Blogroll

T Sinister, left handed 1L at Harvard gets my vote.

Don't just take LSATs -- Analyze them

Just got the tip about this website that allows you to analyze results from LSAT preptests 19-45.

Web Sudoku

Great game for working on those logic skills!

180

I heard good things about Kaplan LSAT 180, so since I have just under 4 months still till the test, I'm considering adding it to my study schedule (2 Powerscore Bibles, and official LSAT tests). I've heard not to switch to using their games strategies after learning the Powerscore ones though. I'll just go with whatever works best for me, and if its a combination of the two, or neither, so be it.

Mostly I'm interested in getting more question types to work on since I only have The Next 10 book and am deciding whether to buy the previous edition for 10 more practice tests or not. I think I'll go to Barnes and Noble today (wish there was a Borders nearby since it was founded in my hometown, but alas its miles and miles away, while B&N is just down the block!) and thumb through the 180 book to see if I buy it for the explanations behind the problems, or just more tests.

But since Kaplan tests are only based on actual LSATs, I'm dubious as to the actual value of studying with their materials. Everyone keeps saying there's no substitute for actual LSAT exams, and there's a lot of logic to that. Maybe I'll just pick up another 10 tests afterall.

-----------------

After a helpful reality check, I've of course decided to work on more practice exams instead of the Kaplan book. I'm sure the Kaplan book is a great tool and people have learned a lot from it. However the real LSAT tests are what you need to master, so the more time spent with them the better.

Sometimes you just have to take a step back from all of this and let others help you to pull your wits about you again!

Random Hip Hop Lyric of the Day

--Now honies play me close like butter played toast

"Juicy", by Notorious BIG

Blogroll

I added another blogger to my list (and am currently going through her archives from 2004 ;). Kristine at Divine Angst seems so similar to me in her approach to law school, her assessment of herself and career goals, and heck even book choices that I couldn't not follow what she has to say about this whole experience. So far its been good reading!

PowerScore Bibles

Got my Logical Reasoning and Logic Games books in the mail from Amazon yesterday. I started on the Games book, and so far think its really well done. There are margin notes on every page restating the important facts of what they are trying to teach you; and after the intro, the book gets right into thinking about and diagramming games.

Let the study schedule begin, June 12th will be coming up sooner than you think!

P.S. If you want these bibles, make sure to order them from your bookstore, Half, PowerScore, or Amazon early, because unfortunately you probably won't be able to just run out to your local bookstores and pick them up. I went to both Barnes and Noble and Tattered Cover--these are huge stores and neither of them had them in stock at any location, only available to order!

Legally Blonde

Is it bad that I added Legally Blonde 1 and 2 to my Netflix queue? I've seen them both a handful of times each, and I still love watching them. Taking some time out to enjoy the lighter (blonder?) side of law school is fun!

LSAT Study Countdown

Some advice to consider, note the alternating chapters theory:

Go on an read the LRB from Powerscore...also work your way through their games bible. Alternate between chapters, don't try to read and learn one book by itself. Your brain won't absorb all the information. By alternating, you will get more out of it because your brain uses different areas to store information because of the different subject matter. (Sounds crazy but it works.)

Also, take one practice test in two weeks...give yourself the two weeks to work through the first 6 chapters (min) of both Bibles...You need to make sure that you have a good basic understanding of the question and section types before you take another full length test.

February	1st wk	Test #9	Sat 2/4	~Nada~
	2nd wk		Sat 2/11	~Nada~
	3rd wk	Games	Sat 2/18	Games
	4th wk	Games	Sat 2/25	Games
March	1st wk	Logic	Sat 3/4	~Nada~
	2nd wk	Logic	Sat 3/11	Test #8	WIW
	3rd wk	Games	Sat 3/18	Test #7	WIW
	4th wk	Games	Sat 3/25	Test #6	WIW
	5th wk	Logic	Sat 4/1	Test #5	WIW
	WIW = Weakness Improvement Workshop
April	1st wk	Logic	Sat 4/8	Test #4	WIW	35 mins
	2nd wk	Games	Sat 4/15	Test #3	WIW	35 mins
	3rd wk	Games	Sat 4/22	Test #2	WIW	35 mins
	4th wk	Logic	Sat 4/29	Test #1	WIW	35 mins
May	1st wk	Logic	Sat 5/6	Test #11	WIW	35 mins
	2nd wk	Games	Sat 5/13	Test #12	WIW	35 mins
	3rd wk	Reading	Sat 5/20	Test #13	WIW	35 mins
	4th wk	Logic	Sat 5/27	Test #14	WIW	35 mins
	5th wk	Games	Sat 6/3	Test #15	WIW	35 mins
June	Sun 6/4	Logic	WIW	Test #16	34 min timing
	Mon 6/5	Games	WIW	~Nada~
	Tue 6/6	Reading	WIW	Test #17	34 min timing
	Wed 6/7	Logic	WIW	Test #18	34 min timing
	Thu 6/8	Games	WIW	~Nada~
	Fri 6/9	Reading	WIW	Test #19	34 min timing
	Sat 6/10	Logic	WIW	Test #20	34 min timing
	Sun 6/11	Games	WIW	~Nada~
	Mon 6/12			TEST DAY

Always Trust in the Online Quiz!

I just go these 2 results in an "What Advanced Degree Should You Get" quiz:

You Should Get a PhD in Liberal Arts (like political science, literature, or philosophy)

You Should Get a PhD in Liberal Arts (like political science, literature, or philosophy)

You're a great thinker and a true philosopher. You'd make a talented professor or writer.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

You Should Get a JD (Juris Doctor)

You Should Get a JD (Juris Doctor)

You're logical, driven, and ruthless. You'd make a mighty fine lawyer.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

The Internet Gods have spoken.

February Test date, Come and Gone

In addition to my confidence about my more traditional timeline for 2006, my confidence about this career path is strengthened all the time. Don't let the fact that I've put off the test and been content to continue exploring my current life and career fool you. Unlike some, I don't feel the need to jump into my next career until I've learned all that I can from my current one.

