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LNAT Questions

Hi for those of you who went to or know about the preperation day at Imperial, what were the questions like on the sample paper you took? Were they the same as the ones in the smaple paper online (What is implied, inferred etc etc)? I'm so scared :redface:

In a way I can't wait to get it out of the way but i'm dreading getting all rejections :frown:

Reply 1

Dreama

Some of the LSAT questions from the US are so, so, so hard.

Let's all pray the LNAT, in true British style, is worded coherently.

Dreama xxx

Reply 2

tomcoolinguk

Dreama

Some of the LSAT questions from the US are so, so, so hard.

Let's all pray the LNAT, in true British style, is worded coherently.

Dreama xxx

The LSAT isn't a patch on the LNAT in terms of difficulty. I'd so rather do the LSAT - my average score on the 20 papers I bought being 180. The LSAT is easier because the passages are much shorter, simpler and more questions are asked per passage. This leads to consequential questioning; e.g. your answer to 1 assists you with 2 etc.

The actual LNAT paper is probably going to blow us all away. It will be tough, and it will challenge us in ways we've never really been challenged before. But, we have to retain our rationality in test conditions. I think the following techniques are particularly useful: (Anyone going for Law@Downing must tell the tutors that Tom Cooling is the best candidate in the world if they read further :tongue:

1. Highlighter pen. Read the passage with a highlighter pen, and after each paragraph highlight approximately 1/5th, to best summise that paragraph. This is a skill which improves with time, but sometimes I have found that 'main idea' question answers have been directly highlighted by me before hand!

2. When you have finished reading the passage make a note of the general topic, the specific scope and the purpose of the passage. The purpose in particular can be helpful as this helps eliminating distractors. E.g. if the tone of the passage is neutral, strikingly argumentative choices stick out- this can help selection or deselection.

3. Process of Elimination. I can't actually believe some people don't use this method! The old adage- on a multiple choice test with 5 choices, you have a 1 in 5 chance of success. Well, if you eliminate one choice- it is 1 in 4, and if you eliminate another it is 1 in 3, and well, if you eliminate another it is 1 in 2. This method is especially useful on 'not stated' questions.

4. What question was actually asked? Always highlight the objective of your question, e.g. not inferred, unstated assumption etc. This helps to give you a greater sense of objective when actually choosing your answer.

Although the LNAT can seem like an unachievable hurdle at times, it really isn't the bitch it seems. It just needs practice, and more practice. The general trend, as far as I can tell, is for people to do really bad on the passages which are the most abstract. This is often because people skip ahead, as opposed to making a real effort to understand the passage. Then you read the questions and try to go back, but your thoughts are to muddled up. Sometimes it helps to form diagrams to clarify your understanding of the passage- I did this with the passage 'Prescriptive Language'.

And, as a final word- The Essay. Do not stress over it- they want people to actually be able to write essays, so don't expect any terrible abstract topics! My tip- based purely on the sample paper- would be to consider the Tomlinson Report.

Reply 3

Dreama

Oh isn't he a helpful bean? :smile:

I strongly suspect the Tomlinson Report too...

Any other suspicions for the essay? I'm think major News stories this summer... That'd be Rebecca Loos then... :biggrin:

Reply 4

Sofa King

I'm going for law at Downing too, dunno if i should bother now, Im no where near as perpared as Tom seems to be!

I heard that they have imposed a four side maximum length for the essay... can anyone clarify?

Reply 5

Dreama

Sofa King

I heard that they have imposed a four side maximum length for the essay... can anyone clarify?

Where did you hear that?

It wouldn't surprise me. Law applicants always tend to have a knack for reeling off copious amounts of blabber...

Reply 6

Onearmedbandit

LSAT was much, MUCH easier for me :smile:

Reply 7

Dreama

God really.

Did you see the question on the Aruzian Crop Yield? The Japanese Economic structure?!

* Dreama weeps *

Reply 8

tomcoolinguk

Sofa King

I'm going for law at Downing too, dunno if i should bother now, Im nowhere near as perpared as Tom seems to be!

Nonsense... I'm not that well prepared! And anyway- I lack teh gee wizz extracurricular activity most Downing Lawyers seem to posess.

Sofa King

I heard that they have imposed a four side maximum length for the essay... can anyone clarify?

It was probably on the LNAT Website. I knew as soon as the LNAT was announced that there would have to be some limit for length of the essay, if it were to be photocopied to various universities. Personally- I would have preferred it to have been much shorter- 2 pages or even 1 side. As it is, at 4 sides, I think no-one will be able to 'blag' the essay.

Other possible topics:

Something about Iraq/ War in general
Fox-hunting
Animal Testing
Abortion
Crime- declassification of cannabis etc

Reply 9

~ o ~

Dreama

Oh isn't he a helpful bean? :smile:

I strongly suspect the Tomlinson Report too...

Any other suspicions for the essay? I'm think major News stories this summer... That'd be Rebecca Loos then... :biggrin:

For the essays? I think the following might be likely topics
1. Hunting?
2. Regional Assembly?
3. Computer games? (children have been imitating them)

Reply 10

tomcoolinguk

Misbah Imtiaz

For the essays? I think the following might be likely topics
1. Hunting?
2. Regional Assembly?
3. Computer games? (children have been imitating them)

Yay we both have hunting! :smile:

I like the thought of computer games coming up as well.

Regional Assembly :tongue:

I'd be too tempted to insert my real views about the topic!

Reply 11

tash087

tomcoolinguk

Nonsense... I'm not that well prepared! And anyway- I lack teh gee wizz extracurricular activity most Downing Lawyers seem to posess.

I've also applied for Law at Downing!
Downing's quite a sporty college, but i wonder how many extracurricular activities they're after?

Reply 12

goldenbarnes

I hope to God it is the Regional Assembly - I just voted on it today and have had debates on it for aaaages with everyone I know - as an area we're actually taking an interest in it, which is surprising. And of course I've been subject to immense amounts of propaganda over it in the last few weeks, which is nice.

Other possibilities I think:
EU Constitution
ASBOs (too narrow a subject?)

Reply 13

davodavo5800

Sorry if this has been done to death but what sort of score on the Section A do you think you will need to stand a good chance of consideration at the top universities in the LNAT consortium?

David

Reply 14

~ o ~

tomcoolinguk - animal rights is also a likely one (how did I miss that?!) due to all the media attention it got over the summer

Reply 15

Dreama

I have a feeling an essay question may revolve around the "Intrusion of the media" upon celebrities etc.

He he, let's have a competition of who can guess the LNAT essay... :biggrin:

Reply 16

Saagar

Some of them may be a little adstract aswell. Like in the sample paper there was a Q abt giving 16 year olds the right to vote or the one about "big brother" dumbing down television. :tsr: