Best preparation for the LSAT Forum

[michaelw1936]

Hey everyone,

First time poster, fairly new lurker looking to take the LSAT in two years (just a lowly sophomore right now).
From what information I have gathered from other posts, its best to start working on the LSAT right away, namely in reading dense material to prepare for reading comp., and possibly starting to work the infamous logic games.
I was wondering if anyone had any input on when I should start buying prep books? And if yes, then which ones? Or am I obsessing/worrying way too much considering it's two years away? If it matters at all, I made 35 on ACT reading comp. and currently have a 3.7.

[3|ink]

Hey everyone,

First time poster, fairly new lurker looking to take the LSAT in two years (just a lowly sophomore right now).
From what information I have gathered from other posts, its best to start working on the LSAT right away, namely in reading dense material to prepare for reading comp., and possibly starting to work the infamous logic games.
I was wondering if anyone had any input on when I should start buying prep books? And if yes, then which ones? Or am I obsessing/worrying way too much considering it's two years away? If it matters at all, I made 35 on ACT reading comp. and currently have a 3.7.

Sophmore going into Junior year?

[hv1]

Start the summer before junior year and hit it hard the spring of your junior year.

I would also recommend buying an LSAT preptest now, and familiarize yourself with the test -- the three sections, and how to tackle them. That way you can hit the ground running.

[CanadianWolf]

Have you even declared a major yet ? Give yourself some time to enjoy & experience college before prematurely marching into law school.

[HOV]

pick up Informal Logic by Walton. it's a great way to familiarize yourself with LSAT concepts and has been recommended by many TLS posters. also, you're right on about sharpening your reading comp skills. i found that reading comp is a nuisance more than anything and i regret not picking up that dense material early on.

[LSAT Blog]

2 years out is probably too early to start looking at LSAT-specific questions.

Enjoy college, maintain (and increase) that 3.7 GPA, and read dense LSAT-like material.

+1 on what HOV said - I'd recommend Walton's Informal Logic and similar books. Also, you might want to do sudoku and the Dell/Penny Press logic puzzles on the side, just to prepare you for the kind of thinking that Logic Games will require.

[DaveBear07]

This is what I like to see--- early starters. Reminds me of myself.. a year ago.

Steve is right in telling you to not neglect your GPA.

Beyond that, I did not find Walton's Informal Logic helpful but I did find my UG Logic course to be helpful. Also, take your foreign language classes very seriously. They will help in so many ways. And you're right to start reading dense material.

I used the PowerScore LR and LG Bibles, and I started in the Spring semester of my Junior year. If you're like me then you'll get antsy and that's good. I started ramping it up towards the end of semester in drilling sections. I had a solid month to prep once finals were over.

Good luck to you man.

[michaelw1936]

Have you even declared a major yet ? Give yourself some time to enjoy & experience college before prematurely marching into law school.

Finance, with a minor in philosophy (I understand minors aren't worth anything, philosophy is just something I really enjoy; not to mention the added benefit of taking logic classes).

I realize it's very early to focus on law school, i'll continue to look out for other career paths that may interest me. Right now, though, my interest in law stems from a required Business Law class I took last semester; absolutely my favorite class of undergrad. so far. It was taught by a notoriously difficult professor, and I found the material very interesting and managed to ace the class.