is indicative of one's ability to do law school work. Although it is likely that LSAT scores that are extremely high or extremely low are indicative of something, most LSAT scores are in the middle range, and are probably indicative of nothing.
The LSAT is not a measure of what kind of law student you will be. It is a measure of only your ability to do the LSAT! And to that I should add (since test takers' multiple scores fluctuate) that the LSAT is a measure of your ability to do the LSAT - on that particular day.
Therefore, you should proceed on the assumption that there is no merit in a high LSAT score (other than increasing your chances of getting into law school) and there is no shame in a low LSAT score. Aside from law admissions there is no market for people who score high on the LSAT.
Your score from 1 20 - 180 is a reflection of how you performed relative to all people taking the LSAT. The score corresponds to a percentile ranking. For example, a score of approximately 151 means that you scored in the 50~ percentile. A score of 1 65 means that you scored in approximately the 95~ percentile.
There is both good news and bad news about receiving a percentile ranking. First the good news. There is a guarantee that each of you will score better than a lot of people taking the LSAT!
Now the bad news. There is a guarantee that each of you will score worse than a lot of people taking the LSAT! There is only one way to score worse than a lot of people. That is to get a reasonable number of wrong answers. Everybody gets a reasonable number of wrong answers. In fact, you should assume (on the current format of the LSAT) that it is possible to get 20 wrong answers and still come through with a very good score!
For all people, the "feel" of the LSAT is one of varying degrees of incompetence. Therefore, you should not become discouraged if you are having difficulty and are behind schedule. This is normal!! Ills how everybody experiences the LSAT.
The LSAT has three principal characteristics.
1. The questions (given enough time, which you don't have) are answerable by anybody.
2. The test must be completely predictable.
3. Law Services will go out of its way to disguise the right answer.
Questions Must Be Answerable By Anybody (Given Enough Time)
The customers for the LSAT are the law schools. In the final analysis law schools must be accountable for the admissions criteria that they use. If they use a test that contains questions that are answerable by only a small number of people, the LSAT as a criterion for law admissions is sure to come under attack. Therefore, nearly every question on the LSAT must be answerable by almost anybody. The LSAT is made difficult by giving test takers a limited amount of time to do the test.
The Test Must Be Completely Predictable
The LSAT is administered four times a year. An admissions committee will base its admissions decisions on LSAT scores from LSATs written in June, October, December and February. No matter which of these four tests you take your score will be reported on a scale of 120 - 180. It is essential that a given score (for example 1 60) mean the same thing irrespective of the test date. This requirement can be satisfied if and only if each LSAT is designed to test the same things in the same ways. Hence, the passages, questions, and answer choices must be designed the same way for each test! LSAT questions are written to satisfy specific format and design requirements.
Since the LSAT is very predictable it is also highly susceptible to preparation!
Law Services Must Disguise The Correct Answer
It is a hard job to design the LSAT. On the one hand every test must have exactly the same characteristics. On the other hand, every test must have different questions. Law Services must do its best to disguise the correct answer. After all, the integrity of the test requires that a large number of people get wrong answers. Law Services will disguise the answer in two ways.
First, by making other answer choices seem attractive.
Second, by making the right answer seem unattractive.
To put it simply, the test designer must design the test in order to:
Attract you to the answer if ills wrong; and
Repel you from the answer if it is right!
All LSAT wrong answers can be understood in terms of these principles!
Test Taker Reality - How To Think About "You"
The Necessity Of A Winning Attitude
Perhaps you have heard the saying:
"Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude!"
You need a positive attitude toward the LSAT. A positive attitude is a function of two things.
1. Confidence that you understand and can do most of the questions; and
2. A realistic emotional attitude and goal.
You Will Get Answers Wrong!
Everybody gets answers wrong on the LSAT. You will be one of them. In fact, for many LSATs, it is possible to get as many as twenty-five wrong answers and still score in the 80th percentile.
Be A Realist! Not A Perfectionist!
There can be few test takers who see the LSAT as a test that exists to help them get into law school. For most test takers, the LSAT is seen as a possible impediment to their law degree and to their plans to become a lawyer. With good reason, most people are concerned about their LSAT scores. People typically react to this concern in one of two ways depending on whether they are high achieving perfectionists or whether they are high achieving realists. The realist keeps things in perspective.
