Cracking the LNAT: Tips and Strategies for Success on the National Admissions Test for Law in 2024
This guide was written by one of our Oxbridge Law Tutors (Anya - Hertford College, Oxford), with expert knowledge in all things Law, Law Schools, and the LNAT. Read on for their top tips for success including what to expect, how it’s structured, and what score you need to get to feel secure.
What is the LNAT Test?
Like with many subjects, Oxford and Cambridge require a good score in an admissions test for a candidate to be considered for a place on their Law course – this is the Law National Aptitude Test, frequently called the LNAT. However, unlike some other subjects, the LNAT is also required by many other prestigious institutions across the country, such as the University of Bristol, University of Durham, and University College London, to name but a few. As such, it’s important to do some LNAT prep prior to the exam to make sure you have the best shot possible at getting a good mark.
The LNAT is a two-part admissions test by Pearson, usually sat in an Pearson centre using a computer – similar to how you’d sit a driving theory test. It’s purpose is not to test your knowledge of the law, but instead to test your critical thinking skills and essay-writing technique. This is because university law courses are structured with the assumption that you have not studied the law before – there is no prior knowledge required, just good skills of analysis, communication and critical thinking. As Law as a degree mainly consists of digesting long passages of verbose text and restructuring them into a clear, intelligible essay, these skills are extremely valuable to universities, and this test provides them with evidence as to how you perform in these areas.
How do I know if I need to take the LNAT?
As mentioned above, there is a list of institutions in the UK that require the LNAT. These institutions are as follows:
The University of Bristol
The University of Cambridge
Durham University
The University of Glasgow
King’s College London
London School of Economics
The University of Oxford
SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London
University College London
The international universities IE and Singapore University of Social Sciences also may require the LNAT under ‘some circumstances’, and the official webpage for the national admissions test for law advises the applicant to ‘check with the universities directly for details’.
If you need to sit the LNAT, you apply online and book a test using your LNAT web account. You must travel to a Pearson centre on your booked date to sit the LNAT test. You sit the same exam for all LNAT universities, so the Cambridge LNAT is the same exam as for UCL. You cannot resit the LNAT in the same application cycle, so it’s very important to get in your LNAT practice and use resources like this LNAT guide to make sure you’re prepared!
The LNAT Test: What to Expect, and How it is Structured
The LNAT exam is 2 hours and 15 minutes long, and separated into two parts, Section A and Section B.
In the first part – section A – you will answer 42 multiple choice questions on 12 passages of text, and you have 95 minutes to complete the section. The passages are usually about 1 page long, and will be followed by 3-5 multiple choice questions. It’s important to note that these passages usually aren’t related to law – they can be about any topic in the world, from Formula 1 to chicken farming, and are used to test your reading comprehension and critical thinking skills, as well as whether you can get a good general understanding of difficult passages and arguments in a short period of time.
The questions in this part will usually ask you to identify specific details in the text, or understand the general argument made in the text. However, this is often not as easy as it sounds. Oftentimes, it will appear as though every multiple-choice answer is correct, but this is never the case. It is easiest to think about which options cannot be disproved, as opposed to which one is most easily proved, but we will discuss this in more detail later.
In Section B, you have to write one essay from a choice of three questions. As with the multiple choice questions, it is unlikely that these will be law-based, and they can be on any topic – so you’re not guaranteed to have a good knowledge of the subject matter. As such, it tests your ability to form and structure a coherent argument effectively and persuasively. You have 40 minutes to write the essay.
Mastering the LNAT: Our Oxbridge Law Tutor's Top Tips
General Tips for the LNAT in 2024
Firstly, some general advice: start early. As the LNAT is not a content-based test, there is no way to ensure your success by cram-revising material the night before. In order to get to grips with the test and timings, you want to start plenty in advance and engage with your LNAT practice little and often. It’s good to try and start before August so that you have a lot of time to get used to answering the type of questions asked – doing a couple of multiple choice questions a week, and/or a practice essay, can be a great start and engages your brain with the type of critical thinking required in the exam. Intensify your practice as you get closer to the exam date, but be careful not to overwork yourself and burn out.
Timing is incredibly important in the exam. It’s so, so important to stick to timings, and you’ll find that running out of time is the most difficult barrier you’ll face. As you practice, allow yourself strictly 8 minutes per passage in Section A, and 40 minutes per essay in Section B. This includes reading the passage and answering the questions. This will seem difficult at first, but practising more questions will improve your speed as you get used to them.
