The rollout of the Affordable Care Act ("ObamaCare") has gotten quite a bit of attention. Much of the discussion has been about numbers. Since numbers frequently play a significant role on the LSAT, I figured this would be a great opportunity to talk about how we should view numbers and percentages on the test.To be very clear, this is not a political piece, and we at PowerScore take no political position. Solely from the perspective of what … [Read more...]
Multiple Subjects and Varied Viewpoints on the Reading Comprehension Section
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of reading an LSAT Reading Comprehension section, you may have noticed that the passages are not necessarily intended to delight and amuse. Even if you are an avid reader, they can be very challenging because the passages are not written or chosen for clarity. Unlike newspapers and magazines, whose writers do their best to be clear and direct. The makers of the LSAT aren’t trying to sell you their passages. You … [Read more...]
Research Paper vs. Personal Statement: What’s the Difference?
This blog comes from admissions expert and founder of Pen and Chisel LLC, Eileen Conner. After years of working to improve your academic writing, you’re totally prepared to tackle the task of writing a convincing law school personal statement. Or are you?Actually, the personal statement is substantially different from the typical research paper taught in college. As such, it can present surprising challenges to even the most accomplished … [Read more...]
How to Get Killer Law School Letters of Recommendation
When the admissions season starts heating up, our Forum sees an influx of questions about letters of recommendation (LOR.) There's a lot of confusion over who to choose and what they should write. Since a poor recommendation can really hurt your admissions chances, you can't afford to make a mistake here! So, let's talk about how to get the best possible recommendations. Who to Pick The first decision you have is, who should you choose to write … [Read more...]
Jumping from 165 to 173: The Last Mile is Always the Hardest
Getting from the 90th percentile on the LSAT to the 99th percentile is perhaps the most difficult "jump" you can make. Many high-scoring test-takers get stuck in the mid-160's, seemingly unable to move up. Why? For one thing, they probably reached their score relatively quickly - within a few months, or even less. The 150's Indeed, if you started in the mid-to-low 150's, all you needed to do is learn how to tackle the major game types, improve … [Read more...]
What’s the Difference Between LSAC’s CAS and LSDAS?
We get this question quite a bit this time of year. Is there a difference between the Law School Admission Council's CAS (Credential Assembly Service) and LSDAS (Law School Data Assembly Service)?The answer is yes. And no. LSDAS vs CAS The branch of LSAC that compiles all the elements in a law school application and sends it to each law school used to be known as LSDAS, an acronym for Law School Data Assembly Service. LSDAS was the … [Read more...]
Taking the LSAT in Argentina
Are you taking the LSAT in Argentina? 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 Argentina, only one location offers the LSAT: Buenos Aires (Instituto Culteral Argentino Norteamericano). While there is just one location option, it occurs three times per year: June, September/October, and December. You can … [Read more...]
Approaching Reading Comprehension Sections Strategically
Approaching the LSAT Strategically Series: Part I, Part II, Part III There is a fundamental truth about test takers when it comes to the LSAT: everyone is different. That is, everyone who sits down with this exam will have unique strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and ultimately, ways they can optimize their performance in every section. While that certainly affects how it is that people prepare, I think it also dictates how test … [Read more...]
Logical Reasoning Flaws in American Politics Part II
In part one of this series, we discuss the Logical Reasoning flaws that candidates during the political season help demonstrate. On the LSAT, LR flaws are a common question you will face. In this post, we consider several more examples. Causal Reasoning"I'm the most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far." - Donald TrumpCausal reasoning flaw: assuming a causal relationship where only a correlation has been … [Read more...]
Personal Statement Do’s and Don’ts
This blog comes from special guest, Dan Brooks, the founder of The Admissions Sherpa. The personal statement allows you to show the admissions committee something they might not garner from the rest of your application. Some call it an interview or an elevator pitch. Here are three dos and three don’ts to remember. The Do Be personalIt’s called a PERSONAL statement for a reason. The admissions committee wants to know about you. If you … [Read more...]
How to Be an LSAT Hero
This blog comes to you from special guest, Pamela Adewoyin, Esq. Former PowerScore student Pamela Adewoyin experienced a terrific score increase after taking a prep course. Here's her story. Putting in the Effort Pamela bounced from place to place as a child but learned to call the Bronx, New York, home. From a very early age, she knew that she wanted to be an attorney. Ambitious and dedicated, Pamela focused on her schoolwork throughout her … [Read more...]
Deciding to Apply to Law School at the Last Minute? Not a Great Idea
Looking at the title of this blog post, you're probably saying to yourself: well, duh. Of course it's a bad idea! A decision as big as spending many tens of thousands of dollars and three years of your life on a law school education shouldn't be something that is made on the spur of the moment! It should be given careful thought and consideration. However, every year around this time, many students say a variation of the same thing.Here's the … [Read more...]
Jail Time for Claiming Drinking Water Helps Prevent Dehydration?
In 2008, two German professors asked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to approve a certain claim for use in labeling bottled water. The claim at issue was whether “regular consumption of significant amounts of water can reduce the risk of development of dehydration and of concomitant decrease of performance."The EFSA denied the request. Linking Drinking Water and Dehydration Understandably, the decision caused an uproar, especially … [Read more...]
Double Negatives and Multiple Negatives
In their creation of the LSAT, the test makers have found many ways to make Logical Reasoning questions challenging. Often the stimulus is so long or complex that it can be tough to get through. Sometimes even the question stems can be difficult to interpret. And, as you may have noticed, the writers of the test are quite adept at hiding the right answers among very appealing incorrect answer choices. Double Negatives One element that is often … [Read more...]