Everytime I am personally touched by injustices in our society, it just strengthens my resolve to delve into the intricacies of learning the law. My ultimate goal is to return to academia on a path to being a tenured Law Professor, however I fully expect that my journey there over the next decade will be rich with practical experiences. I look forward to it.

I Made My Decision

As I eventually decided and responded to Umich, due in part to the disadvantages of applying at the end of the cycle, I have indeed decided to wait for Fall 2007 to apply for admission to the Law School. This means taking the June 2006 administration of the test, which I am extremely optimistic about.

Though I had pushed back my LSAT test date to February, I must admit that I didn't do any studying until a week out. The demands on my time in other areas of my life just weren't allowing for it, and so yes while applying late in the game isn't too advantageous, applying with a weaker score than you are capable of is even less advantageous. So while I improved my "non-studying" baseline score by 6 pts in 2 days by taking a few tests to reorient myself, I really want to improve another 10 points to get the score I want to apply with. I'm confident I'll reach that extra 10 pts before the June administration, and I'll feel better about allowing myself these next few months as time that I didn't give myself before in order to write personal statements, complete applications, and get a move on gathering those already promised stellar letters of recommendation.

Advice from a 175'er on December LSAT:

Note: This person wasn't me! Nor was the 177'er below!

If you're reading this blog, you should know that I use this space on the web as a sort of supplemental study aid. I collect snippets of advice and tips that I find personally interesting or useful so I can come back to them if I feel like it during this whole LSAT study process. (Pretty much the entire original purpose of a blog eh, Namby?) So, if you actually read the original post below, it would've been apparent that there were 2 different advice givers there, and neither one of them was me. I haven't even taken the LSAT for godsake! (and when I do I'll probably be lucky to score a 120 :P but if you insist upon saying I got a 175, I'll take it ;)

I'm only posting this explanation to the top of this old post because I found it pretty funny that someone didn't read properly, so misconstrued it to think that I was talking about myself. (I was really confused for a minute there when Namby quoted me with something that didn't sound remotely like my own writing, and also said that I scored a 175--until I figured out that what happened was him just misreading my post.) The funnier part of this was the fact that hordes of his blog readers promptly jumped on the bandwagon to crucify the 175'er and 177'er (i.e. me). Geez, crucify the advice givers if you like! It doesn't matter to me--I may have blogged it for future consideration, but I'm not the one who said it. Anyway, way to follow a mistaken man off a cliff, guys.

"I scored a 175, which may be less than your >175 goal but the December LSAT was a bad draw for my skill set and my practices were 1 to 2 points higher. I think >175 is a bit aggressive for your starting scores but a target of 170 may be reasonable. I give the following advice to serious test takers who are scoring high already and want to go the extra mile.

(1) Master time management. Obtaining a sophisticated timer than controls time and question number is essential. By working with a timer during all practice tests I got a tremendous feel for time control that earned me at least 1 or 2 LSAT points.

(2) Develop a sophisticated strategy. A Princeton Review course is not for the very top test takers as the advice is too simple and the methods not conducive to scores deep into the 99th percentile. Your strategy should be custom to your strengths and weaknesses and should evolve as you analyze your practice test mistakes. If you are not a very top test taker follow the Princeton Review method and shoot for a 97th percentile score.

(3) Purchase the PowerScore books (there are two PowerScore bibles). Study these as these are a great place for your personal strategy to begin.

(4) Purchase as many real LSAT tests as possible. Take a practice test every day, preferably at the same time as your real test. Simulate testing conditions.

(5) Cut every single problem you miss on your daily test out of the LSAT book and save it. Review these missed problems often. Analyze the missed problems for trends. Refer back to the PowerScore books on problem types you have issue with. You must find where your mistakes are and correct them.

(6) Get in the mind of the test writers. Look for traps and don't follow the flock. Look for trap types you fall for in your cut out missed problem collection.

(7) Develop a system of notes and symbols to use on the test. You should have your own language for each of the section types that aids in your problem solving.

( Keep taking more and more tests with extreme focus on finding and correcting your errors. The mistakes in your thinking are there and with hard work you will find and correct them.

Following these steps will develop a speed and precision needed for a deep 99th percentile score. I spent one month with particular focus on the arguments and games sections. By test day I missed only one problem on these three sections. I missed 3 on reading comprehension which is a section I didn't focus on much and found it difficult to cut problems from. I missed a total of four on a terribly curved December LSAT and scored 175. In practice I had been between 176 and 177. If you are not a genius the road to a high score will come through long hours of serious test taking with the focus being on finding an eliminating thinking errors and avoiding traps. I hope this advice helps.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/tls396.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More advice in response to dtrossen above, this time from a 177'er:

"I agree. The Dec. 2005 test had a terrible curve. Three scores above 170 weren't even possible... I missed three and scored a 177. dtrossen gave really good advice for the LSAT. There are only a couple of things I would add.

1) Don't concern yourself with the scaled score of previous tests. I mean, they're a good benchmark, but I've found that those scaled scores don't mean much at all (and may lure you into a false of security). Pay more attention to your raw score. To score >175, you should aim to get a raw score of 94+ (and even then no guarantees).

2) I tested myself with 34 minutes and with someback ground noise (just in case the test center is noisy and if the moderator makes a mistake).

3) To nail >175 you should plan on acing the games. They are the easiest to study for and (in my opinion) the most predictable section. Reading can be a crap shoot and when you're aiming for a perfect test, even a few weird arguements could tank you.

4) Don't freak yourself out... Keep things in perspective (ie 161 is like the 84th percentile). Set small goals for yourself (ie scoring consistently above 80 raw) and then gradually step them up (scoring consistently above 85 raw). And don't get discouraged...

5) Lastly, be consistent. Ultimately, after studying your butt off, there is only so much you can do... Your LSAT score could depend on some luck too (LSAT even acknowledges that your band, score +/- 3, is only 68% accurate)... Just do your best.

Georgetown, as they focus more on LSAT scores and admit such a large class, should be no problem for you if you score 170+

With regard to minority status, I can't imagine that Asian-Americans are an URM (underrepresented minority). I don't think being Indian-American will hurt you, but I don't think it'll be any help at any T-10 schools."

