How Should I Study For The LSAT?
The LSAC has released figures based on research about the correlation between study methods and LSAT scores.
Some of the study methods they analyzed included:
- Studying sample questions in the LSAT Info Book
- Taking the free sample LSAT in the LSAT Info Book
- Working through LSAT Prep Tests
- Using LSAT prep books or software not published by the LSAC
- Attending a commercial test prep course or coaching course
- Attending a prep course or coaching course provided by their university
- Self Study
Here are the results for 2005-2008:
| LSAT Mean 2005-2006 | LSAT Mean 2006-2007 | LSAT Mean 2007-2008 | |||||||
| Method of Study | Users | Non-Users | Diff. | Users | Non-
Users |
Diff. | Users | Non-Users | Diff. |
| Sample Question in LSAT Registration Book | 149.31 | 151.19 | -1.88 | 149.53 | 151.29 | -1.76 | 149.87 | 151.02 | -1.15 |
| Free Sample LSAT in LSAT Info Book | 151.01 | 150.82 | +.19 | 151.20 | 150.95 | +0.25 | 151.37 | 150.64 | +.73 |
| Working through Official LSAT Prep Tests | 152.79 | 150.04 | +2.75 | 152.71 | 150.31 | +2.40 | 152.17 | 150.12 | +2.05 |
| LSAT book not published by LSAC | 151.85 | 150.06 | +1.79 | 152.00 | 150.21 | +1.79 | 152.00 | 149.80 | +2.20 |
| Commercial Test Prep or Coaching Course | 152.12 | 150.06 | +2.06 | 152.26 | 150.19 | +2.07 | 152.32 | 149.87 | +2.45 |
| Attending a test prep or coaching course offered through a university | 147.85 | 151.05 | -3.20 | 147.69 | 151.23 | -3.54 | 147.87 | 150.97 | -3.10 |
| Self-Study | 151.17 | 150.55 | +0.62 | 151.35 | 150.63 | +0.72 | 151.04 | 150.53 | -1.33 |
As you can see the methods of test prep seemed to have the biggest difference on test scores were:
- Working Through the Official Prep Tests= +2.4
- Studying with an LSAT Book not published by the LSAC= +1.93
- Commercial Test Prep or Coaching Course= +2.19
Now, to be clear, this is correlation and not causation, so this is not to say that these methods of preparation caused increased test scores. But it is an interesting causation.
Source: Summary of Self-Reported Methods of Test Preparation by LSAT Test Takers for Testing Years 2005-2008. Josiah Evans, Andrea Thornton, Lynda Reese.
