I have been studying for the LSAT for 4 months now and have been consistently getting 156-157, and have been working my way to 160. I took a PT on Sunday only to get a 152... and I am feeling extremely discouraged because of it. Any tips to help remove myself from this mindset?

Hi 7Sage,

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Hey 7sagers,

I think it's time for me to ask for some LORS. I understand that most law schools require academic, but what does this actually mean? I have had mainly sessional professors and I did not have a lot of contact with them. I have four professors in mind right now.

One is a professor who I have had a close relationship with, however I did not receive in an A in the class. I am not sure if it is a good idea to ask her.

As for another professor, I have had him teach me one class but he did say that he would love to give me a reference letter. Nonetheless, I went to his officer hours, and I've met him outside of class for dinner with other students as well.

Recently, I took only one class and I did receive an A from the professor and he does know who I am but I did not have a lot of contact with him as he did not really respond to any student's emails. He didn't even attend office hours. Though, I do believe he would give me a good reference letter since he did like me as a student in his class. I did exceptionally well in the class.

Lastly, this professor taught me two classes where she was my TA for one class, and a professor for my other class. She knows me fairly well, however I have not had any contact with her ever since my last class (which was a semester or two ago). The class I had with her was super interactive so she does know me pretty well. Plus I did really well in her class!

Basically, I have done pretty well in their classes but I am not sure how to approach these professors and what LORS are really looking for. I have always been a student that sits in class, engages in the class, and gets A's but I haven't had A LOT of contact with my professors. I am basically a student who aims to do exceptionally well in classes but I didn't have a close relationship with my professors.. which I probably should have now that I am applying for law school.

Not sure how I should email them and what I should include in my email that I am sending to them.

Also, is it recommended to email the same reference letter across schools since some of them ask for only two whereas some ask for 3?

Sorry in my advance if I made this confusing to understand. Just a little stressed since applications are coming up!

Hey guys I have been stuck inbetween 156-158 for the past 2-3 weeks and need some advice about how to proceed with my studying and ultimately achieve my goal of a 160. I began the 7sage curriculum at the beginning of June and scored a 140 on the diagnostic. After the first month I made significant gains getting into the low 150s and then into the range I'm currently stuck in. I find that I struggle the most with LR particularly (SA/NA/descriptive weakening/flaw type) questions and for most of my wrong answer choices i always narrow it down to two answers (one of which is usually correct) but happen to choose the wrong one. In addition, with blind review I have reached160, however during the PT's I make some silly errors simply because I feel pressured due to the timer. So what Im wondering is if it would be more beneficial going over past exams and drilling questions i got wrong and fully understand what led me to the wrong answer and how to identify the correct answer or continue taking PT's? Because from now until Sept 16, 2017 when i write the exam all i have left are practice exams but i feel like I'm wasting my time because I scored almost the same on literally every PT in the past two and a half weeks and because I'm on PT52 of 72 for the package I've bought and my schedule created by 7sage requires i take at least 4 a week, which gives me no time to review. In other words, will it cost me on the actual exam if I don't take all these PTs?

Sort of irrelevant but I did book a one week trip next week to take my mind off things and relax, and i was wondering what sort of studying/review/PTs i should do there and how much time i should still allocate for LSAT prep. Finally, for the 5th section on the exam (essay) should i be practicing this and actually doing some from PTs, or since it doesn't account for my grade not worry about it.

I know I asked a lot of questions but I'd appreciate some advice/feedback.

Thanks!

Hello all,

Applied for LSAT accommodations around the end of July and still have not heard back from the LSAC. It will be 14 business days this Thursday, so they are still within their window, I was just curious, from those who have gone through this process before, is it common for them to take the full 14 business days to reply?

I'm currently at the point where my test scores range between 166-172 and I rarely miss more than two questions per reasoning section. However, my performance on the other sections is more volatile, particularly on games (-1 to -8). I studied intensively for about 1.5 months in preparation for the Dec 2016 test, which I cancelled. I then took roughly 8 months off before recently resuming studying for Sep. My improvement on games has been steady but slow and I still often run out of time on 2 or more questions. Can anyone offer some suggestions for study methods beyond the foolproof method? I drilled 20 dif games so far today but my performance started slipping by the 16th or 17th game...thanks!

Hey guys!

So I am going to begin writing up my personal statements, however I have no idea where to start. I am applying to Canadian law schools and I am not sure how to start writing especially if applications are not yet open.

I understand that each law school usually has a different personal statement topic but they are all similar to some extent... Any suggestions on where to find specific topics and how to get started? I also don't want to spend any money on the personal statement bundle.. What have been some past topics?

Thanks in advance!

Hey,

I was wondering if there were any people in the Chicago city area that would like to get together to be study buddies? Ideally it would be someone who is still going through the CC and wants to have and be a support system. We would all exchange resources, help each other gain insights to concepts, and overall work together to reaching our goals. Inbox me if you are interested.