UM Admissions Very Responsive

I had received a followup letter from the Umich Law Admissions office, asking if I was planning on taking the LSAT in February and applying for admissions for the summer or fall 2006. Delphine Byrd, the Associate Director of Admissions was concerned that it may put me at a serious disadvantage in regards to admission for Fall 2006 because its so late in their admissions cycle.

I really had to think about the answer to this question, and so necessarily had to take my time in responding. It could all be done in time, it might take a little extra effort and coaxing of the time management gods to get it all done, but it could be feasible. But is that what I wanted right at this moment, could my lifestyle sustain changing so drastically in the quickly fleeting months of the year?

The holidays are never a good time to make life changing decisions, there is always so much more going on this time of year than you are already reasonably expecting. Here's one big piece of advice for future LSAT takers...Do NOT try to take the December administration of the test! Its harder than you think to juggle demands of the holiday season, work or school winding down for the year, AND still effectively prepare yourself to do well on the test.

University of Michigan Law School Invitation to Apply

I received a nice email from Sarah Zearfoss and the Law School Admissions office encouraging me to apply. Now I know that this was a small form letter, but the very fact that I received it shortly before I was to decide on taking the December LSAT or not was such a pick me up!

Work travel and projects meant that I couldn't in fact take the December administration of the test afterall (thank God we're near Go-Live!) however just having this little affirmation in my back pocket was really nice. I did indeed reschedule the test for 2006--and yes I wrote back to Sarah Zearfoss and the Law School Admissions office to let them know that they haven't seen the last from me yet!

Suspiciously Absent

So its been awhile. I've realized that with the addition of my new job, I'd conveniently wiped every trace of the LSAT from my mind for the past month and a half. Turns out, the stress of studying for the LSAT is NOTHING compared to the stress of this new job. I've been so consumed by it, that I've been entirely oblivious to the fact that December 3rd was creeping up in the rearview.

I took some practice exam questions last night to see the extent to which my LSAT skills have rusted, and to my surprise: I'm in fairly good shape! I wonder if I shoud've just taken the test in October instead of psyching myself out. If I was going to be ignoring the LSAT anyway, I could've just have easily spent the time ignoring the stress of waiting for my LSAT scores to come in. Ah well. I didn't feel that I was ready. Of course I'm still gonna need to put in some time to bring up my scores higher than what I was middling in September. I'm also going to have to put in those requests for references soon huh?

Time to decide CE! ...Is it now, or is it waiting another year to apply?!

Accept? Reject? Dates to Ponder

These are the dates that people first reported acceptances and rejections on LSN for the last 2 years in the top 25 schools.

1. Yale- Accepted: 12/20/04 (This year: 12/19/05) Rejected: 12/28/04 (This year: 2/4/06)
2. Harvard- Accepted: 11/23/04 (This year: 11/25/05) Rejected: 01/12/05 (This year: 1/12/06)
3. Stanford- Accepted: 11/23/04 (This year: 11/21/05) Rejected: 01/15/05 (This year: 1/12/06)
4. Columbia- Accepted: 12/01/04 (This year: 12/12/05) Rejected: 12/10/04 (This year: 12/14/05)
5. NYU- Accepted: 12/01/04 (This year: 12/14/05) Rejected: 12/3/04 (This year: 12/14/05)
6. Chicago- Accepted: 12/17/04 (This year: 12/21/05) Rejected: 12/20/04 (This year: 1/3/05)
7. Penn- Accepted: 12/05/04 (This year: 12/15/05) Rejected: 12/2/04 (This year: 12/10/05)
8. Michigan- Accepted: 11/16/04 (This year: 11/22/05) Rejected: 12/15/04 (This year: 1/13/06)
9. Virginia- Accepted: 12/13/04 (This year: 12/1/05) Rejected: 12/15/04 (This year: 12/12/05)
10. Northwestern- Accepted: 11/15/04 (This year: 12/22/05) Rejected: 12/12/04 (This year: 12/29/05)
11. Cornell- Accepted: 12/09/04 (This year: 12/2/05) Rejected: 12/15/04 (This year: 12/16/05)
12. Duke- Accepted: 11/30/04 (This year: 12/10/05) Rejected: 12/30/04
13. Berkeley- Accepted: 12/01/04 (This year: 11/02/05) Rejected: 01/24/05 (This year: 2/3/06)
14. Georgetown- Accepted: 11/01/04 (This year: 11/01/05) Rejected: 11/20/04 (This year: 12/8/05)
15. UCLA- Accepted: 12/15/04 (This year- 12/20/05) Rejected: 3/7/05
16. UTexas- Accepted: 11/10/04 (This year- 11/05/05) Rejected: 11/23/04 (This year- 12/05/05)
17. Vandy- Accepted: 12/06/04 (This year: 12/12/05) Rejected: 12/08/04 (This year: 12/12/05)
18. USC- Accepted: 11/20/04 (This year: 12/15/05) Rejected: 01/25/05 (This year: 1/26/06)
19. Minnesota- Accepted: 12/02/04 (This year: 12/13/05) Rejected: 12/03/04 (This year: 12/16/05)
20. Boston U- Accepted: 12/20/04 (This year: 12/21/05) Rejected: 01/25/05 (This year: 1/31/06)
21. GWU- Accepted: 12/10/04 (This year: 12/7/05) Rejected: 12/08/04 (This year: 12/6/05)
22. Iowa- Accepted: 12/02/04 (This year: 12/20/05) Rejected: 01/24/05
23. W & L- Accepted: 12/01/04 (This year: 12/19/05) Rejected: 03/06/05
24. Notre Dame- Accepted: 12/01/04 (This year: 12/23/05) Rejected: 12/09/04 (This year: 12/27/05)
25. WUSL- Accepted: 11/23/04 (This year: 11/23/05) Rejected: 01/10/05

A person’s LSAT score is a reflection of how they will perform in law school

http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2005/09/12/65075/?print

LSAT veteran

Political science junior Khaled El-Sawaf is scared.

Like many pre-law students preparing for the Law School Admission Test, fear is growing as they realize the importance of the test.

