The LSAT can understandably be mysterious, with lots of rumors and opinions, and so there are several myths about the LSAT that often need some clarifying.  It is a unique exam that is unlike any other standardized test, and many people think nothing in your previous schooling can prepare you for it.  However, before you believe the hype, let us help you dispel some of the myths about the LSAT.

Myths About The LSAT

MYTH #1: You can’t study for the LSAT.

While it’s true that you can’t study for the LSAT like you could for a physics or history test, you can prepare yourself for this difficult exam.  This is one of the most common myths about the LSAT, and we get questions about this all the time.

First, you can prepare for it by learning and studying several logical principles that underlie most LSAT questions.  Logic is obviously not something you learned in grade school or high school, so focusing on it before you take the LSAT will help you immensely.  Our LSAT prep course, for example, focuses on this type of material.  Contrary to popular belief, you can actually learn logic.  (Myths about the LSAT are often fueled by counter-intuitive thinking; we’ve often heard: “Well, you either know logic, or you don’t.  Right?  Uh . . . wrong!)

Second, you can prepare for the LSAT by taking numerous practice tests, drilling with numerous practice questions, and just practicing as much as possible using real LSAT questions.  This will help you focus your attention on areas you’re having trouble with.

MYTH #2: You can’t improve upon a bad LSAT score.

It’s always important to do your best on the LSAT, and overcoming a previous low score can understandably be difficult.  However, you can increase your score by taking the LSAT again and getting a higher score.  While law school admission boards and committees can see every LSAT score you have, they generally use the average from all your scores when making a decision on your application materials.

MYTH #3: Just taking an LSAT prep course will help you increase your score.

Among the myths about the LSAT, this is probably one of the most dangerous ones.  Taking an LSAT prep course is important, but it’s not a magic bullet to a high score. Nor are all LSAT prep courses created equally.  What you really want is a combination of an LSAT prep course that trains you to understand the questions in a deep way (i.e., understanding the logic that underlies the questions, as explained above) and a study plan and work ethic that keeps you on a consistent schedule for your LSAT preparation.

MYTH #4: My LSAT score and my GPA have equal weight.

Incorrect.  The LSAT score has a great deal more to do with whether or not a law school admits you than your GPA.  In fact, the LSAT exists in part to equalize the difference between people with “easier” majors or at less demanding schools (or both) and people who took a rigorous undergraduate course or attended a more challenging school (or both).

MYTH #5: One or two points in my LSAT score doesn’t make a huge difference.

This is only true if you aren’t looking to get into a first- or second-tier school.  Top-tier law schools are highly competitive.  In each individual case, getting a 167 instead of a 165 might make all the difference in the world between getting into the school of your choice or not.

MYTH #6: The LSAT is graded on a curve.

This is also one of the most common myths about the LSAT.  Because there is so much confusion over what an LSAT score means, many people think that the LSAT is graded on a curve.  But it’s not; rather, the LSAT is equated.  This LSAT myth is likely due to a misunderstanding about the difference between the raw score and your final score.  Your raw score is merely the number of questions that you get right.  The final score that law school admissions boards see is a function of your raw score and a variable used to produce the final result.  The scoring system has been the same since 1991.

Don’t let these myths about the LSAT misguide you . . . .

It’s important to learn basic things about the LSAT before you even begin your preparation.  It’s a unique exam that many people who have no prior experience with it know nothing about.  The information in this post will hopefully help newcomers to the LSAT scene understand and dispel these common myths about the LSAT.

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