Are those logic games on the LSAT really necessary to make it through law school? Why or why not?

Question

How well do those logic games on the LSAT represent the content and substance of the law school education? Those questions really make me doubt whether I have the brains necessary for law school.

Answer 1

Been there, done that, and have my license...the LSAT is NOT an accurate gauge of how well, or poorly, you'll do at law school. It is just an ignorant test that has no meaning in the long run. Of course, schools do look at how well you did, but a high score doesn't mean "you'll get it" when you get to school. Law school is about:

1-Preparation-learn HOW to study and WHAT to study. Talk to someone who has been recently.

2-Dedication-make sure you want to do it, and then DON"T despair or quit. They will TRY and make you quit the first year; it gets easier as you go along.

3-get with another small group, become good friends. You can support each other along the way; share notes, etc.

When you get to law school you'll see that the LSAT has no bearing. Just like good grades have no bearing on how successful you are, or how you handle yourself in court.

Good luck...it can be done.

Answer 2

First you must realize that although this section is possibly the most difficult on the LSAT, it actually counts for the least amount in your overall score. Keeping this in mind, you must then consider that the LSAT is not an indicator of how you will perform in Law school, and is used to test only a finite number of skills, that do not directly make you a good lawyer or a good student. Logic games is a necassary evil in the admissions process, but is sure to be left behind at the door to the campus. I know that Kaplan has a great program, and can really help struggleing LSAT takers.

Answer 3

The LSAT is a different kind of test than the ones you are used to taking through college. It is an assesment of your base ability to think logically and analytically, whereas most of the tests you take as an undergrad are an assessment of your knowledge level. Will you ever use these again? No, probably not. But, law schools are interested in seeing what kind of material you can handle, so your games do matter.

Don't worry if you are having trouble with them. When I started, I could barely get one game done in an hour. As of Monday, I finished every question in the games section of the LSAT except for one. Now, I'm just crossing my fingers that my answers were right. You just need to attend a solid prep program before going into the LSAT.

If you're in the Orlando area, I know of one program I can highly recommend.

Answer 4

Having taught LSAT Prep classes for over 10 years I can say that there is on ironclad link between performance on the LSAT (or any particular section) and law school performance. That said, LSAT score does still have a higher correlation with FIRST YEAR law school performance than any other single element. That is why schools still use it as a tool for evaluating applicants. There are many people that try to dismiss the Analytical Reasoning (Games) section as a useless exercise, but I think that is hasty.
On a fundamental level logic games are testing your ability to do two things--
1--See how a series of rules interacts--that is, understand how one rule can affect another rule.
2--See how new information will affect that set of interconnected rules.
Regarding the importance of skill 1--When you think about it this way, it is easier to see why these skills would be useful in law school. "The law" is is really just a set of rules that affect one another. To demonstrate the need for seeing the connection between rules, attorneys must be able to understand how the rules of Civil Procedure, Evidence, and Torts (all first year courses at most law schools)all interact to effectively represent a client in a civil suit.
Regarding skill 2--Many of the questions on the games sections start with "If X is assigned to..." In these types of questions, they are testing your ability to see how new information will affect/be affected by the existing rules that govern the game. This is the same skill that law students/attorneys use to determine the likely outcome of cases. At its heart, a case is simply new information that will affect/be affected by the set of rules that for the existing "law."
Of course, the test is far from perfect in testing these skills, since you have basically 8 mins. and 45 secs. per game, whereas in law school you study all semester. However, the core principles are the same.
In my opinion, one of the reasons that the LSAT does have the high correlation that it does, has little to do with the subject matter of the test, and everything to do with finding out who is willing to put in large amounts of time for one big test at the end. In law school your entire grade is determined by your performance on the final. People who do well on the LSAT are generally those who have put in several months studying all the materials they can get their hands on. That sort of dedication is likely a strong contributing factor in their law school performance as well.
Sorry it is a little long winded, but hope it helps.

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Answer 5

First you should comprehend that however this area is likely the most confusing on the LSAT, it actual counts for the smallest volume on your commonplace score. protecting this in suggestions, you should then evaluate that the LSAT isn't a trademark of ways you'll carry out in regulation college, and is used to attempt purely a finite type of skills, that do not straight away make you a sturdy legal specialist or a sturdy pupil. common sense video games is a necassary evil in the admissions procedure, yet is powerful to be left in the back of on the door to the campus. i keep in mind that Kaplan has a good software, and would quite help struggleing LSAT takers.

Answer 6

Their are so many people who apply to law school the LSAT is just a way of "weeding" out people. They type of thinking is similar to some aspects of law school. But I would contend that the Reading Comprehension section is probably most similar to briefing cases in law school and it may take the type of logic used in the logic game section to get some of the most difficult / abstract theories in law school

Answer 7

Logical thinking is very useful to a lawyer, both in practice and in law school, but in practice it has almost nothing to do with the logic games on the LSAt. Esp. the ones that involve spatial relations (this one is next to that one, etc.) I did very well on the lSAT, but feel it meant nothing at all about my ability to practice or get through law school.

Answer 8

the way i see it, not being a lawyer or law student, is that when working no cases, either civil or criminal, you have to imply the use of logic to correctly come across the appropriate solution for the case. So a good sense of logic and understanding of people is needed to be a lawyer