This　section　Sample　shows　law　schools　how　well　you　can　argue　for　a　position　while　breaking　down　the　argument　of　an　opponent.　

The　Writing　Sample　on　the　LSAT

The　Writing　Sample　comes　at　the　end　of　your　test　day　experience.　It　is　ungraded,　but　is　sent　to　law　schools　along　with　your　LSAT*　score.　On　the　test,　you'll　be　given　a　scenario¹　followed　by　two　possible　courses　of　action.　You　will　have　30　minutes　to　make　a　written　case　that　one　is　superior.　

·30　minutes　
·Unscored　
·1　essay　
·Task:　choose　between　two　alternatives　and　make　a　sound　argument　for　your　choice　
·Tests　ability　to　write　a　clear,　persuasive²　argument　
·Doesn't　require　outside　knowledge　
·Photocopied　and　sent　to　schools　along　with　your　score　report　
·Read　and　used　to　evaluate　applications　more　frequently　than　is　commonly　thought　
·Helps　schools　choose　between　relatively³　equal　candidates　and　decide　on　borderline　candidates　

Eight　Basic　Principles

1.Use　Scrap⁴　Paper　to　Plan　Your　Essay

The　proctors　give　you　scrap　paper　for　a　reason.　Use　it.　Make　yourself　a　rudimentary　outline,　listing　the　points　you　want　to　make　in　each　paragraph.　Ideally,　you　should　know　what　you　want　to　say　and　how　you　want　to　say　it　before　you　write.　

2.Don't　Obsess⁵　Over　Your　Choice

Nobody　really　cares　which　choice　you　make.　What's　important　is　how　well　you　support　the　choice　you　make.　

3.Get　to　the　Point

The　first　sentence　should　immediately　offer　a　solid　endorsement⁶　of　one　choice　over　the　other.　Assume　that　the　reader　is　already　familiar　with　the　situation;　there's　no　need　to　waste　time　describing　the　scenario　and　the　alternatives.　

4.Use　a　Clear,　Simple　Format⁷

Your　essay　should　be　coherent　and　clear　in　its　reasoning.　The　more　organized　your　essay　is,　the　more　persuasive　it　will　be.　

5.Loser's　Strengths　and　Winner's　Weaknesses

Recognizing　and　dealing⁸　with　possible　objections　makes　your　argument　that　much　stronger.　

6.Don't　Repeat　Facts

Try　instead　to　offer　an　interpretation⁹　of　the　facts　in　light　of　the　stated　criteria¹⁰.　

7.Write　Well

It　sounds　obvious,　of　course;　but　you　should　try　to　make　your　prose　as　clean　and　flawless　as　you　can.　And　write　legibly.　Nothing　annoys　essay　readers　more　than　an　illegible¹¹　essay.　

8.Budget　Your　Time　Wisely

We　suggest　spending　roughly　5-7　minutes　reading　the　topic,　making　a　decision,　and　planning　out　your　essay.　Then　spend　about　twenty　minutes　writing　the　essay.　This　should　be　plenty　of　time;　remember,　we're　only　looking　at　two　or　three　paragraphs　at　the　most.　This　schedule　will　leave　about　three　to　five　minutes　at　the　end　to　proofread¹²　your　essay　for　spelling　and　grammar.

KAPLAN　QUICK　TIP

The　people　who　write　the　LSAT　have　published　fifty　Writing　Sample　topics　and　plan　to　recycle　some　or　all　of　those　on　future　tests.　The　odds¹³　are　good　that　examinees　on　future　tests　will　have　to　write　essays　based　on　these　published　topics.　

You　can　find　them　at　the　back　of　LSAC's　new　book　Triple　Prep　Plus.　Copies　are　likely　to　be　available　in　centers　for　Kaplan　students'　perusal¹⁴　as　well.　We　don't　suggest　that　you　write　all　50　essays　for　practice,　but　you　certainly　should　give　them　a　good　look　before　LSAT　day