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LSAT Frequently Asked Questions

1.	Is there a deadline to sign up for the PowerScore LSAT course?
2.	Will I lose my deposit if I withdraw from the course before it starts or if I decide to take the LSAT later?
3.	Can I transfer between PowerScore course locations?
4.	Should I buy the available Law Services PrepTests to practice on before the class starts?
5.	Should I buy another study book to use before classes start?
6.	How can I tell if the LSAT book I already bought is any good?
7.	Do I receive computer assistance as part of the PowerScore LSAT course? How long do I have access to this site?
8.	Why are there so many lecture hours in the PowerScore LSAT Course?
9.	Why does PowerScore require all of their instructors to score in the 99th percentile on an actual administered LSAT?
10.	What is the PowerScore class repeat policy?
11.	Do I have to pay a materials fee in addition to the course tuition?
12.	Will PowerScore provide me with any help during the law school application process?

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1. Is there a deadline to sign up for the PowerScore LSAT course? There is no official deadline to sign up for our courses, but classes do close due to size limitations. For classes starting in April, students who send in the $100 deposit by mid-March should be able to reserve a space without a problem. If you know you are going to sign up for a class but you have not yet sent in your deposit, you can always give us a call and we will place a courtesy hold on a space for you. The hold will ensure that a space in the class is still available for you when your deposit arrives.

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2. Will I lose my deposit if I withdraw from the course before it starts or if I decide to take the LSAT later? No. The payment for our LSAT course is fully refundable minus a small processing fee if you notify us in writing at least ten (10) business days prior to the start of your first meeting.

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3. Can I transfer between PowerScore course locations? Yes. If you need to begin classes at one location and finish at another location, you can transfer between courses. All that we require is adequate notice of your transfer so that we can have class materials for you at the new location.

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4. Should I buy the available Law Services PrepTests to practice on before the class starts? No, unlike many other commercial test preparation courses, PowerScore is an official Law Services licensee and we provide each student in our full-length course with a personal set of all available Law Services LSAT questions. If you are taking our Weekend LSAT Course, additional LSATs can be purchased here.

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5. Should I buy another study book to use before classes start? We do not recommend that you use alternate study aids to the PowerScore LSAT course. Our course provides complete and comprehensive preparation for the LSAT, and we provide you with a proven system to use in attacking the test. In our experience, the typical study book is too short to provide substantive help in preparing for the LSAT, and in many cases the effectiveness of the techniques in these study books is questionable. If you desire to begin studying PowerScore techniques before the class begins, consider purchasing our LSAT Logic Games Bible or LSAT Logical Reasoning Bible. The Bibles detail a number of the techniques we use to attack the Logic Games and Logical Reasoning sections of the LSAT.

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6. How can I tell if the LSAT book I already bought is any good? Here are some quick ways to tell if the book you are using is useless, out of date, or written by someone without a true understanding of the LSAT:

General Points

The book uses simulated LSAT questions. Real questions are available from Law Services (producers of the test) for a fee. A book uses real LSAT questions only if the following notice appears in the copyrights: "All actual LSAT questions printed within this work are used with the permission of Law School Admission Council, Inc., Box 2000, Newtown, PA 18940, the copyright owner. LSAC does not review or endorse specific test preparation materials or services, and inclusion of licensed LSAT questions within this work does not imply the review or endorsement of Law Services. LSAT is a registered trademark of Law Services." Authors who fail to use real LSAT questions are cutting corners. What does that say about their integrity and trustworthiness?
The author talks more about "general test strategies" than the questions on the test. While strategy is certainly an essential part of taking the LSAT, a thorough knowledge of the different types of questions and logical concepts that appear on the LSAT will do more to alter your score than most "strategies."
The author spends a great deal of time on the Writing Sample. The Writing Sample is unscored and is not a significant factor in law school admissions. Only a brief discussion is appropriate.

Logical Reasoning Section

The book doesn't contain a discussion of sufficient and necessary conditions, also known as conditional reasoning. Conditional reasoning appears on both the Logical Reasoning section and the Logic Games section.
The book doesn't contain an extensive discussion of cause and effect reasoning, also known as causal reasoning.
The author recommends using Venn Diagrams (overlapping circles) for solving certain problems. Venn is simply too time consuming and contains inherent assumptions that can lead you to miss problems.
The book uses a numerical system for classifying Logical Reasoning question types. Numerical classification systems force you to add two unnecessary levels of abstraction to your thinking process. For example, consider a question that asks you to “weaken” the argument. In a numerical question classification system, you must first recognize that the question asks you to weaken the argument, then you must classify that question into a numerical category (say, Type 10), and then you must translate Type 10 to mean “Weaken.” Literally, numerical classification systems force you to perform an abstract, circular translation of the meaning of the question, and the translation process is both time-consuming and valueless.
There are less than 300 pages that cover the Logical Reasoning section (not including practice tests).

