Skip to Content

4 Myths About the LSAT

The legal system deals with facts, so it may surprise you how many myths and half-truths surround the LSAT.  Don't be taken in.

MYTH #1: If you have a solid undergraduate background, your LSAT score isn't as important for getting into law school.

FACT: The LSAT is the most important element of your law school application, even if you have a great academic background and GPA. In fact, some law schools weigh the LSAT so heavily that it counts upwards of 70% of the admissions decision.  Make sure you put your best foot forward on test day.

MYTH #2: The LSAT tests your basic skills and innate abilities, therefore your score cannot be significantly improved through studying.

FACT: Nothing could be further from the truth. You can benefit tremendously from exposure to actual LSATs, and from expert insight into LSAT writers' habits and commonly used tricks.

MYTH #3: You should leave questions blank on the LSAT because random guessing will hurt your score.

FACT: Nope. There's no penalty for wrong answers. Don't ever leave a question blank. Ever. If you have 40 seconds left on a section and six questions to go, answer "B" (or pick your favorite letter between A and E) for all the remaining questions. You've got a one in five chance of getting each of them right and getting an answer wrong does not hurt your score.

MYTH #4: You have to take the October LSAT in order to get into law school the following year.

FACT: The October LSAT test date is the most popular, but you don't have to take the test in October to get your scores back in time for admission the following year. You'll still have time to take the LSAT during the December administration and get your scores submitted. While taking the LSAT in December will influence your ability to get your applications in early (and might put you at some disadvantage for those schools with rolling admissions policies), you will still have a real shot...especially if you do well on your LSAT.

comments powered by Disqus

Related Articles

GRE Overview

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a 3.9 hour, multiple-choice, multi-stage test required by most graduate schools.