LSAT Blog Update: October 2010 LSAT

Many of you took the October 2010 LSAT. Hope it went well!

Some other bloggers reported the following news:

Michal, an LSAT proctor (yeah, one of them), considered messing with you guys (below emphasis added):

I pretty much did nothing and made $100 for it. There was the usually ritualistic events during the morning- looking at the test-takers' ID cards, getting their fingerprints, assigning them random seats, passing out the tests and the booklets, reading the incredibly boring and monotonous script (I honestly contemplated reading it in an accent or something but I figured they were already kind of on edge so I figured I probably shouldn't).

Alan prayed to the God of Scholarship:














Anna is probably within that less-than-1% of people who like going to the dentist:

I actually enjoyed taking it. It was fun! I enjoyed all the logic puzzles and stuff. I am so so so so so excited and nervous to get my score back in November! Eeek.

Things went smoothly for Sojules, who:

I was amazed at how smoothly the check-in process went and these LSAC people are no nonsense when it comes to what you are wearing and bringing in. All of my belongings had to fit into a one-gallon ziploc bag! But, I have already begun to forget some of the details as it is something that I am very ready to put behind me.

Pie In The Sky wants to reward him/herself with "moccasin boots":

So I just took the LSAT yesterday and now I'm going nuts wondering about my score. I honestly feel like I could have gotten anywhere from a 140 to a 170 (hopefully it's the latter). I won't get my score for another three weeks, so I have to wait what feels like FOREVER to see if I can buy my moccasin boots!!! Oh and if I'll get into any good law schools. So now I just need to think up things to distract me for three weeks because now, every time I think about the LSAT (which is all the time), I want to throw up. And I don't really want to do that.

Beloved "Sonny" played soccer the week before, got a concussion, but went on to take the LSAT anyway:

Because my sonny-in-law is a true stud, he has decided to go ahead and take the test tomorrow, concussion and all. Now I don't know about you, but I think that kind of bravery is deserving of two treats! And that's just what he's going to get!

ceberus took the exam in South Korea just for practice, and found it terrifying:

Holy moly, it was so much harder and more tiring than I thought...If I hadn’t plan to cancel my score, you definitely would have seen a lady who climbed one of many bridges of Han River tonight, wearing her bra inside out...it was like a giant big turdbomb smudged on my face. A total f**kbomb...I am very glad to bring a small bottle of Eucalyptus oil and a bag of espresso bean chocolate. That woke me up (maybe I need to eat more of them, or with cans of Red Bull). Anyway…it was the hardest exam I’ve ever done...

Caronae was spooked by LSAC's counterterrorism measures:

Taking the LSAT is pretty much an exercise in national security: you can only bring a limited amount of items into the test center, all in a one gallon plastic bag. Your water bottle must be less than 20 ounces with no label. You can only have an analog watch. You get fingerprinted. You bring your passport and should basically have your Social Security Number tattooed on your head. It was super intense.

Britney called the LSAT "The Biggest Bitch I've Ever Met":

The LSAT really is as awful as people say. I showed up around 8 am, in which there was one hallway with people standing nervously, just waiting quietly for the proctors. You’re not allowed to bring your cell phone to the testing site so people were just looking around…awkwardly…at all these other strangers, trying to hide their anxiety...Everywhere I looked, legs were twitching, people were rocking back and forth in their seats, pencils were tapping the desk…kind of reminded me of The Breakfast Club, except we weren’t in detention, we were about to begin what I truly believe to be the hardest standardized test, period.

Kahryn now misses the LSAT:

Okay, you’re right … that’s ridiculous. But I miss the way I felt before I took this monumental and unnecessarily traumatizing exam. Because before I took it, it hadn’t happened yet. Circular, I know. Point being, now I seriously am on my way to the next and yet-to-be determined chapter of my life. I’ve taken this exam and the score will be my ticket into law school.

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How'd the big day go for you?

Also see "How to Wait a Long Time for Your LSAT Score".


Photo by 10350347@N06

December 2010 LSAT: Questions and Answers

The December 2010 LSAT is rapidly approaching - only 8 weeks remaining! What would you like to see on the blog between now and then?

Please leave your questions for me (and for each other) in the comments. I'll do my best to answer as many of your questions as possible in future blog posts between now and December 11th.

Quick request: please leave a name rather than posting as "Anonymous." It makes it easier for everyone to respond to specific comments. Thanks!

Also, if you're looking for general advice on improving in Logic Games, Logical Reasoning, or Reading Comprehension, please note that I've already written plenty of blog posts on these topics and have integrated them into the LSAT study schedules.

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Also see previous Questions and Answers posts.

Photo by lwr

LSAT Diary: 20-Something College Student

If you want to be in LSAT Diaries, please email me at LSATUnplugged@gmail.com. (You can be in LSAT Diaries whether you've taken the exam already or not.)

Please leave Kerrianne some encouragement and advice below in the comments!

Kerrianne's LSAT Diary:

Hello from a dorm room in Champaign, Illinois where LSAT prep books cover the floor.

I am a 21 year-old senior at the University of Illinois in the College of Business. I go to school full time where I am majoring in Business Administration: Marketing and I also have two jobs. One of my jobs is a simple 10 hours/week desk job but my other job is a little more demanding. I am a Resident Advisor in a building of ~500 working with a multitude of issues 24/7 in arguably the most social residence hall on campus. I've lived here all four years on this campus and am basically "at work" if I come "home."

My grades aren't bad by any means but for law school admission my grades aren't stellar. I never thought those wretched required Econ classes would bring me down as much as they did but that's something I'll have to live with. I have no "dream" school all I know is that I do not want to go to law school in Chicago and I want to be within a 6 hour drive of my hometown. What am I hoping for on the LSAT? Well it's wrong to say anything other than a 180. Is this realistic? There's no telling- I'm not quite there yet on LSAT practice tests but I got the recommended LSAT books that are teaching me a lot.

