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Turning tricky LSAT Logical Reasoning words into conditionals

Today, I'm showing you how to turn tricky Logical Reasoning words into easy "If X then Y" conditionals (without getting confused):

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Specifically, we're talking about turning phrases with "except," "unless," "until," and "without" into conditional statements.

METHOD 1.) The "introducing necessary and then negating sufficient" way.

METHOD 2.) The so-easy-a-5-year-old-can-do-it way.

Imagine if you came across one of these words on the actual LSAT and didn't know what to do with it.

There'd be a 99% chance you'd get the question wrong. WHY?

Because you didn't understand what they were saying!

Here's how to make sure you diagram these correctly.

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METHOD 1.) The "introducing necessary and then negating sufficient" way.
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Take any of the annoying words ("except," "unless," "until," and "without") as introducing the necessary condition.

In other words, whatever immediately follows one of these words is your necessary condition.

Then, whatever other clause is present in the conditional statement will, when negated, become your sufficient condition.

The phrase "Not B unless A" would first become "Not B then A."

But we're not done yet!

We still have to negate "Not B" to become "B."

So...we have B ---> A.

No need to take the contrapositive or rearrange anything.

With an example:

"It's not Thanksgiving (B) unless there's turkey (A)."

It first becomes: "Not Thanksgiving ---> there's turkey"

BUT we still have to negate "Not Thanksgiving" to become "Thanksgiving."

This gives us "Thanksgiving ---> turkey."

(Meaning that we've directly turned "No X unless Y" into "X ---> Y")

Get it?

Good!

Now let's move on to the next (even easier) method:

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METHOD 2.) The so-easy-a-5-year-old-can-do-it way (AKA the "IF NOT" way)
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It's simple - just replace any of these words with the phrase, "if not."

This means that you're taking these words to represent the negation of the sufficient condition.

In other words, you're negating whatever immediately follows the words "except," "unless," "until," and "without."

Then, you turn that thing, when negated, into the sufficient condition.

The phrase "Not B unless A" would become "Not B if not A."

Rearranged in the traditional "If-then" form (sufficient ---> necessary), this would be "If not A, not B."

Diagrammed: Not A ---> Not B

Contrapositive: B ---> A

With an example:
It's not Thanksgiving (B) unless there's turkey (A).

After "if not" replaces "unless":

It's not Thanksgiving if there's no turkey.

Diagrammed: No turkey ---> Not Thanksgiving.

Contrapositive: Thanksgiving ---> turkey.

So now whenever you have some trouble telling the difference...try one of these methods taught in the LSAT courses.

And, if Logical Reasoning is giving you a lot of trouble, click this link.

Until next time,
-Steve

Recommended Resources:

1. LSAT Courses
The best of my LSAT material with exclusive access to attend my Live Online LSAT Master Classes + Q&As, and on-demand video lessons you can watch anytime. Plus, LSAT study plans to keep you on track. Save hundreds of dollars with an LSAT course package.

2. Logical Reasoning Explanations
The explanations that should have come with the LSAT. These don't just fall back on "out of scope," but actually tell you why the wrong answers are wrong, why the right answers are right, and the easiest way to get the correct answer.

3. Logical Reasoning Cheat Sheet
Based on what I'd typically do in college: read what the professor emphasized and condense it all onto a single piece of paper. It gave me a quick reference, making things a lot less threatening and a lot more manageable.

How to make LSAT Reading Comp easy as Harry Potter

LSAT Reading Comprehension doesn't have to put you to sleep.

"Yeah, right," you say.

"I read Harry Potter on the beach a few summers ago. But LSAT Reading Comp? That's like reading Nietzsche or Derrida - even in translation, they don't make sense!"

That's what they WANT you to think.

LSAC gives you passages, then says, "you're gonna suffer, but you're gonna be happy about it."

Actually, Reading Comp passages are more like Harry Potter or See Spot Run than any philosophy book.

In this article, I show you how to break them down:

LSAT Reading Comprehension Passages: Easy As Harry Potter --->

A ton of LSAT-takers told me this breakdown really helped them. I hope it helps you, too.

Magically yours,

Steve

P.S. I wrote this article in response to a student's request. If there's something you want me to cover, just reach out and let me know. I'll try to cover it in the future.

Recommended Resources:

1. LSAT Courses
The best of my LSAT materials, with my full curriculum for each section, including video courses, guides, and study plans to keep you on track. You can save hundreds of dollars with an LSAT course package.

2. Reading Comprehension Explanations
The explanations that should have come with the LSAT. These don't just fall back on "out of scope," but actually tell you why the wrong answers are wrong, why the right answers are right, and the easiest way to get the correct answer.

