* Fordham Law School won't let its health centers prescribe birth control, but two student groups are passing out the contraband off-campus. [Above The Law]
* Penn State Law's offering application fee waivers, perhaps in the hopes it'll make you overlook a certain recent scandal. [The Daily Beast]
* The good people who brought you the Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian sex tapes threaten to sue the HTC smartphone company over trademark infringement. [Mashable]
* UFC seeks to overturn a ban on live fights in NYC, claiming the ban infringes on 1st Amendment right for athletes to express themselves before fans. [WSJ Law Blog]
* The guy who created JuicyCampus is promoting himself as an opponent of cyberbullying. [Inside Higher Ed]
* Think your college dorm is bad? These students had to move to a boat. [NYTimes]
Sufficient Assumption Questions and the Negation Test
In this LSAT Blog post, I discuss two common Logical Reasoning question types: Necessary Assumption and Sufficient Assumption.The negation test is a common strategy you can effectively use for Necessary Assumption questions. However, many test-takers like the technique so much, they try to use it for sufficient assumption questions also, often leading to disastrous consequences.
Due to the difference between Necessary Assumption and Sufficient Assumption questions, you shouldn't use it for sufficient assumption questions.
The reason is that a necessary assumption always needs to be the case in order for an argument to work (the conclusion follow), but a sufficient assumption is just that - sufficient to make the argument work (the conclusion follow), but not all sufficient assumptions are required in order for the argument to work (for the conclusion to follow).
In other words, the correct answer to sufficient assumption questions is often something that does not actually need to be true, but if it is true, will fully justify the conclusion.
(Note that many answers to sufficient assumption questions are broader than the argument.)
***
I'll illustrate this with two examples:
The first is a very general and simple example , but the second is an example from an actual LSAT PrepTest.
General example:
Take this statement:
"When your dog encountered my cat in the yard, your dog attacked my cat."
It would be sufficient to prove this statement if we learned, as new information, that when any dog encounters any cat, the dog will attack the cat.
However, this doesn't *need* to be the case in order to prove the statement above. Perhaps some dogs have no problem with cats, but this particular dog was getting back at the cat for being a total jerk.
Example from an actual LSAT PrepTest:
Please see PrepTest 35 (Oct 2001), Section 1, Question 22 (p226 in Next 10).
We can diagram the stimulus as:
Evidence: C -> NOT T -> NOT PWhile H -> C is sufficient to guarantee the conclusion, it's not required in order to do so. Even if H didn't require C, information from the evidence could still, in combination with a sufficient assumption, guarantee that P required NOT H.
Evidence: P -> T -> NOT C
---
Conclusion: P -> NOT H
What if we learned that T required NOT H, or that H required NOT T? In combination with the statement that P -> T, the conclusion would still follow from the evidence (even if H didn't require C).
(It's possible that LSAC would disregard the T -> NOT C statement when considering how to make the evidence + sufficient assumption lead to the conclusion - stimuli often contain information that serves as filler and is irrelevant in guaranteeing the conclusion.)
Photo by jjpacres
LSAT Timer: Analog Watch Recommendation
LSAC's Test Day FAQ mentions that LSAC doesn't allow digital watches or timers on the exam. Whether or not this makes sense, it means you can use an analog watch or just go without.Most test-takers feel more comfortable having some kind of watch.
Using a regular watch means:
1. you need to turn the minute hand back to 12 before each section
OR
2. you need to do math to determine how much time you have left in a given section
Neither option is ideal.
#1 isn't a great option because you'll typically have only 3 to 30 seconds between sections (excluding the break, of course). This time is best spent recuperating, clearing your mind, and preparing yourself for the next section - NOT fiddling with a tiny watch dial.
#2 isn't a great option because it would force you to add/subtract whenever you want to know how much time you have remaining. This energy and time are best spent answering questions.
So where does this leave you?
There is a watch out there that satisfies LSAC's security requirements without either of the disadvantages I outlined above.
