Students turning to LSAT prep courses for an edge

TORONTO/LONDON, ON, Nov. 24 /CNW/ - What's in one test score? Quite a bit, says Yoni Stratievsky who operates the HarvardReady LSAT prep program. "The Law School Admissions Test, a single half-day test, will be weighed by law schools as much if not more, as a your entire undergraduate career" says Stratievsky. "It's a pretty high stakes test, and while your undergraduate GPA (grade point average) will matter significantly, no single test even comes close to the weight given to the LSAT."

Students completing their undergraduate studies with exceptional marks may be surprised and disappointed at how little that helps should their LSAT score not fall within a certain percentile.

Stratievsky advises that students should be aiming for a 160 LSAT (81st percentile) to be competitive among Canadian law schools. In the United States top schools typically require 167 (95th percentile) and above. "The reality today is that a difference of an LSAT point or two can mean the difference between two different schools," says Stratievsky.

Those new to the LSAT test may find it interesting to learn that it does not actually test for specific knowledge, which can be both good news and bad news, says Stratievsky. "The good news is that you don't have to spend countless hours cramming for this test the few nights before. The bad news is that you can't spend countless hours cramming for this test the few nights before, even if you wanted to."

"It's a myth that the LSAT is an aptitude test - one that people are either 'naturally' good at, or not," adds Stratievsky. "This couldn't be further from the truth. The LSAT tests for a very narrow and particular set of skills which are primarily analytical and reasoning in nature - skills that, although they take time to develop, are learnable. Most, if not all, people already possess these skills to some extent, but need to further develop and hone them to perform well on the LSAT."

Many would-be law students are flocking to LSAT prep courses such as the HarvardReady program run by Stratievsky in search of an edge on the competition.

"It's worth noting the LSAT is a test of ridiculous specificity," says Stratievsky. "The amount of work the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) puts in calibrating and perfecting their materials is astounding. In fact, a single LSAT test, prior to being administered, is insured for as much as $1 000 000 USD."

In contrast to other prep courses that focus on an overview of the test alongside a set of certain tricks that can be used to take advantage of recurring patterns of the test, Stratievsky insists it is crucial that courses additionally instill within their students the actual reasoning processes the LSAT tests for. "We teach students the reasons why the answers for reading comprehension and arguments may be wrong or right, as well as the underlying reasoning so students can consistently find the recurring trends themselves. Our system identifies specific nuances that may be troubling that student so he or she can work towards smoothing out those specific problem areas. While there are certain tips or tricks, the underlying reality is that LSAC is good at what they do, which means a fundamental understanding of the reasoning processes is crucial."

The LSAT is administered by the Law School Admissions Council four times a year; September/October, December, February and June. Students may write it 3 times in any two year period.

HarvardReady runs preparation courses in North York as well as the University of Western Ontario in London. The next course, preparing for the February 2011 LSAT exam, begins December 12 in North York and December 23 in London. Students attend a free diagnostic test the day before each course begins. More information can be found at www.harvardready.com or by calling 416-457-0606 or emailing [email protected]. [phone].

For further information:

Yoni Stratievsky
HarvardReady
416-457-0606
[email protected]
www.harvardready.com