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garicb485
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General · Sages in Law School | Discussion with a 1L, 2L, & 3L on Saturday Nov 7, 7pm EST
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garicb485
Friday, Nov 06 2020

Haha. It's good to see people that the people I was studying with a while back actually made it in some place.

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PrepTests ·
PT114.S3.P3.Q15
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garicb485
Monday, Aug 31 2020

i liked abram's book

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General · In need of a morale booster- Insomnia interfering with the LSAT
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garicb485
Monday, Mar 05 2018

@ilikephilosophy993 said:

I slept on-and-off the entire night before my exam--this is pretty normal, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I probably only had 2-3 hours of uninterrupted, restful sleep. My advice is to have as flawless a sleep schedule as possible in the weeks leading up to the test. That's really all you can do. I would not recommend melatonin and ESPECIALLY not a prescription sleep aid the night before the test--you're playing with fire there.

This may be reason #1 why honing meditation skills is so important.

Don't use a new RX sleep aid for the first time before the test. Like... obvs...

OP used the word insomnia, so I read it as being a more chronic issue, but even if it's just an issue with nerves before the test, using a sleep aid may be the best option in this particular case. You should get a few weeks experience using it before the actual test, and I would try doing some timed PT's on the same schedule you would be taking your retake. So, try taking the pill at a set time, wake up when you would for the test, start the test when you would (providing for ID check and instruction time on test day), etc. See how you feel.

Only try RX options if they've prescribed to you, but Unisom or another OTC option can be a real boon. Some people don't jive well w/ meditation and sleep hygiene is a good long term option, but not really a fix for an acute issue. Everyone's bodies are different. And we all perform differently on a lack of sleep. A portion of the population has been shown to do quite well in a sleep deficit, while others, like myself, basically die. You've got time. See what works for you.

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General · In need of a morale booster- Insomnia interfering with the LSAT
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garicb485
Monday, Mar 05 2018

I have exactly the same problem. I took the last few weeks to sulk, but I'm going to retake this summer so it's mid-day. Not much else you can do beyond RX sleep aides. I realize some people swear by melatonin supplementation but it's largely been shown to only be good for reseting sleep schedules (for example after a long flight). It's completely worthless for my own sleep.

Good sleep hygiene is an obvious must and meditation can help, but when you add in the pre-test anxiety, it's hard.

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General · Pre-law advisor- bad advice?
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garicb485
Saturday, Jan 27 2018

@oberdysz231 said:

@roystanator440 said:

You'll probably want to take the admissions course. It'll provide helpful advice.

I can't afford it:(

The basic admissions course with all the relevant info is like $15.

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General · Reading Comprehension Strategy
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garicb485
Tuesday, Jan 23 2018

Focus like a motherfucker. Honestly, i've found intense concentration to be the key in RC.

More specifically, though, here's my process:

After each paragraph, take a few seconds to summarize the main focus of that paragraph. I write that summary down next to each paragraph (never longer than three words).

Take another second to push that summary against the previous summaries. What is each paragraph doing in relation to the preceding paragraphs? Always be reading for structure over content.

After the final paragraph, take a second to conceptualize the structure of the entire passage. Think of a single sentence (or less) summary for the whole thing. This will serve as a pre-phrasing for Main Point questions.

General tips:

As you're reading, make sure you keep track of which opinion belongs to which person. Difficult passages are often difficult because they densely intertwine the author's opinion with that of other writers.

Know which kinds of questions require you to go back to the passage and which don't. If you have a solid (albeit broad) concept map of the passage in your mind before you start the questions, you shouldn't need to return to the passage for most of the questions. Know the questions for which you should return.

On questions asking why a word or phrase was used, choose the answer choice that interprets the word in the most narrow sense it can. The author may write about how terrible some pineapples are as part of a general argument that fruit is always awesome, BUT the phrase in question says that pineapples are gross. Choose the answer that says pineapples are gross.

Almost all (I think maybe all) correct AC should be expressly stated in the passage somewhere. Go back and find that reference in the text to confirm your answer, time allowing.

