In my last post, I talked about the myth that you can't prepare for standardized tests, how that myth was created, and why it has been perpetuated. In this post, we'll look at some explanations for why those beliefs are false.Let’s begin by looking at the original broad-based tests that started the whole thing: the Army Alpha tests, which were meant to reveal native ability. For example, they intended to “Supply a mental rating for each soldier” and “Assist in discovering men of superior mental ability,” among other goals, which would then allow the Army to place soldiers into the best … [Read more...]
The LSAT Wisdom of Johan Cruyff
Ten days ago the world lost a sporting legend, Johan Cruyff. If you've never heard the name before, you could be forgiven for thinking that he might be an old ship captain, or maybe some forgotten inventor. The name sounds a bit grizzly and angular, and would certainly fit a big game hunter or gold miner. He wasn't though—he was a world famous soccer player from the Netherlands. So, how could he possibly have any wisdom that applies to the LSAT?Cruyff was both a player and a coach, but more importantly he was a visionary. As a player, he won the award for world's best player three times. … [Read more...]
Your Busted Bracket and the LSAT
If you're like nearly everyone who submitted picks for the NCAA men's basketball tournament this year chances are exceptionally good that your bracket at this point is a mess. "Busted," to use the parlance of those who take these things somewhat seriously.I say that because, and of course, attempting to predict winners and losers over the span of 67 match ups (give or take) is bound to meet some difficulties, and this year's games seem especially determined to foil even the most informed among us.* "March Madness" has truly lived up to its name, and, as many experts have noted, quite … [Read more...]
Should I Take the LSAT “Cold?”
All too often we hear about students that took the LSAT “cold,” meaning without studying. It’s not uncommon for some students to believe they don’t have to study, especially if they’ve proven they can test well. Another common reason students do this is to get a feel for a “real” LSAT without preparing. In both cases, the LSAT often delivers a harsh reality. You need to study for this exam to really do well. Of course, there are exceptions, however, they aren’t the majority. The good news is, if you have taken the LSAT course and have since wised up, we can help. We offer a range of LSAT … [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 7100 LSAT questions as of March 2014, and they are expensive. To purchase all 71 practice tests in existence, it will cost you almost $400 (roughly 1/3 of the price of a Full-length LSAT course). And, even if you are taking one of our Full-length or Live-online LSAT courses, which provide access to all 7100 questions, you may still want some variety from the daily grind. Maximizing … [Read more...]
Improbable Doesn’t Mean Impossible: LSAT Lessons from the NCAA Tourney
Tonight, the NCAA Basketball Tournament returns to action, and one of the notable games pits Texas A&M against Oklahoma. Why is this notable? Because there's no way Texas A&M should be in this game. But they pulled a miracle escape against Northern Iowa and won the game in double overtime. As always, whenever I watch sports, thoughts of the LSAT aren't far from my mind. The question is, what can we learn from their incredible comeback, and others like it?With 44 seconds left in regulation, Northern Iowa was up by 12 points, 69-57. In most games, this is the point where you watch … [Read more...]
Sunk Costs and the LSAT
I was an Economics major in college, and one of the concepts we discussed was “sunk costs.” In Econ terms, a sunk cost is one that has already been expended and which cannot be recovered. The thinking goes that since you’ve spent it and you aren’t getting it back, you shouldn’t figure those costs into any decisions you make going forward. Examples of sunk costs include things like advertising, the use of consultants, product research, and staff training. If, for example, you had spent $100,000 on product research for a new widget but the widget wasn’t selling, then you should ignore that … [Read more...]
March Madness and the LSAT
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 tournament history. The number of double-digit seeds (teams seeded 10th through 16th) that won also set a record (10 double-digit seeds won, eclipsing the previous record of … [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...]
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.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 in last week’s Rose Bowl demolition … [Read more...]