The Law National Admission Test (LNAT) is a test used by law departments in a range of UK universities to determine if a candidate is able to succeed in a rigorous law course. Universities that require candidates to take the LNAT include top institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, and King’s College London.
The LNAT can be taken starting from September of that year’s application cycle. Oxford applicants should take the test by mid October, and applicants to other UK universities should take the test by mid/late January.
The test takes 135 minutes and comprises two major parts: Section A, which consists of 42 multiple-choice questions, based on 12 argumentative passages; and Section B, which requires the student to write an essay on one of the three given topics. You are not required to have any prior knowledge of Law, but you need to be able to read and write analytically and critically at a fast pace. Another challenge is to articulate solid ideas on paper, which requires the student to engage in substantial guided readings.
How to score high in LNAT
We offer private individual lessons and crash courses for LNAT candidates in the summer. While the crash course covers a comprehensive range of material, our students usually complement the course with private individual lessons for one-on-one guidance on more challenging reading contents, in order to consolidate the skills needed to excel in the LNAT’s essay section. Both private lessons and crash courses are taught by Oxbridge law graduates who are experienced in coaching the LNAT.
For more information about our LNAT lessons, leave us a message here or contact us at (852)2302-6500 or cana@canaelite.com. In the meantime, consult our free UCAS Application Guide for helpful tips on applying to UK universities.
Commonly Asked Questions
You may have already attempted some LNAT questions. They are not meant to be easy. And it is common to get questions wrong. Some of you might be thinking, am I really going to get an LNAT score that is high enough?
When we first started our law admissions preparation service, we decided to take a scientific approach which was informed by real data. So we trawled through admissions statistics and sent enquiries to the UK universities on the average LNAT score of their candidates.
Here’s the short answer. On average, you should aim for at least a score of 28.
What does that mean for you?
Firstly, don’t panic if you get questions wrong! It’s okay even if you get quite a lot of questions wrong. The median mark shows that even the sharpest candidates can disagree on the best answer to a particular LNAT question. If that were not so, the average LNAT score would be much higher.
Secondly, the scores vary year-on-year and across universities. Some are more willing to consider your application even if you fall below the threshold. We can provide you with details so you make the most out of your UCAS choices.
Thirdly, don’t neglect the essay component. We have had students who scored high on their MCQ but were rejected from their school of choice. Both components of the LNAT are assessed together as part of a holistic assessment.
The Conventional Approach to LNAT MCQ Practice
Most centres will give you practice questions from Mark Shepherd’s LNAT book or Arbitio (an online question bank). The former, for those who don't already know, has plenty of practice questions, for both the MCQ and essay components of the LNAT. But relying entirely on this book has its disadvantages.
There is usually no supervision or follow up review after completing the MCQ questions. You might know what the answer is, but you’re not quite sure why it’s that particular answer.
What We Do
Instead of just practising a large quantity of questions, we put a lot of emphasis on techniques, post practice review and discussion. This helps you develop the ability to spot assumptions, make inferences and summary large chunks of data.
Start early - try one official LNAT paper to have a rough idea of where you stand and how much practice you will need.
Study smart - there are many practice papers available but only some provide an accurate simulation of both the style and difficulty of the actual LNAT exam.
Practice makes perfect - once you've figured out your weak areas, work backwards from your LNAT exam date and allocate time to these areas on a regular basis. Keep the second official LNAT paper and attempt it a week or so before your actual exam as a final refresher.
Our LNAT tutors know what examiners are looking out for. We would like to invite you to follow our tried and tested LNAT study plan.
Good Technique is Half the Battle Won
Begin with the end in mind. Make sure your essay has the features that markers are looking for. We’ll teach you techniques specifically designed to address the marking rubric.
Quality Content leads to Quality Arguments
The LNAT administrators frequently emphasise that candidates are not expected to have any prior knowledge of the law, nor are they tested on mastery of content. This is no doubt true, but at the same time, it is difficult to separate the quality of one's argument from the content used to support it.
Put simply, if you know more about a particular subject, your argument sounds more convincing. When you understand the subtle issues involved, and you support your position with concrete examples and statistics, you’re already ahead of the competition.
LNAT essay questions typically fall under various themes
Our comprehensive collection of articles is organised around the same themes, including law, religion, terrorism, gender and the environment. Questions are often topical, so they revolve around recent events. For instance in 2015, there was controversy concerning Danish cartoons which depicted the Prophet Mohammed. The issue was later picked up in one of the LNAT questions in the following year.
In preparing you for the LNAT, we take into account recent events around the world and feed that into our content. Using our guided handouts, you will have all the examples and arguments you need to write a convincing essay regardless of what topic comes out.
Practice Makes Perfect
The only way to improve your LNAT essay score is to practise writing. But things will backfire if you blindly churn out essays. After every essay, we’ll provide you with feedback on your strengths and the areas you need to work on. By practising with a clear objective in mind, you will notice marked improvement in your writing within three to four essays. Ready to start? Drop us an email at cana@canaelite.com
LNAT essays are not centrally marked. Instead, they are sent to the respective universities you have applied to. You won’t know the score, but your LNAT essays are certainly marked. Some universities, like Oxford, grade the essays upon 100. A grade between 60 - 64 is usually decent enough to warrant consideration.
Based on our correspondence with the universities, there are certain “high mark features” that all good LNAT essays have. Likewise, there are “low mark features” which students should avoid. Here’s a sample rubric:
Low scoring essays will normally exhibit:
Application: poor attention to the question(s) asked, no sustained and focussed treatment of the issues.
Reasoning ability: poorly developed arguments, a preponderance of irrelevant points, few or no well-drawn distinctions, a lack of awareness of more than one possible line of argument, no evidence of independent critical judgment.
Communication: lack of fluency and clarity and no clear or appropriate structure or argument.
At the end of our LNAT Preparation Course, you will know exactly how to write your essays so they have all those high mark features that examiners are looking out for.
A Little Extra Help
Here’s the truth. It’s definitely possible to study for the LNAT on your own. For those of you who enjoy writing argumentative essays, writing an LNAT essay is not an entirely unfamiliar exercise. The information we have here is more than enough to get you started. For other students, the LNAT essay can be a little tricky. If you take Literature or IB English, you might be used to a different essay writing style. But being a lawyer requires a very specific skill set. You need to make concise arguments that drive home your point. And that takes practice. If you have time, we definitely recommend studying for the LNAT on your own.
Having said that, we were in your shoes once. And we know how busy things can get! You have to juggle A level or the IB preparations with revision classes, extracurricular activities and more. It can leave you with very little breathing space. With our guidance, you’ll know what to write in your essay and you'll know how to avoid common mistakes. That will give you peace of mind, and you can focus on your studies.
