Last week’s August LSAT score release led to what seemed to be a disproportionate number of students reporting significant score declines from their recent PTs to the real thing, causing both alarm at the outcomes and speculation over the cause. In Episode 93, Dave and Jon set the record straight on exactly what did and didn’t happen with the August scores by dismissing fringe conspiracies and elaborating on the more plausible factors behind … [Read more...]
6 Weeks Until the LSAT: What You Need to Know
If you're here, you have about six weeks until your next official LSAT administration. You're in the home stretch! Don't panic! I'm not here to freak you out. In fact, I'm here to help. Below you'll find a list of resources, links, and general suggestions, all designed to help you make the most of your final month-plus, and finish--or, dare I say it, even start--strong! First things first, you'll want to make sure you're registered for your … [Read more...]
Podcast Episode 92: Student Question Mailbag #7
It’s time for another Student Mailbag episode! Jon and Dave field questions on a wide range of important subjects: how uber-busy people can best organize a study schedule, knowing when you’ve truly peaked and shouldn’t retest, when a retake makes sense and how to properly prep for it, appropriate and inappropriate personal statement topics, applying early decision, 2021-2022 cycle predictions, and more! … [Read more...]
Should You Retake the LSAT?
When LSAT scores come out, many students are faced with the uncomfortable reality of a possible retake. With that in mind, let's consider two of the most common questions regarding law school admissions. “Should I retake the exam? And if I do, how will law schools interpret my scores?”In order to help you better understand your options, we have researched the policies of LSAC and top law schools. We've also spoken with many admissions … [Read more...]
Podcast Episode 91: The August 2021 LSAT Review
As the first post-Flex LSAT comes to a close, Dave and Jon are here with their traditional recap to break it all down: what was scored and what was experimental, where the various test forms first appeared, and most importantly how the section difficulties impacted the scoring scale for every combination of content. … [Read more...]
Podcast Episode 90: Seven Deadly Sins – The Life and LSAT Behaviors You Must Avoid
In Episode 90, Jon and Dave tackle the all-important topic of mentality from a new angle, outlining the seven most destructive behaviors students adopt during prep. Tune in as they examine common pitfalls like Comparison traps and Self-Denial routines, each of which is followed by targeted advice to help correct your missteps and get you back on track! … [Read more...]
Does the LSAT Test Law?
According to LSAC, the Logical Reasoning portion of the LSAT is designed to "evaluate the ability to analyze, critically evaluate, and complete arguments as they occur in ordinary language. These arguments mirror legal reasoning in the types of arguments presented and in their complexity, though few of the arguments actually have law as a subject matter."I frequently echo this final disclaimer at the start of my classes. The LSAT is not a … [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 … [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 … [Read more...]
Podcast Episode 89: Myths of the LSAT Experimental Section
The August 2021 LSAT marks the end of the Flex format and the return of the test’s experimental section, and Dave and Jon are here with all the details! Join them to learn exactly how the experimental section works, how to best identify it, and how to use it to your advantage as you navigate your way through test day. … [Read more...]
Bruce Lee: Enter the LSAT
Most people are familiar with Bruce Lee. He was a martial arts master who became an actor, and when he died young at 32, he was already a superstar and cultural icon. But while most people know him for his martial arts movies, few know that he was also a philosopher and avid student of the mind. After his death, thousands of books were found in his house, with over 1500 marked up with detailed notes and comments. Lee wasn't just a heavy reader, … [Read more...]
Podcast Episode 88: The LSAT Scoring Scale – 7 Common Myths Explained
The LSAT scoring scale remains one of the most mysterious and misunderstood aspects of an already-shadowy exam, so to help clear away the confusion, Jon and Dave are busting the scale’s 7 biggest myths! Listen as they explore everything from how the scale works to what truly tightens or loosens it to, above all, what differing scales mean for you on test day. … [Read more...]
My LSAT Score Just Dropped… Now What?
If you have an LSAT test administration coming up, a drop in your practice test scores can be demoralizing. Was all this work for nothing? What if it happens again?The fact is, it didn't: it happened on a practice test. It may not seem that way, but it's one of the best things that can happen to you while prepping for the test. While getting an awesome score on your practice test can give you an important confidence boost, it has little … [Read more...]
Justify and Assumption Questions: Conceptual Similarities and Differences
Many students confuse Justify and Assumption questions. Of course, this is not news to those whose job is to confuse you (hint: they work in Newtown, PA). Consequently, you will often encounter Assumption decoys in Justify questions and vice versa. The trick is to know what you are looking for. And what you are not. Some basic concepts: In Justify questions, you need to identify a statement that is sufficient to prove the conclusion. In other … [Read more...]