Turning tricky LSAT Logical Reasoning words into conditionals

Today, I'm showing you how to turn tricky Logical Reasoning words into easy "If X then Y" conditionals (without getting confused): --- Specifically, we're talking about turning phrases with "except," "unless," "until," and "without" into conditional statements. METHOD 1.) The "introducing necessary and then negating sufficient" way. METHOD 2.) The so-easy-a-5-year-old-can-do-it way. Imagine if you came across one of these words on the actual LSAT and didn't know what to do with it. There'd be a 99% chance you'd get the question wrong. WHY? Because you didn't understand what they were saying! Here's how to make sure you diagram these correctly. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- METHOD 1.) The "introducing necessary and then negating sufficient" way. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take any of the annoying words ("except," "unless," "until," and "without") as introducing the necessary condition. In other words, whatever immediately follows one of these words is your necessary condition. Then, whatever other clause is present in the conditional statement will, when negated, become your sufficient condition. The phrase "Not B unless A" would first become "Not B then A." But we're not done yet! We still have to negate "Not B" to become "B." So...we have B ---> A. No need to take the contrapositive or rearrange anything. With an example: "It's not Thanksgiving (B) unless there's turkey (A)."

It first becomes: "Not Thanksgiving ---> there's turkey" BUT we still have to negate "Not Thanksgiving" to become "Thanksgiving." This gives us "Thanksgiving ---> turkey." (Meaning that we've directly turned "No X unless Y" into "X ---> Y") Get it? Good! Now let's move on to the next (even easier) method: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- METHOD 2.) The so-easy-a-5-year-old-can-do-it way (AKA the "IF NOT" way) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's simple - just replace any of these words with the phrase, "if not." This means that you're taking these words to represent the negation of the sufficient condition. In other words, you're negating whatever immediately follows the words "except," "unless," "until," and "without." Then, you turn that thing, when negated, into the sufficient condition. The phrase "Not B unless A" would become "Not B if not A." Rearranged in the traditional "If-then" form (sufficient ---> necessary), this would be "If not A, not B." Diagrammed: Not A ---> Not B Contrapositive: B ---> A With an example: It's not Thanksgiving (B) unless there's turkey (A). After "if not" replaces "unless": It's not Thanksgiving if there's no turkey. Diagrammed: No turkey ---> Not Thanksgiving. Contrapositive: Thanksgiving ---> turkey. So now whenever you have some trouble telling the difference...try one of these methods taught in the LSAT courses. And, if Logical Reasoning is giving you a lot of trouble, click this link. Until next time, -Steve Recommended Resources: 1. LSAT Courses The best of my LSAT material with exclusive access to attend my Live Online LSAT Master Classes + Q&As, and on-demand video lessons you can watch anytime. Plus, LSAT study plans to keep you on track. Save hundreds of dollars with an LSAT course package. 2. Logical Reasoning Explanations The explanations that should have come with the LSAT. These don't just fall back on "out of scope," but actually tell you why the wrong answers are wrong, why the right answers are right, and the easiest way to get the correct answer. 3. Logical Reasoning Cheat Sheet Based on what I'd typically do in college: read what the professor emphasized and condense it all onto a single piece of paper. It gave me a quick reference, making things a lot less threatening and a lot more manageable. Free Stuff | YouTube | Podcast | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Books | Courses

Things the LSAT and other standardized tests do not measure

Things the LSAT and other standardized tests do not measure (list borrowed from Brain Rules for Baby):

-Curiosity

-Self-control

-Creativity

-Verbal communication

-Decoding nonverbal communication

The LSAT does not define you - it's not a test of your intelligence or future potential. It's mainly a test of how much you studied for it.

3 ways to rock the LSAT in 2020

I've realized that aside from the content of the LSAT - so many of the barriers relate to motivation and focus.

So to help you fulfill your LSAT New Year's Resolutions, I'm sharing 3 ways to rock the LSAT in 2020 (inspired by Nir Eyal's framework in Indistractable):

Effort - Make it as EASY as possible to study. Leave your books at work, school, in your car. Get the LSAT Unplugged podcast and YouTube videos to listen and watch on the go. Use my LSAT study plans to remove all the guesswork about what to do and when.