Here is a watch that has a rotating bezel, so you can easily see how much time you have left.
(The bezel is the thing with the markings that go around the watch's face.)
Before each section, just turn the "0" part of the bezel to wherever the minute hand is. When the minute hand hits 30 on the bezel, you have 5 minutes left. At this point, it might be a good idea to bubble in your answers if you haven't already. When the minute hand hits 35 on the bezel, your proctor will likely announce that time's up (if he/she hasn't already).
Whichever watch you use, make sure you're comfortable using it during at least a few timed practice exams.
LSAT Logic Prep: Jay Z's Blueprint vs. Occupy All Streets
In this LSAT Blog post, I cover Jay Z's approach to charitable giving in two different situations, giving an example of a principle that might underlie each.Why?
Because the LSAT Logical Reasoning section has increased the number of principle questions in recent years.
The LSAT more frequently asks you to take a given principle and apply it to different situations.
***
On 9/11, Jay Z dropped his sixth album, The Blueprint. He toured during the months of September and October 2001, donating a dollar from every concert ticket sold to 9/11 relief organizations.
This week, Jay Z's Rocawear clothing line will release a line of T-shirts with the message "Occupy All Streets." His spokesperson stated:
The 'Occupy All Streets' T shirt was created in support of the 'Occupy Wall Street' movement. Rocawear strongly encourages all forms of constructive expression, whether it be artistic, political or social. 'Occupy All Streets' is our way of reminding people that there is change to be made everywhere, not just on Wall Street. At this time we have not made an official commitment to monetarily support the movement.
(Although they were briefly removed from Rocawear.com, they're back, should you be interested.)
***
So, what principles might help to justify Jay Z's donations (or lack thereof) in each situation?
For Jay Z's concerts surrounding the release of The Blueprint:
Principle: "If an artist drops an album on the same date as that of a national crisis, the artist should make some financial contribution to the victims of that crisis."
Application: Jay Z dropped The Blueprint on 9/11, and he made donations to 9/11 victims.
For Jay Z's new T-shirts:
Principle: "Even if an artist makes a profit from the sale of merchandise related to a political movement, this does not obligate to make a financial contribution to that movement."
Application: Jay Z makes money from selling "Occupy All Streets" T-shirts, but he doesn't give any money to Occupy Wall Street.
For both:
Principle: "Supporting those affected by political or economic events does not constitute a requirement to provide financial support for those affected."
Application: Jay Z supports both 9/11 victims and Occupy Wall Street, yet gives money to the former, but not the latter.
Logic and Games
* Judge rules against Occupy Wall Street protesters' right to remain in Zuccotti Park. [Above The Law]
* Guys, please don't lie on your law school applications. I wouldn't want you to end up like this. [FindLaw]
* Also, don't take this approach to dealing with personal statement writer's block. [Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis]
* Penn State, Joe Paterno, and other Penn State administrators may be looking at some civil lawsuits. [The Atlantic; NYTimes]
* Law professor / scamblogger has a tough time with critics.
* Advocacy groups are requesting that the Supreme Court remove the Federal Communications Commission's ban on George Carlin's seven dirty words. [Ars Technica]
* Guys, please don't lie on your law school applications. I wouldn't want you to end up like this. [FindLaw]
* Also, don't take this approach to dealing with personal statement writer's block. [Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis]
* Penn State, Joe Paterno, and other Penn State administrators may be looking at some civil lawsuits. [The Atlantic; NYTimes]
* Law professor / scamblogger has a tough time with critics.
* Advocacy groups are requesting that the Supreme Court remove the Federal Communications Commission's ban on George Carlin's seven dirty words. [Ars Technica]
Law School Application Deadlines List
I was recently forwarded the following description of a list containing information regarding law school application deadlines (in spreadsheet form). It also includes information regarding whether a dean's letter is required.(Elisabeth also created a list of law schools offering application fee waivers.)
Those of you applying to law school in this admissions cycle will likely find it useful:
Aloha y'all!
