Every person intending to gain acceptance into an American Bar Association approved law school must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). This is a test you must take seriously and prepare extremely hard for. This test is not a joke, and you should neither take preparation nor the test lightly.

Here are a few tips to assist you in getting ready for the LSAT:

1. Recognize and appreciate that scoring high on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is the single most important thing that you can do to increase your chances for getting into the law school of your choice.

2. Decide that you will not allow past underperformance on standardized tests be an excuse for your not doing well on the LSAT.

3. Go in with the mindset that you will take the test once, and not take it until you are extremely well prepared.

4. Learn as much as you can about the LSAT so that you become thoroughly familiar with the question types, and exactly what is being tested on the exam.

5. Before studying for the LSAT, create a plan. Do your research and find out what score you need to get into the law schools you are most interested in. If you find that most of the schools you are interested in want applicants with a score of 160 and above, aim for the 160. Then come up with a plan to help you get there.

6. Take on a “whatever it takes” mentality for achieving the score you want.

7. Write down everything that you intend to do and create a log of what you will do, what you have done, and the progress you’ve made. You have to have some way of keeping yourself on track and keeping a written log of your progress is an effective way of doing that.

8. Create an individualized plan for success. Recognize that you are different from everyone else. Some people may be able to take a six-week LSAT course and reach their target score. Some others may be able to review a few books at home. You may have to take three different LSAT courses, go through every LSAT book you can find and review every practice test, and also take a year off to review everything. Recognize that you can’t take a cookie cutter approach and be willing to create a plan for doing any and every thing necessary to get the score you want and need.

9. After you decide that you are willing to do what you can to reach your goal, act by following through and doing it.

10. Don’t allow negative stereotypes that Blacks don’t do well on standardized tests deter you. People don’t do well on tests because they don’t properly prepare. Squash the stereotypes and make the decision that you will not fulfill them.

11. Don’t allow the lack of financial resources serve as an excuse for your being unable to prepare well. You can get access to the information and materials you need to prepare hard. If you want it bad enough, you can make a way. Remember that. Many people state that they can’t afford test preparation courses. There are ways you can afford these courses. Contact the companies and find out if you can work as a marketing representative for them to earn a course. Save the money for the course. In the meantime, purchase every book that you can from the bookstore regarding the LSAT. Or, better yet, if you can’t afford books, go to your local library and check out every book they have available on LSAT preparation if you can. If none of these things work, be creative. Contact local law students and lawyers, and ask them for assistance. Ask friends and family members to help you. Contact new law students and ask them if you can purchase their old LSAT books at a discounted price. Get together with others who are applying to law school and help each other.