Applying to law school can be demanding, overwhelming, and rewarding. There are several books you will need as you embark on the journey towards a career as a legal professional.
Before you can apply to law school, you will first need to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Although many students enroll in LSAT-prep courses like Kaplan, which are designed to help students learn test-taking strategies that will raise their overall scores, these courses can sometimes be rather expensive. Fortunately, there is a wide array of LSAT prep books available online and in bookstores nationwide that can help students organize their study schedules and adequately prepare for the exam.
The best LSAT books will have numerous practice exams and explanations for the answers to the practice exams. These books will also contain information about the test itself as well as methods for cracking difficult questions and time saving strategies.
The most popular LSAT-prep books can be found right here on LawyersBooks.com. Kaplan’s yearly LSAT Premier Program (and its companion CD) is a great starting point for LSAT studying as it mirrors the Kaplan course and includes many of the tips and tricks taught by Kaplan instructors. If you find yourself struggling with a particular section of the exam, such as the Logic Games section, you should also consider purchasing a supplemental book, like The PowerScore LSAT Logic Games Bible, by David M. Killoran, which contains practice problems and additional strategies to help you score your best. Once you’ve completed the practice questions in the LSAT-prep book of your choice, you can also use various books published by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) from the Official LSAT PrepTest Series, which are comprised strictly of LSAT tests from previous years.
After you’ve taken the LSAT, completed your applications and are admitted into law school, your reading list will grow exponentially. The number of books required when attending law school varies depending on the school’s specific coursework requirements, the upper level courses the student decides to take, and the professors teaching the courses. First year law students across the nation are typically enrolled in the same core classes, which include Torts, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, Property and some form of Legal Research and Writing.
Each of these core classes will typically require a casebook; however, the exact author and publisher will likely depend on your school and your professor’s preferences, so be sure to check your syllabus for the listed casebook and the edition your professor requires.
When you purchase your books, always try to buy books used. Although some books may be badly worn, if you are able to find a used book in decent condition, you should reserve it for purchase. The price of a used book is deeply discounted compared to a new book. Additionally, used books usually contain some notes and explanations from previous law students. These notes and explanations may be useful in your studies.
It is vitally important that you purchase the correct book for your class. Even though you may find, for example, the fifth edition of a book at a very inexpensive price, your class may require the sixth edition. Contrary to popular belief, there are differences between editions that are relevant to your education. As new cases and laws are decided and established, the material you study will change to comport with those new cases and laws. Therefore, buy the edition required by your professor, but try to buy used whenever possible.
LawyersBooks.com offers both new and used legal books. Check with us first and save yourself the cost of new text books and legal reference books.
