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Hi all-- I have been studying for the LSAT for over a year (starting June 2016). I took the exam this past June and had hoped/expected it to be my last take. As often happens, I wasn't happy with my score and I am planning to re-take the exam in Sept.

The unfortunate thing is that I have taken almost every single practice test. The only ones I have completely untouched are A B and C (and maybe one other). Thus, I am re-taking the PTs, starting with the oldest ones that I have taken (9-10 months old at the oldest). I do think there is value in that-- but what I am curious about is how much? Unless it is in my subconscious, I remember barely anything from the exams I took the longest ago. However, I am inclined to think that my score on the re-take is not "reliable" in the sense that I have seen the material before, even though the jump in some cases from first take to second take has been 20+ points.

This makes it difficult to gauge if my score is going up or not. I figure the only way to see where my score/average is now is how I do on the untouched exams. What do others think?

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19398
Tuesday, Aug 29 2017

How is your LG score usually on the newer tests>

It fluctuates between -0 to -4 I'd say

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19398
Tuesday, Aug 29 2017

@ Wellll, as it turns out, I meant to say prep test C this whole time...

The reason I'm so curious is that it's one of the few tests remaining I haven't taken at all-- and I'm hoping to take the Sept exam. I have almost no new material so I have been putting a lot of weight on the new stuff that I take. It sucks that on this I didn't finish the puzzles, which hasn't happened in a really long time. It definitely makes me wonder if I'm ready

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19398
Tuesday, Aug 29 2017

@ that certainly reassuring! Does that mean these exams are "outliers"? I just don't know how much weight to put on this one

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Tuesday, Aug 29 2017

19398

Prep Test C

Hi y'all,

Has anyone taken Super Prep PT C? I'm curious to hear what others think of the difficulty of this compared to others, specifically relevance to more recent ones.

I found it harder. The first time I haven't finished a puzzles section in ages. Anyone else have trouble, or just me?

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19398
Friday, Sep 29 2017

This is SUCH a good idea because your passion came through so much in just this post that I know it will come through in your PS! And that is what it is all about--the admissions officers reading it, getting a sense of who you are and trying to figure out if you'd be an asset in their cohort. Doooooooooo ittttttttttttt.

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19398
Friday, Sep 29 2017

Hey thanks you guys. I wanted to ask here first, to see if anyone had any opinions but I think that talking to an admissions officer is my next step.

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Wednesday, Sep 27 2017

19398

Clinics

Hi all,

I'm sure this is true for many people, but I am using what clinics are offered at different schools as one of the main ways to differentiate between them. Here's my question, just because a school offers a clinic you are interested in, does that mean you will be able to partake in it? How competitive is it to get a clinic spot? Does this differ by school, and if so, is that information available online?

Here's my subsequent question... Would it be better to go to a lesser ranked school in which my numbers are above the medians to increase my chances of getting into a clinic (assuming I do well), or would my chances be the same if I went to a 'reach' school, and then potentially didn't do as well? What do you all think?

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19398
Wednesday, Sep 27 2017

Super interested in the answers to this one cause I have the same GPA, score goal and school ideals!

My gut says that schools will probably not tell you not to apply, and will give a generic answer about how they look at applications holistically. Also, personally, I don't think you have anything to lose by applying with those stats. I would ask something more broad, like what qualities do you look for in an ideal applicant, what makes your school unique, what opportunities do you have for X interest. If you want to ask about GPA, maybe you can frame it in a way similar to "Is there a GPA below which one should not apply?" My guess is they would still say no.

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19398
Wednesday, Sep 27 2017

@ said:

@ I received that e-mail as well! Are you going to attend? I just want to see what they have to say!

I'm attending! See you there?

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19398
Wednesday, Sep 27 2017

Thanks for asking this question!! I'm actually super conflicted, because I really want to go to school in NYC, and would love NYU, but that's probably a reach for me. I'm not sure how much to focus on location vs. program vs. a compromise of the two. For ex, if a school in a location I don't want to live in has the best program for my interests, do I compromise on location or program? That's what I'm struggling with right now.

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19398
Thursday, Jan 25 2018

Hey @ ... It's hard to put an exact number on it, because I was working at the same time. But per day, probably 2-4. And two tests a week or so for a while. I would probably say it came out to 20 or so hours a week.