I will start off by saying though that I did intend on taking the LSAT earlier to have an edge on all other law school applicants. Unfortunately the stress/lack of study time at the end of the school year in addition to a sister's college graduation, another sister's medical school graduation, a sister's wedding, and a sister's move to New Mexico forced me to reconsider. So I guess that's my first tip: If you plan to take the early test you must factor in any and every major life event that's happening at that time and start studying weeks earlier. Even so I am not sure I would recommend taking the the LSAT during a series of events as chaotic and emotional as were my conditions. Days after I registered for the LSAT I was forced to change my test date which was unfortunate due to two main reasons: it costs money and I felt like I was already behind the "edge."

Fun fact: For Halloween in fourth grade I went as an attorney- complete with a pant/vest suit and a briefcase for candy. I'm not sure what possessed me to do that but since then I've always known that something about that just felt right and in the past 11 years my dreams have only become more desirable. For the past year I've been thinking on and off about how to study, what to study, who to study with, what courses to take, and if any law school will ever accept me. My conclusions are these: Study the structure, the format, and the tricks the LSAT authors try and utilize; study with someone who can keep you on track but allow you to learn; courses are not necessary if you have the self discipline and appropriate materials.

My first LSAT prep book was a gift from my sister recommended to her by a young attorney. This book was designed for LSAT and GRE takers so while I started it and got 1/4 of the way through it I decided if it wasn't specifically for the LSAT then I could probably find a more useful book. My next book was purchased after reading LSAT Blog - 10 practice tests that are actually previously-administered tests. This is a great tool because I can see where I'm at and practice with time constraints which is crucial. To summarize: I feel that if it's not directed solely towards the LSAT, you can find better materials; Old PrepTests are one of the best things you can get your hands on (and affordable).

So I am a full time student with 17 credit hours at a Big Ten University in a nationally ranked business school. On top of that I have two jobs with time commitments never under ~30 hours a week. So when do I have time to study? Well I will tell you one thing- when you need time you make time. I have not been out to the bars or out with my friends in over six weeks since my return to campus. This is a crazy thought to all of my friends but it makes sense to me. Now is the time to crack down and finalize my game plan.

I started looking over LSAT prep books in the summer but began crucially studying for the LSAT with ~2.5 months to study. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who doesn't work well under pressure. I however only work well under pressure (so maybe the time constraints on the LSAT will help!) I also did the unthinkable to any college student- I deactivated my Facebook a week ago to solidify my focus on the LSAT. I admit that I overuse Facebook in a normal time setting but knowing how much of my future is to be decided by this test trumps any social networking, gossip, and whatever else is on there. I've gone eight days without even thinking about Facebook because my free time is spent sleeping or studying. Main point here: Find your distractions and eliminate them when/if possible. I do allow myself a few minutes to peruse the internet for some type of distraction when I need a break but I have limits and I stick to them.

My LSAT strengths and weaknesses? Well I feel most comfortable with Logic Games because I used to beg my mom for Logic Games books when I was younger (yup I'm the nerd who plays school in the summer.) My Reading Comprehension was a 31 on the ACT five years ago and tested at a graduate school level last year. So basically between Logic Games and Reading Comp I have been missing a total of ~8 on both sections combined.

The other half of the test is a completely different story. Every time I take a practice test my weakest area is Logical Reasoning. I tend to miss ~23 of every 50. Those statistics kill me. If Logical Reasoning skills matched my Reading Comp skills and Logic Game skills, I'd be getting 170's on my practice tests. That would place me a mere 2 points away from the 99th percentile. So you see my frustration. I have been consistently getting 156-157 on my practice test and I need to raise my score. I will let you know when I take more practice tests to show you how/where I can improve.


My study plan for the few weeks before the LSAT:

Finish reading the LSAT books and take a practice test every other day to keep me on my toes. While I know you are supposed to space out your practice tests, I want to get some last ones in before the real thing. Also I plan on taking my practice tests around me with so I may do another 1-2 practice tests but only just looking at the questions when I have free time. This may seem odd but I have been doing well with the time restraints and finishing before time is up. So now I want to go through my weak sections and test them randomly throughout the day to make sure that I stay on my toes.

The week before my LSAT will involve some review of material but probably not more than 1 practice test. I do not want to be burnt out by practice and do poorly on the real thing. And the night before the test includes seeing a movie and getting pizza-- no more LSAT prepping as I relax my mind.

One last thing to consider before your test-- mechanical pencils aren't allowed. I know, I know- this is the worst news in the world to those of us who have been using mechanical pencils since 2nd grade-- so I recommend studying and practicing with old pencils just to get in the habit.

Off to bed for me. I have a day of LSAT studying and office work to power through. Until next time, my law school hopefuls :)

One last thing-- I don't know who said this quote but it is ever so true for LSAT prep --- "It's a marathon, not a sprint." Focus your time and energy over a period where you have time to learn and regroup and focus. Don't "sprint"/"cram" when you have the ability to discipline yourself and study in a more relaxed manner.

October LSAT Score Release Dates

See info about the October 2011 LSAT Score Release Dates.

***

Good luck to everyone taking the October LSAT!

The October LSAT scores / results are scheduled to be released via email by November 1, 2010. However, the scores usually come back a bit earlier.

Update: They were released on Friday, October 29th.

Let's look at the trend over the past several years (click below chart to enlarge):

Call me crazy, but it seems pretty likely that October 2010 LSAT scores will be released on Friday, October 29, 2010.

