A student of ours who's working through the PowerScore Logical Reasoning Bible asked a common question the other day, and I want to share it, and my response, with you. Specifically she's been struggling with Mistaken Negations and Mistaken Reversals in conditional reasoning, and asked if I could help her better understand those two errors. Here's my reply: Common Roadblock Conditional reasoning is a tricky concept for a lot of people, so don’t be too concerned if you struggle when you first begin studying it. That’s pretty normal. The good news is that once you crack it it becomes an … [Read more...]
Taking the LSAT in Pakistan
Are you taking the LSAT in Pakistan? 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 Pakistan, only one location offers the LSAT: Karachi, World Educational Services. While there is just one location option, it occurs twice per year: September/October and December. You can find a complete list of test dates and deadlines here. Students should know that testing center locations are subject to change. Refer to LSAC for the most up-to-date information or if you … [Read more...]
What Questions Matter the Most in Logical Reasoning?
In every LSAT class I teach, sooner or later the same inquiry pops up: "What’s the most important type of question in Logical Reasoning?" Students asking this question often remind me of an ER nurse, triaging patients based on the seriousness of their condition. Hopefully, you won’t find yourself in this predicament, having to triage your study of Logical Reasoning. But if you must, here’s some advice: While it is difficult to say which question types are the “most important” to master, the skills you develop in attacking certain question types are often instrumental in increasing your … [Read more...]
Studies in LSAT Perfection: Alinea
A few years ago I read an inspiring book called Life on the Line by Grant Achatz. Grant is the head chef at Chicago’s Alinea restaurant, which has repeatedly been named one of the best restaurants in the world. He rose through the chef ranks to head up his own kitchen, only to then battle tongue cancer that nearly took away his sense of taste permanently (he’s ok now, fortunately). I liked the book so much that I made a trip up to Alinea last year to eat there. The experience was, in a word, a revelation. From the burning leaves to the helium dessert balloons to the dessert smashed on the … [Read more...]
Avoid These Common LSAT Practice Test Mistakes
Most students know that practice tests are important, but several common mistakes are made in the approach to this vital component. If you are willing to invest the time and effort it takes to complete full tests, you need to get the most out of the entire process. Take Full Tests Some students solely study LSAT concepts and avoid practice tests, but the LSAT is not merely a test of concepts. Even if you are completely comfortable with certain concepts in isolation, you still need to develop proper full-test pacing and endurance. Take PTs Seriously Students sometimes admit to being … [Read more...]
Taking the LSAT in Lebanon
Are you taking the LSAT in Lebanon? 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 Lebanon, only one location offers the LSAT: Beruit, AMIDEAST. While there is just one location option, it occurs four times per year: February, June, September/October, and December. You can find a complete list of test dates and deadlines here. Students should know that testing center locations are subject to change. Refer to LSAC for the most up-to-date information or if you … [Read more...]
Studies in LSAT Perfection: Oregon’s Blur Offense
For a while now, I’ve been meaning to write a series of articles on how the pursuit of perfection in various fields can teach valuable lessons for LSAT preparation, and how that pursuit sometimes conflicts with prevailing conventional wisdom. In honor of tonight’s national championship football game, we start with Oregon’s Blur Offense. The Blur Offense If you’re not familiar with football or are just a casual fan, you may not be aware that Oregon runs an unusual type of offense that spreads the field and runs plays at a high rate of speed (about 15 seconds between plays). The idea is to … [Read more...]
What Are Splitters, Reverse Splitters, and Super Splitters?
If you are applying to law school, you will come across an unusual and somewhat confusing term: Splitter. And no, it has nothing to do with baseball pitches, cutting trees, or a certain San Antonio Spurs/Philadelphia 76ers basketball player. A "splitter" is someone who has LSAT and GPA numbers that are split between high and low marks. Often, the medians for a law school play a role in determining if one is truly a splitter. While this concept is relatively easy to follow, over time several variations have cropped up, so let's look at each: Traditional Splitter (or, Just "Splitter") This … [Read more...]
Taking the LSAT in the Philippines
Are you taking the LSAT in the Philippines? 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 the Philippines, only one location offers the LSAT: Quezon City, the University of the Philippines. While there is just one location option, it occurs three times per year: February, September/October, and December. You can find a complete list of test dates and deadlines here. Students should know that testing center locations are subject to change. Refer to LSAC for … [Read more...]
The Genesis of an LSAT Question, Part II
Continuing on with our discussion from Part I, let’s take the text from the article and turn it into a proto-LSAT Logical Reasoning stimulus: “In the country of Downlandia, over 100,000 people currently live in towns with populations of fewer than 100 residents. This is an increase of over 20,000 people from a decade ago.” With this very rough “stimulus” in hand (which at this point is just a fact set), we can examine the three question types that could easily be appended to the scenario. In each case we will add a bit more to the stimulus in order to make the question work … [Read more...]
The Genesis of an LSAT Question, Part I
The other day I was reading an article about a town in the US with just two residents. In the middle of the article, the following text caught my attention: “The 2010 Census found 13 hamlets with one or two residents, including Lotsee, Okla., Gross, Neb., and Bonanza, Utah. About 119,000 people live in towns with fewer than 100 residents, up from 79,000 a decade earlier. Mr. Cantrell suspects the increase is due largely to towns shrinking below the 100-resident mark as residents die between the two censuses, rather than any influx of people into tiny towns.” While this text would seemingly … [Read more...]
Which Law Schools Accept February LSAT Scores?
With the February LSAT and many law school application deadlines right around the corner, it's worthwhile to know which schools accept those results, which don't, and which ones accept it but wish you'd taken an earlier one. Here’s a list of law schools with January to March application deadlines, along with their take on Feb LSAT scores. Schools are separated into four categories: Ones that accept February LSAT scores Those that accept February LSAT scores but strongly suggest taking an earlier LSAT Schools that do not accept February LSAT scores The schools that don't … [Read more...]
1-Month LSAT Study Plan
You just received your LSAT score and have to retake again in a month. Do you want to roll up into a ball and die? Don’t. Here’s a good start: With approximately four weeks left until the next LSAT, mastering this test may seem like an uphill battle. It is not. For one thing, as someone who probably put in a lot of effort preparing for the last exam, you have a significant head start. For whatever reason (more on that later), you simply failed to reach your full potential. The mere fact that your expectations were higher suggests that you are capable of much more. Provided you can focus on … [Read more...]
Taking the LSAT in Nigeria
Are you taking the LSAT in Nigeria? 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 Nigeria, only one location offers the LSAT: Lagos, the Educational Advising Center. They administer the exam once a year in June. You can find a complete list of test dates and deadlines here. Students should know that testing center locations are subject to change. Refer to LSAC for the most up-to-date information or if you have any questions. International … [Read more...]