Master the LSAT (with Software and Online Course) (Paperback)

~ Jeff Kolby (Author), Scott Thornburg (Author) "The LSAT is an aptitude test..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Comprehensive, Rigorous Prep for the LSAT (With Software and Free Online Course)

You no longer need to worry whether the problems you are studying are like those on the LSAT. Now, you can study actual LSAT problems! MASTER THE LSAT contains detailed solutions to numerous actual LSAT questions, carefully selected to illustrate every type of question that has appeared on the test in the past several years, including a thorough analysis of two complete LSATs.

The LSAT is an aptitude test. Like all aptitude tests, it must choose a medium in which to measure intellectual ability. The LSAT has chosen logic. Although this makes the LSAT hard, it also makes the test predictable--it is based on fundamental principles of logic. MASTER THE LSAT analyzes and codifies these basic principles: the contrapositive, the if-then, pivotal words, etc. Armed with this knowledge, you will have the ability to greatly increase your score.

Features:

Analytical Reasoning: Learn powerful diagramming techniques and step-by-step strategies to solve every type of game question that has appeared on the LSAT.

Logical Reasoning: Discover the underlying simplicity of these problems and learn the principles of logic these questions are based on.

Reading Comprehension: Develop the ability to spot places from which questions are likely to be drawn as you read a passage (pivotal words, counter-premises, etc.).

Also includes a Free online Course!

Course Features:

Ask Questions! Our instructors monitor StudyDesk to answer your questions. StudyDesk also records the step where you make a mistake or ask a question. This is just one of many powerful educational tools in StudyDesk.

Highly Interactive: You can search the course for any topic, take notes, view solutions, view reports, and each time you return to the course it presents the last topic you were studying.

Also includes test prep Software!

Software Features:

Mentor Mode: In Mentor Mode, you are immediately told whether you answered a problem correctly, and you can immediately view a detailed solution of the problem.

Test Mode: In Test Mode, you can take a test timed and scored by the program.

From the Publisher

You no longer need to worry whether the problems you are studying are like those on the LSAT. Now, you can study actual LSAT problems! MASTER THE LSAT contains detailed solutions to numerous actual LSAT questions, carefully selected to illustrate every type of question that has appeared on the test in the past several years, including a thorough analysis of two complete LSATs.

The LSAT is an aptitude test. Like all aptitude tests, it must choose a medium in which to measure intellectual ability. The LSAT has chosen logic. Although this makes the LSAT hard, it also makes the test predictable--it is based on fundamental principles of logic. MASTER THE LSAT analyzes and codifies these basic principles: the contrapositive, the if-then, pivotal words, etc. Armed with this knowledge, you will have the ability to greatly increase your score.

Features:

Analytical Reasoning: Learn powerful diagramming techniques and step-by-step strategies to solve every type of game question that has appeared on the LSAT.

Logical Reasoning: Discover the underlying simplicity of these problems and learn the principles of logic these questions are based on.

Reading Comprehension: Develop the ability to spot places from which questions are likely to be drawn as you read a passage (pivotal words, counter-premises, etc.).

Also includes a Free online Course!

Course Features:

Ask Questions! Our instructors login to StudyDesk to answer your questions. StudyDesk also records the step where you make a mistake or ask a question. This is just one of many powerful educational tools in StudyDesk.

Highly Interactive: You can search the course for any topic, take notes, view solutions, view reports, and each time you return to the course it presents the last topic you were studying.

Versatile: You can access the course from any computer at any time.

Statistics: Your performance on the exercises and tests is saved and you may review your performance and check solutions at any time. Also, you can check your ranking based on all students taking the course.

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Nova Press; Revised, includes CD edition (August 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1889057118
• ISBN-13: 978-1889057118
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (105 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #36,727 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

217 of 222 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of of its kind, August 22, 2001

By A Customer

I bought the three best-known LSAT test prep books. I was in despair over taking the LSAT after working through other two, but this one really worked. Buy "Master the LSAT" from Amazon and a pile of practice exams from LSAC; don't bother with the Kaplan and Princeton study guides. I followed the opening instructions to start my prep 12 weeks ahead of my test date, working a little each day (if you aren't self-motivated enough to do that, please forget law school). I have no doubt that this book is responsible for my good LSAT score and admittance to law school. Note: Ignore the software. The LSAT is a paper test and the book's layout prepares you for the look of the actual test. That familiarity will reduce your test-day anxiety.

