Can I withdraw my already submited applications if Im not happy with Dec LSAT score?

If I do, would that mean Id have to check the applied before box if i apply the following cycle?

Just a reminder

You NEED a watch and it must be analogue.

I've done the whole 180 watch thing - It even broke on a PT.

Just keep it simple like JY recommends and get a sports watch with a rotating bezel. This one worked fantastically for me and is now on sale for 10 bucks (Cyber monday?)

http://www.amazon.com/Casio-MRW200H-1BV-Black-Resin-Watch/dp/B005JVP0LE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1448901472&sr=8-6&keywords=casio+watch+rotating+bezel

A couple of key points:

- for every section, set the big hand to 12, so it's easier to see when you get to 35 min (you have time even when there's no break)

- Use the rotating bezel marker to place on 30 min, so you'll know when you have 5 min left. (proctors DO forget to tell you sometimes).

Even if you're broke, don't be penny wise and pound foolish - get a watch and practice with it before test day - don't plan borrow from a parent and forget or end up with a crummy watch because it's all they had.

Hope this helps!

I noticed a common challenge for me is Keeping Track of UnUsed Game Pieces when I'm doing specific game setups.

IE I've filled in the pieces based on the question - then I may have a few left over but it can be time consuming checking and crossing out the ones I used to find the ones I didn't for each set up...

Does anyone have tips for this? Is it just taking the time to write out all pieces and cross out the used ones in order to save time and mistakes in the long run?

Is there anything more effective?

Yes, I am suggesting you take a shower - First thing in the morning. I’m not suggesting this for cleanliness (though that is pretty important).

I want you to shower because it makes you alert - significantly more alert than before you shower. Be sure to get the the warm or hot water in your face. It revitalizes you and makes you less groggy.

Shower first thing in the morning every day - particularly when studying and before a PT. In addition, showering is a habit that you anchor in to reinforce that you’re ready for your day.

On days when I wait to get a few things done before showering, I inevitably realize I’m moving and thinking slower than I’d like - I need that shower to be more alert. This is even after a great night of sleep (and I’m all about sleep for peak performance).

Some people are “night showerers.” To them I recommend trying to shower in the morning - particularly with warm or hot water. You can keep your night shower, of course. But warm or hot shower in the morning will help make you alert.

Especially during Covid, people can feel inclined not to shower because they aren’t leaving the house. But don’t make this mistake. Give this a try. You’ll feel more alert. My students who try it definitely see the difference in PT scores and ability to focus while studying! I literally had a student tell me it changed her life :)

The process of studying for the LSAT is rigorous. To use a well worn phrase, it’s a “marathon, not a sprint.” I appreciate and respect the journey my students go on because I’ve been there myself. There are certainly moments of self-doubt. Indeed, you're taking a bit of a gamble because while you’re maximizing everything reasonable you can do to prepare, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the target score you want (You’ll likely improve significantly, otherwise I wouldn’t be in this business, but with all the working parts and factors involved, there are just no guarantees).

I often find myself counseling students on how to manage their emotions and stay grounded as they move through this process. (It’s actually one of my favorite parts of the job). Throughout this process, I’ve discovered stoicism - a practical philosophy where you can apply logic to get more out of life (Who knew this logic stuff would be so useful even after the LSAT? ;) Stoicism has been a valuable resource to my students and frankly it’s been a wonderful discovery in my own life.

For this reason I highly recommend The Daily Stoic. Each day you can look at an entry for that specific date on the calendar and it will give you a piece of advice based on stoicism. Because the LSAT study process is such a marathon, it’s nice to start your day with a piece of advice that can keep you grouned.

I love this book so much I’ve given a copy to family and friends. Check it out. It’s pretty inexpensive and it’s nice to have some thing like this to start your day with or turn to if you’re having a tough time. I keep my copy right on my breakfast table so I can look at the day’s entry while drinking coffee. It sets the day!

JY suggests giving up alcohol about 2 months prior to the test.

I've given it up for about that time for the Dec exam coming up.

But I've got to holiday events where alcohol will be served.

Will a drinks a week before the exam hurt?

Hi All-

Shot in the dark...

Does anyone know of a "7Sage" type of online resource for learning to Code?

I used LSAT classes and books and even another online course before finding 7Sage and nothing has been better for learning the LSAT. I'm now trying to learn to Code, so as a shot in the dark, does anyone know of anything close to 7sage for coding?

Just wanted to thank @"J.Y. Ping" and 7sage again!

I got into Berkeley Law and I'm sure my LSAT score made a big difference. I wouldn't have scored in the 99th percentile if it wasn't for 7sage.

Thank you 7Sage!

