How to Actually Ace the LAT Exam 2025

If you're serious about getting into Law at UNSW, then you've probably heard the same old advice over and over again:

"Read more opinion pieces." "Use persuasive techniques." "Practice your writing."

And sure, that stuff helps... a little. But if you're preparing for the UNSW Law Admission Test (LAT) like it’s just another school essay, you're setting yourself up to underperform.

Because here’s the truth no one really tells you:

The LAT isn’t about sounding smart. It’s about thinking smart - on the spot, under pressure.

We’ve worked with students from all levels - from the ones scraping through English to those topping their class. And time after time, we’ve seen the same thing: the students who succeed aren’t the ones who know the most, but the ones who prepare the right way.

Let’s see what that actually looks like.

1. First Know What the LAT Is Really Testing

A lot of students misunderstand the test entirely. The LAT isn’t asking for your opinion on legal topics. It’s not checking if you’ve memorised persuasive devices. And it’s definitely not about writing a polished Year 12 English essay.

Instead the Law Admission test is really asking:

• Can you engage with complex, unfamiliar material?

• Can you identify key ideas and arguments?

• Can you construct a clear, structured, and compelling written response?

• Can you write like someone who’s ready for law school?

This is exactly what the UNSW assessors are looking for when they mark your paper:

• Sophisticated thinking - not just surface-level ideas

• Deep engagement with the material - not a summary

• Logical structure - with ideas flowing clearly

• Precision in your language - no vague or fluffy wording

• Critical thinking - showing that you can weigh up ideas, not just repeat them

Here’s what one of our past students, Zane, realised after doing just one practice paper with feedback:

“I thought I had it. I knew my persuasive techniques, I could write a decent essay… but then I got my response back and realised I wasn’t thinking deeply enough. I was playing it safe. Once I learned how to challenge the stimulus and bring in more complexity, everything clicked.”

He ended up scoring an 88. See his blog here: 

2. Why Most Students Get Stuck (Even the ‘Smart’ Ones)

Here’s where most people go wrong: they treat the LAT like it’s just another part of school.

They write vague introductions. They list persuasive techniques like it’s a checklist. They summarise the stimulus instead of engaging with it. And most of all, they play it safe.

The problem isn’t effort - it’s approach.

Let’s use a real example from one of our past students, Nikhil, who scored 90. When he first came to us, his writing was polished, but shallow. He was saying all the right things - but not really thinking about what the author was doing or why the argument did or didn’t work.

With a few weeks of coaching, something shifted. He started to approach the task like a lawyer would: identifying assumptions, unpacking implications, and writing responses that felt more like legal arguments than school essays. That mindset made all the difference.

And the best part? He didn’t need to write more. He just needed to write better.

3. Approaching Question 1 of LAT:

Most students think Question 1 is about agreeing or disagreeing with the author.

Wrong.

It’s about analysing the author’s argument. Not just what they say, but how they say it - and whether it actually works.

Here’s how the strongest students approach it:

• They figure out what the author is really trying to argue (often not as obvious as it seems)

• They group the author’s points into clear themes

• They don’t just describe techniques - they explain how those techniques impact the reader and affect the argument

• They consider what’s missing - what hasn’t been said, what counterarguments have been ignored, what assumptions are being made

And here’s the key: they don’t try to sound smart. They try to think clearly - and let that clarity come through in their writing.

One of our students once wrote a paragraph that started with, “The author’s use of tone here is dismissive…” but when we asked him to explain why, he couldn’t.

When we pushed him to go deeper, he rewrote the sentence:

“By mocking the opposition as ‘naïve idealists,’ the author immediately creates an ‘us vs them’ divide, which alienates those who might have engaged more seriously with the issue. This weakens the persuasive impact of the argument.”

That sentence alone was a game-changer.

4. Approaching Question 2 of LAT

This is the part of the test where most students relax - “finally, I get to argue my own point!”

But this is where your preparation needs to go deeper.

In Question 2, you’re given a series of texts - quotes, stats, news clippings, visuals - and asked to write a persuasive piece in response.

Students who do well here:

• Identify central themes quickly (e.g., fairness vs. efficiency, freedom vs. responsibility, progress vs. tradition)

• Sort the evidence into “supporting,” “opposing,” or “complicating” their position

• Recognise tension or contradiction between the texts

• Avoid writing a one-sided rant and instead present a measured, balanced, and nuanced perspective

This is where legal thinking starts to emerge. The best students don’t just write opinions. They write cases - clear, structured, well-evidenced, and aware of complexity.

5. Why Writing Practice Beats Reading Advice Every Time

Reading articles like this one can be helpful - but only if it makes you realise one thing:

Reading won’t improve your writing. Writing will.

At LAT Academy, we see students jump 10, 15, even 20 marks - not because they read more tips, but because they wrote more responses, got detailed feedback, and improved with every draft.

That’s what sets apart the students who go from “I think I know what I’m doing” to top-tier scores.

And writing on your own isn’t enough. You need someone who can read your work and say:

• “This argument is too one-dimensional.”

• “You’re stating techniques without analysing their effect.”

• “You’ve got great ideas, but your structure is getting in the way.”

We give that kind of feedback in our Premium Masterclass - and we see it change students' writing within a week.

Want to see what that kind of writing looks like? Download our free LAT practice paper and try it yourself - then compare your response to one of our top-scorer samples.

6. Learn From Those Who’ve Cracked It

One thing we’re proud of at LAT Academy is the number of high-achieving students who not only succeeded - but came back to help others.

People like:

• Zane (88) – who rewrote every sentence with brutal clarity and ended up tutoring others to success

• Nikhil (90) – who turned his “good” writing into exceptional writing with just a few key mindset shifts

• Aisha (87) – who doubted herself at first, but once she started getting feedback, saw a path forward she didn’t know existed

When you learn from students who’ve already succeeded, you learn how to think like a scorer, not just a writer. You hear what actually made the difference. You stop guessing.

And if there’s one thing you take away from this blog, let it be this:

The LAT isn’t about being naturally smart. It’s about learning how to think, write, and respond the way UNSW is looking for.

Final Thoughts: Stop Guessing. Start Preparing Properly.

You don’t need to study for hours a day. You don’t need to read every article under the sun.

But you do need to:

• Understand how the LAT is marked

• Learn to break down arguments and build your own

• Practice under real conditions

• Get actual feedback on how to improve

• Write, review, and rewrite until your thinking is clearer and sharper

At LAT Academy, that’s exactly what we offer in our Premium Masterclass. No generic advice. No fluff. Just proven techniques, real practice papers, and expert feedback from tutors who’ve done it all before.

 If you’re serious about law at UNSW, there’s no better time to start. Spots for our next intake are limited - book your place in the Premium Masterclass now and take the first real step toward your law career.

Don’t waste weeks doing the wrong kind of prep. Get the right help, right now - and watch how fast things start to shift.