So my last few PT's have been 168, 170, 173.

Obviously the random noise is evident here - days I felt good, days I felt bad etc.

My question is for those of you who went in with similar scores on test day, what were your methods to prevent the dreaded 3-4 point drop from PT to actual score. Obviously there is no 100% answer, but did you do anything to keep yourself calm and focused? What did you do to prevent yourself from slipping?

Did you do any sort of warm-up problems?

So I didn't do so well on this game because I played the children multiple times because it didn't say that they had to be played exactly once, so should we assume that they need to be played at least once unless stated otherwise? Thank you!!!

Hey guys,

I've been looking up 509 reports for schools I'm interested in, and I keep seeing where school report how much grant money their students are given. I know there are federal grants and private grants, and in undergrad I qualified for a federal pell grant based on my mom's income through the FAFSA. Does anyone know anything about how hard grants are to come by in law school? Especially federal need-based grants? And I should probably already know this, but do we have to fill out a FAFSA for law school? I think I read somewhere that we do, and even if we've been out on our own working, we still have to include our parent's financial info on the FAFSA. If anyone could shed some light on this that'd be great! Thanks.

With 5 weeks until the day of the test, I have been consistently scoring in the mid-60s, anywhere between 162 and 165, with my best test at 167.

I find myself getting the same LR question types wrong (NA, SA, weaken, flaw, and sometimes resolve or strengthen). I have tried drilling the various question types and I still seem to be getting about -4/-5 per LR section.

The only book I have used for studying LR has been the PowerScore LR Bible, so I'm wondering if I should buy a different book to try and master these question types? I don't particularly want to spend more money but if it'll really help I'd be willing to do so.

I've read in discussion forums about the LSAT Trainer or Manhattan books. If someone could let me know what they think/their experiences it'd be much appreciated!

Quick question. I am a natural worry wart. I worry constantly about anything and everything, even when I'm asleep. It seems like every night I toss and turn dreaming about LR, LG, and logic in general. I can't explain or remember the structure and details of the dreams, but I know they have something to do with a puzzle I must figure out before I wake up.

So, I end up waking up feeling more tired than when I went to sleep.

Any ideas or advice on how anyone else has dealt with this problem?

So I've been trying to develop a circling method for BR/time saving.

The best thing I've come up with so far is one circle for questions I'm not a 100% sure on, two circles for questions I found the answer choices difficult, and three circles for questions I plain just don't understand. I tend to finish my sections with a bit of time 2-5 minutes so I'm hoping this can focus my spare time. Does anyone else use a similar method for which questions they address first?

Hey y'all,

We got an email from Dean Rodriguez this morning that provides in relevant part:

At Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, we are firmly committed to meeting the evolving needs of the profession, and this means constantly evaluating the law school experience. ... With this in mind, starting in Fall 2018, Northwestern Law will allow JD applicants to submit either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) for admission the following year (Fall 2019).

The GRE is a holistic exam that comprehensively evaluates qualitative and quantitative skills and is broadly accepted by thousands of graduate and professional degree programs, from biochemistry to public policy to philosophy. Gaining access to GRE test-takers, many of whom are engineers, scientists, and mathematicians, could benefit Northwestern Law and the legal profession at large by diversifying the applicant pool. Additionally, the GRE is offered a number of times throughout the year and in locations worldwide, making it easily accessible for prospective students.

This decision was made after careful evaluation, including a study conducted in conjunction with the Educational Testing Service (ETS), the organization that administers the GRE. In accordance with the American Bar Association (ABA) Standards for Legal Education, the study assessed whether the GRE is a valid predictor of first-year academic performance at Northwestern Law. Results showed that the GRE is in fact a strong predictor of first-year performance at Northwestern.

The ABA Council is currently reviewing its standards in regards to mandatory standardized tests required for law school admissions. ... In the end, we are optimistic that they will allow law schools greater flexibility in the admissions process, to the benefit of students, schools, and the profession alike.

Hopefully this will be of some encouragement and not distract you from your LSAT studies. LSAT remains the best preparation for the skills you need to succeed in law school. One of the reasons I've done well is because I'm super fast at assessing arguments and articulating assumptions: two skills you will not get from the GRE on its own. Also note that our JD-MBA program already accepts GMAT exclusively.

I am curious to gain some insight on how fellow sagers trained themselves into answering 10 questions in 10 mins and how you worked up to 15 in 15 and so on. Was it mainly drills or through timed PTs?

Do people actually study words commonly used on the LSAT? Thoughts?

Hi friends,

So I took the LSAT two years ago (October 2015) and scored pretty terribly. I had definitely underestimated the test, and foolishly thought that taking a two-week intensive course just a month before would set me up nicely. In the week counting down I was PTing at about 150 and for whatever reason, was content with this score. I ended up getting blown apart on test day, scoring a 145 officially. I was pretty devastated, and at that point realized that I needed to approach the test much more seriously than I had been.

