LNAT Practice Test: Unmasking the Mystery

Mar 05, 2024

Written By Nandini Jadeja

The LNAT (National Admissions Test for Law) is a crucial first step towards gaining a place auniversity to study law. It assesses skills such as critical thinking, comprehension and communications and plays a significant factor in admissions decisions at some UK and international universities. This article aims to unravel the mystery surrounding LNATs and LNAT practice tests, to demystify the process and help you to become a LNAT pro!

What is the LNAT?

The LNAT is the National Admissions Test for Law, a standardised admissions test designed to evaluate aptitude for studying law at undergraduate level. The universities that require the LNAT in the UK for 2024 entry are:

University of Bristol
University of Cambridge
Durham University
University of Glasgow
King's College London
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
University of Oxford
University College London (UCL)
SOAS University of London

Universities abroad that also require the LNAT are:

Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Singapore
IE School of Law, Spain

The LNAT assessment is split into two sections, the first of which is a multiple-choice section based on reading comprehension. The second section is a timed essay writing. You are given 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete the whole exam, with 95 minutes for the first section and 40 minutes for the second.

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The importance of LNAT practice

As the LNAT’s format is quite different to anything you might have done during your GCSEs and A-levels, practising for the LNAT is crucial. As well as familiarising yourself with the exam format, practising for the LNAT will help you improve your time management and critical thinking, both key skills you’ll need during the exam. Consistent practice will lead to offers from prestigious law schools and can enhance future legal career prospects.

Luckily, there are many resources to help with this!

Where to find LNAT practice tests

You should start on the official LNAT website for practice materials and tests that will closely mimic the real exam. You can find the link here.

Once you have exhausted the practice tests on the LNAT website, you might want to turn to tests offered by third parties. Some reputable sources for the LNAT include:

Law Mind
Study Mind
Oxbridge Mind
Arbitio
US LSAT practice tests (note that these are for graduate students)

Top tips for effective LNAT practice

Regular practice sessions – there is no use in doing one practice session a month before your LNAT and leaving it at that. With so many practice tests available online, it is easy to familiarise yourself with the format and practise the questions, so you have a good idea of what to expect during the test.
Review and analyse your practice test results: Don’t just practise, analyse. You can gain valuable information from what you have done wrong and use this to identify areas for improvement. For example, check if there is a particular question type you are repeatedly struggling with, or if time management seems to be the issue. Adjust your study strategies accordingly.
Connect with the wider world. The LNAT is an assessment of critical thinking, and one of the best ways you can practise this skill ahead of the LNAT is to read opinion articles and consider their strengths and weaknesses from an academic perspective. While it is impossible to be well researched on every topic that could come up on the LNAT (history, science, politics, etc), reading as widely as possible puts you in good stead for whatever crops up.

The essay component

The LNAT essay component plays a crucial role in assessing a candidate’s ability to construct well-reasoned arguments and communicate effectively in writing. Universities use the essay to gauge a candidate’s potential to excel in law studies. One way of ensuring success in the writing task is to plan your answer well before writing. The structure of your answer is just as important as the content; you need to be able to group and organise your thoughts logically. By combining a stellar structure with clear language, evidence and examples, you will be in an excellent position to do well on the LNAT.

Scoring and interpretation

The different sections of the LNAT will be marked in different ways. The multiple-choice section of the LNAT will be marked by the computer, and you will be given a score out of 42. The essay section will be sent to your university ungraded to be looked at with your admission. Note that you only need to sit the LNAT once, the scores/essay will be sent to all the universities you have applied to. A good LNAT score is between 22-27, although your LNAT score is looked at in conjunction with the rest of your application. Thus, don’t worry if you think your score isn’t good enough, instead focus your energy on strengthening the rest of your application.

To summarise, the key takeaways here are to practise consistently, review your progress, read widely and fully understand the format of the test. With these points in mind, you will be a LNAT pro in no time. Remember that the LNAT is the first step in your journey towards becoming a lawyer, so maximising your chances of success by following these steps is essential. Good luck!

LNAT