3. LSAT Vocabulary Builder
A handbook that guides you through confusing LSAT language, but not by forcing you to memorize hundreds of words. Instead, this comprehensive guide focuses on the LSAT's most commonly-used words and phrases and gives you their meanings on the LSAT.

This article will make you more logical

Welllllll...hello.

Steve here from LSAT Unplugged and LSAT Blog.

I have one mission - to:

Make.

You.

Smarter.

So let's get started.

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If your LSAT score is below where you want it to be (and I'll assume it is), this is probably one of your issues:

Let's pretend you're starting with LSAT Logic Games...and you're trying to solve them in the 35 minutes you have for the section.

You sit down to start a game like this one:

At the annual meeting of the Magicians' Alliance, 8 magicians-L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, and S- perform their latest illusions, one magician at a time. The order in which the magicians perform their illusions is consistent with the following conditions:

By now, you've probably started drawing a diagram with 8 spaces and are getting ready to diagram the rules under each space.

Maybe...

.....something....

.....like....

.....this:

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Wrong. Wrrrrong. WWRRROOOONNNNG.

By now, you've already assumed that you're dealing with a typical "strict" ordering game, but this is actually a RELATIVE ordering game.

(In other words, it's one where you relate the variables to each other, instead of specific spaces.)

If you'd looked at the rules FIRST, you'd already know that.

Here they are:

-L and Q each perform at some time after P.
-S performs at some time before O and L.
-M performs at some time before S.
-P performs at some time after N.
-S and N each perform at some time after R.

See how they all relate the variables to EACH other, instead of to different numbered spaces? None of them talk about who goes 3rd, 5th, etc.

We can magically end up with a web of variables that are nicely connected to each other like THIS:

(Click here to find out how to diagram this game.)

After we look at the rules, we find out which type of Logic Game we're dealing with, and THEN we'll know the best type of diagram to use.

And, if Logic Games is giving you a lot of trouble, click this link.

LSAT Blog Interview: Skepticism and the LSAT Mindset

LSAT Blog Interview Skepticism LSAT Mindset

LSAT Blog reader Jacob recently conducted a lengthy interview with me about the strategies of top-scoring LSAT takers.

Here's an excerpt from the interview:

What if you study over the summer, then realize that you're not ready? So you wait for another few months, and then decide to defer law school about a year or so. Do you start from the beginning again, or do you find wherever your bookmark was and continue from there?

LSAT Mindset

A while back, I was studying for the LSAT.

Every day or two, I'd do a full practice test. These were real, recent, official LSAT exams...the standard ones everyone uses to study....by all means the BEST study materials to use!

I modeled ideas about how to study based on what I read other people were doing online.

I did these under strict timed conditions.

And here's what happened - my scores stayed in the low 150s, without any sign of increasing.

Now keep in mind I spent a LOT of time doing these.

Each time I did a test, I'd cross my fingers as I checked the answer key, hoping for the best....BUT MY SCORES DIDN'T GO UP.

So obviously something wasn't working, but I didn't know what it was. Then while reading one of the many logic and LSAT books I would invest time in....I stumbled into a way of thinking I call "the LSAT mindset."

I started to realize that by putting myself in the test-makers' shoes, seeing things from their point of view, you could drastically increase your score.

This seemed like the simplest "technique" of ANY test prep you could do.

I mean, simply change my point of view to be like theirs and get a higher score?? I'M IN!!!

So I invested my time into getting the LSAT mindset. I was obsessed. I studied all the LSAT books I could find. I even wrote my own LSAT questions and explanations. I learned the psychology behind why certain methods worked well.

And then I applied everything I learned to the next LSAT practice test I did. This test was the EXACT OPPOSITE of how my previous tests were. No second-guessing myself. No fancy diagramming strategies. No giant "???" in the margins.

Before getting the LSAT mindset, my scores were in the 150s (if even).

After getting the LSAT mindset, my very next practice test went up over 10 points...getting me into the high 160s...and then a 175 on Test Day!

A shift in my mind happened from that day on....and it changed my life.

And I've gotten higher LSAT scores ever since. I've tutored hundreds, even thousands, of students (for a sizable fee, of course).

And one of the most common questions I get is, "How do you solve LSAT questions so fast?"

That's why I created my LSAT courses.

They were made by me. They've got my name on them. They even contain my personal contact information.

Why? Because I believe in them so much.

They've also helped thousands of people get higher LSAT scores. They're even recommended by a lot of pre-law advisors and admission counselors!

