I recently had the great pleasure of teaching our free Causal Reasoning Secrets seminar, which is always a lot of fun. Getting into the spirit of things, I searched federal case law for opinions focusing on causal reasoning and found a doozy in Claar v. Burlington Northern R. Co., 29 F.3d 499 (C.A.9 (Mont.), 1994). Claar v. Burlington Northern R. Co. Twenty-seven employees brought a suit against the Burlington Northern Railroad Company. They … [Read more...]
Taking the LSAT in Australia
Are you taking the LSAT in Australia? Students take the LSAT if they plan to apply to Melbourne Law School and the University of Western Australia or any law schools in the US and Canada. However, the test administers across the globe. Check out this post about taking the LSAT abroad.In Australia, 10 separate locations offer the LSAT.Adelaide, SA, LTC Testing Brisbane, QLD, Queensland University of Technology Canberra, ACT, … [Read more...]
Studying GMAT Critical Reasoning? Consider Using LSAT LR Questions
Those of you who follow the PowerScore blog know that I most frequently write about the LSAT and law school related topics. However, PowerScore also offers GMAT books, so I spend time in the GMAT world as well. If you've ever studied the GMAT, you know that both the Critical Reasoning (CR) and Reading Comprehension (RC) sections of that test are very similar to the LSAT Logical Reasoning (LR) and Reading Comprehension sections. But whereas the … [Read more...]
Time Running Out in LSAT Reading Comprehension
When considering another post on our blog, Mind-Wandering, Mindfulness, and Reading Comprehension, some other RC concerns we hear from students come to mind. How do I approach the final passage when I'm running out of time? What is the best strategy for attacking a passage with only 3-5 minutes remaining in the section?Considering that the typical test taker needs 9-10+ minutes to get through a passage and its questions, this scenario is … [Read more...]
6 Key Tips to Help You Score Better Than Your Classmates
There is little doubt that prep courses give you the most bang for your buck, and it's no surprise that they are an extremely popular way of preparing to take the LSAT. According to LSAC's own research report, students who use official LSAC test-preparation materials (i.e. PrepTests), non-LSAC books (such as the Bible Trilogy) and commercial test-prep courses tend to have higher scores than those who did not use such methods. Most students, LSAC … [Read more...]
Curveballs in LSAT Logic Games
. With the release of the June 2014 LSAT, we can take solace in the notion that, although 99.9% of test-takers bombed the last game completely, better days lie ahead. For one thing, missing every single question on that game only brings your score down to 177. This is thanks to the exceptionally generous curve on that test. Why was the curve so generous? See the first sentence above. Here's the funny thing about exceptionally brutal games: they … [Read more...]
Considering an LSAT Retake? Here’s What the Experts Say!
Whenever scores release, we consistently get the same question. Should I retake the LSAT? And that's understandable. Some will receive their scores and know immediately that they need another shot. Others are fortunate enough to not have to take the test ever again. But, a large segment of students will be in the middle. The scores are solid, but not slam-dunk and give a chance at target schools, but do not guarantee admission. This leads to a … [Read more...]
Using the PowerScore LSAT Bibles: 3 Month Self-Study Plan
Students often ask about combining the LSAT Bibles when they are self-studying. You can find a full list of guides for your LSAT timeline on our Self-Study site, but here's an overview of what to do if you have 3 months to study for the LSAT. This plan assumes you have our 3 LSAT Bibles, our first Training Type Series (which includes LSAT PrepTests 1-20), and a plethora of actual LSATs, including some recent exams. You can purchase full digital … [Read more...]
Do You Need to Do Every Released Practice Test Question?
The release of the May 2020 LSAT-Flex means there are now 96 official LSAT PrepTests. That's over 9,000 official LSAT Prep Test questions for you to use in your LSAT prep journey. Does it sound daunting? That's because it is. Yet, some students are still complaining that it's not enough.To put this in perspective, hundreds of test-takers have managed to get a top-1% score without doing anything near that many questions. Despite minor … [Read more...]
Taking the LSAT-STL, a Special Chinese LSAT
Note: this test has been discontinued. Since 2010, applicants to the Peking University School of Transnational Law (STL) have been taking an LSAT specifically created for the purpose of admission to the STL. The LSAT-STL is an adapted version of the regular LSAT. It is designed for applicants who are not native speakers of English. Accordingly, the test is administered only in Beijing and Shanghai, and the cost is approximately $130 USD. … [Read more...]
Help! My LSAT Scores Were Held!
We've heard our fair share of panicked LSAT takers all with the same frenzied query: "LSAC says that my LSAT scores are on hold! I don't know how I did on the test! What happened? What can I do?" Thankfully, with a little research, we found out what was going on and have guidance on what to do.Let's first start with how LSAC defines "held" scores: [A] hold will prevent the release of your LSAT score(s) and all LSAT and Credential Assembly … [Read more...]
Who Should Retake the LSAT?
Whether or not you should retake the LSAT is one of the most common questions we receive. Students want to know if they should and how they should approach it differently for the retake. In this post, we will cover who should retake the LSAT and why. Already know you’re going for a retake? Check out this post on how to properly prepare for a retake. So... Who Should Retake the LSAT? There are several different scenarios that should almost … [Read more...]
Who to Ask for LORs if You’ve Been out of School for a Long Time
One of the aspects of applying to law school that poses the most trouble for older applicants is obtaining letters of recommendation. This is due to two reasons:Schools stress that they prefer academic letters of recommendation. So, letters that come from someone who has worked closely with you in an academic capacity, preferably in a classroom. Older students typically don't keep in touch with their college professors and/or haven't … [Read more...]
Law School Scholarship Essays: What’s the Right Length?
A student asked me a question recently that I imagine has crossed the minds of many law school applicants before her. Exactly how long should a law school scholarship applicant's essay be? Her concern was that she would overwhelm or even bore the scholarship committee by writing too much. Here is my response: Read the Instructions First, how long your essay should be typically depends on both the topic and the specific instructions. Various … [Read more...]