Why does this question trip me up?

http://classic.7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-57-section-3-question-14/

I go so caught up in the relatively or seemingly complex diagramming that I overlooked the question stem I read initially (violates) and screwed it up.

I find myself doing that once in a while - I read the Q Stem first, then go to the stimulus, get caught up in that, then screw it up because I lose sight of the the Question Stem....

Is it just a matter of quickly re-reading the stem - since I have to focus on applying info from the Stimulus it anyway?

BTW - what's the question type for this Question "violates the rule..."

Thanks in advance!

I had some proctor timing problems on the 6/18 exam. The proctor wasn't clear on start times for 2 sections and didn't call 5 minutes on a section.

Is this worth contacting with LSAC about? What's the best they can do to help me after the proctor mistimed?

I tell all of my students to do exactly what I did after each time I took the LSAT.

I wrote down my takeaways about the whole experience – the things that went well, the things that I didn’t anticipate and wanted to prepare for next time, and anything else I want to be aware of and improve upon.

As much as you can simulate your PTS to be like the real thing, there’s just something about going to an official exam. Whether it’s dealing with proctors, the air in the room, nerves getting to you, or, of course, the substance of the test questions.

I took the LSAT three times. Each time I wrote down my takeaways in a place where I could access them regularly. For me it was my iPhone in the notes section, for you maybe it’s someplace else. But use that information to prepare for your next take. I used the time before my next exam to replicate the things that went well and problem solve the things that needed to be improved.

Ideally, this will be your last take, but in the chance that it’s not, this information is invaluable.

One last thing – do this ASAP. Whether it’s when you leave the test center or if you need a break, sometime tonight. But make sure you do it while this information is fresh in your mind.

Dealing with another "LSAT Headache"

Any tips to reduce/lessen/avoid them?

FYI - I space out PTs so they are at least 2 days apart.

Any tips on how to reduce eye fatigue. I regularly use eye drops, but as I move through my PTs my eyes become really strained.

I know this is par for the course, but any ideas on reducing I fatigue.

I’m reading a new book called Essentialism, that I believe applies very well to the LSAT. The idea is to focus on fewer things and maximize them rather than spread yourself thin trying to do too many things. There are many examples in effective LSAT prep ranging from techniques to long term study strategies.

Reading Comp annotation is an excellent example. I only give my students about three or four things to annotate that give you the biggest bang for the buck. By contras, techniques with seven to ten things to annotate are just too many to keep track of and you’ll spread yourself thin. I’m not suggesting the three things I teach are mind-blowing but in my humble opinion, they are the most time effective to understand a passage.

Another example is Skipping or, as I like to call it, doing the questions on your order. You’re prioritizing the questions you’re more likely to get right. It doesn’t mean at all that you don’t get to the others but you don’t make the more challenging questions a priority. So if you’re going to run out of time, you’ve got the lower hanging fruit in the bag and the questions that you are less likely to get right are de-prioritized.

Studying priorities - another eXmple. Again, you only have so much time to study. Prioritize what gives you the biggest bang for your buck. Narrow down the resources that are going to give you the biggest priority. Whether that comes to a certain textbook or course or question types where you need the most help.

Study hours themselves are another great example. When students have an opportunity to study as much as they like I often suggest that they refrain from the temptation to make this a full-time job. It sounds really great to devote 8 hours a day to LSAT study to maximize your score. But the concepts are so abstract that you won’t be effective after a few hours. I tell my students to limit their study hours 4 to 6 max. It’s not easy because it forces you to limit your time to the things that’ll be most effective. But you’ll find that your focus is much more powerful throughout those few hours rather than spreading yourself thin through eight. Often if a student goes beyond four hours or more, their focus begins to wane.

You may find that making choices of what not to focus on can be quite challenging. But as a student, and through years of teaching, I’ve consistently found that focusing on fewer things that make a bigger difference is what leads to the most improvement overall.

People who take the LSAT tend to be driven, which is a good thing. But many of us try to get things done by cutting down on sleep. It may seem counterintuitive, but you’ll get more done in less time if you’ve got a full night of sleep, rather than cut down on your precious snooze time.

I speak from experience. I used to be someone who lived by all nighters. Sure, I got things done. I would’ve gotten a lot more done in less time if I had a full night’s sleep. Sleep deprivation seriously slowed my processing speed, affected my mood, and studies show that it can actually lead you to over eat. When I discovered the book Power Sleep, by James Maas. It literally changed my life. My SAT score went up 150 points to the 99th percentile, not from additional study - I just got a good night’s sleep before my retake!

