The LSAT: How Important?

Since many of my old students from college test prep days are now of the age to apply to graduate school, I have been working with many students on the LSAT (as well as the GRE/GMAT).

But my experience with the LSAT is fairly unique. Having practiced law for nearly a decade and having attended Penn Law, I am one of the few LSAT tutors who is also a lawyer. Most LSAT tutors – and I think everyone that I know in Connecticut – is an SAT tutor who added the LSAT to their service list. Nothing wrong with that but I do believe my experience provides some critical advantages with prepping for the test (since I actually took the test), applying to law school (my law school admissions counseling work almost always follows) and with giving general advice about legal careers.

One of the first questions I get: “how important is the LSAT?” Well…. remember the SAT and its importance to college? The LSAT is way more important for law school admissions than the SAT. Indeed, for those who are right out of college, the LSAT and the GPA essentially determine admission, assuming the applicant has some activities that correlate with an interest in law and a reasonable law school essay.

SUPER IMPORTANT. That’s the simple answer!