"But at what time specifically? I need to know when to constantly refresh my email / LSAC account!"

In batches over the course of several hours. Likely starting late in the day (Eastern Time).

No one knows how the batches are organized, if at all.

The batches do not seem to be organized in any of these ways:

alphabetical/regional/high-to-low scores/low-to-high scores/test center #, etc.

Wish everyone all the best!

***

Also see:

February LSAT Score Release Dates
June LSAT Score Release Dates
December LSAT Score Release Dates

See other LSAT score release dates posts.

***

While you're waiting for your score, get busy with my admissions-related blog posts.

Also see, Should You to Cancel Your LSAT Score?

Feel free to leave comments and vent at the injustice of having to wait so long for what is rightfully yours.

Should You Cancel Your LSAT Score?

Hope the LSAT went well for you!

If the LSAT might not have gone so well, read the below post, but also check out:

How to Cancel Your LSAT Score

Should You Retake the LSAT?

LSAT Study Schedules for Retakers (scroll down)

How to Study for a Retake

One bad reason to cancel your LSAT score is that the LSAT has become such a large part of your life that you just don't want to let it go. It's a slippery slope, my friends.

Seriously now, this post is for those who took the LSAT and are now deciding whether to cancel the score.

First of all, relax. Even if it didn't go great, this isn't the end of the world. Everything is going to be fine. Take a deep breath, have a glass of water, listen to these calming waves (mp3), and count backward slowly from 1,000.

Done?

Ok, good.


If you fall within one of the following groups, you should almost certainly NOT cancel your score:

-You just have a vague sense of impending doom (this is a common feeling).

-You just think you didn't do as well as you normally do, and maybe got a few more questions wrong than usual (also common). There have been plenty of people who thought it went horribly, but didn't cancel their scores, and and ended up scoring 170+.

-You just feel like this test was a bit harder than the LSAT PrepTests you did for practice (also common). It often seems more difficult when you know it's for real.



However, if you fall within one of the following groups, you should almost certainly cancel your score:

-You misbubbled several questions.

-You feel you could do a lot better if you gave yourself a few more months to study and/or feel you didn't really give yourself enough time to study before.

-You were coughing, sniffling, sneezing, nose-blowing, and/or vomiting so much that you didn't have enough time to adequately complete the number of questions per section that you normally do.

-You were coughing, sniffling, sneezing, nose-blowing, and/or vomiting so much that other test-takers voted you off the island, took away your test booklet, and repeatedly punched you in the face.

-The jerk sitting next to you was sick and prevented you from concentrating.

-You panicked. In your practice tests, you were always able to complete 4 games, 4 passages, and the entire LR section, but on Test Day, you got really nervous, forgot everything you knew, and know you didn't even come close to your normal performance.

-You couldn't concentrate because you've recently been going through some major life crisis.

-There was an earthquake, terrorist attack, or noisy sporting event / marching band / construction, and it negatively affected your performance, and LSAC isn't willing to do anything about it. If this happened, before you cancel, call LSAC at 215-968-1001 to inform them of what happened and see whether they're willing to do anything for you.

-The test-taker next to you morphed into a hyena and bit off your writing hand, so you were unable to diagram in the Logic Games section.

Basically, if something unusual happened that significantly impacted your score in a negative way, canceling may be the way to go.


Some other factors to consider:

Which section was the experimental section?

If you determine which section is the experimental section, this can help you decide whether to cancel.

(FYI, it's not the same for all test-takers and not all test-takers complete sections in the same order. In other words, there's more than one ordering in which test-takers complete the scored sections and experimental section.)

Not all test-takers have the same experimental section. Additionally, not all test-takers have the experimental section at the same point in the exam. Some might have it 1st, others might have it 2nd, and others might have it 3rd, 4th, or 5th. For many years, it was always one of the 1st 3 sections, which often made it easy to determine which one it was. However, that changed beginning with the October 2011 LSAT. Since then, test-takers have had the experimental section appearing 4th and 5th also.

If you know there's one section on which you did especially poorly, figuring out that that one was the experimental would suggest that you might want to lean toward keeping your score. On the other hand, finding out that you did much better on the experimental section than on the real one(s) of that type may suggest that you should lean toward canceling.

Often, the experimental section stands out as being abnormally difficult or abnormally easy. This is due to the fact that the questions in the experimental section are not necessarily intended to compose a full section on a future exam. Rather, they're simply a bunch of LSAT questions, some of which might appear as part of a future section.


Have you already taken the LSAT and gotten a decent score?

If so, you might want to lean toward canceling, since you wouldn't want to demonstrate a drop in scores.

If not, you might want to lean toward keeping this one, since you'd otherwise have to retake. You have to hope that next time goes better and that nothing horrible will happen next time. See my post titled "Should You Retake the LSAT?" It brings up some points that may help you decide whether to take another shot at the LSAT.



Have you already taken the LSAT and canceled?

1 cancellation won't hurt at all, but 2 (or 3 or more) starts to look like you may not have it together. How much does that hurt you? Somewhat.

This sort of thing isn't really quantifiable due to incomplete data. However, it's something you want to avoid having too many of, like dead bodies in the basement. Sometimes it just isn't avoidable, and 1 doesn't smell too much, but start piling up more than a couple, and the neighbors may start to notice the smell [end creepy/weird analogy]. However, a cancellation is still better than a low score, and you can write an addendum explaining multiple cancellations.



"But I don't know whether I'd have a low score! You only get to find out what your score would've been if you keep it. "

That's precisely the problem. Incomplete information in decision-making is never fun, especially when the stakes are high. Instead of thinking about how Test Day went as a whole, try to break it down into manageable chunks, section-by-section.