Last month, we created an application fee waiver spreadsheet for our university's pre-law advising center. See http://ow.ly/6OuFM
This month, we looked for deadlines and dean's letter requirements. We used the same unscientific process as we did last time: If we found this information within a couple minutes of searching the law school website, we added it to a Google spreadsheet (law school name, URL, description/policy, and date accessed). The URL for the new spreadsheet is http://ow.ly/7jZdY. Corrections, welcome.
Please advise applicants to contact the individual law schools for the most accurate information.
Thank you!
Elisabeth Steele Hutchison
Director of Admissions & Special Projects
University of Hawai'i at Manoa | William S. Richardson School of Law
Photo by aidanmorgan
Studying for the LSAT while abroad in the Peace Corps
This installment of LSAT Diaries comes from Carly, who's studying for the LSAT while serving in the Peace Corps in Tanzania.In this LSAT Diary, she talks about the struggles involved in studying for the LSAT with shaky Internet access, getting food poisoning, and taking 17-hour bus rides with defecating chickens.
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 Carly some encouragement below in the comments!
Carly's LSAT Diary:
Habari za Masomo? [News of the studies?] I am 24-year-old Peace Corps volunteer living in Tanzania, teaching high school math and physics while simultaneously studying for the LSAT in December.
In the spring of 2009 I graduated from an Ivy League school without a job, but had applied to many teaching jobs and also the Peace Corps. Eventually I was offered an internship position teaching Biology at a private school, but still continued to complete my application for the Peace Corps (it takes over a year) because I wanted to finish what I had started. In the summer of 2010, after completing my application I received an invitation to serve. So, I quit my teaching job and decided to serve because I wanted to volunteer my time, see a different part of the world and figure out what I really wanted to do with my life.
The first few months of my service I did a little soul searching. After ruling out journalism (just because a grandparent says they think you are a good writer, does not mean you are one), paleontology and countless other potential careers I figured the best way to combine my interest in humanitarian work, challenges, environmentalism and international relations would be to go into law. Thus, my LSAT odyssey began.
Initially, I did mountain of research on careers, the LSAT and law schools. [I should add that thankfully they have these wonderful USB modems now, which means I have Internet access, albeit slow, out in the bush.] I originally planned to take the LSAT in October, but soon realized I would have to establish an international non-published test center for a hefty fee or travel to Nairobi, Kenya at which point I reset my sights on the December test. I figured I would take the extra time to study, save money and take the test, once, in Nairobi. Alas, now because of security concerns in Kenya, I had to have the December test center moved to Tanzania anyway.
So, you maybe asking, how have I gone about studying for the wonderful entity that is the LSAT… in Africa? Well, it has not been easy. Because printing is very expensive here ($.40 a page), especially when you are living on $120 a month, and so is the shipment of materials, so I decided early on to mainly use my Kindle and laptop to study. To date, I have only taken three PrepTests on actual paper and the rest I have taken off of my computer or my Kindle (which was recently lost/ stolen). I started by taking and reviewing early Prep tests (7-18) section by section. After a few tests I began to identify each question by type and would keep track of the types that consistently gave me trouble (Assumption questions you are my Everest!)
When the four-month mark hit, I downloaded Steve’s 4-month LSAT study plan (I am on a budget) and started to time myself during all of the sections. Around this time I also read A Rulebook for Arguments, which was extremely helpful. It allowed me to step back from the LSAT and realize that logic really does exists in everyday life, especially in Tanzania! Also, now that I am in the last month of studying I am focusing on slowing down and taking more time with questions (I have been finishing sections with, on average, five minutes to spare). I am working mainly on logical reasoning questions, as this is the section that gives me the most trouble. I’ve also made a habit of looking up unfamiliar words in LSAT questions and making flashcards because I have found the question usually hinges on them.