A/B passages, read A then answer all A specific questions. Eliminate all answer choices from Qs that touch on both A/B by looking at the A portion of the answer choices first. Repeat with B.

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Admissions · Duke: Personal Statement
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garicb485
Tuesday, Jan 16 2018

your goals are your goals. try to show as many sides of yourself as you can, but you want your entire app to read as a cohesive, complementary whole.

I'd say just make sure they don't conflict, don't worry about a bit of repetition, just let it come off as focused.

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Admissions · Character fitness
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garicb485
Tuesday, Jan 16 2018

Each application is very specific on what they ask you to include. Some say literally everything, others say, criminal offenses and traffic issues from reckless driving and up only.

Everyone gets fired occasionally. Tell them you got fired and why, if they ask. I assume they just want to know if it was over excessively bad judgement, etc.

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General · Major setback :(
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garicb485
Saturday, Dec 23 2017

My strategy for overcoming nerves was just figuring, eh, I can always retake, not a big deal. and then just went in 100% with the attitude that this was just another practice test. I also went a few days before the test to the test center and basically molested it to get comfortable in the space.

I'd also look at your PT's and compare the mistakes you usually make to what you fucked up on the test. If there are certain types of questions that you got wrong that you don't usually or areas on the test that your mistakes were clustered in, that is telling. If you got more questions in the first part of the first section than would be normal, it suggests that you should do some warm up next time or that your sleep schedule should be adjusted. If you had a certain type of question that you missed in spades, that you normally nail, your understanding of that type of question isn't solid enough to stand up to your nerves and you should focus on it.

Overall, be VERY STRICT about ensuring your PT's are actually done under test day conditions and remember that the LSAT you'll be taking next time is just a variation of all the other tests that you've taken. There's nothing different about it and no reason you should really be underperforming beyond the nerves themselves. Acknowledge them. Take a Breath. Let them pass.

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General · For People who have received Dec scores
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garicb485
Friday, Dec 22 2017

Lower end of my expected range, but well within it. I'd never taken a PT with a scantron sheet before. That bubbling is time consuming af. The score is a nice data point to have going forward, though.

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Monday, Dec 18 2017

garicb485

getting deported in PS

I am getting ready to write my personal statement and I'm considering touching on the fact that I worked while on the wrong visa (illegally) while abroad for years (and years). I was then detained and deported (deported light, not technically deported but visa cancelled, kicked out of the country and only the most minimum restrictions on returning). This is after my passport was withheld from me for a month while the company was being investigated. In the end, the company negotiated some 'fines' and I really got the worst of it, largely because my visa had expired during the period it was being held by the police. I was able to return shortly thereafter.

My question is whether or not my willful acceptance of working in that legal grey, although admittedly a dark grey, area should preclude me from addressing the topic?

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General · What's your study ritual?
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garicb485
Sunday, Dec 17 2017

.

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General · LSAC Reports on Accommodated Test-taking - Has 7sage discussed yet?
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garicb485
Wednesday, Dec 13 2017

I wonder what percentage of the people testing under extended time are also taking advantage of (in the most neutral sense of the expression) similar educational accommodations in their first year of law school as compared to in undergrad.

Also, I feel like there should now be waivers offered for 504 plan/IEP/Educational Testing introduced somehow now. Otherwise, this ends up strongly favoring well-resourced testers.

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Admissions · Realistically, how important are personal statements?
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garicb485
Wednesday, Dec 13 2017

From the $15 (I think) 7Sage admissions curriculum:

"Stellar recommendations, a clean résumé, and, above all, a memorable personal statement could push a borderline application into the yes pile, just as a poorly written essay, an error-ridden résumé, or lackluster recommendations might knock an otherwise solid application onto the wait list."

It goes on to say that they have seen plenty of ppl w/ lackluster numbers get into T14 with good essays.