Here are some key points:

First let’s define a proper night’s sleep. I’m not talking about “getting by” on 5-6 hours. Your ability to process information is impaired with those limited hours. Especially if you’re taking something as intense as the LSAT.

To get adequate sleep you need anywhere from 8 to 10 hours. LeBron James is reported to get 12. Yes —That’s half the day. A good rule of thumb is that you’ll have enough sleep so that although you set your alarm clock, you’ll get up a bit before it – in essence, you won’t need your alarm clock. If that’s eight for me or ten for someone else, the point is that’s your number and you’ll function so much better with that amount of sleep.

The analogy I often use with my students is that it’s like having a laptop that is super slow at opening applications. That’s what my brain feels like when I don’t get enough sleep. Everything seem to take longer – almost painfully.

And trust me, I can tell when my students aren’t getting enough sleep. If we hadn’t had the conversation yet, that’s usually when we talk about sleep. And I feel for them, because I was that student and it looks so painful on the other end :)

Here are some key tips to proper sleep:

Set a regular sleep schedule. Despite misconceptions, it’s not like you really can make up sleep that you missed during the week or weekend (read about it in Power Sleep). So try to get that 8 to 10 hours consistently each night - and at the same times.

If you know that you’ve got your LSAT exam at a certain time, make sure that your sleep time is habituated for it well in advance.

Having trouble sleeping?

make sure that all lights and devices are off. If you live in a sunny climate like me, consider getting black out curtains if necessary.

Speaking of devices, you can use features like the sleep clock on iPhone to prompt you when it’s time to go to bed and keep you on a proper sleep cycle.

Limit caffeine intake before bed.

Perhaps my favorite — read an actual book before bed. Not a device, an actual paper format book. It’s old-school but if there’s no glare, and if it bores you to sleep even better!

Feel free to contact me with any questions on this or anything LSAT related.

This Saturday at 3pm EST, I'll be hosting a Webinar on Anticipating Answers.

Anticipating is HUGE - I strongly believe Anticipating is a necessary habit for a top score. I teach my students to anticipate in some way for EVERY question on the LSAT. That's EVERY one of the 100/101 Questions on the test.

There's a lot of misunderstanding about how to anticipate and I'm doing this webinar to address that!

I scored a 173 (99th percentile) and I love tutoring the LSAT, so please join me on Saturday at 3 PM EST!

Anticipating Answer Choices

Sat, Jun 11, 2016 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM CDT

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/303354245

You can also dial in using your phone.

United States +1 (408) 650-3123

Access Code: 303-354-245

Note on all webinars: Only the live webinars are free and open to the public. No recordings will be made publicly available, but we do make webinar recordings available to 7sage's students as part of the paid course. So if you want to get some great webinar content for free, be sure to attend the live version. Furthermore, any recording or broadcasting of webinars is strictly prohibited (Periscope, screencapture, etc.) and constitutes a violation of LSAC's copyright. Copyright infringement is not a good way to start a legal career.

In my humble opinion, The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday should be required reading for LSAT students:

The basic concept is not just about “overcoming obstacles,” but that THE Obstacle, the SPECIFIC Obstacle, is often the key to your solution/path/success.

During my own preparation for the LSAT, I remember having an epiphany about games. Those frustrating, or weird rules or elements of a game, could often be the very key to unlocking the game. You know the rules I'm talking about -- the annoying ones that may not lend themselves to basic diagramming or aren't exactly "user friendly." They're the ones that you maybe want to forget, but you do so at your peril because the game is built on every rule.

I eventually came to find that embracing these "obstacles" was often what unlocked a game for me. For example, it might have led to a key inference or perhaps a way of splitting the game board into scenarios/worlds that made the game click. This realization was instrumental to my growth on games, the LSAT overall, and it's a major element of how I teach my students.

The Obstacle is the Way expands on that theme and helps you create the mindset you need to harness obstacles like in logic games, and overall for the LSAT. (To be clear, it's not written specifically for the LSAT, but it's incredibly helpful and I wish I had it when I was prepping).

The book explains how to cultivate patience when we need it most. It also explains ways to ground yourself in logic and keep a cool head when circumstances can easily rattle most test takers -- as in logic games, time sync LR question, weird RC passages. etc.

I cannot think of a perspective more suited to the temperament an LSAT student needs to cultivate. I’ve read lots of books with similar aims but this is one of the few that both intuitively and practically explains how to stay grounded in crises/obstacles and use them to succeed.

Here's the audio version for convenience while studying:

https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Obstacle-Is-the-Way-Audiobook/B00K252ET8

With students taking the November examas early as tomorrow, I encourage you to make time to "warm up" before you start your exam.

