Feedback on the most recent Tea with LSAT Steve (received via email):
"One thing stuck out with me- the gentleman who mentioned hearing from someone ( a dean maybe?) at a law school who basically implied the LSAT was bogus and didn't predict success in school, etc.
Your response was excellent and addressed the studies out there that show otherwise. With that said, I wanted to add on how that mentality is a dangerous one, that may set folks up for failure. Downplaying the difficulty of this test is not how you conquer the test. People who scale mountains, or run marathons with any level of competitiveness know that they are facing a great challenge, and prepare as much as possible. This test is a full on battle, not a water balloon fight.
To say the test doesn't mean much in how you will do in school or as a lawyer is mentally telling yourself why worry? It's just a little test, and I'm smart and can handle it.
I think I mentioned to you previously that I am in law enforcement- a lot of our training involves having the right mindset in situations. Having the right mentality when the stuff hits the fan can mean the difference between life and death. Furthermore, it has been proven that under stress, you revert back to your training- so on exam day, whether or not you have prepped will show.
Obviously the LSAT isn't quite life or death, but the results can greatly impact the rest of your life so it should be taken seriously! Years ago I remember preparing for the physical fitness test (mile and a half run, x amount of pushups and situps in a minute based on your age and gender). I remember people I knew saying how great of shape they were in, how it was going to be easy, etc. I can't say all of those folks didn't make the cut, but a good majority did not due to their attitude (and lack of preparation).
I could go on about this- please forgive the mini stream of consciousness rant! I'm not sure if you have read it, but there is a great book called "You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself". Basically, it goes over a lot of psychological principles that affect our daily lives. I think a few apply to this discussion (Dunning-Kruger effect for one).
Anyway, as always thanks for all you do. I'm going back to prepare for the LSAT!"
"One thing stuck out with me- the gentleman who mentioned hearing from someone ( a dean maybe?) at a law school who basically implied the LSAT was bogus and didn't predict success in school, etc.
Your response was excellent and addressed the studies out there that show otherwise. With that said, I wanted to add on how that mentality is a dangerous one, that may set folks up for failure. Downplaying the difficulty of this test is not how you conquer the test. People who scale mountains, or run marathons with any level of competitiveness know that they are facing a great challenge, and prepare as much as possible. This test is a full on battle, not a water balloon fight.
To say the test doesn't mean much in how you will do in school or as a lawyer is mentally telling yourself why worry? It's just a little test, and I'm smart and can handle it.
I think I mentioned to you previously that I am in law enforcement- a lot of our training involves having the right mindset in situations. Having the right mentality when the stuff hits the fan can mean the difference between life and death. Furthermore, it has been proven that under stress, you revert back to your training- so on exam day, whether or not you have prepped will show.
Obviously the LSAT isn't quite life or death, but the results can greatly impact the rest of your life so it should be taken seriously! Years ago I remember preparing for the physical fitness test (mile and a half run, x amount of pushups and situps in a minute based on your age and gender). I remember people I knew saying how great of shape they were in, how it was going to be easy, etc. I can't say all of those folks didn't make the cut, but a good majority did not due to their attitude (and lack of preparation).
I could go on about this- please forgive the mini stream of consciousness rant! I'm not sure if you have read it, but there is a great book called "You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself". Basically, it goes over a lot of psychological principles that affect our daily lives. I think a few apply to this discussion (Dunning-Kruger effect for one).
Anyway, as always thanks for all you do. I'm going back to prepare for the LSAT!"
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