J. Reuben Clark Law School at BYU in Provo is offering a free LSAT prep course called “Introduction to Legal Research and Writing” this spring semester at BYU–Hawaii.
The LSAT, or law school admissions test, is the pre-requisite exam needed to apply to any law school. The test is offered four times per year, and consists of a score range of 120 to 180, with 180 being the highest possible score.
Jennifer Kajiyama, director of the legal studies program at BYUH, said, “The LSAT is one of the biggest indicators of whether or not you’ll get into law school.” Most students don’t do well, she explained, and in response, President Rasband, Dean of BYU Law School, has come out with a LSAT prep course for students. The course is funded by BYU Law School, and is valued as a $2,500 course.
Kajiyama said this will be the third year the course will be held, and the course’s main objective is to prepare any students wanting to take the upcoming June LSAT.
Rick Leuluai, a senior from Utah studying finance and political science, currently resides as the president of BYUH Pre-Law Society and has taken the prep course and the LSAT.
“A lot of people come and ask me about the LSAT and what kind of questions it has. They always think it has to do with some kind of law. But it has nothing to do with law; it has a lot to do with logic, reasoning, and reading comprehension,” he said.
Leuluai claims the class taught him how to think outside the box and to bring common sense within the test. He also noted the class helped him to raise his LSAT score by 15 points, bringing it to a score which is more than enough to be considered by BYU Law School, as well as several others he has applied to.
Leuluai’s co-president, Scott Romney, a senior from Utah studying political science, recently took the LSAT offered the first week of February. Romney took the course two years ago and was also the teacher’s assistant for it.“The thing about the LSAT is, it has its own formulas and they happen on it every single time. So when you go into it cold without really knowing those formulas or concepts, it will catch you off guard,” he said.
Romney said the class helped him to raise his score by 30 points. He has his heart set on J. Reuben Clark Law School at BYU in Provo, which is ranked number #48 in the nation with an average LSAT admittance of 161, according to law-schools.startclass.com. Stanford, Yale, and Harvard occupied the top three with an admittance of 171 to 173.
Marie Kulbeth, the admissions director from BYU Law School, visited BYUH on Feb. 8 and 9 for the annual BYU Law Week. The law week consisted of a mock law class, BYU Law School interviews, a mock admissions session, and fireside with former Utah Governor Michael O. Leavitt.