Hundreds Take LSAT

Aspiring law students' alarms will be going off a little earlier than usual this morning.

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is being given today at schools including Boston University (B.U.), Boston College and the University of Massachusetts.

"This individual test is so much more important than any other four hours of time during the whole year," John M. Bronsteen '96 said yesterday.

Bronsteen said he has "gone to bed early and gotten up early for a week" to acclimate himself to the testing schedule.

The test day begins with registration at 8 a.m. and ends in the early afternoon.

Eric L. Save de Beaurecueil '96 said he was planning to avoid Friday-night dorm noise by sleeping else-where last night.

"A friend of mine and I are going to get a hotel near B.U.," he said.

Bronsteen, Save de Beaurecueil and Emmeline F. Li '96 have spent weeks preparing for the LSAT, primarily by familiarizing themselves with the test format.

"It's not like the MCAT where you can memorize stuff," Li said, who bought books and studied on her own for the last month.

Bronsteen said he has also taken numerous practice tests throughout the summer, although, "for the LSAT you don't exactly study."

Save de Beaurecueil followed another popular preparatory route, a seven-week Stanley Kaplan course.

For $750, students receive access to classes, individual tutoring and "every released LSAT available with complete explanations," Robert Hayashi, a Kaplan instructor, said.

Hayashi refused to comment on the exact number of Harvard students taking his class because "some of our competitors would die for this information."

Hayashi said that he has been swamped with last-minute calls and faxes from harried students in the last few days.

The LSAT is offered four times a year, usually in October, December, February and June. June is the most popular test date because most students want to know their test scores by the fall application season, Hayashi said.

"Getting into law school is very quantitative," he said, adding that the applicant's grade point average and LSAT scores are often the most important factors in admissions.

Bronsteen said he feels he is prepared for today's test.

"I feel good about it but I know that anything can happen," he said.

"I'm glad it's going to be over," Li said

For $750, students receive access to classes, individual tutoring and "every released LSAT available with complete explanations," Robert Hayashi, a Kaplan instructor, said.

Hayashi refused to comment on the exact number of Harvard students taking his class because "some of our competitors would die for this information."

Hayashi said that he has been swamped with last-minute calls and faxes from harried students in the last few days.

The LSAT is offered four times a year, usually in October, December, February and June. June is the most popular test date because most students want to know their test scores by the fall application season, Hayashi said.

"Getting into law school is very quantitative," he said, adding that the applicant's grade point average and LSAT scores are often the most important factors in admissions.

Bronsteen said he feels he is prepared for today's test.

"I feel good about it but I know that anything can happen," he said.

"I'm glad it's going to be over," Li said