Think about how many questions you were certain of on each section, how many you felt pretty good about, how many you blindly guessed on, and how many you guessed on when you were down to two choices, etc. This will help you calculate various potential scenarios for your score.

For example, in making your estimation, you might give yourself all but a few of the questions you were most certain of on each section, most of the ones you were pretty certain on, 1/5 of the ones you blindly guessed on, and 1/2 of the ones you were down to 2 on, etc.

Then, look at some of the most recent raw score conversions ("curves") to translate your raw score into a score out of 180. Are you happy with a fairly low-end estimate? What about a medium or a high one?



What scores do you need for your desired law schools?

If you haven't already, enter your GPA into LSAC's Official Guide UGPA/LSAT calculator (see upper-left area of that site) or LawSchoolPredictor along with various potential LSAT scores to see what kind of score you'd likely need.

See whether one of your reasonable possible score estimations would likely be good enough to get you into a school you'd be happy with. If so, you may want to keep the score.

***

I hope the answers to the above questions end up leading you to keep your score and that you're done with the LSAT for good. Again, if not, see some LSAT study schedules for retakers (scroll down). Even if you've used up every single LSAT PrepTest, there's still plenty to learn from them, so don't worry. You'll still be able to study just fine.

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I also hope my thoughts in the above post are sufficient to help you make your decision.

Unfortunately, I can't give everyone personalized advice about whether to cancel, but if you leave a comment, maybe others who read this will give you some thoughts on what to do.

Wish you all the best.

Photo by mag3737

LSAT Logic Game Explanation | Grouping: Splitting

The free LSAT Logic Game | Grouping: Splitting from last week wasn't too bad for those who left comments. However, here's a complete explanation of the game's setup.

Take a look at the below explanation after trying that game.

Our variables are the 7 seagulls (ABCDEFG) grouped into two categories (male and female):

Male: ABCD

Female: EFG

The 7 seagulls are assigned to exactly one of two categories (Jacob and Hezekiah), making this a Grouping: Splitting game.

At least 2 males go to Jacob, and at least 2 females go to Hezekiah.

Simple enough.

Then we have the conditional rules:


1st conditional rule:

"If D shits on Jacob, then F does not shit on Hezekiah."

D(J) -> NOT F(H)

However, since every seagull shits on exactly one of the two guys, if F doesn't shit on Hezekiah, it must instead shit on Jacob.

Therefore, we can write the rule more simply as:

D(J) -> F(J)

We can also take the contrapositive:

NOT F(J) -> NOT D(J)

Again, this can be translated more simply as:

F(H) -> D(H)

Now we have the rule and its contrapositive:

D(J) -> F(J)
F(H) -> D(H)


2nd conditional rule:

"If D does not shit on Jacob, then G shits on Jacob."

NOT D(J) -> G(J)

Again, because every seagull must shit on exactly one of the two guys, this is equivalent to:

D(H) -> G(J)

and the contrapositive - NOT G(J) -> NOT D(H) - becomes:

G(H) -> D(J)

So we now have:

D(H) -> G(J)
G(H) -> D(J)


We can link these rules together to form 2 conditional chains that are the contrapositives of each other:

Again, 1st conditional rule and its contrapositive:
D(J) -> F(J)
F(H) -> D(H)


2nd conditional rule and its contrapositive:
D(H) -> G(J)
G(H) -> D(J)


The rules containing D(H) can be linked to form a chain:

F(H) -> D(H) -> G(J)


The rules containing D(J) can be linked to form a chain:

G(H) -> D(J) -> F(J)


Final rule:"A and B will shit on the same man."

We can simply represent this rule by stacking the variables vertically and placing a box around them.


Here's everything I've discussed up to this point:









The "greater-than-or-equal to" signs on the left are just one way of representing the idea that at least 2 males go to J and at least 2 females go to H. You could also write down a range of 2-4 for males and 2-3 for females as an alternative.

You could also write down M and F instead of Male and Female to save space if you like. However, it might get confusing since there's already a seagull with the variable F.


There's still plenty to do here. At least 2 females go to H, but if you look at the two chains we have, they both end in a female going to J. Therefore, we can continue these chains by saying that if one female goes to J, the other two must go to H. On the top chain, if F goes to J, then E and G must go to H. On the bottom chain, if G goes to J, then E and F must go to H.

On the diagram, we now have the following:









Admittedly, there's a bit of recursion in the chain, but that's okay.

(What I mean "recursion" is that the top chain starts and ends with G(H) and the bottom chain ends starts and ends with F(H).)

It's just the nature of the game. For this reason, there's not any benefit to taking the contrapositive of the new arrows just added (the ones regarding the females being at H) simply because it'll further the recursiveness of the chains and give you nothing new.

However, one inference you can make from these two chains:

On the top chain, G(H) leads to E(H).

On the bottom chain, G(J) leads to (E)H.

This means that no matter where G occurs, E is always at H.

We can also arrive at this inference through a different method of reasoning:

Whenever G is at H, F is at J. Whenever F is at H, G is at J. Therefore, at least one of the two is always at J.

For this reason, we can't ever have 3 females at H - in actuality, "at least 2 females at H" rule is "exactly 2." Because we always need to have at least two females at H, E needs to be at H to give us a 2nd female there.


Breaking the Game Wide Open
Anyway, I use the F-G relationship discussed above to set up a few main diagrams that encompass all possibilities for the game. (The principle is that at least one must be assigned to a particular group.) Even if you don't easily make the inference that E must go on H, you can still arrive at it naturally through the following technique.