The purpose is to get you in the "mode," and get any "kinks" out before the actual exam. Ideally we want to trigger muscle memory so you're in the zone as soon as you start the first exam question (rather than finding your footing after a few questions).

Here's my prescription for warming up. The key idea is EASY - you don't want to run the marathon before the marathon - you want to do light stuff to get the blood flowing and get yourself in the zone:

2-5 EASY LR questions

Annotate an EASY RC passage (Don't worry about the questions if you don't have time - it's just a warm up).

Set Up for an Easy Game and make those Inferences! (Again - Don't worry about the questions if you don't have time - it's just a warm up).

It's fine if you want to use material you've done before, it's just about getting you in "LSAT Mode."

Also, feel free to do this on PTs - you may see a difference.

Hi All -

I've always been paranoid about making any marks on the LSAT scan sheet but since they essentially give us a photo of the sheet and we have hand score options, I think it may be ok.

I want to do the following things, please let me know if you think it's fine:

1) Circle question numbers on the bubble sheet for questions I'm unsure of are are skipping (I do it in the text book, but this may be useful in some cases).

2) Maybe vertically bracket groups of bubbles ie by passage so it's easier to see if I bubbled correctly

3) Not bubble in crazy heavy - just enough in order to save time (since we have hand scoring and a photo of actual score sheet to check).

Thoughts?

I noticed on PT 74 and in previous PTs that passages can vary in terms of difficulty and at least # of questions.

I was pretty married to the idea of just going in order - even if easier ones are earlier (emphasis on if), I wanted to get easy points out of the way.

But now I'm reconsidering changing the order of passages. If not based on predicted difficulty, then based on doing the ones with Most Questions first. Thoughts?

I didn't take the February LSAT but to those of you who did or read about it in Discussion, can you share any takeaways or specific things about Feb that might be worth knowing before this June PT? (Obviously something from Feb doesn't mean it will be in June, but I want to prepare just in case) IE was there a crazy hard or odd game or long RC passage, hard LR etc?

Thanks!

I reposted this comment of mine from @blah170blah 's great thread to those who are disappointed. I thought my story would help some of you realize you're not alone:

- Very first PT 149

- Studied my but off and eventually PTed in the 170s

- Planned for a 170 plus!

But...

- Oct 14 LSAT 162 (85th Pctl)

- Dec 14 LSAT 165 (91st Pctl)

- June 15 LSAT 173 (99th Pctl)!

There are two kinds of people in this world - those that fall and those that get back up. I know there are people on this board who are disappointed right now. I know you'll get back up.

Don't get me wrong, you can have time to be down. I hit the nachos and in-n-out pretty hard the first couple days after getting my first test score. But then I hit the weights and then I hit the books and 7Sage material. I know you all have it in you too.

Hi All-

I just want to share some information I normally give my students before test day

Take care of yourself - This is a test you study for in the long term. Cramming won’t help and may hurt you if you skimp on sleep. There are always things you could’ve done differently, but overall if you’ve given it your best, that’s all you can ask for in the long-haul. If you haven’t, there’s always another test day. But if you’ve put in the long term studying, now is the time to take care of yourself before test day.

I wouldn’t advise taking any PT the day before the test. The best thing you can do is go over your review sheets or craft one if you haven’t already.

Make sure your “go bag” is ready with everything you need for the test - proper credentials, anything you want to bring. Have it ready so you aren’t worried about it before the test.

If you haven’t already, drive to the test center if possible. That way you’re familiar with the route. Even just seeing the route a second time the next day gives you the confidence that comes with some level of familiarity.

Set a firm deadline to finish any review before dinner time. Have a nice meal with protein and healthy choices. Maybe watch a movie or something fun to unwind.

Prepare a snack for the break during the test. My favorite is almond butter and jelly on whole grain bread (or pbj). It’s got protein and good carbs. Plus, it will keep you satiated without weighing you down.

Get plenty of sleep tonight. You’ve got to perform at peak mental condition tomorrow, and you can’t do that if you’re compromising your sleep. Obviously set an alarm, but I always say the ideal amount of sleep is the amount where you wake up refreshed before the alarm.

The morning of test day -

Have a good breakfast with protein and good carbs to sustain you.

If you drink coffee or some sort of caffeine in the morning regularly, go ahead and keep with your routine. If you don’t, now is probably not the time to start ;)

Maybe 20 mins of light cardio.

If you have the time, it can be worth it to do some easy problems to get the kinks out and warm up i.e. the set up for logic games, reading an RC passage, and a few easy LR questions. The key point is that this material should be EASY. It’s just to get you warmed up and in the habit like stretching before physical exercise.

