LSAT-India 2020 toppers talk: “I solved over 30 mocks” Says Pragna Yenduri

The LSAT-India 2020 scores are out. And, the toppers, coming out with flying colours are with us to share their experience, to guide future law aspirants in their journey to LSAT-India. Pragna Yenduri, from Mumbai, with a score of 475 out of 480 and 97.17 percentile (Better than 97.17% students) is among the list of toppers. She finds herself in a score band of 473—477, which is a remarkable feat. The COVID-19 and a prolonged lockdown was indeed a testing time, but she says, “The willpower to score well in the exam was stronger than any anxiety or insecurities.” Read the complete interview of Pragna Yenduri with Careers360.

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LSAT-INDIA: Question/Sample Papers | Complete Guide

LSAT India score card details - Pragna Yenduri

Question - Give us a brief introduction: your name, address, college, etc.

Answer - Hi, my name is Pragna Yenduri. I recently shifted from Los Angeles to Mumbai. I completed my schooling in America.

Question - Congratulations on scoring 97.17 percentile in LSAT India 2020 exam. How does it feel to be among the bunch of toppers?

Pragna Yenduri - I feel elated. It is quite ironic that 2020 turned out to be a fruitful year for me. It feels surreal because I’ve always dreamt of scoring a high percentile.

Question - What are your college and course preferences after scoring such a high percentile?

Pragna Yenduri - I will be attending Jindal Global Law School and pursuing their BBA LLB course. I feel ecstatic for being able to join my dream college.

Question - Have you decided the legal specialization you want to pursue in future? If yes, then tell us why you want to pursue a particular specialization.

Pragna Yenduri - I’m not quite certain about what legal specialization I want to pursue in the future. I’m currently inclined towards pursuing my Juris Doctor degree in America, and practicing as a civil trial lawyer.

Question - Tell us about your journey for LSAT-India. Why did you choose LSAT-India?

Pragna Yenduri - While doing my research about law schools and exams in India, I learned about Jindal global law school and lsat India. Jindal global law school is a highly reputed law college and gives global exposure to its students. Hence, I started my preparation for LSAT India so I could procure a seat at JGLS.

Question - Tell us about your preparation strategy for LSAT-India? How did you manage your preparation during the COVID-19 period?

Pragna Yenduri - I didn’t let COVID-19 affect my preparation or confidence. It was stressful at first to focus on the exam during this dire time, where u can’t even step out of the house to watch a movie or dine at a restaurant just to unwind and chill. However, my will power to score well in the exam was stronger than any anxiety or insecurities I had initially felt. Due to COVID-19, the exam was held in online mode for the 1st time and that too at home. I was anxious initially because the technical skill set required for both offline and online modes is so different. I was also tensed about internet connectivity, server issues as unlike the exam centre you have nobody to help you at home. Nevertheless, I adapted to the change as soon as I learned about this news. I tried to simulate the test atmosphere by solving mocks on my laptop 3 hours per day everyday for 1 month before the exam. This helped me focus better on the screen and avoid any distractions.

Question - Tell us about your approach to the reading comprehension section. LSAT gives more emphasis on reading ability, what would be your word of advice for candidates who want to prepare for the reading comprehension section.

Pragna Yenduri - I was well versed in the reading comprehension section before even starting my preparation. I think the Reading Comprehension section is very feasible for people with basic English reading skills. I would advise students to solve as many Reading section questions as they can and analyze their performance. Pay special attention to the tone of the passages, connotations of the words, and think from the perspective of the author.

Question - There are 2 sections of Logical reasoning, what differentiates them? What was your strategy for LR sections 1 and 2?

Pragna Yenduri - I don’t think there’s any difference between the 1st and 2nd logical reasoning sections. They both require you to analyze the arguments being made in the questions and expect you to use the same reasoning skills for both sections. Logical Reasoning sections were initially time consuming because the questions can be quite lengthy. It was tough for me because I found myself being swayed and tricked by the options, since most of them seem to be the correct answer at first glance. Hence, to score well, you have to think critically within the context of the question and write copious amounts of mocks so you can understand the types of reasoning questions that LSAT India asks. Once you are well acquainted with the types of questions they ask, it is quite easy to recognize the right answer.

Question - Tell us about the Analytical reasoning section, what kind of questions are asked and how should one prepare?

Pragna Yenduri - The Analytical reasoning section requires you to reason deductively from a set of statements and rules. It tests our ability to consider a group of facts, and determine what could or must be true based on those respective facts. I strongly suggest students spend at least 2 hours per day solving the analytical reasoning questions, so they can form shortcuts and strategies that will prevent them from wasting valuable time on this section. There are many videos on YouTube that discuss efficient and productive ways to approach this section. I followed the advice given by those test experts and I was able to score full marks in this section. This section can be quite discouraging at first, because initially you might score the worst in the section, however, by being resilient and practicing, anyone can score full marks on this section.

Question - Did you solve the mock tests or sample papers? If yes, then tell us how many mocks did you solve and when should one start solving the mock tests?

Pragna Yenduri - I conscientiously started solving LSAT-India mocks around May of 2020. I solved over 30 mocks. I think the students should start preparing at least 3 months prior to giving the exam, so they can comfortably prepare for other exams simultaneously.

Question - The exam shifted from offline to online mode, how did you handle this change of mode. Did this change anything for you in terms of preparation strategy?

Pragna Yenduri - Initially I was anxious more about the exam being conducted from home in an online mode. I was worried about internet connectivity, server issues that I may face on the day of the exam but I decluttered my mind & adapted to the change of mode sooner. I tried to simulate the test atmosphere by solving mocks on my laptop 3 hours per day. This helped me focus better on the screen and avoid any distractions.

Question - There is a perception that LSAT is an easy exam. What is your take on that?

Pragna Yenduri - That’s a fallacy and myth I would like to dispel. To start with there aren’t many study materials available on a platter. The exam assesses skills like reading, organization, critical analysis, and evaluation of reasoning which can’t be quantified & are hard to master. These skills are considered essential to be a good lawyer. There is a lot of time constraint. The questions demand every ounce of attention and focus. LSAT has a lesser variety of questions so the chances of making up for the lost marks are slim. Unlike other exams test takers aren’t expected to get all or even most of the questions right. I can proudly say this is one of those few exams in India that requires a perspective.

Question - Many students find it difficult to access the LSAT related study material, so what books did you refer to for LSAT preparation? Tell us about your subject wise booklist.

Pragna Yenduri - I would advise the students to solve the free LSAT India mocks available on Discoverlaw.in. After solving those, they should watch Khan Academy's videos on LSAT India to find explanations and strategies for solving the questions. I also watched YouTube videos by Insight LSAT to learn tips and tricks for solving the Analytical section in a time efficient manner. Next, they should google “Kaplan US LSAT tests. The LSAT India and LSAT US have the same sections and are very similar. However, the LSAT US exam is a little harder than the Indian one, which makes it perfect for preparation. Once, you are well acquainted with the LSAT US exam, the LSAT India exam will be much easier to solve.

Question - Have you applied for CLAT or any other law entrance exam? If yes, then how you managed your LSAT preparation along with the other law entrance exam.

Pragna Yenduri - I have applied for CLAT. I started my preparation for CLAT in October 2019 and took a break from my preparation in May 2020. I started focusing on LSAT India in May and I only spent a few hours on General Knowledge for CLAT. The new CLAT pattern and LSAT India pattern are very similar, hence, I was able to prepare for both of them simultaneously.