So you want to be a lawyer.
 
Deciding to apply to law school is a big step in your career. You may have dreamed about the courtroom from a young age. Alternatively,  you may have recently discovered the legal dimension of a field of interest. Law school applicants may be inspired by different reasons, but they all must overcome a common obstacle: the Law School Admissions Test. 

A strong LSAT score can pay a significant return. Higher scores can lead to lucrative scholarships. Higher scores can also lead to a J.D. from a school with a strong reputation in the legal job market. However, law school itself can be very expensive. The reality is many aspiring lawyers are juggling bills and student loans, in addition to saving for law school. So how can you keep costs down whilst still optimizing your law school application? 


Tip #1: Choose the Right Approach for You 

Many students have come to me after spending significantly on courses and books that just didn’t work for them. The costs add up when you try the same thing over and over without seeing results. 

The big LSAT preparation providers take an approach based on memorization. They will split the LSAT into a long list of questions, each with a different (copyrighted) acronym to remember. For a select group, this approach does work. Strong memorizers tend to know this about themselves, and often have particular aptitude for learning languages. If this doesn’t sound like you, then don’t waste your money on approach that won’t pay dividends.
 
My approach is to focus on foundational reasoning skills. I teach my students to reason the same way a personal trainer teaches you how to weight-lift. We start slow and focus on good form, and eventually ramp up the pace and the difficulty. This approach works best for individuals who enjoy learning through discussion, anyone determined to improve their reading and/or communication skills, and folks who find textbooks to be tedious. 

No only do you need to pick the right approach, but you also need to pick the right tutor. Your tutor should be someone you enjoy spending time with. Before investing large sums into a tutoring package, make sure to speak directly with the tutor you will be working with. 


Tip #2: Make a Plan Around your Goals and Lifestyle 

Many LSAT experts forget that the LSAT is not the be-all end-all. It has a role to play within the context of your life circumstances. This “context” includes your career goals, finances, work schedule and family obligations. 

Before getting too far into your LSAT journey, it is important to make a concrete plan. What schools are you applying to? What LSAT score do you need to get? Which test dates are acceptable? When will you have time to study? 

Invest your preparation budget into hitting the score you need, by learning the material that will be most helpful, at a time when you have the energy to be focused. A good LSAT tutor should be able to help you make a realistic plan that will maximize your goals whilst minimizing the impact on your budget.


Tip #3: Focus on Improving your Score in Logic Games 

The vast majority of test-takers on a tight  budget should focus their investment on improving in the logic games section. The logic games section is the one in which it is easiest to improve. 

Compared to reading comprehension and logical reasoning, the logic games section is the most detached from our every day lives. There is the most to learn, which means there is also the biggest payoff in terms of improvement. 

Investing your LSAT preparation budget into games will yield the most immediate result. If you know you are particularly tight on time or finances, explore working with a tutor on the games section. 


I can help you get started with an LSAT study plan made just for you. 

Contact me for your free 30 minutes coaching session.  I have seen the inside of several LSAT preparation operations and can provide you candid advice on how to target your LSAT investment. As a licensed lawyer, I can also offer guidance on your overall application and career goals. 

If you are interesting in working with Supreme LSAT, we offer online LSAT tutoring on a pay-as-you-go-basis at a rate of 97/hr.