As with any journey there have been many setbacks, besides the lack of paper tests and a tutor. During this period I experienced countless power outages (many times I had no access to study materials because my laptop and/or Kindle was not charged), two nasty bouts of food poisoning and two trips to the dentist (due to rocks in my rice) which interrupted my study schedule, study sessions on 17-hour bus rides with screaming babies, defecating chickens and blown tires and countless more session while being subjected to my neighbor's loud Christian rock music.
I was/am also studying while teaching full days and 130 students, running a girls’ empowerment conference and writing a grant for a school library. If all of the above is not enough, I also have to do all of my household chores by hand (washing clothes and dishes) and make all of my meals from scratch (no frozen meals, refrigerator or oven here), which means less time to study. Despite all of this, I still feel fairly prepared for the LSAT in a month. I know that if I were at home in the States I would probably fare better on test day, but if I can successfully manage studying here, I am hoping I will not be in for the huge 1L shock.
So, what can I share with the other brave souls out there studying for the LSAT? Here are few pearls of wisdom I have picked up along the way, take them for what they are worth:
Firstly, you need to realize that you still have a life outside of this test. Yes, studying is very important, but do not forget to make time for your friends, family and for exercise! You are not doing yourself, or your test score, any good if you don’t get out of your bubble, see other life forms and move your body. Yes, make time to exercise! In the word of Elle Woods, “exercise gives people endorphins, endorphins make people happy and happy people just don’t kill their husbands” (still waiting for that logic to show up on the LSAT).
Secondly, during the logical reasoning section I found that my brain has to work like a thesaurus. I need to be looking at words in the stimulus and finding corresponding words among the answer choices. This usually helps me narrow down the right answer to two choices, which is much better than five.
Thirdly, stick to a schedule. It is very easy to put off studying when you do not have anyone or anything keeping you honest. I find it especially easy here to do other things besides study, (i.e. convincing myself that I deserve to take a study break then watching Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time). Once I started the 4-month plan, I found I could not make excuses for myself and eventually took pride in the fact that I was able to sit down, focus, and feel like I was actually making progress. Lastly, if your brain is really not in “LSAT Mode”, do not force it. There have been days I only answered 10 questions correctly on a section. I decided to put the pencil down and walk away rather than beat a dead horse, as my father would say. Remember: sometimes your brain needs a break!
The last year has been an interesting ride and studying for the LSAT has only made it more so. Hopefully by this time next year I will have rocked the LSAT, been accepted to a law school (with the help of a kick butt addendum), completed my service as a volunteer and learned a little something more about myself and the world along the way.
Safari njema! [Good journey]
Photo by swiv
Carly's LSAT Diary:
Habari za Masomo? [News of the studies?] I am 24-year-old Peace Corps volunteer living in Tanzania, teaching high school math and physics while simultaneously studying for the LSAT in December.
In the spring of 2009 I graduated from an Ivy League school without a job, but had applied to many teaching jobs and also the Peace Corps. Eventually I was offered an internship position teaching Biology at a private school, but still continued to complete my application for the Peace Corps (it takes over a year) because I wanted to finish what I had started. In the summer of 2010, after completing my application I received an invitation to serve. So, I quit my teaching job and decided to serve because I wanted to volunteer my time, see a different part of the world and figure out what I really wanted to do with my life.
The first few months of my service I did a little soul searching. After ruling out journalism (just because a grandparent says they think you are a good writer, does not mean you are one), paleontology and countless other potential careers I figured the best way to combine my interest in humanitarian work, challenges, environmentalism and international relations would be to go into law. Thus, my LSAT odyssey began.
Initially, I did mountain of research on careers, the LSAT and law schools. [I should add that thankfully they have these wonderful USB modems now, which means I have Internet access, albeit slow, out in the bush.] I originally planned to take the LSAT in October, but soon realized I would have to establish an international non-published test center for a hefty fee or travel to Nairobi, Kenya at which point I reset my sights on the December test. I figured I would take the extra time to study, save money and take the test, once, in Nairobi. Alas, now because of security concerns in Kenya, I had to have the December test center moved to Tanzania anyway.
