LNAT Top Tips


Taking the LNAT can be a stressful experience and somewhat strangely the most common advice given regarding taking the LNAT is the following: ‘Don’t prepare. There is absolutely no need, it is a waste of time...’ This is absolutely wrong and should not be followed. The reasoning between this common advice is along the lines that since the LNAT does not test knowledge there is no need to learn for it. This is true - You do not need to learn for the LNAT, but what you need to do is train.

The same way that marathon runners do not need to learn about the history of running before a big race, but they have to train their bodies rigorously weeks in advance. So the advice which forbids revision is a wrong conclusion to the correct reasoning. The right conclusion is strictly speaking: You may not need to revise, but you do need to train by all means. After all, it is a competition. The best way to train is to attempt the tests as many times as you can and observe which skills are your weakest then train them rigorously, like a runner would before a race. The good news is that training is easier than learning, for it involves no memory testing and it can be made incredibly easy if you make it a habit.

Arbitio is a training tool for you to help you succeed at the LNAT - which can be more often than not the make-it-or-break-it point for University Admissions. The LNAT Online Course by Arbitio explains to you the six key types of skills any question in the multiple choice part can test and allows you to highlight which skills are your weakest then train them continuously with the hundreds of questions we have on offer, to which we regularly add new ones.

Top Tips: LNAT Multiple Choice

  • Words matter

    Pay equally strict attention to the wording of questions as you do to the wording of the passage itself. For example, it is common for questions to ask you for a stated assumption of the author and then present you with at least one option that is in fact an assumption, but one that has not been stated. Wording of the questions is crucial.
  • Evidence, Evidence, and Evidence

    All the answers are to be found in the body of the extract itself - not in your memory, not in your school curriculum, but right in front of you in the text. So read the passage first, then read the question with its options and then come back to the passage to find the answer there. However, there will be questions, which require you to extrapolate the right answer through reasoning that is based on premises found in the passage.
  • From Passage to Questions

    Never read questions before the passage - this is bound to set you on the wrong route. You need to read the passage first - even if you choose to skim it at first reading - to get a good feel for it. Then you can answer the easy questions regarding the tone, or author’s main argument very quickly, saving precious time. However, when you attempt more detailed, harder questions make sure you have read the passage carefully before at least once.
  • Time or be Timed

    Time Management is crucial in order to read all 12 passages, and have a reasoned attempt at all questions. Such approach will boost your final score, and can be achieved through disciplined allocation of time per passage based on the number of questions a given passage entails. As you revise, work with a timer and train your ability to sustain concentration.

Top Tips: LNAT Essay

  • Plan your Argument

    Spend 5 minutes planning before you start writing anything. A plan should consider more arguments than needed, so that at this stage, you can choose which arguments are the strongest (ie which would convince the reader the most) and which ones are weaker and thus not worth including. That way you can be economical with your arguments and think about what order befits them best; creating a strong and tightly structured piece of writing. And from practical standpoint, write your plan in the word processor and then proceed with the essay: it will serve as insurance policy should you not fully finish the essay, and will demonstrate your logical approach to the admissions tutor
  • Structure is King

    Structure your argument and make it very obvious that it is structured and how. Treat your essay like a short story where you are taking the reader step- by-step through your actions and reasoning, leading them by the hand to your conclusion stated at the end.
  • Be creative

    Your essay should attempt to argue from a novel standpoint, instead of regurgitating the modus operandi of public discourse on the given topic. As you are not working to a rigid mark scheme, the tutors wish to see your argumentative flair and whether you can think critically. However, that does not mean that you should obsess over style or use flowery language: it is the logical content that matters utmost.