...

No miracle will happen on test day, said first-year law student Mac Fadlallah.

If students aren’t achieving a desired score on their practice exams in the week prior to the test date, he advises them to postpone the test.

Fadlallah’s scores on his practice exams were slightly lower than what he wanted to get on the LSAT, and he said he thought, “Maybe on test day, I’ll take it more seriously and a miracle will happen.”

“I was absolutely wrong,” he said.

Well reading this article, and rumblings from other 0Ls has gotten me scared too. I started the practice tests last week, and realized that I couldn't even make it entirely through the sections within the 35 minute time limit. This is quite distressing. My study plan essentially went in 3 stages:

1. Work through the Barron's studybook sections for each section of the test. Take the practice test at the end of each section. (I didn't like the Barron's book and would advise using a different publisher.) My first practice test section garnered me less than stellar results, but I noticed that as I went along my test taking skills came back to me, and my practice scores improved rapidly and markedly from that first time out around the track.

2. Do the Daily LSAT Blog test questions, which are pulled from actual administered tests. This is a friendly little website (see link to the right) put together by former 99th percentile LSAT test takers. Diligently I worked through the archives up until the present day in spare moments grabbed from the day. Happily, I was rocking those, and felt like it was a breeze. I was going to ace this test.

3. Do the 10 Tests that I ordered from the LSAC in the final weeks before the test to solidify my skills. This is where things got rocky. Sure, I should have started on this phase a bit sooner, but hey nobody's perfect, and the last week time crunch is inevitable for everyone. No matter how prepared you are, you still think you're behind the 8-ball.

I hadn't been timing myself on the tests up until this point. What it comes down to is that anyone can ace the LSAT if it were not for the time limit. If you had unlimited time to work away on that perfect games diagram, or re-read passages to find the closest reasoning match, then yeah, you and everyone else taking the test would have no trouble finding the right answers. The problem is the clock. When I started timing myself, I couldn't believe how fast 35 minutes was going by! At first I was so freaked out about the timer ticking down, that I would waste precious seconds glancing at it every few minutes. This only served to make me more anxious, and that test-taker anxiety started to set in. I've never been a nervous test taker. Sure I've always preferred to write a paper over taking a test anyday, but taking an actual test has never bothered me in particular. This time its different. Aside from the Bar itself, THIS test will be the biggest one I've taken in my life.

And at this point, less than a week before the test, I am not scoring where I need to be--largely due to the fact that I've yet to be able to finish any section on time! Sure statistically speaking, guessing will give you a few right answers, but come on, I can't just guess on the last 8-10 questions! Argh. I need to quicken up and change my answering strategy in tonight's test and see where I lay. I've decided that if I can't make it through tonight, I will need to postpone my test until December...and that's a whole 'nother can of worms in terms of applying (not to mention the major software rollout during that time period on my work schedule).
Argh. The damn LSAT :(

What Really Happens on Test Day

This resource is the first time I've really seen a breakdown of what will actually happen on test day, from an administrative standpoint. Good to know.

