It goes without saying; you need to know how the exam is structured if you want to know how to prepare for LNAT, the types of questions that may be asked and the timings of each section.
When I sat the LNAT, this was the first thing I did. I found that the LNAT site provided a very comprehensive guide on how the LNAT works, answering many of the questions I had. You can also find resources online that will tell you all you need to know about the exam.
The exam itself is pretty straightforward in that there is a multiple-choice section followed by an essay section. Something to also keep in mind is that universities vary in their use of the LNAT, for example:
Be mindful of this.
This tip is focused on the LNAT essay section. It is a section that requires you to express an opinionated and well-argued response to a question.
The topic of your essay could be on any subject, drawing on a philosophical concept or something particularly topical in the news. Here are some sample questions that the LNAT site offers as guidance:
Whilst it is advisable that you stay on top of current affairs, it’s not detrimental if you are not an expert in something.
If you do not know a lot about a topic, do not be afraid to make assumptions. You are encouraged to make assumptions so long as you tell the reader you are making them. As the LNAT site says, an essay built on assumptions can be just as strong as one built on facts.
Remember, you are not a legal expert yet. You cannot possibly know everything from criminal trials to international law. What you are expected to demonstrate though is opinion, persuasiveness, conciseness and flair.
Be yourself and do not let a question defeat you based on presumed prior knowledge.
With a verbal reasoning exam, there’s no content you can revise. So, it might seem daunting thinking about how to prepare for LNAT.
However, you can put yourself in the best possible position by familiarising yourself with the types of questions you might see.
The LNAT practise tests are incredibly useful as specimen papers. Equally, TLP’s free LNAT Question Bank is a great tool to use.
You’ll find that various books have practise questions in them, but be aware they may not be the best representation of what you’ll see in the exam.
With multiple-choice questions, you will have a piece of text to read and the questions will draw on your understanding of this. As the writers of this text are presenting their own argument, you will need critical thinking skills.
Critical thinking will allow you to analyse and break down an argument. You will find it incredibly useful if you can identify the main argument, reasons, counter-arguments, counter-assertions, assumptions and fallacies.
As someone that studied AS Critical Thinking, I had an early exposure to the elements of an argument that I believe gave me an advantage in the exam. If a question asked me to identify the assumption the writer was making, I could comfortably do this.
You can do two simple things to develop critical thinking skills – read newspapers and critical thinking textbooks. If these are difficult to access, you can learn all about fallacies and assumptions online.
Knowing how to prepare for LNAT involves knowing how to stay calm and motivated. This applies to both preparation and in the actual exam. As mentioned before, the LNAT is a difficult exam but you have to stay motivated and persevere.
It’s okay to be nervous but you cannot panic yourself if you get stuck. Panicking will only result in you missing vital information for a question thereby losing marks.
Think of it like this, you only need to sit the exam once (hopefully). Stay motivated by remembering why you’re sitting this exam – Is it to study at a prestigious law school? Is it to get you one step closer to that swanky London office or traditional gown and wig?
And there you have it, the top five tips for the LNAT. Hopefully you find these tips useful are feeling a little better equipped for the exam. Best of luck!
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