or...Torrents and PDFs Downloaded Illegally vs. LSAT Books Purchased Legally
In this blog post, I go over the pros and cons of illegally downloading LSAT PrepTest PDFs and torrents vs. purchasing LSAT PrepTests legally.
Recently, a student asked me if there was any reason not to download PDFs or torrents of LSAT PrepTests.
The short answer - while it seem a bit cheaper to download and print them, it's better to buy legitimate hard copies of your exams for 3 major reasons:
1. You'll be able to resell them when you're done.
2. You'll save a lot of time, effort, and money that would've been spent printing them.
3. Due to copyright law, it's illegal to download PrepTests.
Money:
PDFs and Torrents
-You pay less ($0) for your LSAT books initially, but there's still the cost of ink and paper. That really adds up, and you'll have a tough time reselling printouts after you take the LSAT.
LSAT Books
-Sure, it might run a few hundred dollars or so, but ou can easily resell your LSAT books when you're done with them (especially if you write in pencil, which you should anyway). While you do have to lay out the money for the books initially, you can make most of it back when you resell them.
PDFs and Torrents: 0.5
LSAT Books: 0.5
Time and Effort:
PDFs and Torrents
-You may have to learn how to use fancy computer programs. Then, you have to go to the trouble to find all those files and wait for everything to download. After that's done, you have to print everything out. Depending upon how many exams you use, that could easily become thousands of pages.
(The average PrepTest is approximately 45 pages. 45 pages x 30 exams is 1350 pages. If you complete more than 30 exams, or if you print multiple copies, you're using a LOT of ink and paper.)
LSAT Books
Everything is perfectly pre-packaged for you. You just order your LSAT books and they magically appear at your doorstep soon after.
PDFs and Torrents: 0
LSAT Books: 1
Legality:
PDFs and Torrents
-Illegal. LSAC materials are copyrighted, which means it's illegal to transmit unauthorized digital copies of them. LSAC is very protective of their intellectual property, and they don't like it when people download or distribute copies of PrepTests without paying for them.
LSAT Books
-Legal. LSAC publishes dozens of previously administered exams that you can purchase and later resell to recoup much of the initial cost.
PDFs and Torrents: 0
LSAT Books: 1
Verdict:
PDFs and Torrents: 0.5
LSAT Books: 2.5
***
P.S. LSAC has made an LSAT PrepTest available for free download on its website (the June 2007 LSAT - PDF).
Photo by libraryman