http://www.west.net/~stewart/lsat/lsatcd.htm

Countdown to Test Day

30 Days to the LSAT (2nd Ed.) Mark Alan Stewart

HERE YOU'LL FIND a procedural checklist for the weeks leading up to your LSAT, for exam day, and for the weeks that follow your test. Click on the links or scroll down. 8 Weeks Prior to the Exam 4 Weeks Prior to the Exam 2 Weeks Prior to the Exam 2 Days Before to the Exam The Day Before the Exam The Day of the Exam—Before Arriving at the Test Site The Day of the Exam—At the Test Site During the Week After the Exam 5 Weeks After the Exam 8 Weeks Prior to the Exam Obtain the registration book. Use the form included in the book to register for the LSAT. Read the book from cover to cover. Most procedural questions about the LSAT and about the LSDAS are answered in the book. Decide where you want to take the LSAT. A complete list of all available LSAT test sites is included in the registration book. On the LSAT registration form, you will be asked to specify your first two test-site choices. Most test takers prefer to take the exam at the nearest available location. However, if you are in college and away from your home, you may prefer to go home for an extended weekend and take the LSAT there, away from the distractions associated with the collegiate living environment. Another consideration is the testing accommodations themselves. Some testing rooms are equipped with long tables, others with standard classroom desks, while others are equipped with theater-style fold-away desktops. If possible, avoid a test site equipped with fold-away desktops. Register early for the LSAT. Make sure that you register for the LSAT on or before the regular postmark registration deadline—4 to 5 weeks prior to the exam date. (Precise dates are specified in the registration book.) Late registration is permitted up to a certain date with payment of an additional late-registration fee. (Deadlines and fees are specified in the registration book.) Telephone registration with payment by credit card is permitted only for late registration. Walk-in (exam-day) registration is not permitted. Register as early as possible to ensure a seat at your first- or second-choice test site. Early registration is particularly crucial for the October exam, which is by far the most popular of the four exams offered during the year. 4 Weeks Prior to the Exam Make a final determination about where you wish to take the LSAT. After registering for the LSAT and paying the registration fee, you can request a change of test site for an additional fee up until about 3 weeks prior to the exam. 2 Weeks Prior to the Exam Look over your LSAT admission ticket. If you mailed your registration form by the postmark deadline but have not yet received your LSAT admission ticket in the mail, contact the testing service to be sure that your registration is being processed. When you receive your LSAT admission ticket, look it over to make sure that you are properly identified and have been assigned to an appropriate test site. 2 Days Before the Exam Get a good night's sleep tonight. Most people can get by without a lot of sleep for one day. Insufficient sleep is more likely to catch up with you on the second day. The Day Before the Exam Take the day off. Clear your mind and engage in relaxing activities. Don't think about or talk about the LSAT. Having already worked through this book, no amount of last-minute preparation for the LSAT will be of any real benefit. Arrange for backup transportation to the test site. In case your first means of transportation is unexpectedly unavailable on exam day, make sure you have a "Plan B." Remember: automobiles do break down unexpectedly from time to time. Go for a drive to the test site. Find the building and room where the test will be administered. If the building and room are open, go in and check out the facilities so that you know what to expect the next day. Check the size and style of the desks and chairs, check to see if there is a clock and whether there are vending machines, water fountains, and rest rooms nearby. You will be under enough stress the next morning without worrying about finding your way around a strange place. Set out everything you need for tomorrow. Have all of the following items ready to go before you retire for the night: Required: one current form of photo identification that includes your signature your LSAT admission ticket two or three #2 pencils with good erasers Recommended: directions to the test site a silent timing device a highlighter pen liquid paper a comfortable sweater, sweatshirt, or light jacket a pencil sharpener snack foods (fruit, nuts, granola bars, etc.) Set two alarms to wake you up on exam day. In case of a electrical-power outage, one alarm should be battery operated. Also, ask a friend to give you a wake up call to ensure that you don't hit your alarm's snooze button and go back to sleep. The Day of the Exam—Before Arriving at the Test Site Eat a good breakfast. No lunch break is provided during the exam. Be sure to eat enough to keep you going for at least five hours. Leave early for the test site. The LSAT admission ticket will indicate when you should arrive at the test site. Make sure you depart early enough to arrive by that time. Take along the morning newspaper. Plan on delays and idle time before (and possibly during) the LSAT. Keep your mind off the test by taking along some reading material to pass the time. Don't forget your admission ticket, photo identification, etc. Review the list of items that you (should have) set out the day before to take with you to the test site. WARNING: Don't inadvertently leave any of these items in your car at the test site. (Any LSAT supervisor will tell you that last-minute dashes back to the parking lot for forgotten items are very common.) If you are ill on exam day. If illness or some other emergency prevents you from taking the exam, you do not need to contact the testing service or anyone at the test site to cancel. Your absence at the test site will not be reported per se, although cancellations are reported on your score report. Rest assured: the fact that you canceled the test or canceled your score will not adversely affect your chances of admission to law school. The Day of the Exam—At the Test Site Checking in. To be admitted to the test site you must present your admission ticket and one form of photo identification that includes your signature. An acceptable form of identification might include a driver's license, student identification card, or passport. The supervisor will check the examinee roster for your name. Prepare to be thumbprinted! Sure, the testing service trusts you; but it does not trust the suspicious character seated next to you. Every test taker is thumbprinted when checking in to help ensure that no registrant has sent someone else to take the test for them. After completion of all multiple-choice sections, testing staff-members will check photo identification once again (to ensure that the individuals who checked in are the same individuals who actually took the complete exam). Seating arrangements. The exam supervisor will separate test takers with empty desks or chairs to reduce the likelihood of cheating. You are not permitted to choose your own seat. Nevertheless, if your chair squeaks, or if you are seated near a drafty, poorly lit, or uncomfortable area, ask to move. Supervisors are instructed to honor all reasonable requests to relocate. Bringing personal belongings into the testing room. Your personal belongings are permitted in the testing room but must be stowed under your desk or table at all times during the exam. Beverages and food. Beverages are not permitted in the testing room. You are permitted to bring snacks into the testing room, but you must stow your snacks beneath your desk and cannot eat in the test room. If either during or between exam sections you wish to eat snacks that you brought, you must take your snacks outside the room and eat there. Instructions and more instructions. Once you are settled in your seat, expect to spend at least 20 minutes filling in circles on your bubble-sheet to provide information about you and about the test you are taking. The supervisor will then review the testing procedures as well as the rules for examinee conduct. As with any standardized test, the exam supervisor will recite all instructions from a pre-written script. All test booklets are not the same. On the cover of your test booklet will appear a large bold letter—either "A," "B," or "C"—that indicates which version of the LSAT you will be taking. Although the four scored sections will be identical for all test takers, the test sections are ordered differently in different versions. Also, the trial section will vary among different versions. The primary purpose of administering different test versions is to safeguard against cheating. Starting and stopping each section. The supervisor will keep time during each section and announce when you may start and stop each section. During each exam section, you are not permitted to work ahead or go back to other sections. Recording your answers. You must record all your answers with a #2 pencil on a separate answer sheet provided by the supervisor. Answers recorded in the test booklet will not be scored. Be sure to blacken in an answer for all questions, since there is no penalty for incorrect reposes. Timing devices. Silent timing devices are permitted. It is recommended that you take a watch with you to the exam, since there is no guarantee that there will be a functioning clock in the testing room. Supervisor announcements concerning remaining time. The supervisor will issue one verbal 5-minutes-remaining warning during each exam section. The purpose of this warning is to allow you to adjust your pace so that you can finish the section and fill in all of the bubbles on your answer sheet. Breaks between exam sections. A 10–15 minute break is provided after the third test section (1 hour, 45 minutes into the exam). At the completion of the multiple-choice portion of the LSAT, the testing staff will collect test booklets and distribute Writing Sample materials, so a break of sorts occurs at this point as well. Otherwise, there will be no break between test sections. Leaving the room during the exam. You may leave the room at any time during the exam, although you must first obtain the supervisor's permission. If you do leave the room, you will not be permitted to make up that time. Be forewarned: A member of the testing staff might accompany you to and from the rest room! Unexpected delays and problems. A variety of unexpected problems can interfere somewhat with the administration of the LSAT. Unexpected noise from the outside, windy or unusually cold or hot weather, and power failures are the most common uncontrollable problems. Some problems can be solved by relocating to another room in the building or to another building altogether. If any environmental problem occurs that might distract you, by all means bring the matter to the supervisor's attention. Canceling your test at the test site. At any time during the test or immediately afterwards, you can cancel your test simply by completing a specified portion of the answer sheet. If you cancel your test in this manner, no score will be tabulated. Cancellations are irreversible; accordingly, think twice before hastily canceling your test while still at the test site. Instead, reflect for a day or two on your performance; the testing service allows you to cancel your score within five days after the test. As noted earlier, your score report will indicate cancellations, although canceled scores will not be included in the report. (Also remember that cancellations will not adversely affect your chances of admission.) Take home some souvenirs of the LSAT. The supervisor will of course collect all test booklets after the exam. Remember, however, that a carbonless copy of your writing sample and the black pen provided for the Writing Sample section are yours to take home with you! During the Week After the Exam Requesting a refund if you do not take the exam. If you do not actually take the exam for which you register, a partial refund is allowed if requested in writing anytime before the exam or within one week following the exam. Applying your registration fee to a later LSAT. If you decide to postpone taking the LSAT, for an additional fee the service will apply a portion of your registration fee to a subsequent exam, but only upon written request up until one week after the original exam date. Canceling your test score. If you wish to cancel your score for the exam that you just took, the testing service must receive proper written notification of cancellation within 5 working days after the exam. 5 Weeks after the Exam Your LSAT score report. An LSAT score report is mailed to you 4 to 6 weeks after the exam. The report will include: a 5" by 8" copy of the entire exam (see the "NOTE" below, however), except for the Writing Sample Topic, a copy of which you took home with you on exam day your raw score, your scaled score, and a conversion table to determine your percentile ranking your response to each question and the correct response to each question Thus, you will have all the information to assess your strengths and weaknesses on the exam. This should help you determine whether you should retake the test and, if so, what areas you should focus on in preparing for the test again. Note: If you take the exam in December, you will not receive a copy of the exam. December exams are not disclosed. Decide whether to take the LSAT again. Take the LSAT with the attitude that you will be taking it once and only once. Your most recent three scores (excluding cancellations) are reported to the law schools, most of which use the average (arithmetic mean) of those scores to assess your candidacy. Nevertheless, consider taking the LSAT again if you feel strongly that you did not perform as well as you could have the first time. The testing service reports that over ninety percent of repeat test takers improve upon their prior scores! Act early to register for the exam again. If you decide to retake the LSAT, keep an eye on the registration deadlines! If you took the LSAT in October, you may not receive your score by mail until after the regular registration deadline for the December LSAT! If you are considering retaking the exam, the testing service now allows you to obtain your scores by telephone request earlier to allow you time to determine whether to register again before the next deadline. Filing complaints and challenging the integrity or fairness of the test. With every LSAT, a few test takers will attempt to find fault with the test and will complain to the LSAC about the integrity or fairness of the exam. Only on rare occasions have particular scored questions later been thrown out and exam scores adjusted due to an ambiguity or error on the exam. More common complaints involve irregularities and problems in testing procedures. The LSAC is receptive to reasonable complaints about the exam administration if submitted in writing and in good faith. (Complaint procedures are outlined in the registration book.) Should you encounter a problem during the test, however, your best course of action is to ask the supervisor to solve it then and there rather than waiting until later to complain to the LSAC.

