The July 2019 LSAT presents us with a very unique opportunity. LSAC's thinking is that this will be the test on which they transition to digital, and so they should provide some benefit in order to counteract any detriment the switch to digital may present. The benefit seems subtle at first: You will be allowed to cancel your test after you see your score. The more I've thought about this, the more I realize how enormous it is. I've actually come to strongly disagree with LSAC's decision to offer this. If I had been in the room when this decision was made, I'd've been vociferously opposed to the point that it may have become uncomfortable for everyone. But with the decision made, everyone needs to shamelessly exploit this mistake. They take advantage of our errors, and so it is incumbent on us to take advantage of theirs.

Forgive the sports metaphor, but it's just too perfect: This is like a defensive offsides in football (real football, not soccer). When this happens, the offense gets to finish the play and decide if they want to accept or decline the penalty after the play has played out. Go for the end zone! If you make it, decline the penalty and touchdown! If it's intercepted and run back for a defensive touchdown, none of it counts; you get to accept the penalty and try again! Literally nothing can go wrong, there is no bad outcome possible. This is the July 2019 LSAT. Plus, the switch to digital won't be universal. Many test centers will still be administering the test on paper! If you're in one of these groups, your advantage is truly pure and unmitigated. I'm the poster child of "Don't-Take-Until-You're-Ready" but all bets are off for July 2019. This is a test worth taking for a much broader range of students. If you're not quite ready, take this test anyway. Take it for practice with the digital formatting. This alone is worth the take. The fact you could get lucky and spike a score worth keeping/applying with is just crazy. It's actually crazy.

Hey peeps!

I have been working a full time for over 3 years now and from working at my job have decided that I would like to go to law school. My full time job is pretty demanding and i could work from 40-50 hours a week and, some days (maybe once every 2-3 weeks) 10-11 hours just in a work shift. I took the LSATS in November on an unrealistic limb thinking I was giving myself enough time to learn all of the materials and be ready in about 2 1/2 months. (HA jokes on me) I did terrible on the test and my score was very low. I have been thinking about looking for a new job that I can still support myself, have insurance and be able to study appropriately for the next test. I would not like to switch jobs for many reasons but know I definitely want to go to school and this isn't my forever job. Ideally i would like to take it in March 2019 but I think this time I learned I need to make sure I am 100% ready and not just forcing myself to take the test. I work with many attorneys in my position and some are young and most are old. A few of the younger attorneys have told me not to get discouraged by my low score because i have gained A LOT of experience in my job that pertains to law. I have testified and presented in so many different types of family and dependency law hearings, and work with law on a daily basis. I have worked with many criminals, have interview experience and all. My point and question is I am curious to know how much schools would weigh in on my experiences and (decent) GPA, etc vs. my low scores? I plan to redo the CC and give myself more time to really learn the material and drill but I feel lost on my path to applying and my chances, and don't want to settle for a school that takes low test scores just because i want to get into school. If you have ever worked a full time job, i would appreciate any tips for studying!?

I am 60% through my studying and took a practice test to see if i would feel comfortable registering for the January test. Only scored 4 points higher than my already under 145 score. First Lsat i scored 141. Super bummed decided not to test in Jan. and wait until march. What do i do now? Do i go back and start over from the beginning of the CC or keep pushing through? just completely lost 3 1/2 months later only a 3 point increase? #Help

Hey guys,

Going on a 7 hour car ride in 2 days and it feels like a good time to study for the LSAT

Does anyone know if theres a way to download any practice material from 7Sage/ practice LSATs from the syllabus since I won't have any phone reception or wifi (i'm crossing the border)?

Thanks!

Is everything on 7Sage online with the option of printing or are printed materials mailed to you?

Hey Colleges,

I've been preparing for few month already and many times I ask myself a question: should I even care about Khan academy LSAT Prep Course developed in cooperation with LSAC ? First, it seemed like it's an official tool developed by LSAC, but as I reed into it, it seems like it's a waste of time.

Does anyone here thinks that it's useful?