LNAT: Section A
Now, for some specific tips on Section A. It is important to note that, as I mentioned above, it will frequently seem like all of the multiple choice answers to a question about a passage could be correct – but this is never the case. Therefore, I found it easier if I inverted how I was thinking about the answers in my head, and searched for not which was the most right, but instead, which was the least wrong. While this may seem identical in principle, imagine it like this: I imagined I was looking for whichever statement a rival prosecutor could not conjure an argument in opposition of, from the information in the passage. Often, when you’re stuck, an alternative way of thinking such as this can really help you to re-visualise what you’re being asked, and help you find an answer.
This next tip is the one that completely revolutionised my LNAT practice: do not read the multiple choice answers until you already have an idea of what the answer could be. Read the passage, and then read the question, but cover up the answers beneath it with your hand. Think about how you would answer the question, and then look at the answers, and see which of them is the closest to what you previously thought. This prevents you from second-guessing yourself when you see another viable answer as an option.
LNAT: Section B
Now for some Section B tips. Section B is harder to give advice for, since it’s purpose is to show universities your essay writing style, and the coherency and persuasiveness of your arguments, all of which are individual to the applicant. However, there are a few general things that should improve the quality of your Section B.
Firstly, make each of your points very clear. You want to have one driving argument throughout your essay, and a clear point in each paragraph. Make sure these points are clear and decisive, and can easily be picked out of your writing, as they not only make your argument more persuasive but also add structure to your essay by making clear the issue you’re discussing.
Secondly, consider including three different types of analysis: descriptive, analytic, and normative. Descriptive involves describing your point – what is the thing you’re discussing? For example, should your essay be about fishing, what aspect of fishing are you writing about? Analytic involves the analysis of your point – why is it like this? Why could fishing cause controversy, why would you choose to argue this? And finally normative is the ‘should’; it involves making a judgement about the point up for discussion, sometimes involving the consideration of precedent, ethics and morals. Should fishing be causing this controversy? Including these three different kinds of analysis need not be explicit in your writing in paragraphs, but can help to structure your writing and provide you with something to write if none of the topics are quite what you’d hoped for.
Top LNAT Practice Resources
If you want to practice these tips, you’re going to want to get your hands on some practice resources. There are lots of available resources both in the form of LNAT practice exams and revision books, so there is a range of ways to do your LNAT preparation online, or with a book.
For a physical resource, there are countless LNAT practice books to choose from. An excellent choice is ‘The Ultimate LNAT Collection’ by William Anthony and Dr Rohan Agarwal, which contains over 600 practice questions and solutions. If you choose to use a physical resource, using a timer on your phone to ensure you’re practising the 8-minute per question-set timing correctly can really help your practice. There are plenty of other good LNAT practice books too, available for purchase online and in bookstores, so pick one that suits you.
The official LNAT website also is a good bet to look at prior to taking the test. This website offers free practice tests, study guides, and a range of resources to help you prepare for the LNAT.
If you are looking for a cohesive guide to the Law application process, look no further than the U2 Law Interview Preparation Guide which will guide you through every step to getting accepted onto your dream course, including some recommended reading to get your mind buzzing in advance of the LNAT test.
What score do I need to get in the LNAT exam?
There is no ‘pass mark’ for the LNAT, however different universities have different expectations of how they would like you to perform. In the 2021/ 2022 academic year, the average score obtained by successful Oxford applicants was 28.25, but for Bristol it was 25. It is ideal to aim for an LNAT score of approximately 27, but the average LNAT score can change drastically from year to year – it dropped from 22.9 in 2015/2016 to 17.9 in 2016/2017. In 2021/2022, the average LNAT score was 20.8.
How are the marks calculated?
Section A is marked by offering one mark per correct multiple-choice answer. This is how the average LNAT score is calculated. However, while no distinct ‘mark’ is given, it’s important to focus on Section B too, as many universities will put a lot of weight on the essay section.
How can U2 help you with your LNAT preparation?
If you determine that a tutor will be the right investment in your LNAT journey, then U2 Tuition can offer you a personalised tuition experience with an expert LNAT tutor. See our Law School page to find out all the ways in which we can support your application.
Outside of the tuition sessions, your U2 LNAT tutor will also provide you with targeted homework in order to maximise your time during the LNAT preparation cycle and so that you reinforce all the concepts needed to score above the national average.
We have been honoured to guide dozens of students to the LNAT finish line and help them overcome a major obstacle to reaching their Law School dreams. If you would like to hear more about how a U2 LNAT tutor can help you on your LNAT journey, book a free consultation to discuss your goals and LNAT prep strategy with one of our expert tutors.
Best of luck!