Price - Make an agreement with yourself that each day you don't study X hours, don't complete X problems, you have to donate $X to your favorite charity or give it to someone else holding you accountable. When there's money on the line, you'll have more skin in the game.

Identity - Instead of a distracted student, you are *focused*.

Take on the identity of a student, a Jedi, who is on a mission to master the LSAT. You are a lean, mean, LSAT-destroying machine.

From now until Test Day, this is WHO YOU ARE.

You are a future lawyer.

3 biggest LSAT mistakes (and LSAT study plans)

I made a lot of dumb mistakes back when I was studying...and it took a while before I was willing to admit this....but

it actually took me a FULL YEAR to master the LSAT!!!


I probably could've been done with it in less than half that time if I'd gone about things the right way from the beginning.

After I learned the RIGHT way to do things, I made a list of all my mistakes (at least, the ones I could think of).

I'm not going to share the whole thing because it's too embarrassing (and long)...

but today I AM going to share with you the three BIGGEST mistakes I can think of:


#3) didn't use right books / PrepTests

Spent too much time on older exams, not enough on newer ones.

I actually considered not getting the newest exams at all just because they were 8 bucks each (LSAC hadn't put them in books of 10 yet.)

In hindsight, this was pretty stupid because the most recent exams are the most relevant!

Doesn't make sense to try to save $40 on 5 individual exams if it means getting a lower score (costing thousands in lost scholarship $$$, future income, etc.)

So...get the newest LSAT exams.



#2) didn't review

Instead, I just took test after test, hoping my score would magically improve ---they didn't.

I already talked about this a few weeks ago in my email about how to review, but the bottom line is:


Don't JUST analyze the stimulus or passage (for LR/RC)...make sure you ALSO analyze answer choices.

* What was it in the incorrect answer choice you chose that tempted you? Then identify what made it wrong in the end.

Orrrrr...

* If there was something in the correct answer that made it seem unappealing, identify what it was. And identify what made it correct in the end.



#1) didn't have a study plan

I put this one first because I'd say not having a study plan was probably -- no, definitely -- my biggest mistake.

I talked about this a bit above, but, basically, I jumped right into taking practice tests without learning the fundamentals first.

And my scores didn't go up because I wasn't actually learning strategies to attack the questions BEFORE trying to attack them!

Sounds obvious in hindsight....


but with all these books of old tests out there (and thrill of POSSIBLY getting a higher score next time), I kind of got addicted to taking PrepTests, measuring my scores, and looking for trends. I had lists, spreadsheets, graphs, etc...it was all kinda nuts.


Anyway, what I needed was someone to sit me down, kick my ass when I needed it, and show me exactly what I should be doing every. single. day.

I didn't have that, so it took me WAYYYY too long to crack the LSAT "code."

So I made day-by-day LSAT study plans for you all because I wished I had a real plan of attack when I was studying. It would've been a LOT easier if I knew exactly how to use all the practice tests and other books.


Whether you've got a plan yet or not, I know many of you still have questions about the nitty-gritty logistics of studying, how to use study plans, etc.

So, on that page, I've answered some of the most common questions students ask me about LSAT study plans, and I share my best day-by-day LSAT study plans.

Or just feel free to reach out directly via email: LSATUnplugged@gmail.com

Weird Curveball LSAT Logic Games

Here's a big list of Weird Curveball LSAT Logic Games.

Don't be surprised if you have more trouble than average with these. But they're great practice for curveball games on LSAT Test Day.

PT1, G1
PT2, G3
PT4, G4
PT6, G3
PT6, G4
PT8, G2
PT9, G4
PT10, G3
PT11, G4
PT12, G4
PT13, G4
PT15. G2
PT16. G4
PT18. G3
PT18, G4
PT20, G3
PT21, G2
PT27, G2
PT29, G2
PT30, G1
PT31, G4
PT34, G2
PT38, G4
PT40, G3
PT41, G4
PT44, G4
PT50, G3
PT57, G3
PT60, G3
PT64, G2
PT65, G4
PT67, G4
PT70, G2
PT72, G4
PT77, G3
PT79, G4
PT80, G4

Law School Letter of Continued Interest | Sample

If you get waitlisted by a law school, it's a good idea to send a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) in order to increase your chances of acceptance.