Since at least one of F and G must go on J, we can set up 3 main diagrams that cover all possibilities. Either we have:

1. F on J and G on H
2. G on J and F on H
3. Both F and G on J

However, the 3rd possibility is impossible because then we would only have 1 female on H, but we are required to have at least 2 females on H.

Here are the 3 possibilities:










Now, in the 1st possibility, since F goes to J, E and G go to H. Since G is on H, D must go to J. (This is all using the conditional statements from earlier.) However, this does not determine where A and B go. We can have either both of A and B on J, or both of A and B on H. It looks like:














However, we still haven't placed C.

In the top possibility, C can go on either side since the rules have now been satisfied and because there are no rules on the conditional chains that involve C.

In the bottom possibility, we already have two males on H. In order to meet the requirement that we have at least 2 males on J, C will have to go to J in that possibility, giving us:

















While the possibilities for F on J and G on H are now complete, this still leaves the possibility with G on J and F on H.

In that diagram, we can use the conditional rules to fill things in.

F on H requires D on H, and G on J requires E on H. Now, because we already have D on H, if we were to put the A-B pair on H, we wouldn't be able to have at least 2 males on J - we could only have C on J, which wouldn't be enough. Therefore, A and B must go to J. Now that we've satisfied the rules, C can go on either side.











So that's the setup process, folks.

To put them all in one place, the main diagrams are the following (I've labeled them 1A, 1B, and 2 for your reference):


















We can now see that there are only 5 valid scenarios for the game.

1A contains 2 scenarios, depending upon where C goes.
1B contains only 1 scenario because C's placement is already determined.
2 contains 2 scenarios, depending upon where C goes.

***

With these 5 valid scenarios, you should be able to get through the game's questions on your own. Most of the difficulty is in setting up the game, in making inferences from the rules, and listing the 5 scenarios as I've done above.


Photo by cindy47452

LSAT Diary: Practice Tests Score Plateau

If you want to be in LSAT Diaries, please email me at LSATUnplugged@gmail.com. (You can be in LSAT Diaries whether you've taken the exam already or not.)

Please leave Rob some encouragement and advice below in the comments!

Rob's LSAT Diary:

In my more youthful days, I had a good friend whose father had decided that the family should learn how to play golf. Every weekend, he would trudge out his two boys and dutiful wife to some nearby club for an hour or two at the driving range. All other members of the family, through no fault of their own, became decidedly better at golf over the course of a couple months, but the father simply could not figure out how to use his driver. He’d hit ball after ball after ball, only to achieve slice after slice after slice. Either out of sheer enjoyment of watching this squat, penguin of a man turn deeper and deeper shades of pink, or (and more likely), out sheer fear that the first balls he might adequately connect with would be their own, no professional at any club ever attempted to help him correct his stroke.

Many years later on a trip with his son to visit me at my university, this same man teed up with his stance completely askew, trying to compensate for his slice. He hit his first ball, and just like every other drive in his golf career, it tailed off far, far to the right. From the back of our little group, one of the heavily Scottish caddies said, “Aye, ye feets are all afoul, and ye grip could strangle an ox. Ease up a wee bit and bend like ye had too many a pint.” He walked up to my friend’s father, adjusted his feet, made sure his grip was loose and tilted his back. Looking rather shaken, my friend’s father took his stroke and the ball flew straight and long.

Just like this (long-winded, but applicable) example, at some point in your LSAT career, you will hit a plateau of sorts, where scores seem stagnant in the same range. My own came in the 159-163 range, which I hasten to add, I think is the worst range to be caught in. The 159-163 range is where you begin to really get into top 50 law schools, but if you could just get a few points higher it would make the difference between ‘consider’ and ‘strong consider.’ You can tell when someone has hit that plateau by the type of verbs they use – “Yeah, I pumped out another PT today” or “Go home, bang out a practice test, and watch some TV.”

When you know what score you’re going to get, the LSAT seems to lose its magic, and your test-taking becomes mechanical. At one point I could almost predict the number correct on every section – 18-19s on the Logical Reasoning sections, 15-17 on the Logic Games, and 20-22 on the Reading comprehension. I, probably like you, searched the internet time and time again for little hints or tidbits I might have missed. I wanted any sort of trick that would get me those few extra points I needed.

But I had learned every trick their seemed to be. No matter how much I broke down my previous practice tests, I could not teach myself to recognize the cohesive logic needed to answer many LR questions. Also, one of my main problems was mental fatigue, though even with more and more practice, I’d get down to the answer choices of questions only to realize that I hadn’t yet comprehended the stimulus.

I do believe that the more you practice, the easier and more intuitive the LSAT becomes, but in my experience, it seems like at some point you reach an intuitive roadblock that your mind can simply not function beyond. Where do you go from there? What is your next step? Sure, you can review your notes and books, and then carefully analyze your incorrect answers, but what if that doesn’t work?

Two strategies have significantly helped me in the past month:

First, if you do something wrong for the third time, you might do it correctly the fourth time. But if you something wrong for the 100th time, then when you do it for the 101st time, chances are it’s going to end up wrong again. When I finished one practice test with a 160, I decided it was time for a sea change.

I had been taking my tests at night, after work, so I changed up my schedule to do the tests in the morning, before work. I began to drink coffee, but that ended up leaving me incapacitated by the fourth section, so I quit that. I threw in a fifth section, and then a sixth section. I started running before the tests, and then when that became too much, I started running in the afternoons. Sometimes, I would combine tests just to mix it up. Rather then go to bed straight after my tests like I had been doing, I began spending my lunch hour going over the test answers to allow myself time to relax between testing and the pseudo-masochism of analysis.

The point is, what I was doing wasn’t working, so I switched it up.

