Hey 7Sage Community,
I used to be super active on 7Sage until I mid-life crisised pretty hard and decided to get a master's degree before law school. I'm getting back into the LSAT game and would love to be an active mentor again so don't hesitate to contact me! I bumped my LSAT date to December, 2016 so I'll be around these waters for a long time coming.
Happy New Year!
@2543.hopkins Want to team up and start a paleo/vegan company? 'LSnack' focused on holistic snacks for the LSAT break time- "Break it and make it" (Company motto). First creation: The One Datey One- energy bar of date and coconut flakes. It could be a winner!
A tad dissapointed that @nlkhamis275.hopkins did not respond to this thread with a GIF like last month; however, thanks for the recognition! I lurv y'all and I cannot imagine doing this without the advice and support of my 7Sage fam!
I find that a schedule works best. Even though life is a bit crazy trying to balance 100 different things, the relationship light at the end of the tunnel is a weekly date night or perhaps a couple of hours per day. This way, you can incorporate LSAT studies in a predictable manner but not neglect your partner.
I used the PS LG Bible first and then went to 7Sage. The 7Sage method is much, much better so I primarily stick with that. The only thing I use from PS is a 'less than' sign as opposed to a line in certain diagramming situations. Otherwise, 7Sage diagramming is significantly better and more intuitive.
@licknee10505 LOL, I'd risk getting jumped in the parking lot to only take LSAC-created questions...
7Sage Ultimate has the video explanations for almost every question in the drilling sets where Cambridge just has the complied questions by type although numerically speaking it is more comprehensive. I have the 7Sage Ultimate and Cambridge Drill Packets and I found both to be equally useful. Drill until you can't drill anymore...
That's fantastic! A bit awkward... but fantastic. I need to try this BYOPT.
I'd definitely recommend adding in an experimental section during your practice PTs. It will help with endurance on test day otherwise you risk getting burnt out by the 5th section since you won't be used to it.
Totally agreed. I usually caution people from going into PTs but it sounds like you've done nearly everything you can from a general perspective and now it's the time to finesse your skills by pinpointing your current weaknesses. This can only really be done by taking a full PT as a diagnostic and go from there. Perhaps you'll re-visit certain lessons, perhaps you'll keep going with PTs. It will all depend on the results from your PT.
Does anyone here watch How to Get Away with Murder? People keep telling me to watch it, I just haven't gotten around to it yet.
@pmovaghar413 Totally agree. Legally Blonde, all day, every day. I'm a Capricorn vegan with (perhaps too many) cats. Same thing, right? I don't have a life plan other than becoming Elle Woods... I need this to happen.
I think 'all aspects of human differences' is a pretty non-exhaustive phrase. I don't mean to appear so adamantly against all of you because your opinions definitely have merit. I just want to play devil's advocate because I too don't believe there is a right or wrong answer. Personal statements and diversity statements are very personal application materials. Everyone will have a different answer. I just implore everyone to not give up the possibility of writing a DS. @danielznelson160 Even if you decide to use work experience for your personal statement instead, there will be something about your life/background that you could include in a DS and a professional might help you identify and utilize that.
I think 'diversity' is a very open-ended buzz word that can be applied to anything depending on how you write it. Every applicant is diverse, it all just depends on how you show that to an admissions committee. I do have to agree with @danielznelson160 that you might want to seek professional help in the writing process for your PS and DS in order to best utilize your assets without seeming redundant in both texts. However, I definitely don't think you should pass up the opportunity of writing a DS just because you don't think you fit the mold of 'diversity'. A long while ago I was contemplating whether or not I should write a DS (I had a very typical upbringing). I then read an example in a law school admissions book asking if a law school called you in for a second interview... would you accept or reject the invitation? That's what the DS is (in this analogy the first 'interview' is your personal statement). Even though it's optional, writing nothing on the subject might reflect negatively on you as an applicant, so I strongly suggest you seek the advice of a professional and write a polished DS that compliments your PS and shows what your unique life experiences can bring to the classroom.
I'll copy and paste the DS prompt for Harvard below just as an example if someone has not seen such a prompt before:
Optional Statement
"The Admissions Committee makes every effort to understand your achievements in the context of your background and to build a diverse student body. If applicable, you may choose to submit an optional additional statement to elaborate on how you could contribute to the diversity of the Harvard Law School community."
@danielznelson160 Anytime! I'm glad I could help!
I don't think it's a bad idea at all to base it off of your work experience. The DS is another opportunity to show an admissions committee who you are and disingenuously fitting yourself into the mold of a disadvantaged upbringing might hurt rather than help. So, just be you. If your job gives you a unique perspective that you can bring to a LS class then that is exactly what you should say. If you absolutely don't feel comfortable writing one (I think you should since it's another opportunity to represent yourself), you might want to seek the advice of a LS advisor or perhaps even call the school(s) in question and ask for a clarification. I doubt anyone would tell you that the DS statement NEEDS to be based off of someone's upbringing. That would reflect poorly on them since the DIVERSITY statement would in fact be based off of a very monolithic sample.
Is this a general diversity statement? Or are you following the DS prompt of a specific school?
Also, there is technically no 'correct' way to diagram. After a while, you'll learn which charts, techniques,and symbols work best with your brain. For instance, I just did two grouping games, one of which felt very natural to use a chart, the other of which I represented as more of a layered sequencing game. Why? I have no idea... it just happened. Many LSAT prep companies present LGs as a sacred chalice of knowledge but in reality it's repetition that makes all of the difference. That's why J.Y. recommends doing games over and over until it becomes a very natural process. I used to have the same difficulty setting up the game board. I felt like a lost little imbecile looking for the mother duckling that is J.Y.'s game setup. For most people it is not an intuitive process. It just takes practice and repetition to master the various question types and setups. The LSAC can only play so many tricks on you until you hit the level of Yoda, and that will only happen after you finish an excessive, preposterous amount... a fuck ton of games.
Honestly, 20 games might seem like a lot but compared to the 120+ of the LG bundle in addition to the LG sections of PTs 36-74, it is a very small piece of the LG puzzle. Diagramming just takes practice so don't worry if you're not an LG Yoda after 5 sets. You've got a long way to go but you'll get there, gin or no gin!
@2543.hopkins You deserve a standing ovation. Very, very well said. I was going to comment with something similar, but you took the words right out of my mouth said it 100x better. Also, "10 years a slave or 10 years a servant" is a really perfect quotation to highlight the debt-salary potential tradeoff that various law school choices and legal careers possess. Also, thank you @jy-ping for posting the article. It is definitely something that all LSAT preppers should keep in mind before filling out LS applications.
@7sagestudentservices Sounds about right... I'd expect nothing else.
@7sagestudentservices LOL Yes, Roya gets no Snap Cup Warm Fuzzies!
I haven't seen @nielsinha488 in these waters in a good long while... *tear* Our family is falling apart! I can't handle these feelings!
@igbodoe249 and @7sagestudentservices We can't have another Roya situation... Friends and foes together, united and bound... Pass it to your neighbor instead of blowing up and we'll find harmony and love in the Snap Cup!
Thanks Dillon! I missed y'all!