And if you grab 'em today, it'll be one of the best damn investments you've ever made in yourself. The LSAT courses are one of the reasons I constantly get hit up via Facebook and Twitter with comments like this:

Imagine watching a fun and simple course about the LSAT.....and FOREVER improving one of the most important skills you'll use in law school and as a lawyer.

And FOREVER being able to think critically and argue more effectively.

All because you invested in an LSAT course designed to increase your LSAT score super-fast.

If this sounds good to you, click this link to join the LSAT courses while they're still at these low prices.

Invest in one of the LSAT courses today, and forever you'll have a skill that could change where you go to law school and the rest of your career.

The lessons inside it have changed my professional life AS WELL AS my personal life.

Talk soon,
-Steve

A unique LSAT prep opportunity to work with me

I want to let you know about a special Mastermind group I've put together -

It's a unique program for successful students who are ready to achieve the "Impossible."

I choose to work with high performers in my coaching because if I can help them figure out what's holding them back, I can help them achieve massive score increases - and the kind of gains in understanding that will transform their thinking and change their lives.

These kinds of transformations don't happen overnight. And they don't come easy. You'll work harder than you ever have, and you'll achieve more than you ever dreamed possible.

But you'll have to put in the work.

After all, if you're not willing to make a significant investment in yourself, how can you truly improve and achieve your goals?

My coaching is not for everyone. It requires dedication and discipline.

My students and I work together intensively, and their lives transform.

There are plenty of explanations out there. There are plenty of tutors out there who can, and will, explain them to you live, and if you want, they'll show you their "perfect" way to solve it. There are tutors who will teach you their entire curriculum start-to-finish and endlessly explain LSAT problems until their throats are sore.

That's not what I do.

In fact, I don't tutor, I coach.

And my coaching is different. I only work with highly-motivated students looking to make a powerful impact in their thinking - a total mindset makeover. The kind of change that will transform their lives - creating a ripple effect into law school and beyond.

After over 15 years of one-on-one coaching, this Mastermind remains a rare opportunity to be coached directly by me in a group setting. Join an intimate hand-picked group of high-performing students and build the two most important skills you need to be a top-performer: (i) Deep Mastery, (ii) Confidence.

There's a reason many of the most successful students - and those with the biggest score increases - have been coached by me personally.

We meet twice per month over video, and you get access to the recordings of all previous Mastermind coaching sessions.

This is a unique opportunity to work with me directly for a fraction of the price of 1-1 coaching.

Initially, I ran this Mastermind as a separate group coaching program, but after seeing its success, I've integrated group coaching into my LSAT course (the Supreme) and opened it up to all my students.

Click here to find out more --->

Reach out if you have any questions.

Steve

P.S. I'm looking for a few students shooting for 170+ to receive a free LSAT coaching session with me and be featured on the LSAT Unplugged YouTube channel and podcast. (Examples here.)

Reach out to find out more.

Things the LSAT and other standardized tests do not measure

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

-Curiosity

-Self-control

-Creativity

-Verbal communication

-Decoding nonverbal communication

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

3 ways to rock the LSAT in 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You are a future lawyer.

Smoking marijuana during the LSAT

On smoking marijuana during the LSAT:

Back in 2004, Brian Carlise took LSAC before a BC tribunal, citing that he was denied his right to smoke marijuana during the exam. The plaintiff had a physical disability that required him to take medicinal marijuana for treatment. LSAC argued that because they operate outside the jurisdiction of the province, (they were based in Delaware), the LSAT, a non-for-profit property, isn’t liable. Nevertheless, the presiding tribunal concluded that because the LSAT is administered within provincial jurisdiction, provincial legislation still applies. Nonetheless, Carlise had to drop the case, but he still managed to prove that provincial jurisdiction applies to the LSAT.

Relevant links:

http://www.yorku.ca/ddoorey/lawblog/?p=1606

https://www.canlii.org/en/bc/bchrt/doc/2004/2004bchrt353/2004bchrt353.html

Law school personal statement and how to use your résumé

To write a strong personal statement, most applicants have learned that it’s important to follow the age-old advice, “Show, don’t tell.”

However, many students ask, "How do I apply this advice to the most important essay of my education – the personal statement?"

Chances are, you’ve also heard that your personal statement needs to stand out – maybe that’s why you're reading this in the first place. After all, admissions officers read tons of personal statements, and many of them are similar to others. You want yours to be unique and inviting, but of course, still make sense to the reader.

So, how do you walk that fine line, while also mastering the “show, don’t tell” writing style?

It’s easier said than done. “Showing” is all about creating an image in your reader’s head. At same time, you have to make sure you don’t fall into the trap of “laying it on too thick” – this comes across as unconvincing and can end up hurting your chances in the end.

