For many students, preparing for an entry-level examination is an unfamiliar concept. Having studied from textbooks, rote-learning, memorisation and subject knowledge are the tools that have got students to this point.

The Law National Admissions Test (LNAT) is designed to test a different set of skills. It assesses the ability of students to comprehend arguments, understand information and articulate their thoughts in writing. Knowing the LNAT test format of this assessment is the first step to adequately prepare for the test.

Dubai-based students that have shortlisted a university that requires this examination should not spend their time learning legal terminology, but should be practicing skills that this assessment aims to evaluate in order to succeed in their future degrees.

Let us explore this entry-level test: the LNAT

What is the LNAT and why does its format matter?                                   

The LNAT is an assessing tool that participating universities use to help decide applications for undergraduate law programmes in the countries in which they are based. The format does not test knowledge of law but skills that are useful for students to learn for university. For example, reading, writing, arguing and critical thinking.

A two hour and fifteen minutes examination, it is made up of 2 different sections. The first, section A, asks you multiple-choice questions based on passages; and in section B, you should write an essay.

Each section aims to test a separate skill to assess your strengths in reading comprehension or critical thinking. This knowledge is particularly vital to students applying to study law in university as many students assume this is a subject-specific test. Recognising the types of problems will also help students avoid one of the most common mistakes made when preparing or sitting for the test.

What to Expect from Section A

The first section of the test is made up of 24 passages. Within a total of 42 multiple-choice questions across 12 argumentative passages, students must determine whether a statement is true, false, supported or not supported using the information contained within the passage.

Passages can range from topics within education, society, politics, science, ethics, public policy, or any subject in which a researcher may study. You should not be assumed to have any prior knowledge of the specific passages, but the information presented within them should be easily understandable.

It can be hard to determine what the writer assumes to be a fact and your own opinions when it comes to argumentative passages. With an LNAT question, you should look to the information given within the page and not the expertise that the author wants you to understand.

For example, a passage discussing whether online learning improves education can be argued by any student that has been exposed to distance learning. However, when selecting an answer on the test, one should only look to the information the author used to make his or her point.

Therefore, it is always important for the reader to analyse what one sees within the statement and not what they know to be true.

One of the biggest challenges for those taking a test like the multiple-choice section of the test is time-management. As each of your questions must follow a specific passage, it is tempting to over-read and go into the details of research without noting the main point of each paragraph. As such, your timing might end up being your biggest challenge for the LNAT in Dubai

When looking at time management during this section, it is essential to read efficiently rather than quickly, knowing when to skip a question so that you can return at a later point in the exam. Additionally, for those questions you do tackle, it is important to eliminate the distractors without reading extra information in the passage. Through practice, you should be able to create a routine that you can follow on the exam.

Although the multiple-choice section provides little room for explanation, there is opportunity to improve this skill of explanation once completing this section of the test. In the multiple-choice, the 95minute break should be spent reviewing your answers. However, once arriving at section B, it is not possible to go back and change the responses on section A. Therefore, it is vital that you spend the necessary time to look back through each section to review prior answers.

Essay Tips

You should have 40 minutes to read and write the body for a single essay. There will be a choice of three questions to answer that span across a range of topics. This section tests a candidate's ability to form an argument, draw on multiple perspectives and make a conclusion supported by the body of the essay.

Although the numerical score given for this paper is zero out of 42, the essay you produce will still accompany the rest of your examination. Universities may factor this answer in their evaluation, depending on the institution. Therefore, in addition to grammar and vocabulary, it is essential to focus on producing an essay that answers exactly what has been asked.

For argumentative questions such as whether governments should regulate social media, your essay should argue a point that you stand behind. It might be interesting to address different perspectives: technological companies, the government, parents or even other users. This might lead to a balanced perspective of the issue. But what would your stance on this matter be?

Organising your thoughts prior to writing anything is the key to a clear, concise answer. A simple plan can help you create your topic sentence, evidence and conclusion so that you aren’t just reiterating the same point over and over.

How is Section B Different from Section A?

Although these 2 sections of the LNAT aim to examine two very different aspects of your intellectual capability, they do have one very large similarity. They are both testing logical reasoning with regard to arguing. The difference with Section A and B is that section A tests how well the student can process argument written by another whereas section B examines the strength with which the student can conduct their own argument.

Whilst some students may find it easier to make inferences about what someone has said, others could find it a greater challenge than forming their own point of view. Preparation should be spent working on the areas you find most difficult.

It is important to be consistent in the practice. For those that have received excellent results in English, for example, should ensure not to spend their time studying vocabulary but to focus on the two skills they find hardest or have less confidence in.

LNAT Preparation

Those preparing for the test should first look to familiarise themselves with the LNAT. Begin with the format and practice initially to gain an understanding of the areas that you find challenging. From there, it will be simpler to tailor your skills and practice accordingly

Those who find inferencing tricky could try to note the different types of problems experienced in the test. If someone always finds the statement that is supported but does not provide enough evidence, work on spotting what the writer is assuming to be a fact and whether this is justifiable.

Students who find the essays more difficult can practice producing plans and ensuring that they do not merely write without direction or repeat sentences within their writing.

Those who study politics or have read opinion editorials may benefit greatly by working on understanding what the author wrote, what they assumed to be true but didn’t say explicitly, and how they could argue either side of a topic.

When looking at LNAT training Dubai, students should ensure that they consider all avenues for support, understanding the different academic needs that they may have for a university admissions test.

At Option Education, we are a private educational consultancy which provides academic support services with various different areas of expertise, particularly around university admissions and preparation for law degree courses. However, students should look at the full range of support according to their needs and ensure they use official resources first in order to best understand the exam.

Don't Make These Common Mistakes

We hope that those preparing for the admission test can look forward to the challenge of the LNAT, understanding what is being tested and how it is assessed. We will explore how to practice each of these sections.

Many of the questions on the LNAT relate to current events but knowing about them is not a skill necessary when taking the examination

This means that students should not spend excessive time reading books about recent news or researching a subject they have no prior knowledge in. While general reading can help in many examinations, there is no need to over-complicate your studies for a test that asks you to take short, simple pieces of information and apply them in short pieces of writing.

Students should avoid making common mistakes for this examination, such as spending the first few weeks working on the questions they find the trickiest. While some of these problems, such as multiple-choice, may be harder than the essay, it is always important to spend your time wisely by noting when you make the most mistakes to ensure that time spent studying is not wasted. Similarly, the numerical value of this section is not as important as the critical thinking skills that it is testing

Those taking the exam should avoid ignoring the essay. Even though this final section contributes nothing to your final LNAT score, it is still part of your application and your university may consider it when making their choices.

It is essential to remember that each university in which you are interested may have slightly different criteria, so it is crucial to read their guidelines carefully.

We hope this insight helps you to be prepared for the LNAT on the day of your test, and if so, we would love to hear from you!