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General · What are you guys flash carding?
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garicb485
Saturday, Dec 09 2017

@pcainti665 said:

I cut out hard questions in LR with the questions and stem on the front and the AC on the back, with small explanations of why each was right/wrong. I had to use like size 8 font sometimes, but I have a collection of hard LR questions that I can use on the go. To constantly drive home points and issues the harder questions give me.

Oh. I like this. I'm stealing it.

and yeah. Conditional logic, logical indicators, Or/Not Both Rules, Bi-conditional indicators.

I use quizlet for some.

https://quizlet.com/join/PmJJVPXFj

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General · Took PT 80 like you guys said...
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garicb485
Saturday, Sep 09 2017

I voted no.

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General · Help! Bad admission ticket picture
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garicb485
Friday, Sep 01 2017

A darker than normal shade of foundation on the corresponding half of your face should fix that right up.

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LSAT · September vs December LSAT
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garicb485
Thursday, Aug 31 2017

I have the same problem. I'm thinking September and then auto retaking in December, basically. Too worried I'll have a bad day or get sick on the December test and be stuck without recourse.

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General · So i live in Houston.
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garicb485
Wednesday, Aug 30 2017

When I was in Katrina exile, the first time I tried to take the LSAT, I canceled the night before a snowstorm. The next day I got an email saying that I could have gotten my money back if I hadn't canceled. I think they also offered those lucky few without foresight a test date later that month. Maybe the Sabbath date?

And while it's crass, the property value for places around here that stayed dry jumped 30-50%. Silver linings.

Glad you made it.

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General · The cost associated with LSAT prep & law school is classist and discouraging
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garicb485
Tuesday, Aug 29 2017

@nevadacity37335 You got your Trainer for $35.... I need to get a refund...

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General · [CLOSED] Call for Résumés!
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garicb485
Tuesday, Aug 29 2017

@davidbusis895 how do we access the webinar?

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General · The cost associated with LSAT prep & law school is classist and discouraging
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garicb485
Monday, Aug 28 2017

Yeah, @uhinberg359 is spot on. There is no need to spend 3k on any part of your prep. I'm not advocating it...(am i legally covered by writing that?) but all of the prep tests are available at one price point or another ($0) online. Most prep books can be torrented, I'd imagine. You can often get good deals and even get the books for free if you check out reddit/resale websites. I'll be giving my books away on here after I finish with them.

A good friend of mine locked himself in a room with a hand-me-down powerscore book for three months and came out with a 170. He spent nothing on prep and recently finished his studies at Yale. You can make it work.

A lot of the face to face classes are a racket. The average bump in score following those courses is like 5 points or something. So, don't think you're missing out on too much by being priced out. And honestly, when I worked in private education for a while, we would sell high priced, customized services all the time to wealthier clients, when the basic, affordable service nearly invariably produced better results. That being said, having someone with the 7sage admissions team provide you personalized help would be helpful, but most undergrad institutions have a writing center. So.

I've spent money on the 7Sage CC. I've found it to be worth the money, even though I was tight on funds when I first purchased it. The Trainer was worth it as well. Things like the admissions course are unnecessary. Helpful, I'm sure, but there are other resources out there. There are free and extensive articles on the application process available online (TLS...). I believe the admissions course is expensive if you purchase multiple edit sessions. The basics of admissions is available in one of the posted 7Sage webinar videos. That video answered all the major questions that I would hope to have answered by purchasing the admissions course.

It's undeniable that there are structural impediments that make law school, and most things, simpler for the wealthy (although, for the purposes of LSAT Prep, the financially stable seems to be a better cut off line). These impediments are a part of why lawyers have the opportunity to make bank. The practice of law is restricted to a degree that the practitioners are able to set high prices. And a discussion of the essential unfairness of tacking educational access to wealth is a fair discussion to be had. But, that's what loans are for. Financing allows for access to professional schools by which people can drag their ass up the socioeconomic ladder. Everyone on here is in essentially the same boat when it comes to paying for law school. There are very few people to whom paying 300k out of pocket is no big deal. If you're really that debt averse, you can take a shot at a state school and go from there. You can still land a high paying job immediately out of school from my state school and only be 60k in debt if you play your cards (very) right. Or, push your narrative in a way to get more scholarship money.

