The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) 2021 is all set to begin on May 29. Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, the exam will be conducted online this year in remote proctored mode.
Why it is a must for all law school aspirants?
1. Entry point to prestigious Indian law schools: LSAT-India test score is accepted by many law schools in India and just one entrance test opens the doors for admission to multiple law schools. JGLS, which has been rated as the number one Indian law school by QS World University Rankings, takes admission based only on LSAT-India scores.
Also, many of the top Indian universities that have started law schools also take admission via LSAT-India scores.
2. Can be safely taken from home: LSAT-India 2021 is administered in an online, remotely proctored format. Students can appear for the exam from the comfort and safety of their homes.
3. May 29th to May 31st is a fixed date: There is a certainty that the exam will not get postponed because it can be taken from home itself.
4. Organised by the topmost global institution: LSAC has experience of more than 7 decades of conducting entrance tests for North America's most coveted law colleges. The questions are well-designed and are error-free. The questions are entered into the system only after an exhaustive testing process that checks for errors.
The questions have the ability to test critical thinking skills with high efficiency. The practice of LSAT-India questions and preparation for LSAT-India provides the students with a strong foundation for all other entrance tests, including CLAT.
5. No need to mug up: General and legal knowledge is not tested in LSAT-India. This makes the exam easier for those who already have the basic abilities in place (although the practice is required for all). This prep must concentrate on building or sharpening the comprehending, analytical, and logical skills.
6. Now awfully close to new CLAT pattern: CLAT new pattern is extremely close to LSAT-India pattern. Preparation for LSAT-India is anyways a part of CLAT prep, but LSAT-India prep also helps CLAT prep in a big way.
7. Test score is valid for 5 years: The LSAT-India score is valid for 5 years, although its acceptance depends upon the college's rule to which student is applying.
8. Scholarship: There are many scholarship schemes associated with LSAT-India. Two provided by LSAC Global itself are for the top LSAT-India scorer and one for the winner of an essay competition. Details are available at discoverlaw.in.
How to prepare for LSAT-India?
The preparation for LSAT-India needs consistent, intelligent hard work. Good practice using genuine LSAT-India materials under exam conditions and followed by a quality analysis of one's performance is the best way to get well-prepared for the exam.
Let us understand the structure of the exam.
Note — Each of the four sections has a section time limit of 35 min. Test takers cannot shift to other sections in the allotted time for that particular section.
Reading Comprehension
These questions measure your ability to read, with understanding and insight, examples of lengthy and complex materials similar to those commonly encountered in law colleges. The passages are chosen for a very diversified field and approximately five questions are based on each passage.
In order to improve critical reading skills, the candidates need to:
a) Keep reading quality texts with good concentration and understanding from diversified fields.
b) Enhance vocabulary (mainly of high-frequency words) on regular basis.
c) Practice sample RC questions in exam conditions and under time constraints.
Some common problems and the solution:
a) Weak comprehension due to weak vocabulary is a common problem. In order to improve upon quickly, one may take up GRE high-frequency word lists and prepare them.
b) Many students keep getting distracted because they cannot concentrate for a long time. Good quality and exhaustive practice help a lot. Meditation can be of great help.
c) Some students lack patience. In order to improve one can practice "torture house". Take 30 passages at a time and solve in one go, keeping the target to be at least 75 to 80 percent accurate. This is an amazing exercise to develop patience.
Analytical Reasoning
These questions test deductive reasoning skills by requiring you to deduce what could or must be the case about a certain scenario, based on some rules and conditions.
AR skills can be developed by regular practice. Try sticking to LSAT-India materials because AR on the LSAT-India is little different and sticks only a few types of questions.
In order to enhance AR skills one must:
a) Take lots of timed sections followed by analysis of questions.
b) Keep creating better ways and faster ways to solve questions.
c) Learn how to eliminate options.
d) Solve much tougher questions than which is usually asked. This will make the questions easier.
e) Solving tough puzzles helps a lot. Puzzles and teasers by G J Summers is a good book. A magical book on puzzles may also help.
Logical Reasoning
These questions evaluate your ability to understand, analyse, criticise, and complete a variety of arguments contained in short passages.
In order to do well in this section the preparation must include:
a) Take lots of timed sections followed by analysis of questions.
b) Discussion of the doubts with people who have better rational minds. This is the best way to improve.
c) While solving the question, one must try keeping the assumptions away and solving the questions with an unbiased mind. Sticking to the passage is an essential parameter.
Luckily, LSAC has recently started providing an extensive library of practice tests in an online platform called LawPrep. There is one free Mock Test and many collections of paid practice tests. I have been part of the same as a consultant, and I am sure the LSAC prep materials are extremely helpful. LawPrep is available at discoverlaw.in/lsac-lawprep.
In these remaining days do practice with genuine and quality materials as much as you can. The winners will be those
1. Who can read exhaustive, meaningful and quality text fast but with a 70 to 85 percent accuracy while answering the related questions.
2. Who can maintain a good composure and focus for a long period.
3. Who can handle and adapt to changes quickly.
4. Who has a very rational and unbiased mind with good logical sense.
5. Who can analyse complex data and conditions.
6. Who can be consistent in their effort.
By Rajneesh Singh- Founder of CLAT Essentials, The Do-Zen and UCLA.
Article first appeared here: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/tips-and-tricks/story/lsat-india-2021-here-s-why-lsat-india-is-a-must-exam-for-all-law-school-aspirants-1805193-2021-05-21
