One of the steps to getting your law school applications ready is sending LSAC your college transcript(s) for processing. They take your transcripts, convert your grades to a 4.0 scale, and calculate an overall GPA for you. This is your “LSAC GPA”. To the surprise of some students, their LSAC GPA is different from their transcript GPA. Not necessarily in a good way, either. But, why is that the case? Let's Talk BasicsYou have to submit transcripts from all undergraduate institutions you have attended. No exceptions. It doesn't matter if you didn't graduate from one of them or if one is … [Read more...]
Is My Target LSAT Score Realistic?
When you decide to take the LSAT and start looking at law schools, you inevitably run into the score requirements for admission. From there, you can develop an idea of what you want, and likely need, to get on the LSAT in order to get into the school of your dreams. After taking a few practice tests, you might start asking yourself the question. Is it possible to get a 165? A 170? A 175? This question makes a regular appearance in our classrooms, in private conversations with tutoring students, and on the LSAT Forum. So, is it possible? Statistically, Speaking When looking at statistics, … [Read more...]
Wait! Did My LSAT Score Just Go Down?
Practice tests should be a part of your study routine, you may even have a few of them under your belt. If you haven't incorporated PTs, start including them! But, let's assume you've taken several by now, all under test-day conditions. You probably know how imperative it is to take and review them correctly. If not, you can find more information on how to do that on this blog post. Obviously, not all of your PTs will go well and it is important to understand why.While getting an awesome score on your practice test can give you an important confidence boost, it has little pedagogical … [Read more...]
When to Skip a Question on the LSAT
When you're working your way through the LSAT, it's easy to get caught up in a difficult question and he test-makers know this. That is why they don't present questions in order of difficulty. It is true that the first question on an LR section is generally more straightforward than the last, but there is quite a bit of variety in the middle. Even if the test makers did want to put the questions in order of difficulty, everyone has a different set of strengths and weaknesses.All of this is to say, the questions that are most challenging for you will show up in random places in a section. … [Read more...]
Does Submitting an Early Law School Application Improve Your Chances at Getting In?
Applying Early HypeThere's a lot of buzz about applying early. Everywhere you look online blasts the same ideals: apply as early as you can, apply today! Apply yesterday! If you don't all hope is lost. To be honest, having your applications ready to go on day one is not a bad idea. But, that's for reasons wholly unrelated to whether or not it improves your admissions chances.First of all, getting things done sooner rather than later gives you breathing room. Who knows what might happen a week from now that will prevent you from getting that application finished? If you have the time … [Read more...]
Retaking the LSAT? What to Do Differently to Raise Your Score
Note: we talked in detail about retaking the LSAT on the PowerScore LSAT PodCast, in episodes 2 and 3. You can access those episodes here on iTunes. Previously, I covered who should retake the LSAT. In this post, I'm covering how to properly prepare for your retake. First, I'm going to presume that the last time you did a fairly decent job of preparing. That is, you worked through a course or some self-study guides and you took a fair number of practice tests. If you didn't make a reasonable effort the first time, your top priority should be putting in 100% this time! The information below … [Read more...]
What Does Your Transcript Say About You?
Next to your LSAT score, your GPA is the most important thing on your law school application. Like it or not, those numbers hold the greatest weight in your likelihood of getting into a particular school. Unlike your LSAT score, though, your GPA has another facet to it: your transcript. Whether your transcript has a positive or negative effect on your application depends on what's on it.Let's take a look at what your transcript can say about you. Before we start, though, a disclaimer: not everyone's transcript will be analyzed. I imagine that the people who run the greatest risk or chance … [Read more...]
Creating an Exceptional Personal Statement for Your Law School Application
Apart from your LSAT and undergraduate GPA, the most important aspect of your law school application is the personal statement. It is the one part of your file that is solely you. In your own words, you express your voice, experiences, and story. Every day we help students put together exceptional applications with our law school admissions consulting packages. We dispense tidbits of wisdom that help students craft a top-notch and unforgettable essay. Stick around for a preview of some of the advice we give to our students. The Goal of Your Personal Statement In a space as short as a law … [Read more...]
LSAT Podcast Episode 17: The New LSAT Retake Policy
Episode 17 of the podcast features some game-changing news from LSAC concerning their new retake policies, severely restricting the number of times test takers can sit for the LSAT despite it being administered 10 times each year. While this information hasn’t been made public by LSAC yet, we’ve got you covered with a detailed overview of precisely how these repeat limits will affect your prep plans.You can find the episode embedded below, but make sure to subscribe/follow and rate/review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or Stitcher if one of those is your preferred podcast platform! … [Read more...]
LSAT PodCast Episode 15: The Digital Writing Sample
Episode 15 of the podcast is all about the LSAT Writing Sample, as Jon and Dave discuss its purpose and potential impact on your app, upcoming changes to its administration, what the new digital format will mean when submitting your essay, and, perhaps above all, precisely how to craft a response that satisfies even the most inquisitive admissions committee. You can find the episode embedded below, but make sure to subscribe/follow and rate/review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or Stitcher if one of those is your preferred podcast platform! We are offering a special limited-time offer … [Read more...]
LSAT PodCast Episode 14: Student Question Mailbag
The 14th episode of the podcast is a Student Question Mailbag edition, where Jon and Dave tackle submitted inquiries about admissions—including undergrad vs grad school GPA usage and why your college GPA and LSAC GPA may not match—as well as some big-picture curiosities about using older LSAT Bibles, when to read the question stem in LR, and the best guessing strategy to employ as time runs out. You can find the episode embedded below, but make sure to subscribe/follow and rate/review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or Stitcher if one of those is your preferred podcast platform! We are … [Read more...]
LSAT PodCast Episode 13: The Digital LSAT
In Episode 13, Dave and Jon do a deep dive into the upcoming Digital LSAT, exploring everything from the hardware and software being used to section-specific strategies to help you take full advantage of the interface’s features. If you have questions or concerns about tablet testing this episode has your answers! You can find the episode embedded below, but make sure to subscribe/follow and rate/review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or Stitcher if one of those is your preferred podcast platform! We are offering a special limited-time offer for any listeners who write a review or … [Read more...]
How to Get the Most out of Private Tutoring
As you head down the home stretch for your LSAT administration, you may be thinking investing in private tutoring. It's a common question. For many students, it’s a perfect solution to achieve that final score push just before test day. From the prospective of our tutors, it's incredibly fulfilling. You have the opportunity to connect with someone entirely dedicated to helping make your unique goal attainable.You may be asking yourself: “What can I expect from my PowerScore tutor?” The short answer is "a lot." You're paying for a top-notch, premium service. At PowerScore our tutors embody … [Read more...]
LSAT PodCast Episode 12: Sufficient Assumption/Justify the Conclusion Questions
Episode 12 continues the discussion from last time by looking at the other Assumption question type: Sufficient Assumptions (also known as Justify the Conclusion). Dave and Jon provide an extensive analysis of this unique LR task, exploring everything from how to spot Justify questions to the relationship between Assumption and Justify—key similarities and differences—to powerful mechanistic techniques like the Justify Formula to help you confidently solve even the trickiest examples! You can find the episode embedded below, but make sure to subscribe/follow and rate/review on Apple … [Read more...]