A question we get frequently is what to do when you want to continue studying for the LSAT but you need a break from drills and questions. One fantastic resource is the Oyez Project, an online archive of Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) oral arguments, currently maintained by the IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. In this post, we'll give you a short introduction to the Oyez Project and links to a few of the most interesting oral … [Read more...]
Get Your Daily LSAT Fix
We know you secretly want it: your daily LSAT fix. No, you don't need to call your dealer or risk a felony charge. But, let's face it: the LSAT is a controlled substance, and quantities are limited. There are only a certain amount of past official LSATs publicly available. Even with access to everything LSAC makes available, you may still want some variety from the daily grind. Maximizing your LSAT score sometimes requires taking a break from the … [Read more...]
“Most Strongly Supports” vs. “Most Strongly Supported” in Logical Reasoning Questions
Let’s look at two LSAT logical reasoning question stems that sound awfully alike, but are anything but: "Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument above?"vs. "Which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above?" In the first instance, your job is to assume that each answer choice represents a true statement, and then determine which one is most helpful to validating the conclusion … [Read more...]
Do I Have to Wait Until After I Take the LSAT to Get My Letters of Recommendation?
There's a big misconception students have about the law school admissions process. Many believe that in order to do anything application/admissions-related, you have to take the LSAT first.Now, don't get us wrong. Taking the LSAT before you do anything else is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it's a great starting point. Your LSAT score determines so much when it comes to your application:Where you'll have the best chance of … [Read more...]
Sterling Archer’s Many Flaws: Do You Want Ants?
Archer, an animated series on FX, is about a spy agency and its group of clever, often bitingly sarcastic secret agents, who provide some great examples of the same kinds of logical flaws that we see on the LSAT:Ad Hominem Argument This type of flawed logic, often called a “source argument” describes an attack directly on the speaker, or the source of the argument, rather than on the merits of the argument itself.A great example appears … [Read more...]
Taking the LSAT in Ireland
Are you taking the LSAT in Ireland? Students take the LSAT if they plan to attend law schools in the US and Canada. However, the test administers across the globe. Check out this post about taking the LSAT abroad.In Ireland, only one location offers the LSAT: Dublin, at the University College Dublin. They administer the test once a year in December. You can find a complete list of test dates and deadlines here. Students should know that … [Read more...]
What Does My Law School Application Result Mean?
During law school application decision time, letters, emails, and phone calls are sent out of admissions offices around the nation, letting applicants know of their fate. Of course, everyone knows what the big fat envelope and "Congratulations!" email means. They require no explanation. Although the most desirable application result is certainly that of an admission, that is not always what you may see.It is important to be familiar with … [Read more...]
Don’t Be Fooled by Feigned Sophistication
There is a widespread misconception among test takers that because your reading level is difficult to improve (taking years to develop), your performance on the Reading Comprehension passages is also unlikely to change. This belief reflects a common misunderstanding about the specific type of difficulty associated with reading comprehension passages. Keep in mind that the test makers generally have about a half of a page to get their points … [Read more...]
The PowerScore LSAT Self-Study Guide
So, you're taking the LSAT. There are many ways to prep: courses, tutoring, books. If you're planning to self-study, we've got the perfect tool for you. Our Self-Study Guide walks you through the steps and gives you a concrete plan of action. Best of all? It's FREE. To download it, you can click here or the image below. Another great resource to check out is our LSAT Free Help Area! It's a great page to bookmark and keep handy for all things … [Read more...]
Unusual Rules in LSAT Logic Games: It’s the New Norm
Confusing Rules If you’ve taken any test from the last couple of years, you may have stumbled upon strangely-worded or confusing rules. For example: Train A can arrive earlier than train B if and only if train B arrives earlier than train C. Either car A arrives immediately before car B, or it arrives immediately after car C, but not both. The Q meal is served at some time after either the M meal or the N meal, but not after both. It’s worth … [Read more...]
How to Treat a Low Score
When taking the LSAT, whether in practice or for the real deal, many students come away extremely discouraged with their results. This is completely understandable and common. Your LSAT score is the key to attending a great school, and a poor performance can hold you back more than any other factor. So how should you view low scores, and what can you do to get past them? A Prephase We're sorry that your score doesn't live up to your … [Read more...]
March Madness and the LSAT
Recapping a Wild Week This past week featured two of my favorite events: the start of the NCAA basketball tournament and St. Patrick's Day. If you are a sports fan and Irish (I'm both), it's about as good as it gets! And the tournament this past weekend proved to be one of the most interesting in recent years: in the first round, there were 13 upsets (defined as a lower-seeded team winning versus a higher-seeded team), tied for the most ever in … [Read more...]
When Does “Either/Or” Mean “Both” on the LSAT?
Understanding the proper conditional relationship represented by the “either/or” conjunction in LSAT questions is crucial in both Logic Games and Logical Reasoning questions. While there are some solid rules you must follow, ultimately you should take into account the context in which the phrase is used. Learning the Rules Typically, a rule such as “either A or B must be selected” is inclusive. It allows for the possibility of selecting both A … [Read more...]
How to Attack Flaw in the Reasoning Questions on the LSAT
Flaw in the Reasoning questions require you to identify the underlying logical flaw in the argument. Over time, Flaw questions have become among the most common question types on the Logical Reasoning section of the LSAT. In fact, they account for approximately 15% of all questions and 30% of all First Family questions. Your next test will likely contain as many Flaw questions as all Main Point, Method, Parallel, Parallel Flaw, and Cannot Be True … [Read more...]