Introduction

You may have heard horror stories about the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), especially about the infamous “logic games.” Yes, the LSAT is no walk in the park, but it’s not the hardest test in the universe. It doesn’t require you to brush off your math and science texts from high school, and it doesn’t expect you to remember anything from your history classes. It really just expects you to be able to read and analyze. If you can read carefully and quickly and then apply what you’ve read, you already have the skills you need to succeed on the LSAT.

LSAT For Dummies, 2nd Edition, helps you refine those skills and apply them to the particular tasks on the LSAT. If you go through this book and work through a healthy number of practice questions, you should have a good idea of what awaits you on test day.

About This Book

First, allow us to tell you what this book can do: This book introduces you to the LSAT and helps you get a handle on how to take it. It describes the three types of multiple-choice sections — analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, and reading comprehension — and provides guidance on how to handle them, with plenty of practice questions and explanations. It also covers the writing sample, which is unscored but still merits attention. The first three chapters discuss some basics of law school admissions, test-taking strategy, and other logistical entertainment.

On to what the book can’t do: This book doesn’t give you a bunch of tricks to help you “crack” the LSAT. The LSAT isn’t a nut; it’s a test, and to do well on it you have to apply your natural intelligence and experience. We give you plenty of advice on how to approach each question type to maximize your talents and train your mind to think in the most effective way.

Included in this book are three full-length practice tests, which you can use to try out the tips and techniques we provide throughout the chapters. The difficulty levels and thought patterns on the practice tests are similar to those on real LSATs. Actual LSAT test-prep instructors and LSAT-takers assisted us by massaging and tweaking the questions to make sure that they’re equivalent to the real LSAT questions. You can get real and valuable practice by using the questions in this book.

As for conventions, here are a couple you should be aware of:

·        Websites and e-mail addresses are styled in monofont to help them stand out in the text.

·        Any new LSAT-related terms that you’re likely to be unfamiliar with appear first in italics.

Because this book is a test-prep, you probably want to read most everything here. Besides, we worked really hard on this book! However, if you’re pressed for time or just have a short attention span, you can skip the sidebars and any text marked with a Technical Stuff icon without missing out on too much.

Foolish Assumptions

We make a few assumptions about you, the reader (we hope you don’t mind):

·        Call us crazy, but we’re guessing you’ve signed up to take the LSAT or you’re at least seriously considering taking the LSAT.

·        We know, of course, that you’re not a dummy. You’ve likely received or are in the process of receiving an undergraduate degree and are no stranger to thinking analytically. You simply need guidance regarding how to apply your already sharp skills to the unfamiliar question types on the LSAT.

·        Our third and final assumption is that you’ve chosen this book for one of several reasons — the fabulous For Dummies reputation for providing information in an easily accessible format, the price, or the attention-grabbing yellow and black cover — but primarily because you think you want to go to law school, and the LSAT is the only way to that destination.

Icons Used in This Book

This book, like all For Dummies books, uses icons to help you spot important tidbits of information and break up the monotony of otherwise plain and ordinary pages. Here are the icons you’ll encounter in this book:

 This icon marks useful bits of information that may come in handy when you study for or take the LSAT.

 This icon reminds you of valuable strategies to keep in mind as you work through the test content.

 This icon marks stuff to avoid, potential mistakes, and traps for the unwary.

 This icon identifies practice questions that demonstrate how to apply specific techniques.

 This icon highlights extra tidbits of info that enhance your reading but aren’t essential to preparing for the LSAT.

Beyond the Book

By now we’re hoping that you’re impressed with the wealth of content contained in this book. But to quote your favorite infomercials: Wait! There’s more!

In addition to everything you see before you, the following nuggets of LSAT gold are available online:

·        Cheat Sheet: (www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/lsat): Check out the online Cheat Sheet for helpful tips on maximizing your test-taking experience with reminders of what to take with you to the test and summaries of the approaches to each of the three counted sections and the written essay.

·        Dummies.com articles (www.dummies.com/extras/lsat): Each part in this book is supplemented by a relevant online article that provides additional tips and techniques related to the subject of that part. Read helpful tidbits that reveal an alternative approach to reading passages, define important logical reasoning terms, detail a strategy for a specific logic game question type, and outline a few grammar rules for writing the essay.

·        Online practice and study aids: In addition to the three complete practice exams contained in this book, your book purchase also comes with a free one-year subscription to additional practice questions that appear online — enough to fill two more exams.

To gain access to the online practice, all you have to do is register. Just follow these simple steps:

1.     Find your PIN access code.

o   Print book users: If you purchased a hard copy of this book, turn to the front cover of this book to find your access code.

o   E-book users: If you purchased this book as an e-book, you can get your access code by registering your e-book at www.dummies.com/go/getaccess. Go to this website, find your book and click it, and answer the security question to verify your purchase. Then you’ll receive an e-mail with your access code.

2.     Go to learn.dummies.com and click Already have an Access Code?

3.     Enter your access code and click Next.

4.     Follow the instructions to create an account and establish your personal login information.

That’s all there is to it! You can come back to the online program again and again — simply log in with the username and password you chose during your initial login. No need to use the access code a second time. If you have trouble with the access code or can’t find it, contact Wiley Product Technical Support at 877-762-2974 or http://support.wiley.com. Your registration is good for one year from the day you activate your access code. After that time frame has passed, you can renew your registration for a fee. The website gives you all the important details about how to do so.

Where to Go from Here

If you bought this book, you must have some plan — definite or tentative — to take the LSAT. But just buying the book alone won’t help you much. To get the full benefit, you have to open it up, read it, and work the problems.

There are two approaches you can take:

·        Read all the explanatory materials, work your way through all the practice problems, and then take the practice tests at the end or online and see how you did.

·        Take one of the full-length tests to see how well you do. Score your test. Then study the sections that give you the most trouble, concentrating on the questions you find difficult.

It’s up to you. You’re the one taking the test, and you’re the one who has to decide what you need to study and how much time you want to allocate to the process.

Also, don’t forget to visit this book’s website for bonus content and extra analytical reasoning practice. Go to www.dummmies.com and search for this book’s title.