So, you maybe asking, how have I gone about studying for the wonderful entity that is the LSAT… in Africa? Well, it has not been easy. Because printing is very expensive here ($.40 a page), especially when you are living on $120 a month, and so is the shipment of materials, so I decided early on to mainly use my Kindle and laptop to study. To date, I have only taken three PrepTests on actual paper and the rest I have taken off of my computer or my Kindle (which was recently lost/ stolen). I started by taking and reviewing early Prep tests (7-18) section by section. After a few tests I began to identify each question by type and would keep track of the types that consistently gave me trouble (Assumption questions you are my Everest!)
When the four-month mark hit, I downloaded Steve’s 4-month LSAT study plan (I am on a budget) and started to time myself during all of the sections. Around this time I also read A Rulebook for Arguments, which was extremely helpful. It allowed me to step back from the LSAT and realize that logic really does exists in everyday life, especially in Tanzania! Also, now that I am in the last month of studying I am focusing on slowing down and taking more time with questions (I have been finishing sections with, on average, five minutes to spare). I am working mainly on logical reasoning questions, as this is the section that gives me the most trouble. I’ve also made a habit of looking up unfamiliar words in LSAT questions and making flashcards because I have found the question usually hinges on them.
As with any journey there have been many setbacks, besides the lack of paper tests and a tutor. During this period I experienced countless power outages (many times I had no access to study materials because my laptop and/or Kindle was not charged), two nasty bouts of food poisoning and two trips to the dentist (due to rocks in my rice) which interrupted my study schedule, study sessions on 17-hour bus rides with screaming babies, defecating chickens and blown tires and countless more session while being subjected to my neighbor's loud Christian rock music.
I was/am also studying while teaching full days and 130 students, running a girls’ empowerment conference and writing a grant for a school library. If all of the above is not enough, I also have to do all of my household chores by hand (washing clothes and dishes) and make all of my meals from scratch (no frozen meals, refrigerator or oven here), which means less time to study. Despite all of this, I still feel fairly prepared for the LSAT in a month. I know that if I were at home in the States I would probably fare better on test day, but if I can successfully manage studying here, I am hoping I will not be in for the huge 1L shock.
So, what can I share with the other brave souls out there studying for the LSAT? Here are few pearls of wisdom I have picked up along the way, take them for what they are worth:
Firstly, you need to realize that you still have a life outside of this test. Yes, studying is very important, but do not forget to make time for your friends, family and for exercise! You are not doing yourself, or your test score, any good if you don’t get out of your bubble, see other life forms and move your body. Yes, make time to exercise! In the word of Elle Woods, “exercise gives people endorphins, endorphins make people happy and happy people just don’t kill their husbands” (still waiting for that logic to show up on the LSAT).
Secondly, during the logical reasoning section I found that my brain has to work like a thesaurus. I need to be looking at words in the stimulus and finding corresponding words among the answer choices. This usually helps me narrow down the right answer to two choices, which is much better than five.
Thirdly, stick to a schedule. It is very easy to put off studying when you do not have anyone or anything keeping you honest. I find it especially easy here to do other things besides study, (i.e. convincing myself that I deserve to take a study break then watching Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time). Once I started the 4-month plan, I found I could not make excuses for myself and eventually took pride in the fact that I was able to sit down, focus, and feel like I was actually making progress. Lastly, if your brain is really not in “LSAT Mode”, do not force it. There have been days I only answered 10 questions correctly on a section. I decided to put the pencil down and walk away rather than beat a dead horse, as my father would say. Remember: sometimes your brain needs a break!
The last year has been an interesting ride and studying for the LSAT has only made it more so. Hopefully by this time next year I will have rocked the LSAT, been accepted to a law school (with the help of a kick butt addendum), completed my service as a volunteer and learned a little something more about myself and the world along the way.