In the end I got cold feet and didn't apply to any law schools, instead entering a Masters program. Law has always been my end game, and two years later, nearing the end of my Masters, I'm making a push to write again. I think I'm on pace to bring myself over the 160 hump if I stay at it -- PTed at 157 Sunday evening -- but am worried that in the end, my old score will deter schools from accepting me. I'm wondering if anyone is able to either provide me some assurance that there is yet hope, or otherwise, let me know if I've got the odds stacked against me. If it helps to gauge my chances, I'm from Canada, which I understand has much fewer schools and is thus very limited.

My GPA is solid (3.7), I have strong academic and professional references, and think I have some good soft creds with my Masters, sports involvement, and volunteering. How do you think I would fare with two scores of 145 and (hopefully) 160-165? Your insights would be very much appreciated!

AE

Hi 7sagers,

A little bit of background. I have a 2.4 ugpa. Needless to say, my chances ride or die by my score on the LSAT. After working as a paralegal for two years, I loved it enough that I decided I would be willing to go to law school for full price.

Given my low gpa, my goal is to just go to a west coast school in the top 100, preferably Richardson at University of Hawaii where I'm from and want to practice. I got a 156 on my first LSAT and made a lot of progress prepping for December (was prepping in the high 160s over seven practice tests before the exam). After taking the December test though, my gut feeling is I scored in the low 160s. Not good enough.

While obviously I can't make a judgement until I actually see what I get, after taking the exam two times, the feeling is discouraging. Is it unrealistic to bank on a good LSAT to compensate for an exceedingly low gpa? Have any of the experienced posters seen it happen? Sometimes it feels like i'm trying to climb out of a really deep hole that nobody ever has before.

UPDATE: Submissions are now closed. Thanks to everyone who sent us their work. After Amy and Chris each pick an essay, we'll email all of you with their decision.

I'll post separately with details about the webinar, but we'll hold it on August 23 at 9 PM ET. Mark your calendars!

Hi everyone!

On August 23, 7Sage Editors Amy Bonnaffons (@amycbon) and Chris Schlegel (@cbschlegel) will do a live critique via webinar of two personal statements, and we need your help!

If you like the idea of a free critique and you're comfortable with sharing your story, send your personal statement to us! Amy and Chris will choose two essays in the coming week. As soon they choose, we'll stop accepting submissions, so the sooner you send in your essay, the better your chances.

Please follow these guidelines:

By submitting an essay, you agree to let us use it in a webinar and, possibly, in the admissions course. (We can wait until you start law school to use it in the admissions course).

I can't wait to see what you send!

Best,

David

I can score anywhere from -1 to -7 (yiiiikes) on RC... sometimes it really just feels like a crapshoot. I usually do really well with reading comp on standardized tests (SAT, subject tests, GRE, APs, etc.) and even tutored for a while. What freaks me out the most about RC is that I often don't catch my mistakes even during BR; I'm making mistakes with confidence haha. Strong and wrong! On my last PT I got 4 questions wrong on a single passage, which would have bumped my overall score from 171 to 174.

I don't usually feel like I'm running out of time, it's more that I can't easily eliminate the wrong answer choices the way I can with LR, for example. So yeah, any tips/advice? :D

--

Hi 7sagers,

I am a few years out of UG and finally ready to apply to law school (hoping for fall 2018 start). My UG institution submitted my transcript the other day, and I payed for the CAS earlier this morning to get the ball rolling. I'm a little confused about my LSAC GPA and transcript. During my junior year, I studied outside of the Untied States from August to June. Although my UG grades are not calculated with the study abroad grades, they are listed under the category of "TRANSFER CREDIT ACCEPTED BY THE INSTITUTION" with the credit information and alphabetical grade listed next to each class. For example, Economic Development is listed with 1.00 and T A-. The T denotes that it is a transfer credit. Since this was a year's worth of study it's a significant amount of credit...

Now, when I got to my Academic Summary Report on LSAC, the LSAC GPA is calculated using my other three years of UG, not the year I spent abroad. The year I spent abroad isn't even listed in the yearly row at the top of the report. Even though my total credits add up to the right amount, it looks like I wasn't doing anything for an entire year. I called LSAC earlier today, but they weren't very helpful. They said LSAC will only calculate things in your GPA if the courses were taken at U.S. institutions or a foreign institution on one of the list of approved schools.

Is this something I should consider writing a short addendum so admissions know I wasn't sitting around for a year doing nothing? Anything else I can do?

Hi! I am looking for a study buddy, ill be in the states from August to October. I am not sure if I will be retaking the LSAT on September or December 2017. I will be moving around from Sacramento, to LA, to NY, but ill be staying more in Sacramento.

This might be a stretch…but do any of you know of a guide of sorts to the T14 (and maybe beyond)?