The LNAT, which stands for The Law National Aptitude Test for Law, is an exam that all students who wish to apply to study law need to take as a part of their application process in most UK universities. It is a 2-hour 15-minute exam, divided into two sections, A and B. Section A consists of 42 multiple-choice questions based on 12 passages of texts on any topics from law and politics to physics and technology, which must be completed in 95 minutes. This is then followed by section B, in which students must write an essay on one of three topics in 40 minutes.
The test does not require any prior knowledge of the law, but it is designed to check the critical thinking and capacity of logical reasoning of law candidates. Therefore, it is almost impossible to prepare for the test by studying books or topics, which may contribute to anxiety among students about how to effectively prepare for the exam. While there is not much one can do to avoid the stress and uncertainty regarding the exam, below I present some of my tips to effectively prepare for the exam and boost your chance of taking this demanding test.
In section A, you will be presented with a set of 12 unfamiliar text passages from different academic backgrounds. So, while there is no way to directly prepare for any questions, being a well-read, curious person will put you in an advantageous position. Engaging with different journals, articles or books not only will deepen your understanding of different issues, but it will also supply you with skills such as faster and more efficient reading. Hence, one tip that I would suggest is regularly reading textual pieces of non-fiction, for example, opinion sections of articles such as the Financial Times or Guardian and thinking critically about the points raised in the articles afterwards, this will apply to you with the skills that you are asked to demonstrate in the LNAT.
Another tip for nailing section A of the LNAT is regularly practising the types of questions that appear on the exam. You can find sample papers on the official website of the LNAT as well as an online simulation of the test, which will allow you to familiarise yourself with the format of the exam you will face on its day in an examination centre. Several online websites also offer their version of the test, a lot of which are available for free and that can also be helpful when in need of more practice material. Another option is buying an exercise book with examples of LNAT questions, and explanations of the answers. This will allow you to practice and understand your mistakes and can be extremely useful in learning the scheme of how the questions work, and where there are trying to trick you. The essential part of this form of preparation is regularity and accountability. While practising 12 passages at once daily may not be achievable in a busy study week, trying to do at least two or three passages with a timer on will allow you to prepare well for the test and reduce the anxiety on exam day.
One of the main difficulties of essay section B is the time restraint of 40 minutes. Because of the little time, it can be easy to jump straight to the essay writing, however, what I would suggest is taking the first five minutes to carefully choose the essay question and briefly outline the plan of your arguments. This will allow you to avoid some stress surrounding the time pressure and give your essay a clear structure. Furthermore, make sure you choose a question you are comfortable with. Since you will be given a choice of different topics, make sure that you have a strong opinion on the topic you choose to write about so you can swiftly produce convincing arguments showing your critical thought. While there is no prior knowledge required to answer the essay question, engaging with an issue you discussed in school or read in an article, will put you in an advantageous position and allow you to write a strong essay in the limited amount of time you have.
At present, LSE will only use the multiple-choice score in the assessment of applicants; for most applicants, the essay will not be considered. However, we reserve the right to assess the essay for applicants taking non-traditional qualifications or less well-known qualifications. Read more