Safari njema! [Good journey]
Photo by swiv
Logic and Games
* Some advice on getting your law school admission officer to like you. [LSAT Blog]
* A critical look at the financial sector's recruitment of the best and brightest on college campuses. [NYTimes]
* Just think - when the economy recovers, you can have a few of these at your fancy law firm. [The Diamond Bathtub]
* Judge orders divorcing couple to swap Facebook and dating site passwords. [Forbes]
* 10 stubborn food myths that just won’t die, debunked by science. [Lifehacker]
* A critical look at the financial sector's recruitment of the best and brightest on college campuses. [NYTimes]
* Just think - when the economy recovers, you can have a few of these at your fancy law firm. [The Diamond Bathtub]
* Judge orders divorcing couple to swap Facebook and dating site passwords. [Forbes]
* 10 stubborn food myths that just won’t die, debunked by science. [Lifehacker]
Law School Admissions Guides
These guides are no longer available - but you can check out the other law school admission guides here ------>
***
I want to take a break from LSAT prep to share something with you.
You see, showing the LSAT who’s boss is only one step towards getting into law school. After you get that awesome score back, you still have to actually APPLY!
And, the last thing you want to do is ruin a great LSAT score with a second-rate law school applications.
I have plenty of articles on law school admissions, but I wanted to give you something a little more comprehensive.
So, I partnered with a law school admission counselor to offer two different law school admissions guides.
The first is A Guide to Optional Essays and Addenda. My favorite section is the one titled “Which Statements are Optional, and Why?” I feel like that's at the heart of most students' questions, and the guide only goes into more detail from there.
The second is A Guide to Law School Recommendations covering important areas like “Balancing the Pool of Recommenders” and “Educating the Educators.” I like that last one because it sounds like a campaign slogan for someone running for class president.
More importantly, it shows you all the ways that YOU can make a difference in how your recommendation letters turn out!
More importantly, it shows you all the ways that YOU can make a difference in how your recommendation letters turn out!
Get both guides at once:
A Guide to Optional Essays and Addenda + A Guide to Law School Recommendations
Or, get just one of them:
A Guide to Optional Essays and Addenda
A Guide to Law School Recommendations
Want more info on them?
Here's the table of contents of A Guide to Optional Essays and Addenda:
Which Statements are Optional, and Why?
Why is it So Important to Answer General Application Questions?
When is It Helpful to Answer Targeted Questions?
When Should I Include an “Explanation” Statement?
When an Explanation is Required
When an Explanation is Optional
Making the Most of Optional Statements and Addenda
Required Explanation Statements
Optional Explanation Statements
Targeted Optional Statements
General Optional Statements
A Note about Outside Help
Optional Essays and Addenda in a Nutshell
And here's the table of contents of A Guide to Law School Recommendations:
A Note about Evaluations
Choosing Your Recommenders
Assessing Your Prospective Recommenders
Balancing the Pool of Recommenders
Educating the Educators
Recommender Packets
Creating a Compelling Letter of Recommendation
Targeted Letters
Logistics
Waiving Your Right to Review Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation in a Nutshell
Appendix A: Sample Thank You/Cover Letter for Recommender Packet
Appendix B: Effective Letters of Recommendation for Law School
Appendix C: Sample Recommender Summary
-These are PDFs available for instant download after submitting payment via PayPal. You can use Adobe Reader to open the files.
-If you're already registered with PayPal, the instant download link will be sent to your PayPal email address. Otherwise, it'll be sent to whichever email address you submit.
P.S. These guides paired with Personal Statement Triumph are a lethal combination.
Sincerely,
Steve "making sure you have all your bases covered" Schwartz
P.P.S. If you consider how much money you'll make from getting into a better law school...or getting more scholarship money...this is such a tiny drop in the bucket.