Andrii

Hi All -

I am applying for this cycle and have a fair number of connections (friends, colleagues, mentors) who have attended law schools that I'm currently applying to. I already have my letters of recommendation, but was wondering if there was a way to utilize these connections in support of my application (in an appropriate and professional way). Would it be worth asking them if there's an existing channel for them to provide informal "recommendations" to their school networks? Is this a thing??

Any advice is appreciated! Thank you! Happy holidays, and good luck to everyone studying/applying!

Hello fellow 7Sagers.

I am a foreign student, and was wondering how to compare my UGPA against that of US universities.

Hi all,

I wanted to know how the law school application process is for recent grad students. I want to earn an MS degree and then hopefully attend law school (still in undergrad).

I was wondering if anyone knows how admissions view nontraditional applicants. Also, if I decide on taking the LSAT in my undergrad would I have to retake it to apply for schools?

I took a test untimed and scored 153 , is that a bad score for untimed?

Hi All,

Does anyone have experience crafting a 350 word statement about contributing diversity to a law school? Berkeley's prompt is: How will you (your perspective, experience, Voice) contribute diversity in our classrooms and  community? Any advice would be highly appreciated. I'm struggling with this one. Please note that I have already spoken at length about my minority/first-gen/immigrant background in my personal statement.

I am currently on the premium level on the LSAT study program. I want to know if it is worth it to upgrade to the Ultimate version ($570)? If anyone has feedback on their experiences I would greatly appreciate it.

I'm starting my retake prep now for January 26th. I got a [removed] on the November 17th LSAT and am hoping to get that up to 165-169 on the January test. My breakdown was [removed]. It seems that the January test is the last one somewhat on time for this cycle, so I don't want to take the March test. I'm already registered for January. RC seems to be my main obstacle; I took PT 54 before November's test and missed only 10 questions total between LR and LG, but missed fifteen questions in RC and was dragged down to a 159 by that. I had a -9 average in RC on PTs and got -9 on the November test, although I think barely getting any sleep played some role in that. I had been practicing the Memory Method some with individual passages and thought I was improving. What's the best way to improve RC? I'm assuming I'd want to practice sections of RC first before starting PTs. I was thinking about just foolproofing sections and doing timed sections of RC until January, and then doing 2-3 PTs per week for a few weeks before the test.

I haven't really tried to incorporate any skipping strategies in the past, either, so I'm going to be checking out the webinars on here.

I heard that i might be able to get the Starter Course for free if i was approved for LSAC Fee Waiver?

If that's true, how should i start,thank?

Hi guys,

I know I once read a thread here about the LSAT addenda for USC, but I can't seem to find it. For reference, USC asks you for an explanation if your score jump was greater than 4. Mine was 13. Any recommendations here? Some background: I studied for 5 weeks before the first test, took it before I was ready to ease test anxiety. My second attempt, after 2 more months of study, was in line with my average PT. Is it appropriate to say I studied more efficiently?

Thanks! Trying to submit this week.

Per LSAC:

Registration for the June and July 2019 LSAT tests will open in early January, along with a new Digital LSAT familiarization tool.

-Our free Digital LSAT familiarization tutorial will be available in the test prep section of LSAC.org starting in early January when registration opens for the July 2019 test. Using any internet-connected device, you will be able to see all the details on how the tablet test works so that you can feel confident on test day.

-We are also developing digital test-preparation materials for use on your own device.

For more info, please visit: http://bit.ly/DigitalLSAT

Hey everyone I'll be sitting for my first test this January under disability accommodations due to a broken hand. Im currently pting at an average of about 149/150. Examples: PTJ07 Diagnostic :145,PT36:150 BR:162,PT40:153,BR:160 PT42:151 BR;159, PT50:152 BR:162.

LR: Average -11.3, Best -8. Worst -15

LG: Average -9.3, Best -7, Worst -11

RC: Average -11.7, Best -9, Worst -16

My goal realistically is around a155 or a 55 yet my highest pt has only been a 153. My first PT was 11/19, since then I've made a +7 (LSAT Test Analytics page.)Is this doable? I plan to revisit the CC fundamentals on LR & LG, while drilling timed LR and LG sections my worst two imo, lastly I've also started working with a tutor Friday. Does anyone have any advice for me to help me increase my score ?