How to Survive—and Even Prosper—On the LSAT

Excellent paper that makes you think a little bit more clearly about THE BEAST.

http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~rcoas/prelaw/survivelsat.pdf

Reposted below in case the original disappears:

How to Survive—and Even Prosper—On the LSAT

James Yoho, J.D., Ph.D.

From the Spring 2004 issue of NAPLA Notes

For most who aspire to attend law school, the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) looms as an

academic rite of passage that is, at best, an annoyance-and, at worst, downright intimidating. You may hear

whispered Wes of other pre-law wannabes that approach the status of urban legend: the college

valedictorian (known by 'somebody's' cousin) who became a broken person after doing no better than 152

on the LSAT after three tries, or the Type-A Ivy Leaguer (knowingly profiled on an Internet bulletin board)

who decided to become a telemarketer following a poor performance on the test that came even after

investing a few thousand dollars in prep courses.

Part of the task for one who is preparing for the LSAT, then, is to somehow cut through the near-

paranoia about the test in order to do well and get into law school (for which the reward will be to go

$100,000 into debt in order to spend three years studying subjects with strange names like 'torts' and

'remedies' for 10 or more hours a day—but that's another story). This paper is intended to give LSAT-takers

the proverbial "big picture' about how to navigate these rapids; after all, we need more telemarketers even

less than we need more lawyers.

Setting a goal for your LSAT score

Most LSAT-takers back into their target score for the LSAT: in effect, they say "Given my GPA, in order

to get into the law school of my (optional insert: parents') choice, I'm going to need an LSAT score of

about 195, so that's my goal.

2

The obvious problem here is what happens if it eventually comes to pass that

you can't score that high. After all, the LSAT produces a bell-shaped distribution curve of its scores, and so

only so many people are going to attain any particular score.

There certainly are those who, trying to be encouraging, contend that anyone who's willing to work hard

and long enough can attain a particular target score, whatever it may be. They quite understand that, say, a

176 will be achieved by only a fraction of 1% of LSAT-takers (the precise figure varies a bit), but believe—as

the major commercial preparation firms are fond of saying—that the LSAT tests only one's ability to take

the test. Thus, this theory goes, with sufficient dedication you will be one of those three or four test-takers

per thousand who gets a 176 or better.

It's dear enough that diligent preparation for the LSAT can improve one's score, even significantly:

more people improve from, say, a 140 to a 165 or from a 152 to a 173 than you might suppose. However,

it's also clear that even the most dedicated test-takers eventually will take their score, as they said in the

musical Oklahoma about the metropolis of Kansas City, “About as fur as you can go.” In short, it never

should be assumed that one can reach a certain score on the LSAT.

A less obvious problem with backing into your goal for a score on the LSAT is that it may well limit

your potential. If you set your sights on, say, a 155, then you might well quit preparing once that score has

been reached in practice. However, suppose that you actually have the ability to reach 165? With that

higher score, you'd have the option of attending a few dozen additional law schools. And even if you don't

want to change your first choice for law school, that higher LSAT score may well translate into more

financial aid.

So, the I-can-score-whatever-I-need approach to arriving at a target LSAT score is, for most, pretty much

a recipe for disappointment, if not heartbreak. A better approach is to set a goal of scoring as well as one

can, whatever that may prove to be; let's call it the go-as-fur-as-you-can-go plan. In other words, prepare for

the test to the point where your score peaks. Whatever that score proves to be, accept it.