Law School Recommendation Letter Tips
The below excerpt about choosing recommenders for your law school recommendation letters is from A Guide to Law School Recommendations.***
Choosing Your Recommenders
Too often, applicants assume that the highest-profile recommender is the best choice, whether that means getting a friend of a distant cousin to obtain a letter from the Lieutenant Governor or choosing a full professor over an instructor. And, of course, it’s true that prestige and credentials may carry some weight and that the number of years a professor has been teaching impacts his ability to compare you with other students and assess your academic abilities. But the recommender’s title and background are just one consideration, and not the most important one by a longshot. And, if the effort is too blatantly political—that is, if you’re obtaining a letter from a judge or elected official who truly doesn’t know you and is just doing someone a favor—it can backfire. Assess your recommenders on the merits of the letters they’ll be able to write first.
Assessing Your Prospective Recommenders
To begin the selection process, make a list of all possible recommenders— don’t try to narrow down the list at this point. When you have the list in hand, consider:
- How well the recommender knows you: a letter of recommendation carries considerably more weight if it appears to be rooted in adequate personal experience and observation to allow the writer to speak authoritatively about your qualifications. Consider how long the recommender has known you, in what context and the number and quality of opportunities he or she has had to personally observe and interact with you. For this reason, professors of seminar classes, self-study advisors and the like are often in a better position to write a solid letter. If you attend a large university and have primarily taken lecture classes in which you have little direct contact with the professors, consider asking a TA with whom you have a closer relationship to write one of your letters.
- How relevant the context in which the recommenders knows you is: If you’ve known someone for years because you play park district baseball together, that experience of you is probably less relevant to law schools than that of a professor you’ve taken three classes with or a long-time employer. Think in terms not only of how long and how well a person has known you, but also what that person knows about you firsthand that is of interest to law schools.
- What characteristics the recommender will be able to speak to: this consideration is related to the one above, but may involve thinking beyond the formal constructs of your interactions with the prospective recommender: while not every applicant has three solid “academic” recommenders available, relevant experience can often be found in other contexts. Though of course you don’t know exactly what a recommender will say, you know what each prospect’s experience with you entailed, what stories she has at her disposal and which characteristics she has had an opportunity to observe.
- How the recommender fits into your overall application package: Just as you balanced the content of your personal statement and your optional essays, you’ll want to balance your recommendations. Although most applicants will want to keep the focus on academics, you don’t want to submit three letters that say basically the same thing. As mentioned above, you don’t know and can’t control exactly what the recommender will say. But you do know something about the basis for the recommendation, and you can remind the recommender of specifics that you think are relevant when you make the request. Don’t think about each prospect purely in isolation: consider which possible recommenders will combine to create the strongest overall package.
- The recommender’s ability to write a compelling letter: Weigh the potential recommender’s ability to communicate clearly and compellingly; though this factor won’t necessarily rule someone out if the other factors are strong, it must be considered. Just as with your personal statement and other admissions essays, a letter of recommendation is more likely to have a positive impact if it catches the reader’s attention early and draws him along.
- The recommender’s willingness to invest: all of the factors listed above only matter if the recommender takes the time to craft a personal, compelling letter. To the extent that you have adequate information to assess this, consider how likely the potential recommender is to make that investment—to consider you as an individual and write a letter that supports his recommendation rather than just saying he recommends you.
Photo by jonno23
Law School Applications: Character and Fitness, and Addenda Tips
The below excerpt on writing character and fitness disclosures, as well as other required addenda, is from A Guide to Optional Essays and Addenda.***
- Keep it Short: There’s rarely a reason that an explanation statement should run beyond a double-spaced page, and even that’s too long for most situations. Many applicants feel the need to provide a lot of backstory, but it’s usually not necessary and can be harmful in a number of ways: it can muddy the waters and distract from the key point, or it can take you into areas it would have been better not to make the committee aware of, and it can result in the appearance that you’re trying to justify or explain away whatever negative you’re addressing.
In addition, explanation statements are rarely very interesting and certainly aren’t the piece of the application your readers are most interested in spending time on. In most cases, ½ to 2/3 of a page, double-spaced, should be sufficient to provide the information they need without belaboring the point or digressing.