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19398
Friday, Mar 23 2018

Just things that made an impact on me, events that I vividly remember. Moments that meant a lot. That sort of thing

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19398
Friday, Mar 23 2018

I did my Top 10 Life Experiences and I think it really helped my app bc it showed a lot of different sides of me that the app did not show!

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19398
Monday, Apr 23 2018

Hey @! Ahh, that sounds like a really tough decision. I ended up deciding on Michigan. A lot of people have asked me since what tipped the scales, and I honestly don't know. Mostly my gut feeling probably, that Michigan was a better fit for me professionally as well as personally. It didn't come down solely to the $, but that certainly is a bonus. I don't know anything about Berkeley-- I didn't apply-- but if you want to discuss your decision please feel free to PM me!

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19398
Monday, Jan 22 2018

I'd be happy to take a look, if you want to DM me!

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19398
Monday, Jan 22 2018

Same as @. I started in June 2016 at 156, and scored a 174 in Sept 2017. I started seeing 170s in practice tests in April 2017, though. So, about 10 months. The 170+'s during practice weren't consistent though until the summer of 2017. Also was working pretty much full time.

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19398
Monday, Jan 22 2018

Hi @ - how do we access the recording? The link didn't work for me

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19398
Friday, Jan 19 2018

Wow, thanks to everyone for all the kind words. That is what makes 7Sage so great!!

@ -- I am so sorry for the confusion, but I actually did not increase that much in 2 months. It was over a year or more. My baseline score was 156 in June 2016, and I didn't score the 174 until September 2017.

I am happy to share any advice if you're still interested knowing that :)

Okay, so there are a lot of posts about this out there. But it's really, really, really true. I know how hard the LSAT grind is and how much it sucks and how much you want it to be over, over, over. I was there too. I was devastated when I got my score back from the June 2017 LSAT and it was not the score I wanted. It could have gotten me into a good school, but my dream is/was NYU and it wasn't going to get me in at NYU. Not with any shot at money, at least, and because I want to go into public interest, I need a shot at money. So I buckled down, studied for 2 more months, and I blew it out of the water in September.

Let me tell you, I started out not being able to do a single game. I would MAYBE get the first question when you could brute force it. Other than that, everything was a total mystery and I did not think I'd ever be able to solve the games, let alone get a perfect score in the games.

This test is so beatable, but you HAVE to put the work in. I started studying in June 2016, with a 156. I was finally done with it in September 2017, with a 174. If I can do it, so can you, and so can anyone. This community, the forum and the explanations are invaluable and I credit them with so much of my success. I am happy to share any tips, though I don't think I have anything revolutionary to share.

Cheers.

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19398
Monday, Oct 16 2017

Sami! I don't know you, but from seeing your posts on the forum and reading this one, I know you are a super conscientious worker and you can get to your 170+ score. It is so common to under-perform on the first take. I could have written your post verbatim after the June test--I was devastated by my score, which, like yours, was an objectively good score, just not one that I was happy with knowing what I was capable of. I doubled down, took Sept, and over-performed. I improved 18 points from my diagnostic. I honestly think that if I can do it, anyone can do it. I'm not naturally inclined to logic at all. Feel free to DM me if you need a pep talk or some advice!! That goes for anyone! 7Sage gave me so much and I'd be more than happy to give back. Best of luck to you and everyone else re-taking, you'll get it, just be patient and keep your confidence up and your head held high

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19398
Tuesday, Feb 13 2018

Amazing!

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19398
Wednesday, Sep 13 2017

So true and so helpful to take a step back to remember why we are all spending hours, days, months, in some cases years studying for this exam. My motivation comes from working in a field where I read about/write about the experience of juveniles in the justice system daily and wanting to be a part of changing the way the system works. I study because I know I need a chance at getting a scholarship if I'm going to make this dream work and not be buried under debt that I can't repay.

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19398
Saturday, Aug 12 2017

If you are BRing at 180, you should not sell yourself short and aim for a 161. Aim for 170+, you have the capacity.

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Sunday, Jun 11 2017

19398

Extra plastic bags to test center?

I'm thinking of bringing an extra few (or more than few?) gallon bags to the test center to give to people who didn't realize they have to put everything in one. Maybe it will give me a few extra karma points?! Thoughts? Who's with me? #letsgo

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Thursday, May 11 2017

19398

What defines a splitter?

I don't know if there is a technical definition on the matter, but I'm curious what scores/GPAs make you a splitter. Is it overall, or specific to school?