Now, this isn’t a fourth quarter Hail Mary play; this is something that takes a week or two to define and then refine. Make sure the changes work for you. As long as don’t make anything easier, then the changes you’re making are simply getting your mind and body out of a rut. But I think another element is key as well.


Second, let yourself relax. Reserve some time for yourself.

My schedule, both devised by my adoring fiancée and myself, drove me to a breaking point. While there is no doubt that I am hemorrhaging Man-points by admitting this, my fiancée walked into my study-dungeon at the end of a section to find me sobbing my eyes out. Honestly, I am not prone to crying. Ever. But for some reason, I couldn’t find the right answer to question 17 on the first Logical Reasoning section and melted down.

I was stressed, too stressed. Especially with the weight that the LSAT has not only on me, but my family, I just couldn’t face getting another disappointing score. Something about question 17 got to me, and I just could press on. As it turned out, I had gotten the first 16 questions of the section right, which even more pointed to me that a break was needed.

I started giving myself one day off per week.

The rest changed my test taking. I have gone from frantic and manic on sections to calm and deliberate. Half of my issue seemed to be the stress of the overall LSAT experience instead of the test sitting on the paper in front of me. No matter how serious you are about the LSAT, for your sake and the sake of those around you, take a little time to be human. Watch a movie, play baseball, take a walk, whatever, leave that uber-uncomfortable desk chair and remind yourself of the world that is not broken down into sufficient and necessary elements. Seriously, I would guarantee you a higher score if I could.

This will be my last post until after the October 9th LSAT, but good luck to you all. May our pencils fly to the correct oval, may our minds stretch long and far, and may we not sit next to a mouth-breather.

Photo by keithallison

The Ivey Guide to Law School Admissions Book: Free PDF

Law school admission consultant Anna Ivey has come out with a new-and-revised law school admission book, The Ivey Guide to Law School Admissions.

UPDATE: The free download period has ended.

You can download it for free by clicking the above link with the book's title, entering the discount code LAUNCH, clicking "update cart," then clicking "Checkout" and following instructions from there.

(You can still get the book's 2005 edition in hard copy on Amazon for around $10 or buy the ebook for $15 through the link above.)

Disclaimer: Excerpts from my interview on LSAT Blog with Anna Ivey are featured on page 329 of the ebook!

LSAT Diary: LSAT / Study Abroad at Cambridge University | Download

This installment of LSAT Diaries comes from Kathy, a college student studying abroad at Cambridge University.

In this LSAT Diary, she talks about the struggles involved in finding time to study for the LSAT while taking her college classes and being distracted by the Internet.

Enjoy, and if you want to be in LSAT Diaries, please email me at LSATUnplugged@gmail.com. (You can be in LSAT Diaries whether you've taken the exam already or not.)

Please leave Kathy some encouragement below in the comments!

Kathy's LSAT Diary:

Monday: Endurance and Confidence

My first post will guide me to the top of my current budding ambitions and life. However, I am currently experiencing difficulties in that I haven't even started any part of my career path save for studying the LSAT. This is my first day in logging my LSAT studying, so that I may express frustration, pain, the difficulties, arduousness, and more which will enable me to relieve my worry-stricken heart and mind. I hope to write everyday and will strive for honesty, humility, and maybe some humor because I do love to laugh.

Today has not been so easy in that I came home from work all geared to up to do some good, productive studying. Unfortunately, I got too excited and used up all my energy to do some laundry and grab a little "food" (which was more like junk food). Then proceeded to lie down for about an hour and watch What Not to Wear. However, I am happy to say that I am sitting at the desk that I have been doing the best studying at, and my LSAT prep books are open in front of me. I feel defeated though cause I end up eating dinner around 8PM, and it is now 7:47PM. Hopefully, after dinner, actual studying could get done.

This defeated feeling also is supported by the fact that everyone I know seems to be in law school already, graduating from law school, or are in the same position as me but are 2-3 years younger than I am with brighter futures than me. I am encouraged by a George Mason Law admission staff member who emphasized to me: Endurance and Confidence. Also, I continue to visualize the feeling of receiving a piece of mail that contains my acceptance into law school. It will be worth it. It just has to. I will write later tonight. Until then, 힘내!


Tuesday: Struggling
Quick run down of what I did yesterday:

1. 9:15-9:40AM - Getting ready for work
2. 10-5PM - Work
3. 5:30-7PM - Mostly TV and snacking
4. 7 -7:45PM - Worked on Logic Games problem
5. 7:45-8:30PM - Nap
6. 8:30-9:30PM - Dinner & Cleaning room
7. 9:30-11:30PM - 2 Logic Games & review of problems (also planned out study schedule for next few days)
8. 11:30-1:30PM - Getting ready for bed: Shower, watching drama

Not very impressive I know. However, I did get all the Logic Games right. The hardest part for me is making inferences after the game is set up. If I get the major inferences in, then answering the questions seem to be a snap. Going to work on some more practice problems tonight. Hopefully, more than 2 this time.


Wednesday: Schedule and Distractions

1. 9-9:30AM - Getting ready for work
2. 10-5PM - Working (lalala)
3. 6-7:30PM - Logic Games, Searching for more "Easy" Linear Games in PrepTests, Reviewing problems
4. 7:30-9:45 PM - Met with friends
5. 10-11PM - Dinner
6. 11-11:30PM - Email, Facebooking, YouTube.
7. 11:30-1AM - Did Logic Games drills, planned study schedule

Overall, I did not do a lot of problems that I had hoped, but I learned a lot from the explanations for the problems. It seems that the best strategy for me is to study a few basic problems really hard, and truly comprehend the strategy. Then, find more problems that are similar to those basic setups that I can practice with.

