Writing Section of LSAT

[leadeann]

Although the writing section of the LSAT is not scored, I definitely want to do well on it. Many LSAT prep books and classes do not provide much insight about this section. What is the best way to approach the writing section? Is there a good "Powerscore" writing formula and/or strategy that would help me excel in this portion of the exam?

[Jon Denning]

Hey Lea,

Thanks for the questions and welcome to the Forum!

We actually spend a good deal of time (over an hour, I believe) reviewing the Writing Sample in our courses as part of a really comprehensive online, virtual module. It covers the setup of the section--the Decision Prompt-type scenario--how to best construct a response (a template essentially that you can use on test day and that applies to every Writing Sample, regardless of topic), and then looks at actual examples as sample responses get created.

I won't delve into nearly the level of detail you'd see in that discussion, but in short: there's no right answer, as both options have merit (competing merit, really, with one meeting a criteria well and largely failing the other, and vice versa for the other choice), but you want to make a firm choice and then play up its strengths and downplay its weaknesses, while doing basically the exact opposite for the choice you didn't pick. Finally, and this is important, you want to always admit to the fact that your choice isn't perfect, and that the other option has some pros...it's just that your pick's pros outweigh the other's pros, and your cons aren't as harmful as the other's cons.

So a very powerful system to ensure total mastery of the Sample, despite the fact that it's unscored (and, if I'm being honest, largely ignored by schools when you apply). My motto for it has always been something along the lines of, "It's unscored and schools typically pay it little attention, but they DO get a copy and given the significance of the LSAT in general you don't want to take any chances with even the least important piece of it."

Hope that helps give you a better idea of how we approach it!