156 of 165 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ace the LSAT, December 24, 2001

By	Student (Northridge) - See all my reviews

The LSAT is a difficult test. Some would argue that it's more of an intelligence test than anything. I disagree. I believe that with sufficient study one can significantly improve one's score on this test.

For one thing, the single most difficult part of the LSAT has to be the "Games" section. You know: "There are 6 businessmen seated around a table: Jacobs, King, Lewis, Meyers, Nathan, and O'Connor.
O'Connor always sits between Jacobs and Lewis
Nathan cannot sit next to King....etc.

Unless one is a member of Mensa, and enjoys these kinds of puzzles for pure recreation, one is unlikely to score well on this section of the test. BUT, having said that, the Games section of the test is probably the one area where you can most improve your ability. The authors realize this and devote more of "Master the LSAT" to this section than any other.

There is one point on which I disagree with the authors. They recommend that you create a kind of shorthand for the conditions of each game. I think that this is a foolish waste of time. After all, as you are not allowed to bring any scratch paper with you for use during the test, you will have to use the test booklet to draw any diagrams to aid in solving the problems. Therefore, since you will be writing on the same page as the question and conditions are printed, there is no need to add the additional step of rewriting the conditions in shorthand,IMHO.

As for the rest...It is presumed that we have all taken a course in critical thinking and composition, so we should have some proficiency in analyzing an argument and reading comprehension. Still, the authors do a great job of pointing out where the creators of the LSAT will attempt to trip you up through obfuscation, strange wording of conditions, etc.

My advice, like so many others here on Amazon, is this: Buy this book at least two months in advance of your test date, buy the "10 Actual" book from LSAC, and study at least two hours per day. One attorney told me: "If I had known how important that stupid test was, I would have begun studying a year in advance."

One other trick: When you first attempt the practice questions DO NOT observe a time limit. Then, little by little, try to improve your speed. Why? Well, I'm a guitar player, and I've never mastered a difficult song by first attempting to practice it at its normal speed. You begin by playing the passage so slowly that you cannot make a mistake and only then do you increase the metronome. Get the idea? Well, I've already said too much. After all, on a percentile basis, I'm competing with all of you, right?

94 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best money can buy, June 14, 2003

By	Aleksey Stepnoy (San Marcos, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I took a practice LSAT test (one of the real ones) and received a low 160. I guess it's still above average, but I felt like I was guessing on most of the questions and always running out of time. Since 160 is still a decent score I wasn't sure how well a prep book would help me. I'm used to reading prep books that give you a bunch of common sense verbose paragraphs and you end up wasting your time. (I'm currently studying for GREs and half of Kaplan's 2003 GRE book is worthless).

Having said that, this book is priceless. I'm currently studying the games section, a little each day, and the games are becoming very easy. Usually I get perfect scores on each one. The key to a game is to have a concise diagram, whether it's on paper or in your head. This book teaches you precisely how to do that. Even though I received 15/24 on my games practice section, I feel like I knew absolutely nothing, relatively speaking, compared to what there is to know about the stratagies for the game section.

The book devotes over 150 pages to explaining those strategies, with a huge number of practice problems for each type of a game. After the problems there are always good explanations (not perfect ones, a few were unclear and took some time to decipher). After going through a lot of them, I now get everything right, and the problem becomes time. The book recommends skipping one game section on the test and devote 12 minutes to each one. But to anyone wishing to get a perfect (like me) that's impractical. Which is the reason the whole diagram drawing that the book teaches you is a win/loss situation. I'd say the best way to go would be to learn all the diagrams and then learn how to connect the dots in your head for the test - there's simply no time to draw all those things.

The other sections of the book are equally generous in their information and explanation. Additionally, the language the book uses flows very fluently. I've not been bored studying this book at all, it's actually kind of fun.

The most important thing to realize is how imperative it is to buy this several months before the test. And don't forget to get the LSAC's 10 actual LSAT tests.