Today is yet another beautiful, warm day. I'm going to Starbucks, and the plan is to work on some more problems and learn more advanced strategies for Logic Games. The fun just keeps getting better and better.

1. 10-5PM - Work, work, work
2. 5:30-6PM - Settle myself down with some coffee
3. 6-8:15PM - Logic Games
4. 8:30-9PM - Dinner
5. 9-9:30PM - Reworking study plan and cleaning my room
6. 10PM- really really late - Let's just say that I was catching up on my Korean entertainment (big mistake here)


Thursday: Too tired to do anything
So tonight looks like I should go elsewhere to study because it's so easy on Friday night to kick back and relax. Trouble is... where? The library closes around 5PM, so maybe Starbucks again because they close around 11 on Fridays or elsewhere. At least I get to sleep in a little tomorrow, so I can study somewhat late. And the plan for Saturday is to take my first practice test around noon which has been long overdue probably using the LSAC SuperPrep book my mom got me, at least to start with.

I'm strangely excited about it, but then again, I am a bit strange.


Friday: Fall is here?

Yesterday was the first day of fall which would make me happy, but all I can think of is the fact that the LSAT is getting closer and I am losing time to study. At work, I was able to bond with my boss and another coworker due to the fact that it was the coworker's birthday.

1. 10-5PM - Work (didn't really seem like a working day)
2. 5-6PM - Happy Hour with the firm
3. 6:30-7:30PM - Shower and getting things ready for studying
4. 8-11PM - Studying at Starbucks ; LSAT problems, reviewing problems, reading SuperPrep, worked on 1-2 problems more problems, and took a 15 min break to talk to bf.
5. 11-12AM - Dinner


Monday: Failure!

All I did was look over my new LSAT books!

Overall, I was pretty frustrated with my first practice LSAT on Saturday, so it was hard to get myself to review all my incorrect answers or answers that I put down just to finish the exam. I won't reveal the score because it would insult the nearest neanderthal, but we'll just say it was below 150. I was happy with the Logic Games section though because 2 of the 4 games were almost all correct save for two incorrect answers. I did the set up for the 3rd game and ran out of time. Now, I know it doesn't seem like much, but I'm more of the small-victories in life sort of girl.

Generally, I was going really slowly. I did notice that I did better when I went slowly and focused.


Tuesday: Indecision and Obsession

I brought my books and things to study but cant decide where to study:

A) Starbucks (successful studying done here, but takes a little gas to get there)
B) Stay after work and hopefully one of the attorneys will stay a little longer so I'm not the last one there (less gas).
C) Go home and hopefully be productive?

Cannot choose... process of elimination... must be true...

Photo by offshore

Free LSAT Logic Game: Grouping: Splitting

LSAT Blog reader Caleb wrote this LSAT Logic Game.

I've modified the game's questions slightly, but Caleb provided the core. All complaints and/or compliments about the game's topic and rules should be directed to him :)

However, please thank him in the comments for allowing me to share the game with all of you!

***


I categorize the game as Grouping: Splitting since it divides the variables into two groups, both of which are present. Some similar LSAC-written Logic Games are listed at the bottom of this post.

Please post your thoughts and questions in the comments! Next week, I'll publish a complete explanation of the game's setup.

If you are named Jacob or Hezekiah, or if you are a seagull, I'm sorry.


Here's the Logic Game:

Seven seagulls: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, will shit on the goofy hats of two men, Jacob and Hezekiah. Seagulls A, B, C, and D are male, and seagulls E, F, and G are female. Each seagull will shit on exactly one of the two men, and each man will be shit on by at least one seagull.

The following conditions must apply:

At least two male seagulls will shit on Jacob.
At least two female seagulls will shit on Hezekiah.
If D shits on Jacob, then F does not shit on Hezekiah.
If D does not shit on Jacob, then G shits on Jacob.
A and B will shit on the same man.


1. Which one of the following could be a complete and accurate list of the seagulls that shit on Jacob?

(A) A, B, D, F
(B) A, B, E
(C) A, B, E, D
(D) A, C, D, F
(E) C, G


2. If G shits on Jacob, which one of the following seagulls must also shit on Jacob?

(A) B
(B) C
(C) D
(D) E
(E) F


3. If B shits on Hezekiah, then which one of the following must be true?

(A) A shits on the same person as C
(B) A shits on the same person as F
(C) B shits on the same person as C
(D) C shits on the same person as F
(E) D shits on the same person as G


4. If G does not shit on Jacob, which one of the following seagulls CANNOT shit on Hezekiah?

(A) A
(B) B
(C) C
(D) D
(E) E


5. If exactly 4 seagulls shit on Jacob, which one of the following is a pair of seagulls, both of which must be among those that shit on him?

(A) A, B
(B) B, D
(C) B, G
(D) C, G
(E) D, F


6. Each of the following could be true EXCEPT:

(A) All 4 male seagulls shit on Jacob.
(B) All 3 female seagulls shit on Hezekiah.
(C) Exactly 5 seagulls shit on Jacob.
(D) Exactly 4 seagulls shit on Hezekiah.
(E) Exactly 3 seagulls shit on Jacob.


7. Which one of the following seagulls must shit on Hezekiah?

(A) A
(B) B
(C) C
(D) D
(E) E

Good luck, dudes!


The text below contains the answers to the above Logic Game.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

1. A
2. A
3. D
4. D
5. A
6. B
7. E

***

Can't figure out how to do the game? Not to worry - leave a comment!

Here's a complete explanation of the game's setup.


For some similar LSAC-written Logic Games, check out:

PrepTest 29 (Oct 1999), Game 1 (p32 in Next 10)
PrepTest 34 (June 2001), Game 4 (p213 in Next 10)

Photo by madbuster75

LSAT Cheating: How NOT to Cheat | Tip #197

With LSAT Test Day coming up, it's only natural to get stressed.