The take away of all of this is that you've got to work the system. Use your rough financial straits to your benefit. Get test fee and admissions waivers from LSAC. Get that free prep course from LSAC as well. Apply for fee waivers from the schools if LSAC won't give them to you. Assuming you can take the bitterness out of your voice, use your financial struggles to write a killer essay about overcoming hardship.

So, like you said, suck it up. Move forward.

Also, the pencil thing... I'm pretty sure people are just kidding about that. Or it's like magical thinking. Like, honestly, what.

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Admissions · Not sure what to report as my ethnicity
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garicb485
Thursday, Aug 24 2017

Nope, Spanish is definitely Hispanic (just not Latino). If you're checking more than one box, go with Hispanic.

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Admissions · Not sure what to report as my ethnicity
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garicb485
Thursday, Aug 24 2017

Many give an option for multiple boxes to be checked. I'll be checking multiple boxes. Hispanic, for the purposes of the application, is defined as a person of Cuban, Mexican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. So. Yeah. I believe Filipino is a box now in some apps.

However, as someone who has a lot of experience in the countries/cultures you mentioned, just marking Hispanic feels sorta disingenuous to me. I don't want to step over a line, as your identity is your own, but that Spanish influence, in my mind, has gone beyond being an independent marker in the Philippines to being an integral part of being the modern filipino experience. Which is sorta to say, if they only gave you the binary choice of Asian or Hispanic, eh. Fuck it. A convincing case can be made for both. But, at least in the 2009 LSAC ethnicity codes, there is a clear Filipino subcategory identified under Asian, so: https://www.lsac.org/docs/default-source/file-layouts/lsac_ethnicity_codes_2009.pdf

I'd be careful, though, given the fact that marking only Hispanic could be seen as trying to game the system, working a perceived admissions bias that favors Hispanics against Asians. This could bite you in the ass in admissions and later character and fitness evaluations.

Ticking the box only gets you so far, though. Sounds like you could write a compelling diversity statement on exploring your identity either way, and that seems more valuable.

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General · Still doing the CC, but feel like I'm forgetting how to do specific question types as I go on...
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garicb485
Thursday, Aug 24 2017

@jennybains774 If I were to do it all again, I'd likely skip some of the practice sets and kind of dog ear them for drilling later. I would definitely watch all of the instructional videos and do at least some of the drills on the first go, though. I'd suggest doing some of the first problems in the set and then do the last page of the drill set to check understanding, as they're usually the most difficult.

I saw the CC as a necessary basis for improving my score, but I went mid-160s on my diagnostic before the CC and then got the exact same score on my 1st PT after the CC.... so..... Yeah. For me, it's taken interacting further with the material through PT's in order to figure out which areas I need to focus on and then going back to the CC to target those weak points (Flaw, NA, Logic Games - I list them 'cause I think they're most people's problem areas). That's also one reason that I don't think you need to worry about forgetting stuff. Some concepts you'll just get intuitively, other concepts you'll only internalize through practice and development of your own strategy.

As for my concept map, I just first printed out all of the PDFs in the courseware as I went along. I later went back to major concepts and wrote out a sheet for each topic in a way that I understand easily (these include things like; or and not both rules, conditional logic, splitting the sufficient Or and the necessary AND). I'm currently in the process of making a single notecard for each type of LR question with my personal strategy. I use apple notes to save any strategies or suggestions I find useful online and in the forums. I also use quizlet for some stuff. I think you can access this if you want: https://quizlet.com/join/PmJJVPXFj

When I was doing it, I just set daily goals, which usually accounted for like 5 hours of the predicted CC time. If I finished my 5 hrs of CC time in 4 hours of real world time, cool. I'd get up and call it a day. If it took 7 hours, then so be it. If you want to be PTing by mid-sept then budget your time accordingly.

What was the question again...? idk.

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