Let me know if you’re in the area and wanna meet up for study sessions!

Does anyone have any idea when explanations will be available for the November LSAT, in particular logic games?

Hey 7sagers,

I'm wondering from what sample of experimental sections you guys select to simulate a real LSAT exam.

Do you choose them from earlier PT's (1~40's) or do you break them up from recent ones (e.g. Full PT 71+ PT 65 Section 3 as an experimental section)?

I was thinking the latter has the advantage of being exposed to a more realistic LSAT since all the sections will be from a similar time period. But I'm also concerned that breaking up a recent PT into experimental sections would be a loss of a full recent PT.

What do you guys think!? thank you, as always!

Hi fam!

So, I'm currently in the struggle to get your actual score to match your BR score phase. The problem is, I'm actually pretty accurate when taking the LSAT timed. I'm just not getting to everything.

I'm really getting discouraged. Everything I've tried (i.e. reading for structure for RC) has had very little effect so far. In fact the only improvement I've seen is in LR and pushing for 10 in 10. I could really use some advice for RC and LG especially.

Thanks so much

p.s I guess D on everything I don't have the time to consider

Hello All,

I have been working a full time job for the past 2 years since graduating college. I see a lot of people here have taken a part time job or quit working altogether to study for the LSAT. I think that's a great idea, but not realistic for me. I need the full time pay and health insurance that a job provides. If anyone has advice on how they balanced a full time job and studying I would love to know. I had to delay another year because I was unable to find the balance between studying and working. I am afraid that delaying the test will just end me up in the same position as I am in right now. #HELP

Good day 7Sagers, First Post as all my "self-study" has gotten for me was 148, just about exactly what my PT's had been. Scoring just about 50% right across the board on all sections, but fluctuating sometimes in the 75% plus for RC/LG. The question is can I make that jump in 7 weeks and what do I need to do different? Was taking a section daily timed at lunch and reviewing at night. My schools is a night school, "special student" requires me to get 50th percentile on top of some CLEP tests I already crushed.

I currently have the Starter pack. I got it for the March LSAT, but I will most likely need 7sage for November 2019 test. Which package will be the best and would last up until November or beyond? I don't need access to all PT because I have them all in physical copies, so that is not one of the features that I am looking for. I just want longer access and access to explanations to as many tests as possible because although my physical copies have explanations in the back, JY does a much better job of getting me to understand

***Some background here before we start. I love to write, and I don't get to do it enough. I also happen to have a little knowledge about the LSAT and law school admissions generally. With JY’s blessing, I have decide that I will scratch my writing itch on a semi-regular basis by posting long-form blog-style pieces on the forums. For those of you who have the patience to read the huge post that follows, I hope you find it helpful! If you have a topic that you’d like to see me write about, feel free to PM me. And please, discuss the piece freely in the comments below, especially if you disagree – I love to hear other viewpoints and am happy to engage in respectful and reasoned discourse.

I took a linear algebra class in my third year of college.

For those of you who are backing away from me slowly like I’m some kind of alien, relax. It was a required class to ‘upgrade’ my in-progress B.A. in Economics (my second major) into an in-progress B.S. in something known as “Management Science” (a.k.a. “sorry, we don’t actually have an undergrad business major at UC San Diego, so take this thing instead and have fun explaining it to people for the rest of your life").

Well, despite my lack of enthusiasm for math-related things, I actually did pretty well. Actually, enough with the false modesty. I crushed Math 20F. I ANNHILATED it. I studied like a dog for that class, and I earned a solid A competing with a class full of legitimate engineers and hard science majors. And as a result, I couldn’t forget some of that stuff if I tried. If you give me an hour, my old textbook, and some leeway to swear loudly and rapidly, I would probably be able to do 99% of the things we covered in that class right this instant. I’d be rusty, but it’d all come rushing back before too long. I am firmly, and probably forever will be, in the “I know how to do this” camp.

That said, let’s say you had to take a linear algebra exam right this instant, in test conditions similar to your standard college math class testing environment, and if you failed it you’d be forced to listen to Nickelback for 96 hours straight. BUT, you’re allowed a ringer – someone to take the test for you. Knowing what you know about my linear algebra background, would you trust me to take it for you?