Get to the test center early so that way you don’t have to stress. Take any extra time to look over your review sheet.

During the break, I highly recommend that you keep to yourself. You don’t need anyone else’s energy to mess with you. Be polite but keep to yourself. You can always talk about the test later. Go to the bathroom whether you need to or not and enjoy your snack. Do some breathing exercises or stretching.

After the test, no matter how you felt you did and whether you think this is going to be your last time or not, write down your takeaways. Whether it’s the stuff that worked well or the stuff you want to figure out how to improve for next time, that information is invaluable. If you take the test again, this info is unique to your specific experience and you can use it to guide your future prep. It’s super important you do this! I’ve found it invaluable.

Best of luck tomorrow! I’m proud to say I took the LSAT three times - I’ve been both disappointed with my score and I’m grateful to have scored in the 99th percentile on my final take. I respect the time and work you’ve put in and I know you’re putting yourself on the line. It’s not an easy thing to do - I’ve been there. I get it. I’m rooting for you.

If you have any questions before or after the PT, feel free to reach out to me

First, let me start by saying I believe our priority should be supporting everyone suffering and those on the front lines. The majority of us who must stay home are in a better place. Right now, for better or worse, time is what we have.

Staying home, of course, is not without its frustrations and problems. Many of us feel powerless about the ability to support family or miss out on work/wages and school. As in anything, we need to focus on what we can control.

For those of you studying, I can’t help but think about a time when I was laid off during my LSAT studies a few years ago. It was certainly frustrating. I had mounting bills that unemployment wouldn’t cover and family members I wasn’t in a financial position to support the way I wanted.

As frustrating as it was, I did, however, have time that I didn’t have before. While working a full-time job, I remember how I’d often lament the lack of extra time to study for the LSAT. After losing my job, there was little I could do besides use that extra time. I decided that while I was still looking for work, I would make a part-time job out of studying for the LSAT. In retrospect, that period was instrumental to my understanding of the LSAT and my massive score increase.

Here are some takeaways from my experience on how to use this time effectively.

Make it a part-time job.

Set up an actual schedule and put yourself on the clock. You don’t skip work, show up late, or spend your workday texting. You have a set time and you do your work. Otherwise, your boss won’t be very happy.

Take the same approach to your part-time job of studying for the LSAT. Have a set schedule. Sit at a proper desk. Take reasonable breaks for coffee or what not but limit them to a few minutes like you would at work.

An important benefit is that once you’ve put in those hours, the rest of your day is yours to do as you please, just like with a part-time job.

Limit those part time hours.

When I came up with this idea, I immediately texted my brother. He knew how frustrated I was about losing my job and I was happy to share my new idea about using this time for a positive purpose.

Ever supportive, My brother encouraged the idea of making this a job. “Put in eight hours a day just like you would at work. You’ll never get this time back.”

I had to change one part of that. Eight hours a day is not realistic for LSAT study. The material is just too abstract. I decided to limit my time to four hours per day. Depending on the day that could mean watching lesson videos (actively), doing practice sets or general studying. If I had a practice test or blind review, that would also count towards the four hours.

In my humble opinion, eight hours studying for something as abstract on the LSAT is just not realistic. Instead, my goal was to put in four hours per day, five days a week. Just like a part-time job. I made those four hours count rather than setting myself up for frustrations with eight hours.

This rightly gave me remaining hours in my new “workday” to meet other priorities: look for work, help family, work on other parts of my law school applications.

Self Correct

Like in any endeavor, this is an adjustment. Self correct to find what makes your work better.

At first, I made Starbucks my office. I liked the idea of coffee and getting to a space besides home. But a busy coffee shop had too many distractions.

I decided on a quiet library instead. I also eased up on the caffeine intake. Don’t get me wrong. Coffee is a part of my routine but there is too much of a good thing!

As in anything, experiment, self correct, find what works best for you.

Final thoughts

During a practice test or the real exam we must be aware of time. We either use time or lose it. This is also true of the hours and days we have to study. For those of us out of work and on lockdown, it is frustrating. But time doesn’t stop. We use it or lose it. We are limited in that time, especially now. But within those constraints we can use the time we have to support family, friends and people on the front lines. We can also use some of this time to take care of ourselves and invest in our future. We’ll never get this time back.

After hard work and many ups and downs I scored in the 99th percentile.

Thank you @"J.Y. Ping" and 7Sage. I've done most other popular courses but nothing crystallized logic games (I got a -0) or other material like 7sage.

There's no better discussion forum either. JY fosters a community of cooperation rather than the snarky zero-sum mentality I've seen on other forums. I don't think I could have done it without 7Sage!

Thank you Thank you Thank you!