If you’re like most students I work with, by the time you’re writing your personal statements, you won’t have much control over your LSAT, GPA, and recommendation letters.

However, the personal statement is the one aspect you can still control completely. It’s the blank slate you’ll use to show the admissions officers why they should want you at their school.

Sure, your test scores and grades matter. Your achievements will play a role in the application process, but what’s even more important than those is how you present yourself.

Sometimes, students think the personal statement is simply a place to list the reasons why they’re great, and why School X should accept them.

Yawn.

No offense, but that’s simply boring.

You have a more compelling story to tell – I’m positive of that. I’ve helped thousands of students write captivating personal statements about the educational experiences shaped them into the applicants they are today. By working with them one-on-one, I’ve helped them tell their true stories in a way that grabs the attention of law school admission officers.

Another thing I’m sure of is that your story doesn’t have to be an earth-shattering tale of pulling a child from a burning building or climbing Mount Everest. (If you have a story like this, great! However, if you’re like other 99.9% of us, don’t worry.)

In fact, the best personal statements are brought to life by details that may not seem important on the surface. Did your “silent reading” sessions help you discover your love for reading and writing? Or, did your favorite professor encourage you to think about becoming a lawyer?

Let your readers see these specific moments in your life!

Then, use these images to support the points you want to make. How did this experience help to shape the person you are, and the person you’d like to become by attending your dream school?

Many of the students I work with say their lives are “too boring” and that nothing interesting has happened to them. After working with me one-on-one, they begin to see that this idea is simply untrue.

What matters is whether these events are important to YOU. You make the event interesting through the way you tell your story.

Bottom line: you already know what schools are going to ask about you. You also know that you're going to have to prove that you can describe your experiences and accomplishments in a persuasive way.

The problem is when you’re down to the wire and under deadline pressure, writer’s block sets in. All of a sudden, you have trouble remembering all the awesome things you've done. Or, perhaps creative writing has never been your strongest suit, and you’re struggling to find inspiration in the first place.

The good news is, you don’t have to be an English major to write an attention-grabbing personal statement. Nor do you have to wait until you’ve picked out your schools to start it.

Start Brainstorming NOW!

It’s never too early to start thinking about your educational experiences and the qualities that make you unique. Make a list, gather some anecdotes, and write these out long before you start putting applications in. That way, you won’t be scrambling to recall all of the amazing things you’ve learned at the last minute.

I recommend keeping a running document right on your computer desktop or on your phone. Think of it like a journal. (I know it sounds like just another item to add to your "to-do" list, but when it comes time to write your personal statements, you'll be glad you did.)

Here are some things I suggest adding to your document:

Your experiences – Consider clubs, activities, and sports, but think beyond these common extracurriculars as well. List some other kinds of experiences that helped shape who you are today.

Your accomplishments - If you add to this list every time you accomplish something new, you might be surprised at everything you've actually done. By personal statement time, you’ll have lots of information to pull from.

Your interests - You'll certainly go through a lot of these in your law school years. But what are the constants? Which passions do you always return to, and will continue to evolve well into your future?

You don't have to get super-detailed with these – we’ll get to that later. You can just add some quick notes and list the important insights to help jog your memory for writing time.

LSAT Study Schedule Priorities

My wife and I had our first child in March.

While it’s obviously been amazing in countless ways, the change also required BIG adjustments that could’ve massively derailed my work.

(Like losing my home office to make space for a nursery.)

Instead, the past year has surprisingly been my most productive to date.

3 things that made it possible:

1) Support from my wife.

2) Not being afraid to ask for help (even if that meant involving my mother-in-law…sigh)

3) Eliminating all obligations besides work and family

I knew the addition to my family meant I’d be making more adjustments than I could predict but —

I didn’t want it to stop me from achieving my goal of continuing to create free material better than other people’s paid courses.

So I removed everything from my schedule that didn’t make the cut.

And the lessons here translate to anything you’re doing, including LSAT prep:

Get support from friends and family. Tell them about your plans and —

(this one’s is especially important)

be RUTHLESS about excluding everything else.

Instead of trying to squeeze all the “little things” into my non-existent “free time,” I added them to my “avoid-at-all-costs” list —

So I could focus on the things that really matter.

And I recommend you do the same.

If LSAT prep is your top priority, enlist others to help you on your journey and have a “take-no-prisoners” approach.

Block off time on your calendar to make it happen and unapologetically say “no” to anything that stands in your way.

What’s your mission for the next year?

Steve

P.S. If my mother-in-law is reading this, I was just kidding about that “sigh” bit earlier.

Kind of.

Want to increase your LSAT score? Get my free Easy LSAT Cheat Sheet today.