The odds are that you can go to law school somewhere- although, certainly, the higher the score, the more options (and

financial aid) you'll have. Note that you don't need the best LSAT score, or other credentials, among your entering law school

class. If you're in, you're in: it's not as though, at graduation, the dean will intone something like “And

graduating now, the last person to be offered admission to his class, is Sasquatch L. Peabody, Jr.” Given

the levels of competition these days to gain admission to law school, if you're offered admission then you

probably can handle the work. (Most of those who don't get through law school have some sort of

significant personal distraction, such as being bored by the work or paying too much attention to pinball

machines, rather than an intellectual inability to handle the work.)

Thus, the obvious question is how to reach one's highest score on the LSAT.

How to reach one's highest score on the LSAT

First, you must come to understand why the right answers to the questions on the LSAT are right and the wrong

answers are wrong. This is not really a matter of your knowledge or intelligence, by the way, as the LSAT is

primarily a test of reasoning skills. Happily, the reasoning tasks presented by the LSAT are limited in

number and so they also are quite repetitive. Put another way: the question types are predictable. Thus, the

careful study of fewer questions than. You might suppose prepares you for all of them and allows you to

move accurately. Additional study beyond this point allows you to improve speed without sacrificing

accuracy. Once you're moving at your maximum speed while retaining accuracy, you're ready!

Second, you must employ a sensible procedural approach to the test; this is necessary to maximize your efficiency.

After all, the whole game here is to maximize the number of correct answers. It's beyond the scope of "

paper to address this in a comprehensive fashion, but consider just one strategic example: most people

move through an LSAT section too quickly. That's somewhat understandable, as it's likely that every single

test one has encountered before the LSAT (with the possible exception of college admission tests like the

SAT and ACT) was structured so that it could be finished easily enough within the allotted time. It's also

the case that much of the advice given. to LSAT- takers holds that one should move at a pace such that a

timed section is finished. Even many LSAT-takers who are advised to slow down fail to heed it; the habit of

finishing a test is just too strong to break.

When an LSAT-taker moves too quickly, three bad things happen. Only the first is recognized very

often: when we do anything too quickly, we make more mistakes-and wrong answers on the LSAT don't

raise our score. This much is obvious enough, but what escapes most test-takers is that the move-at-a-pace-

to-do-all-of-the-questions approach really suits only those who can move that quickly without seriously

compromising accuracy.4 All but the rare test-taker would do better to bet the rent on the state lottery: the

LSAT-taker who can miss only one or two questions at the most and score a 180 is, literally, fewer than

one in 1,000-and likely something more like one in every 10,000.

The second problem with moving too quickly should be obvious enough once you think about it: the

time that's spent on missed questions does nothing to raise your score. So, if you miss, say, half of the

questions, you have—all else being equal—spent half of the allotted time without raising your score. If,

instead, you were to emphasize accuracy over speed, you might get another 10% or 20% correct.

That's connected to the third problem that's caused by moving too quickly: during timed practice in

which you move too quickly, you learn to be sloppy rather than accurate-and this complicates learning

why the right answers are right and the wrong answers are wrong. It's possible to overcome this even ff

you're moving too quickly during practice testing, but it's much more likely that such a test-taker will,

instead, make the problem even worse by making the additional strategic error of emphasizing the quantity

of practice at the sacrifice of its quality--which guarantees only that you'll get a lot of practice missing

questions.

Finally, you must practice applying those sensible procedures to real LSATs until your practice scores peak. As

already intimated, to practice less-than-sensible procedures is no guarantee of success, or even of

significant improvement. Many LSAT-takers say something like this: 'I've spent a few hundred hours

taking every practice LSAT that I could find, and my scores still haven't improved much.' It's possible that

such a person simply has gone as "fur" as he or she can go, but it's much more likely, given the sheer

quantity of practice, that this is mostly reflective of confusion about what and how to practice and so all of

these hours of practice are reinforcing some bad test-taking habits. It's like a beginning tennis player who

endlessly practices serving while standing on only one foot: he might well practice more than anyone else

and could be the best one-footed tennis server in the whole state, but-all else being equal-he's going to be

at a real disadvantage with an opponent who practices less, but with both feet on the ground.

Even sensible procedures must be practiced until your score has gone as high as it will go. There is no

magic number of hours of practice before this happens, and it's fairly idiosyncratic. I suggest that a test-

taker take at least three full (real) LSATs under timing, each to be followed by a careful, untimed review of

the wrong answers. This includes doing the questions that there wasn't time to answer during the initial

timed practice of that section. Once all of this has been done, take careful stock: how close does your score

seem to be to peaking? How much time is left before test day?

A related issue here is under what sort of timeline you're operating. If you're scheduled to take the test

in, say, 10 days, then it's simply not feasible to plan to take and review 10 more LSATs before then.

Obviously, one option is to delay taking the test; how- ever, that also may delay your entry into law school,

depending on the circumstances. Generally, an earlier application is better than a later one during the

same application cycle and thus an early start on LSAT preparation

The ideal timeline for a law school wannabe is to take the June administration of the test; if in college

at the time, that's the June that follows the junior year. This allows for the final 4-6 weeks of preparation

to be uncomplicated by classes. Obviously, once the test date has been ascertained you must decide when

to start preparing for the LSAT, but this can be a bit trickier than you may suppose: if the timeline is too

short, you'll run out of time; if it's too long, you may not follow through and, if you do, you may burn out.

Consider adopting a preparation timeline that's designed to get you ready one test administration earlier

than your true target (e.g. the February test), as you may well find that, for various reasons, you're not

ready then and so have some extra time. If the June test date arrives and you're just not ready, then

postpone taking the test until October.

Preparation books and courses

The primary rationale for obtaining assistance in preparing for the test is that this will both save time

and increase even your long-term effectiveness-not to mention short-term. After all, those who write the

books and preparation courses have taken studying the LSAT for a long time and so probably can get you

off to a faster start. It's also entirely possible that they know a few things about the test that you wouldn't

discover through the trial-and-error that's the hall- mark of self-preparation.