For ex: a below 3 GPA and an above 170 LSAT is clearly a splitter.

But say you have a 3.5 or 3.6 GPA and an above 170 score. Is that STILL a splitter at the top schools? Or does the 170+ score override your good (but not great) GPA?

I feel like it becomes even more complicated when you parse out the scores above 170. At what point above 170 do the returns on another point stop increasing?

I realize this is a multi-layered question with a lot of hypothetical situations, so it may not be a worthwhile exercise for many. But then again maybe it is, since I know a lot of people probably have similar thoughts.

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19398
Wednesday, Jan 10 2018

@ Thank you for clarifying, that totally makes sense, I was just pointing out how it could be interpreted. No worries

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19398
Wednesday, Jan 10 2018

I'm really happy for you for getting into schools that you would rather go to, but I wonder if there's a way to be a bit more sensitive to people for whom BC might be a dream school and not a safety school? If you weren't ever planning to go anyway, it shouldn't really matter that you were rejected. The process is a crapshoot. But for others, this news might be devastating.

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19398
Wednesday, Jan 10 2018

It is super casual and relaxed! I would be prepared to answer questions about why you want to go to law school, what you are looking for in a law school, what challenges you anticipate and possibly future career plans (if you know or have an idea!). Mine was a conversation and informal. Be yourself and be confident about wanting to go to law school and you will kill it. I heard back a week later.

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Monday, Sep 04 2017

19398

What PTs to do in last two weeks

Hey 7Sage,

12 days until the Sept exam, WOOT! I am seeking advice on what PTs to do in the next two weeks. I have already done nearly

all the exams. My only completely untouched exams are old exams -- 39 and 44. Maybe also 10 and 13. Thus, I don't think I should focus on those in the next two weeks, although they are new to me. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I think I want to look at the newest PTs again, since they're nuanced compared to older tests. I have done 70-72 and 75-80 once each. I figure I will do 3 more before the 16th. Should I do 78-80? Does it matter? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Hi all,

After looking through the UGPA/LSAT score search feature on LSAC, I am discouraged that even with a hypothetical 180, my GPA brings my chances of getting into the top schools down significantly.

Is it true that a high LSAT cannot compensate for a lower than average (based on school) GPA?

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19398
Monday, Sep 04 2017

Thanks all, that's what I thought, but thanks for confirming!!

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19398
Wednesday, Apr 04 2018

Thank you to EVERYONE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has written for their honest opinions!! (And @ the answer is yes, but as a grad student as well, time will be limited).

I, too, have heard the negative reputation about Columbia. I have to say, it's pretty confusing and hard to parse out though, because most students at Columbia that I have spoken to say something along the lines of "I don't know why we have that reputation, everyone shares outlines, people are friendly, etc., professors are super accessible." I think, without a doubt, it's less of a community that Michigan, but that's also partly to do with the location being in NYC and not a small college town.

Part of me really wanted/still wants to be in NYC- but I am not convinced it is worth $120k more in debt. There is so much talk (here and everywhere) about prestige vs. money, and I wonder if that is real with Columbia v Michigan as well (i.e is there a prestige difference).

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Monday, Sep 04 2017

19398

What's the deal with LG from PT 18

In JYs video explanations, he says that the last 2 aren't applicable to the modern lsat. Given what the exam has been up to in recent years on logic games, do you think that statement still stands? I went -4 in this section and usually do -0/-1 so it threw me for sure.

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Tuesday, Apr 03 2018

19398

Columbia vs. Michigan

Alright, so let me start by saying I know how great of a problem this is to have. I am choosing between two of the best programs in the country and I'm thrilled. That being said... It's still not an easy decision.

My goals include PI (something juvenile justice, family law, or criminal law) and a clerkship. I am trying to compare Michigan and Columbia clerking numbers, and from what I can tell, Michigan places better. But I'm confused-- are those numbers based on self-selection? I find it hard to believe that Columbia would not have good clerking stats.

Of course, money is a factor. I did get a healthy scholarship from Michigan (around 60% tuition), and am still waiting to hear from Columbia on that front. That is a huge plus for Michigan, but I am not sure how much to let that sway me--Columbia has great LRAP and I would have the option to go to a firm for a few years to pay down debt.

Another factor is my SO being located in NY. Though not a deciding factor, it would be a perk for Columbia, for sure. Any thoughts from strangers?

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