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I know that it's not part of the score, but I have also been told that schools can look at it. How much, if any, attention should you give to the essay?

Theopliske8711 wrote:I know that it's not part of the score, but I have also been told that schools can look at it. How much, if any, attention should you give to the essay?

Don't worry about it. Just write a decent answer. Adcomms know you're writing at the end of a very stressful test, so they're going to look at your personal statement as an example of your writing ability.

Ithink most would agree that the essay doesnt really matter (so long as you can put together a basic point, and make a basic argue one way or another). Your score is what counts, and schools know how exhausting the LSAT is and how most poples brains are exhausted at the end. IMO, the writing section isnt important and unless you make no attempt whatsoever at it, law schools wont give it much attention. But I will admit, I dont really know much other than what i have heard.

As far as I understand, it won't matter as long as you've put together a reasonable argument. If you make no attempt, or draw on the paper, etc, that can look very poorly and I've read from interviews with deans on TLS that people have been rejected before in part due to some pitiful performance on writing portions. However, if you "pass" that test (and the bar is of course low), then it won't really have any effect.

I've also heard that it can be a small positive, but only in conjunction with other factors, and only if it's a very strong, expertly crafted piece of writing.

So, ultimately it's a non-factor as long as you aren't at either end of the spectrum.

It is absolutely a non-factor as long as you actually wrote something. Law schools don't view it as a good measure of your writing ability for the fact it comes at the end of a long and very stressful test and they have your Personal Statement to judge from. It is just there for... shit, I don't know why.

Noodley. I don't know why it's there either but you know what? I'm going to ASK our Dean of Admissions what they use it for, next time I see him!
Personal anecdote: I was so punchy by the time I finished the LSAT that I took one look at our prompt and all I could see were opportunities for bad puns. Which I used. Copiously. I believe I may have been giggling, while I wrote that (piece of crap) essay. Moral? Just write something, I think you're good.

So, I know everybody says not to worry about it, but what does that mean? Do you recommend practicing the writing prompt as part of performing the 5-section preptests? Or, do you just show up having done no essay practice and wing it on test day?

pretty sure my handwriting is so terrible they couldn't read it if they wanted to.

Cerebro wrote:So, I know everybody says not to worry about it, but what does that mean? Do you recommend practicing the writing prompt as part of performing the 5-section preptests? Or, do you just show up having done no essay practice and wing it on test day?

The most I would do is look at a writing prompt sample so you know what to expect. No need to actually write the essay.

Cerebro wrote:So, I know everybody says not to worry about it, but what does that mean? Do you recommend practicing the writing prompt as part of performing the 5-section preptests? Or, do you just show up having done no essay practice and wing it on test day?

I didnt prepare for it at all, and Ithink I did ok on it. I only wish I felt more comfortable about my performance on the graded sectionsw!

Well I figured it doesn't matter for shit and included some stuff about how they should pick the asian professor because asians are hotter