By far, the cheaper way to go here is to buy one or two commercial preparation books that contain test-

taking strategies. For a rather small investment, you'll get lots of ideas on strategy. Keep in mind that some

of them are better than others. Therefore, be ready to discard any particular bit of advice if your practice or

common sense tell you that it just doesn't work for you. On the bright side, even the process of thinking

critically about what you find in these books- whether you eventually accept or reject any particular bit of

advice-will sharpen your ability to think strategically about the LSAT.

Note carefully that the practice tests found in these books are not worth your time. They aren't real

LSATS, which is to say that their difficulty level has not been calibrated like the real thing; thus, the

practice 'scores" that they yield are not necessarily accurate. Also, the quality of the questions often is rather

poor, especially on the three-fourths of the test that are the Reading Comprehension and Logical

Reasoning sections; thus, they don't show what the real LSAT is like as well as they should. The only

positive attribute of unofficial LSATS, really, is that explanations for the questions often are provided.

However, explanations really aren't all that helpful.

Luckily, there's a cheap way around this problem: you can purchase real LSATs for a relative pittance

and use them for your practice. Some like to make sure that some of the more recent tests are used for

practice, as they reflect certain trends in the evolution of the test.

Preparation courses are more expensive. Even if you have the money, that doesn't mean it's necessarily a

good use of it-or of your time. The trick to making this decision is to be clear about why you would be

taking a course. If your eventual decision is to take a course, then find the one that best meets those needs;

by no means are all courses equal.

Above all else, you'll want an effective instructor. Unfortunately, it's often the case that you can't

ascertain even the identity of the instructor of a particular course, much less something about his or her

credentials. This is never a good sign, and often it's meant to hide that the instructor has few or no teaching

credentials-and having scored well on the test is a test-taking credential and only slightly relevant to teaching

ability. Often, instructors still are undergraduates themselves!

Instructors must know both how and what to teach. If you're thinking about taking a preparation course

mostly for its test-taking strategies and the company that offers the course also publishes a book on the

LSAT, you'd probably be better off just buying the book. After all, do you really think they saved any

"secrets' for the course?

A preparation course that's longer than 15 or 20 hours is too long for most people. Undue length

suggests intellectual disorganization-not to mention an unnecessarily high price. There are other problems

associated with undue length, such as lots of meetings; beyond a certain point, you're better off using this

time to practice. Still, the biggest problem associated with an overlong prep course may well be that you

never learn to work on questions while away from the instructor. After all, the instructor won't be able to

help you on test day!

The LSAT-takers who most benefit from a long prep course seem to be those who need the 'structure'

that it provides. However, even these test-takers still must find time to practice on their own. It also makes

you wonder if someone who needs this sort of coddling really belongs in law school, where there's very

little 'structure.' (For example, in most law school classes there are no papers, quizzes, or even midterms-just

a final exam!)

If you opt to take a preparation course, try to find one that's offered through a college or university it's

likely to be a short and relatively inexpensive course that's taught by someone with better qualifications

than is likely with a commercial course.

Retaking the Test

It's surprising how many people take a half-hearted stab at preparing for the LSAT, figuring that they

always can take it again. The most obvious problem with this approach is that whatever your score may

prove to be, it clearly won't be as high as it might've been. A second effort will require preparation any-

way, so why not get it right the first time? Also, note well that law schools usually average multiple LSAT

scores, so a low first score will continue to haunt you.

If you prepare using real LSATs taken under timing, your score m test day should not surprise you.

Conclusion

Chin up! If you believe you can handle law school, to be followed by a glamorous and lucrative career

in the law, then presumably you can handle the LSAT, too. While a certain contempt for the whole

process is healthy, you should not fail to respect the test-for it is what it is. Above all else, you should

understand the beast, and plan for how you're going to tame it.

Notes

1. Dr. Yoho is a denizen of Pennsylvania who holds a law degree (Juris Doctor) from the

University of Illinois and a Ph.D. in Government from the University of Virginia. He also has

12 years of experience teaching at colleges and universities, including two law schools, and

served for seven years as a university pre-law adviser. He now works full-time as a coach on

standardized tests of general reasoning ability (like the LSAT), offering preparation courses

since 1996 at the request of several well-known colleges and universities. Well-published in law,

political science, and test preparation, his principal research interests are in the areas of

American constitutional law, interest groups, and the strategic dynamics of standardized tests.

2. Yes, the author knows that the scaled score for the test ranges from 120-180; he was just

kidding around, which was the only recreation available to him during a youth misspent in the

Midwest. He figures that you know the scale, too (or can find out easily enough), which is why

he's not focusing here on basic details about the LSAT.

3. It's acknowledged that reasonable people can disagree on when an LSAT-taker knows that his

or her practice scores have gone as 'fur' as they can go. Without tying to address that issue

comprehensively here, it will be said that the notion is rejected that an apparent peak in

practice scores necessarily is just a score plateau that will prove to be temporary if additional

practice is undertaken. As already has been argued here, you can reach your limit of

achievement on the test; the problem is knowing when you can't go any higher. In addition,

the additional practice that will be necessary to raise your score even more may not be feasible,

and the possibility of preparation burnout also must be considered.

4. "Accuracy" doesn't necessarily mean 100% accuracy. The standard that the author urges upon

students is to be about 90% confident that an answer is correct unless there is an extenuating

circumstance with that question, in which case you should move on rather than get bogged

down. (The move-on-ff-you're-truly-stuck idea may seem either contradictory or suspiciously

similar to the move-fast-enough-to-finish approach, but this is as much a matter of emphasis as

anything else: as a matter of routine, does a test-taker emphasize accuracy or speed?

5. You may not want to hear this, but here it is: once you have been told what types of reasoning

tasks are on the test, you're better off being self-reliant when it comes to applying those

principles to particular questions. Explanations are a crutch that you should discard as soon as

you can.

6. Law schools sometimes say that they'll 'consider" an applicant's higher or highest LSAT score,

but this always was true. However, they'll still average them for such purposes as describing the

qualifications of their entering class, should they offer you admission to it and should you

attend- so beware: law school prestige is most closely linked to selectivity in admissions, and so

a law school's prestige is, in a sense, only as good as the official LSAT scores of the applicants to

whom admission is offered.