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emanioakley19

Joined: Apr 2025
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General · At a crossroad, need some ADVICE

emanioakley19

Sunday, Sep 30 2018

Honestly, you sound burnt out from the test and if you decide to retake you should take a break for a few months. Sitting for a test can be draining, I can only imagine how frustrating it is to do it four times.

I think the answer depends on how determined you are to apply this cycle. If you are super determined it would probably be in your best interest to apply with an addendum and see what happens. If not, you should follow the rest of surfy surf's advice.

LSAT · How long did it take for logic games to click for you?

emanioakley19

Sunday, Aug 19 2018

It took me around a month of foolproofing to finish each section, and two months to refine my skills and use the best approaches to each game.

Part of the difficulty of Logic Games are that they can have different setups and it can be hard to visualize them and represent certain types of rules at first. After a while you will have seen almost every type of rule and setup and you'll be able to translate it to new games.

Admissions · Diversity Statement: Ethnic or Socioeconomic?

emanioakley19

Friday, Sep 14 2018

@ said: I think you should hit on both in your essay. You can't understand the importance of one without the other; race informs your class status (and how you negotiate it), and vice-verca.

Addressing both will provide a fuller sense of who you are and what sets you apart from the rest. This is key.

I agree that both are significant for providing a picture of who I am but I struggle with how to focus this without just listing facts. Have you read a statement that did this effectively?

For example, my college had an incident where people defaced walls with racist phrases and swastikas. This felt like an attack on my ethnic identity. In college I also worked multiple jobs to pay for my education while being a full time student. This shows socioeconomic diversity. Although both were happening at the same time, I'm uncertain how to present them together. I don't want it to seem like I'm complaining.

Admissions · Diversity Statement: Ethnic or Socioeconomic?

emanioakley19

Friday, Sep 14 2018

@ said: I wouldn't consolidate them, unless you can seamlessly combine them. I would have both at the ready, and use whichever is stronger.

That was a major concern for me, actually. I initially tried to write them in the same statement and thought my writing seemed unfocused and was less narrative. I'm content with how the separate essays turned out and think they are more compelling separated.

All of the samples I've read tend to focus on one component of diversity with maybe a sentence regarding another. I could be overthinking it but I want to make sure I'm not doing myself a disservice by not addressing both.

General · LSAT Vent

emanioakley19

Thursday, Sep 13 2018

I had terrible anxiety the first time I took my official LSAT. I messed up majorly during my second section and didn't get to half the questions. I thought about not returning after the break and cancelling my score. I'm glad I didn't. I think I needed that experience to learn how to approach it the next time.

The second time I studied for the LSAT I decided to focus more on mindfulness and started meditating. I took multiple practice test until I was comfortable with my score and the process of taking it. I used to get very anxious when starting a new section so I practiced and took deep breaths until that feeling dissipated. I did so much better on my second attempt.

Repetition can be a good way to ease your anxiety. If you practice enough you will be able to think through the questions even when you are anxious. More importantly, try to focus on being kind to yourself when you choke. I think mindfulness would make a big difference for you. Try to keep your thoughts positive. A key part of your performance on LSAT is how you manage your thoughts. The LSAT can be very intimidating. Even top scorers get nervous, but they are able to set their nerves aside to focus on the test.

Admissions

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Thursday, Sep 13 2018

emanioakley19

Diversity Statement: Ethnic or Socioeconomic?

I originally wrote a diversity statement about the challenges of being an ethnic minority but I wrote another after learning UCLA has a section for socioeconomic disadvantage. Most schools only offer a place for one diversity statement. I've been struggling with which statement I should send to the other schools.

Is a socioeconomic diversity statement or ethnic diversity statement more compelling? Would it be better if I consolidate both at the risk of eliminating detail and having a less cohesive statement?