The LSAT: tips and tricks from current MLS JD students
The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) can seem daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. When we asked some current JD students to share their wisdom and advice, the top tip was preparation.
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First year Melbourne JD student Zoe Brown says the LSAT is something most people have to study and prepare for before getting the result they want.
“Practice is the key to success!” she says.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself if your first few practices don’t go well – find a strategy that works for you.”
An independent and international written test, the LSAT is designed to measure aptitude for graduate legal study.
If you have decided to apply for the Melbourne JD, you will need to sit the LSAT.
MLS uses your LSAT score alongside your academic performance in previous tertiary study when considering your application to the Melbourne JD.
The test focuses on reading and reasoning skills and is administered four times a year. There are plenty of resources available to help you prepare.
The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) has sample questions and tests on its website and preparation books are available from bookshops, online and at the Melbourne Law School Library.
To help you get started, hear from some of our current JD students about their experiences of the LSAT – and what they wish they’d known before they sat it!
Zoe Brown, 1st year JD
"Surprisingly, the LSAT was not as stressful as I thought it would be. I took the LSAT in my second year of undergraduate in order to ensure I had time to resit if I wasn't happy with my score. I was also lucky enough to get advice and materials from older friends who had sat the LSAT in past years.
"Practice is the key to success! In particular, I found that practicing each section under timed conditions was particularly effective. Also, find a strategy that works for you - if you struggle with a particular section, don’t be afraid to read through a few different textbooks to find a method that you best understand.
"Don’t be too hard on yourself or disheartened if your first few practices don’t go well - the LSAT is something that most people have to practice and understand before they get the score they want. “
Didi Hu, 1st year JD
“By the time I decided to apply for the JD, I had less than three months to prepare for the test, so my result was ok for a first try. If I were to take the test again, I would take it in my second year in undergraduate, so as to have time for a more thorough and full preparation.
“Besides organised and smooth preparation, I personally think that good rest is also important if you want to do well in the LSAT.”
Mona Zhang, 1st year JD
“Practice, practice, practice. The skills required to master the LSAT are not necessarily innate and unattainable. The first time I did a practice LSAT paper, I was very disheartened - not only did I not finish any section in the allocated time, but the amount of questions I was actually able to answer correctly was woeful.
“However, after doing just a handful of practice tests and reading the corresponding explanations, I could already see that I was picking up on strategies and patterns common to many questions.
“The volume of LSAT practice materials and advice freely available is enormous. By the time I sat down to do the test confidence is probably not the right word, but I felt content in my own preparation.
“I think this is what you should aim for - to be content that you have done as much preparation as possible.”