- One Explanation per Statement: There are exceptions to this “rule”, but generally speaking each explanation statement should address a single issue. The exception is when there is a common cause underlying the two issues.
For example, if you were on academic probation and also were arrested for underage drinking during the same semester, which happened to be the semester during which your mother died suddenly or you suffered a serious injury and were in constant pain, it may make sense to combine those statements.
But if you were on academic probation during your freshman year because you started out in the wrong major and discovered that you didn’t have the math skills to be an engineer but excelled at foreign languages and then were arrested for DUI in your junior year, after you’d switched majors and brought your grades up, those are separate statements for clarity’s sake and for yours: you don’t want to have to write a statement that says “I messed up one thing, then got it together, then messed up something new and unrelated…”
If it does make sense to combine your responses, make sure that doing so complies with the application instructions and that your explanation is properly labeled and associated with any necessary or appropriate documentation.
- Make a Clear, Concise Statement of the Facts: Yes, the purpose of your explanation statement is to provide context and any insight you can offer as to why the admissions committee can expect better of you if you’re admitted to the law school, but don’t skip straight to that. Even if you’ve provided supporting documents that reflect the facts, don’t make your reader put together a puzzle. Begin with a very brief and very specific statement such as “On October 17, 2008, I was cited for “Minor in Possession of Alcohol” on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign-Urbana.” You may have reason to offer further details of the incident, but if so, elaborate after you’ve laid out the key facts.
- Take Responsibility: You’ve undoubtedly heard that it’s important to take responsibility for your actions in an explanation statement, and that’s true. An explanation statement that attempts to minimize or shift the blame is a bit like one of those “sorry you were offended” apologies that aren’t really apologies at all, and the admissions committee won’t be impressed. Many applicants seem to be under the impression that the purpose of this statement is to convince the reader that whatever negative is being discussed really isn’t so bad.
In a few rare circumstances, that may even be true. But essays explaining how you wouldn’t have gotten arrested at all if the cops had been more reasonable or your roommate hadn’t dragged you into a bad situation tend to backfire. In the vast majority of cases, there was some element of bad judgment or a faulty decision involved in creating the situation, and it’s important to recognize that and cop to it. Keep it reasonable, though. Because we’ve seen so many excuse statements, professionals tend to heavily emphasize the need to take responsibility, and this can lead applicants to go too far in the opposite direction.
If you made a bad decision say so, explain the circumstances and move on. Don’t fall on your sword because you got caught drinking three months before your 21st birthday or didn’t take school seriously enough during your first semester. Not only is it not necessary, it’s likely to sound insincere.
Photo by aepoc
Logic and Games
* Gawker commits a correlation-causation flaw (a post hoc fallacy, in particular) by assuming that kicking out "laptop hobos" is the *reason* for Starbucks' increased profits. [Gawker]
* Some good general test prep tips. [WSJ]
* University of Illinois College of Law claims only one person is responsible for six years of reporting false LSAT / GPA numbers. [ABA Journal; Above The Law]
* The man behind the scandal had yet-another plan to keep his #s up: "That way, I can trap about 20 of the little bastards with high GPA's that count and no LSAT score to count against my median. It is quite ingenious." [Chicago Tribune]
* Doctor found guilty in Michael Jackson's death. [NYTimes]
* Investors may begin funding lawsuits in exchange for a percentage of the winnings. [Colorado Springs Gazette]
* Some good general test prep tips. [WSJ]
* University of Illinois College of Law claims only one person is responsible for six years of reporting false LSAT / GPA numbers. [ABA Journal; Above The Law]
* The man behind the scandal had yet-another plan to keep his #s up: "That way, I can trap about 20 of the little bastards with high GPA's that count and no LSAT score to count against my median. It is quite ingenious." [Chicago Tribune]
* Doctor found guilty in Michael Jackson's death. [NYTimes]
* Investors may begin funding lawsuits in exchange for a percentage of the winnings. [Colorado Springs Gazette]