Profile Of A Perfectionist
The perfectionist will take the position that he or she must get close to
a perfect LSAT score. The effect of this will be a heightened anxiety level
which will get in the way of an optimal performance. Since everyone gets
a number of questions wrong, and the person is a perfectionist, the person
will never feel ready to take the LSAT! This lack of confidence will almost
always result in a less than optimal score.
Profile Of A Realist
The realist is more practical and realizes that he or she is a human being, and that human beings will get answers wrong on the LSAT. As long as the realist knows that he or she is a human being then he or she is satisfied that wrong answers are a part of the test. The realist is not concerned with getting all the answers right. The realist is concerned only with getting an LSAT score that is high enough so that he or she will not be rejected on the basis of that LSAT score. This is a much more sane and workable attitude toward the LSAT.
Therefore, I suggest that you should be happy to:
Get A High Enough LSAT Score So That You Won't Be Rejected On The Basis Of That Score!!!
How To Think About The Test Taker In Relation To The Test
Let's Establish A Workable Goal
A workable goal must be deeply rooted in the reality of the LSAT. It must reflect emotional considerations, multiple choice considerations, background skills considerations, and considerations specific to each section.
Your goal should be to:
Identify the best answer to as many questions as you can. The key words are:
Identify - In multiple choice four of the five choices are wrong.
Best Answer - The directions tell us to select the "best answer."
As Many Questions As You Can - Many test takers do better by working fewer questions.
It is within the abilities of each and every one of you to achieve this goal. It doesn't mean that you will all achieve the same score. But, it does mean that you will be focusing on the right kinds of things and using your time productively.
A Few Emotionally Comforting Suggestions
1. Don't Listen To People Talk About Their LSAT Scores
There is a great deal of interest in other peoples' scores (to put it mildly). The problem is that the only people who talk about their scores are those who do well. Their sole purpose in talking about their scores is to upset other students! Have you ever heard someone walking around the campus talking about his or her low LSAT score? Therefore, whenever you hear someone talking about a high LSAT score either:
i) Ignore them; or
ii) Remember that for every person who scores high there is someone else who scores low!
2. Take The LSAT At An Optimal Time
i) Take the LSAT at a time when conflicts with academic commitments are at a minimum.
ii) Take the LSAT at a time which will you allow you at least one more crack at it!
The best times to take the LSAT are in June or October.
3. Remember The Worst Thing That Can Happen
The worst thing that can happen is that you do not attain an LSAT score that is high enough and that you have to do the test again. Remember that you do not have to have the test scored. Under no circumstances should you view the LSAT as being a "one shot deal!" It will be comforting for you to remember this while you are actually taking the test.
4. Remember That Is Possible To Cancel Your Score
Yes! You can go through the whole test and decide that you do not wish to have it scored. You will never know what the score is. There is a strict time limit on exercising this option.
5. Know That It Is Common For People To Retake The LSAT
Know that many people increase their scores by doing the LSAT a second time. You should however, try to make your first score a good score because many law schools will average multiple LSAT scores. Hence, the LSAT should never be done just for practice.
6. Know That It Is Possible To Improve Your LSAT Score
I have seen many people improve their LSAT scores. As you know small differences in LSAT scores can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection. For some LSATs as few as five additional right answers will significantly increase your score! If you do not score high enough the first time, make it your goal to improve the second time!
So Much For So Little
The following chart is based on the June 1993 LSAT. There were 101 questions on the test.
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Minimum
99 |
Maximum
2 |
Number
180 |
Percentile
99.9 |
Notice the following points:
1. You can get 20 wrong answers and score in the 93rd percentile.
2. The difference between the 66th and 83rd percentile is only 9 more right answers.
3. The difference between the 50th and 66th percentile is only 7 right answers.
Conclusion
Most test takers score well below the 93rd percentile. Below the 93rd percentile an extra 7 right answers will dramatically increase your percentile ranking. Through the right kind of preparation you will be able to get at least 7 additional right answers.