LOCIs demonstrate to law schools that you are serious about attending their school if accepted which will help increase their yield (a factor on which they're ranked in the US News rankings.

Here's a sample law school application Letter of Continued Interest to get you started:

To Whom It May Concern / Dear _____ Admissions: 

I would like to reiterate my unwavering desire to attend _________. There is no law school I would rather attend. 

My professional and personal backgrounds would bring diversity to the community. My experience in _____ demonstrates my ability to excel in an intense, highly competitive environment. At the same time, I ___________. 

(Here, I would add a sentence or two with some kind of update on anything new you've been doing since you submitted your application. Can be work or community service-related, GPA-related, etc.) 

I would be honored to be offered the privilege to join the ______ Class of 20XX. 

Thank you very much for your consideration. 

Sincerely,

(Just don't use word-for-word, or they'll know you copied it from LSAT Blog!)

Why (and How) to Send Letters of Continued Interest to Law Schools (from this guest post):

Many law schools claim that they don’t want or need to hear why you wish to attend their law school. Do yourself a favor, and ignore these claims. Law schools - and particularly admissions offices - care a great deal about enrollment rates. If half of everyone they accept goes to a different law school, that reflects terribly on the admissions office, and the entire law school. They want to know that if they accept you, you will come.

Many individuals placed on the waitlist at top law schools will get into other top law schools. The admissions office knows this. If you are waitlisted at Columbia, there is a decent chance that you will be accepted at NYU, Chicago, etc. If you are one of the lucky few taken off of the waitlist, admissions officers want to know that you won’t just end up at one of these other schools.

How do you accomplish that? Simply, straightforwardly, and in a letter of continued interest. Send the letter shortly after you have been waitlisted. Let the admissions office know that you continue to be very interested in their school.

Explain why you are interested in their school. What makes them unique? Why can’t you get the same things from another law school? The more specific and detailed you are, the more likely that admissions officers will believe you.

In addition, be straightforward. If you are waitlisted at your top choice, tell them that they are your top choice. Don’t just say that you are “very interested.” If they are your top choice, you should make it very clear that you will be attending their school if you are accepted.

The letter of continued interest may be sent separately from your supplemental essays or materials. However, I would recommend that you send them together. At the bottom of your letter, you can mention that you’ve included additional materials that may be of help in assessing your application.

Why LSAT PrepTest Scores Fluctuate

Many LSAT test-takers think everyone has one "true" LSAT score, just like everyone supposedly has one "true" IQ score. Of course, taking an IQ test at age 20 and age 50 would likely generate different results. But I'd imagine that even taking two IQ tests a week or a day apart would likely generate slightly different results.

So, why do so many people think they should keep getting approximately the same LSAT score when taking timed LSAT PrepTests before Test Day?

This idea may have something to do with intuitions about grades, but even grades aren't necessarily constant. While people tend to be jealous of the person who "gets straight A's," I can't think of someone who got only As. I often got As, but I also got A-s and even (gasp) B+s.

For some people, this comes from the idea that the LSAT is a test you can study for, and improve on. "I've studied my way to a 170, so that's now my true score. How could I possibly get significantly lower scores? Am I getting dumber?"


Reasons your LSAT scores can fluctuate:

People often fail to consider that there is an element of randomness involved on standardized exams.

-With a limit on the number of questions that can be asked, some concepts that you're good at might not appear, leading your score to be lower than it would've been otherwise.

-A concept that doesn't always appear might show up on your test. If it's something you're shaky on, again, your score might end up being lower than it would've been otherwise.

As always, the safest course of action to guard against unanticipated low scores is to learn everything. No easy answers here, sorry.

Some other factors that lead to score drops - burnout, sleep deprivation, stress, and poor health. Make sure to get enough sleep, eat well, and get moderate exercise. This stuff really makes a difference.