I would generally recommend a tone of moderation and reasonableness on the LSAT Writing section.
You definitely want to sound persuasive and structured, but not emotionally charged or overly combative. I usually tell my students that you do not want to come across as “very against” the opposing side. It’s much better to sound mildly, moderately, or strongly in support of your own position while still showing that you understand the competing viewpoint.
In other words, let the structure of the essay create the persuasion rather than trying to “win” the argument emotionally.
The good news is that I don’t think the concerns you’re describing are likely to prevent the writing sample from being approved. But law schools can access these samples if they choose to read them, so you generally want to avoid sounding overly dramatic, emotionally invested, or unwilling to fairly acknowledge the other side.
As for structure, I would keep it relatively straightforward:
basic 4-5 paragraph structure (Intro, 2-3 Body paragraphs, Conclusion)
clear position, with 2–3 supporting reasons
brief concession to the opposing side; don't bury it; you want the readers to see it.
explanation of why your side still ultimately prevails
And for the 15-minute planning period, I would not overcomplicate it. I’d spend that time building a very basic outline:
What is the one central point your essay will revolve around?
What are your 2–3 supporting reasons?
What examples or explanations will flesh those reasons out?
What concession point will you briefly acknowledge?
The biggest thing is making sure your central position is a precise response to the actual prompt rather than a broad emotional reaction to the topic, or worse veering off topic.
A calm, organized, reasonable essay usually performs much better than one trying too hard to sound passionate or forceful.
2 comments
I would generally recommend a tone of moderation and reasonableness on the LSAT Writing section.
You definitely want to sound persuasive and structured, but not emotionally charged or overly combative. I usually tell my students that you do not want to come across as “very against” the opposing side. It’s much better to sound mildly, moderately, or strongly in support of your own position while still showing that you understand the competing viewpoint.
In other words, let the structure of the essay create the persuasion rather than trying to “win” the argument emotionally.
The good news is that I don’t think the concerns you’re describing are likely to prevent the writing sample from being approved. But law schools can access these samples if they choose to read them, so you generally want to avoid sounding overly dramatic, emotionally invested, or unwilling to fairly acknowledge the other side.
As for structure, I would keep it relatively straightforward:
basic 4-5 paragraph structure (Intro, 2-3 Body paragraphs, Conclusion)
clear position, with 2–3 supporting reasons
brief concession to the opposing side; don't bury it; you want the readers to see it.
explanation of why your side still ultimately prevails
And for the 15-minute planning period, I would not overcomplicate it. I’d spend that time building a very basic outline:
What is the one central point your essay will revolve around?
What are your 2–3 supporting reasons?
What examples or explanations will flesh those reasons out?
What concession point will you briefly acknowledge?
The biggest thing is making sure your central position is a precise response to the actual prompt rather than a broad emotional reaction to the topic, or worse veering off topic.
A calm, organized, reasonable essay usually performs much better than one trying too hard to sound passionate or forceful.
Hope that helps!
@SCOTT_LEBO Great advice thank you!!