Above The Law wrote about a guy in North Jersey (insert Jersey joke here) who posted a craigslist ad looking for someone to take the LSAT for him for $500.

Suppose you were going to attempt to hire someone to take it for you. Aside from the questionable ethics involved, there'd be a lot of logistics involved:

-finding someone who looks a lot like you (a "Talented Mr. Ripley"?)
-making sure they know the LSAT enough to get your goal score
-payment (before the exam, immediately afterward, when the score comes back?)
-the thumbprint/photo situation (thumbprints in U.S., photos outside U.S.)

However, let's suppose the stars aligned and your LSAT-genius doppelgänger searched "LSAT" on the Northern New Jersey craigslist and found you (unlikely).

Assuming this person doesn't have moral qualms about it, they're probably not willing to take the risk, even for a little quick cash. They're likely busy tutoring the LSAT, working as an attorney, in graduate school of some kind, or gainfully employed.

Then, even if you didn't get caught, would you do it all over again for the bar? Better to get used to actually learning stuff.

As Elie at AboveTheLaw says:

The LSAT can be really stressful, I suppose… though I will say that if you get freaked out by a reading comprehension test and some logic games, then what in the hell do you think is going to happen to you when you sit for a two-day bar exam? Or when you have to defend a client in court, or negotiate a billion-dollar merger?

Just in case this post gives you any ideas, *No, I'm not willing to take the LSAT for you.*

LSAT Diary: 20-Something Philosophy Major

If you want to be in LSAT Diaries, please email me at LSATUnplugged@gmail.com. (You can be in LSAT Diaries whether you've taken the exam already or not.)

Please leave Ashley some encouragement and advice below in the comments!

Ashley's LSAT Diary:

Hey there. Ashley here. 24-year-old female. Nerdy, funny, nice. Likes long walks on the beach. Ok, seriously, I am a senior at Seattle Pacific University. All my life I wanted to be a doctor. More specifically, a pediatric neurologist specializing in epilepsy and translational research. Yea, seriously. Love to learn, and, in fact, I'm the kid everyone was jealous of: school comes easy to me. Very easy. Yet, even while school was easy, it was hard as well. I was diagnosed with epilepsy in my junior year of high school, which turned my focus to neurology (as opposed to medicine in general).

After getting through a whirlwind two years (three AP classes each year plus epilepsy and medicine issues!) I graduated high school with high honors and was accepted to and attended The George Washington University. While there, my health worsened, compounded by lack of sleep, and stress from a loan that took forever to go through. In all, the error of the bank led to a series of events that culminated in my losing my scholarships; all $50,000 a year of it. So, I returned home, unhealthy, dejected, in debt from emergency room visits, with poor grades, and owing thousands of dollars to GWU. I originally intended to try to resolve the issue with GW and the bank, and so I decided to enroll at my local community college in the meantime. But, I ended up with an AA degree during all of that "waiting." I then transferred to Seattle Pacific University, a much healthier me.

While at SPU, I decided to pick up a second major (I was already a psychology major). I liked the one philosophy course I took at my community college, and never got to take another, so I decided to take logic. I instantly fell in love with it, as I love math as well. It came easily, and so I decided to attend the weekly Philosophy meetings with professors and student majors. One professor, who later became my mentor, took a shine to me, and encouraged me to pursue the major. So I did. I love it!

So how did I decide on a career in law? I had always wanted to be a doctor, but I didn't see all of the signs that should have pointed me in the direction of law: my obsession with logical arguments, or the fact that I have the Constitution, Articles of Confederation, and Declaration of Independence on parchment on my bedroom walls (yes, seriously. I can even recite the preamble. I need to read a friggin magazine or something). Or that I absolutely, positively, love to argue. And win. Or that I have a distinct love of truth and its pursuit. And very competitive streak. So, in my second quarter at SPU, I began to entertain the idea of attending law school. My professors all wondered why I hadn't decided this earlier. One professor even said (and I quote) "I already knew that. I was waiting on you to figure it out".

And so, this brings me to my present preparations for the LSAT. Mine is a double whammy, as I want to get into a dual degree program (PhD in philosophy, and JD). But, I must be admitted to each school separately and then apply for the dual degree program. So I must take the GRE and the LSAT. Yay me (that was sarcastic, by the way). But, life is hard for me and my family, and I have encountered much difficulty (extreme insomnia for which there is no explanation, epilepsy exacerbated by that insomnia, bipolar disorder, home foreclosure, and the whole financial mess with GWU and ER bills from that time). Recent events have made it almost impossible to prep, especially since I have no money for a prep class, and I could barely afford the 40 bucks it took me to get two LSAT PrepTest books and a GRE prep book. Heck, just trying to earn and hold onto my book money for fall is extremely difficult because times are so bad.

But my mentor believes in me. He tells me every time he speaks with me that I will be just fine, and that I will be able to accomplish all of the things I want to do. Most times it is hard to believe him. But I'm beginning to believe him more and more. After all, he's lived longer than I have.

So here is my LSAT Diary. It will encounter the emotional turmoil surrounding my study, my study habits, the creative ways in which I study, obstacles I have encountered (some funny, some serious), and even what goes through my mind as I read some questions (because believe me, even as I love to learn, there have been questions where I said to myself "Who the frig cares what the answer is?!"). My doubtful moments, my confident moments, my cocky moments, and even my scared moments. So, next time, I'll fill you in on how the LSAT practice test goes. Tomorrow is especially important: it's D-day, Do-or-Die Day. How I do determines whether I take the Oct. LSAT. Cross my fingers!

Photo by kjd