No?

Ladies and gentlemen - that, right there, is the difference between knowledge and mastery.

I’ve taken on a lot of what I call “brush-up” students in my time as a tutor – people who have prepped previously and come to me seeking further refinement of their skillset. And no matter where they are on the scoring scale at that particular moment, there is one phrase that inevitably sees the light of day:

“I know how to do everything. I just have (insert issue here)”

Timing is the most common one, but the reasons really run the gamut. Point is, there’s always something holding back the student, and it never seems to be their knowledge. And you know what? They’re usually right. Now let’s be clear - nobody I’ve ever worked with has ever had perfect theoretical knowledge of the test. But, that’s never stopped anyone from missing questions that they really should not have missed given their level of theory knowledge. So it’s not their knowledge that’s holding them back (or at least, not JUST their knowledge). It’s their MASTERY of what knowledge they do have, or lack thereof.

See, here’s the thing about the LSAT. It’s not just a skills test. It’s not much of a knowledge test either. And actually, if you looked at a bunch of 165-168 scorers and compared them to a bunch of 172-175 scorers, I don’t think you’d see all that much difference from a theoretical knowledge perspective. To score past the mid-160s, you simply have to know certain things – how to translate conditional statements, what your valid argument forms are, common methods of reasoning and flawed methods of reasoning to watch out for, how to tackle the various different question types, and so on. And to a large extent, you need to be fluent in them (i.e., no wracking your brain for 5 minutes before “A some B -> C = A some C” comes out; heck, even 5 seconds is probably a few seconds too long).

The difference is in the details - in how fast the 173+ kids are at breaking apart arguments and identifying methods of reasoning; in how razor sharp their instincts are, allowing them zero in on the relevant issues quickly despite unfamiliar context; in how seamlessly and effortlessly theory is invoked at the appropriate time, every time. It’s like magic – the theory just appears when it’s needed, and is tucked safely out of mind when it’s not, ready to be invoked again on a moment’s notice. These kids always seem to look at the right rules in LG, to find the right sentence to refer to in RC, and generally are just humongous walking jealousy magnets. Hell, I’ve been jealous of some of my more advanced students – I couldn’t do some of what they’re capable of when I was taking this thing. And you ask yourself – HOW? How can I be like them? (Pro tip: it's not sacrificing goats. Not that I would know anything about that. Uhh, moving on.)

It’s not that these kids have perfect LSAT knowledge – usually far from it. But, they apply their valid argument forms like you would answer 2+2. They translate conditional statements across groups like you would count to 10. They can give examples of common flawed methods of reasoning in their sleep (and probably do so on a semi-regular basis). And it’s all done with meticulous attention to detail, utterly consistently, almost instinctively. That’s what it means to be a master of a concept. Now, you don’t have to be a master at everything to score decently - most people aren't - but you do need to be a master at SOME things. Those "some" things are usually the core fundamentals. And when you can rattle off ten different phrasings of an A -> B statement off the top of your head; when you can recite the 9 valid and 7 invalid argument forms by heart and articulate the reasoning when pressed; when you reach the point where you will never ever screw up a contrapositive again - when you can do those things, you're on your way.

Put another way - a lot of people are probably capable of doing something right, whatever it may be. But only a select few people in any context are good enough at something that they are literally incapable of doing it wrong. Which camp are you in? And which camp do you expect to see populating the top 1% of an already self-selected sample?

So the next time you hit a wall and get frustrated with your (lack of) progress, ask yourself whether you would really trust yourself to be able to articulate 100 questions worth of LSAT logic if Nickelback torture was the price of failure. With stakes that high, the answer will almost always be ‘no’, but that’s okay. Find out what you’re unsure of, and work on it. Don’t stop until you can do the basics in your sleep, even if it does take some loud swearing and possibly kicking your little brother in the shins in the meanwhile (blame it on me if you need to, I can take the hit). And then, once you’re done with one thing, move on to the next. Slow and steady really, truly does win the race.

Take the time to truly master the basics and you will be rewarded.