Logic Games Section (Analytical Reasoning)

The book discusses Family Tree games (these haven't appeared on the LSAT in over 10 years).
The author recommends using a matrix of any sort. The matrix can be recognized because the author will recommend using checks, X's, and O's to fill in the grid. These games can be solved by more efficient methods.
There are less than 200 pages that cover the Logic Games section (not including practice tests).

Reading Comprehension Section

Recommends reading each question before reading the passage. This laughable strategy wastes entirely too much time.
Recommends skimming the passage.
Recommends reading only the first and last sentence of each paragraph.

If the book you are using contains any of the above features, you are using a book that is not on the cutting edge of LSAT knowledge. Give us a call soon!

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7. Do I receive computer assistance as part of the PowerScore LSAT course? Yes. All students in the PowerScore Full-length LSAT Course have access to our Online Student Center, where practice tests can be scored and exclusive course supplements can be accessed.

How long do I have access to this site? You will have access for two full testing periods. For example, if you are taking a class in preparation for the September LSAT, you will have access until the December LSAT. After that point, you can call PowerScore at (800) 545-1750 to pay a $50 fee to receive additional access for one more testing period.

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8. Why are there so many lecture hours in the full-length PowerScore LSAT Course? When our course was originally designed, we listed the essential concepts that needed to be taught in order to provide the best possible LSAT preparation. Then we constructed a course schedule that allowed us to cover each of these concepts thoroughly. For example, most companies spend approximately 7-10 hours covering the Analytical Reasoning section of the LSAT. At PowerScore we spend over 20 hours on the Analytical Reasoning section. Think of it this way: the LSAT is one of the most important tests you will ever take in your life. How well you score on the LSAT will strongly impact your choice of law schools, and ultimately your future earning power. Do you really want to take a class where they have to rush through the topics and maybe leave out key concepts?

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9. Why does PowerScore require all of their instructors to score in the 99th percentile on an actual administered LSAT? Why should we, or you, settle for less? The LSAT is one of the most intellectually demanding standardized tests ever developed. Our instructors, all of whom have scored in the 99th percentile, have proven that they fully understand the test themselves, and thus are able to focus more on teaching and answering questions since they don�t have to struggle to understand the concepts that appear on the LSAT. Instructor candidates with lower scores usually received those scores because they couldn't fully grasp and apply all of the techniques that effectively attack the LSAT. If they couldn't properly use and apply the ideas themselves, it's generally going to be more difficult for them to pass along those same ideas to their students. Also, many of our students want to score in the 160s and 170s on the LSAT. If their instructor has only been able to manage a 160 or 165 on the test, how much confidence do you think that instructor would inspire in his or her students? When a student comes to one of our instructors and says, "I want to score in the 170s," our instructors can say, "All right, here's what it takes, and here's how I did it."

Our competitors with lower instructor standards often claim that teachers with high scores don't necessarily make the best instructors. We couldn't agree more, and that's why we don't hire many of the qualified applicants we interview. When selecting instructors, we look for people who can patiently and effectively explain the ideas of our course, people who can interact well with others in a classroom setting, and those who truly enjoy teaching. Finding instructors like this isn't easy, and that's why we offer one of the highest starting salaries in the industry. In addition, we put our instructors through a rigorous training program before they ever set foot in a real class. At PowerScore we demand the best and we expect our students to do the same.

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10. What is the PowerScore LSAT Course repeat policy? If classes are available, you can repeat our full course with new materials a total of 2 times within the 2 years following your course date for an administrative fee of $475 per repeat, which is used to cover the Law Services Question Licensing Fee and the cost of material reproduction. Please note that our repeat policy differs from others in that we allow you to repeat our full course, not a shorter refresher course. Also, unlike other courses, we do not require that you attend every class in order to be eligible to repeat the course at the reduced rate. For the Weekend LSAT Course re-enrollment is free if you re-use your original material or $200 if you require new material. This policy is valid for 1 repeat in a period of one (1) year from the date of your original enrollment.

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11. Do I have to pay a materials fee in addition to the course tuition? No. Unlike some other courses, there is no additional materials fee or upfront deposit for any of our courses. The course tuition that you pay includes all materials, and of course the materials are yours to keep once the course has ended.

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12. Will PowerScore provide me with any help during the law school application process? As LSAT experts we naturally provide help for our students in all areas of the applications process. We continually counsel students on such issues as writing your personal statement, getting recommendations, and deciding which law schools to apply to and attend. We extend these services to all of our students both past and present, and in fact most students take advantage of our help after their LSAT course ends. For students desiring intensive help, we offer a comprehensive admissions counseling program and several personal statement programs.

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LSAT Frequently Asked Questions

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