It is fairly common to hear about the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in high schools and even in the halls of a freshman dorm, but unless you are considering going into a legal profession, you probably will not come across the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

The LSAT is a standardized test that all students interesting in law school must take in order to be admitted. It is designed to measure reading comprehension skills, verbal reasoning, and logical thinking through six different sections. Scores typically range between a 120 and 180, with 150 considered an average result.

Much like SAT test preparation, many institutions and websites offer LSAT test prep courses to help students learn how the exam works. These classes can often be the key to a higher score, as they help to familiarize the test taker with the format of the LSAT, as well as commonly asked questions.

Here are few more advantages of taking LSAT test prep courses.

1. Practice. The old adage, “practice makes perfect,” is fairly applicable here. LSAT test prep classes are designed to give students the chance to continuously practice the exam. They often begin with a diagnostic test to determine how the student scores without any LSAT prep. After the scores are calculated by instructors, they focus on areas of strengths and weaknesses for students in the class. At different points during a prep course, instructors will also administered practice tests to monitor every student’s progress.
2. Confidence. Testing can cause a great deal of anxiety for students, making it hard to concentrate. This can affect their level of performance on exam day, which could result in lower scores that do not truly reflect a student’s ability. Practice tests can be a critical part of boosting a student’s confidence in his or her own test-taking ability. Test prep review, coupled with several practice tests, can be enough to make a student feel ready to take the LSAT.
3. Higher Scores. There are some courses that give students a “higher-score-or-your-money-back” guarantee. The reason for this is that the instructors for these courses are well-versed in how LSAT questions are formulated, and common phrases students should look out for. They will also highlight techniques that can help narrow down multiple choice answer possibilities, increasing a test taker’s chances of determining the right answer.

The LSAT exam is usually a major concern for students entering law school, as these scores are often the determining factor of admittance into a quality program. With the help of LSAT test prep courses, students can maximize their chances of achieving a high score and getting into the school of their choice.