Today’s LSAT tip comes from our friends at Blueprint LSAT Preparation. In this article, LSAT expert Jodi Triplett shares some background information about the LSAT, its grading scheme and why it’s important to study and get a good score as the admissions season heads into high gear:
In lean economic times, people eat at the golden arches, buy cheaper liquor…and apparently flock to law school like washed up actors to VHI reality TV shows.
Last year, over 170,000 people took the LSAT—the most people in one year in the history of the test. This stunning figure was accompanied by a similar increase in applications: 565,000 law school applications landed on the desks of admissions committees in fall 2009. (In 2001, the amount was 355,000).
So what does this mean for law school hopefuls (other than the fact that apparently you’ll be choosing Popov over Grey Goose for a night cap)?
First, and most obviously, the applicant pool will probably be more competitive when you apply. (It doesn’t have to be, as all the additional applicants could sport low GPAs and LSAT scores, but that probably won’t be the case).
Second is a little wrinkle that involves the nature of the LSAT. The test is essentially curved, which means it’s not the number of questions you get right that matter, it’s the number of questions you get right relative to everyone else.
For example, if everyone who took the same administration of the LSAT and answered 100 questions out of 100 correctly, they would NOT all score a 180 (the highest score possible). They would all score a 150 (the 50th percentile). But if everyone in the room got 99 out of 100 correct and one test taker got 100 out of 100, then she would get a 180 and everyone else would get a 120 (the lowest score possible).
In other words, for a good score on the LSAT, a test taker must not only be well prepared; he must be better prepared than other people in the room.
To add to this interesting scenario, as law school applications rise, the legal job market is deflating. While it’s not as grim as other areas of the economy (hello sub prime mortgage lending), the six-figure gold that previously marked legal jobs has officially been downgraded to silver, or perhaps a nicely polished brass. There are still good positions to be had, but they’re not as plentiful and they’re increasingly difficult to land.
In light of this information, if you want to be a lawyer, it’s really, really important to get a good LSAT score. Not only to get into a great law school, but also to get the cachet a great law school can give you when it comes time to interview for jobs.
Study on your own or take a prep course, but remember you’re going to have to study harder (and smarter) than the other guys to get a good score. So the to do list for heading to law school in a recession? Fill up on Big Macs, cut that vodka with cranberry juice, and study your patootie off for the LSAT.
Article by Jodi Triplett of Blueprint LSAT Preparation. Blueprint offers live LSAT classes and its newest online prep option, Blueprint: The Movie 2.0.
For more information on Blueprint, download Clear Admit’s independent guide to the leading test preparation companies here. This FREE guide contains coupons for discounts on test prep services at nine different firms!
