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Hi. I am an admission consultant specializing in college and graduate school admission for international students. I have dealt with many students from China. I think it is helpful to address a few talking points I see posted on forums on why international applicants have a disadvantage when applying to American law schools.

  • "Schools don't like international students because they may not have the ability to cover their tuition." Universities at both the undergraduate and graduate levels do not know whether international applicants can cover their tuition when they review their applications. They are mandated by immigration authorities to require international students to submit proof of financial support to their international student services. Chinese international students I worked with usually provide a bank deposit as proof. This process is necessary for them to obtain the F-1 document, which the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will review upon arrival. International students with the required funds do not need to worry about this factor.
  • "Schools don't know how to interpret transcripts from non-American institutions." This one is tricky. I find that international students tend to have a lower undergraduate GPA than domestic students. Universities outside the U.S. might not have the same grading system or the same kind of academic standards. Sometimes the school just gives out Bs and Cs like candies. So it is hard to say whether transcripts might be a factor.
  • "International students tend to have weaker applications." It is plain and simple. If you have weak qualifications, it will probably hurt your chances. But be careful not to make it about the applicant being international. A low LSAT score is just a low LSAT score. It has nothing to do with their citizenship status.
  • "International students statistically fare worse than American students in the admission process." Again, please do not draw causal inferences based on correlations. Schools do not apply a higher level of scrutiny when reviewing international applications. It is erroneous to say to an international applicant that they have a disadvantage just because data says they do.
  • I took the Dec test but did not feel I aim my goal. Will re-take, looking for a study buddy to do PTs together for January. I am close to Emory. And prefer to do PTs in the morning testing time.

    I am slightly confused as to how Q22 = AC: C?

    Doesn't C leave the possibility of

    1.) Network to U to P to T to S to T to R to Q

    or

    2.) Network to T to S to U to P to T to R to Q

    ?

    I write on Saturday, someone please let me know ASAPPP!#help

    Hello everyone, I apologize if this information is listed elsewhere. If anything, I am hoping to understand strategies being employed at large and their results.

    I am going through the older LSAT course. For each question type, the section begins with a brief summary of the question type followed by example questions and then a series of drills ranging in difficulty. These drills all pull from prep tests 17 - 35 from my understanding with the exceptions of some that generate from 40 - 60s.

    In perusing the comments for each drill, there seems to be a fair mix of those who time those drills and those who don't. Which should I be doing?

    That may be a loaded question because 'should' almost certainly depends on what works best for the individual (unless, of course, the instructor suggested one way to my ignorance). Whether to time or not seems ultimately to present a tradeoff between ensuring a base-level understanding and timing. Improving timing will have not benefit if the questions are not correct. And, to a lesser extent, your accuracy in questions can only get you so far under time constraints.

    So, what has worked (and is working) for everyone? Up to this point, I haven't timed any of the drills. I was planning on completing each question-type section and doing timed drills of prep tests 1 - 16. But is it wasting practice tests to not be timing every single one? I would so appreciate hearing everyone's strategies - especially if it resulted in great results. Thanks!

    Hey y'all!

    This week's LSAT Tips is out-- this week I talked about three misconceptions about the LSAT. You can read it here: https://7sage.substack.com/p/three-lies-about-the-lsat?s=w

    I hope this week's newsletter is helpful!

    If you could use some help on the way to your goal score and want to work with one of our LSAT tutors, use this link to learn more: https://classic.7sage.com/lsat-tutoring/

    Or, if you'd like to talk to one of our tutors before committing, schedule a free consultation at this link: https://calendly.com/7sage-consult/7sage-tutoring-free-consult

    For quite a while my LSAT score was stagnating in the low 150s flash forward to three weeks ago I took a prep test and scored a 156 which was the best i have ever done. I have done two more pts excepting them to be the same or higher than my best pt they were both low 150s again. I am struggling to go from 150s-160s any advice it feels like I improve do badly and loose my progress I registered for august but I worry that I will not be consistently scoring in the 160s goal score of 165.

    Hi everyone. I have noticed significant improvement over the course of my studies with LG due to foolproofing, especially with my initial set ups, nailing inferences as well as my confidence!

    However, I am still making stupid mistakes here and there on the actual questions, especially during timed practice.

    Will more foolproofing help out or is that more relevant for finding inferences?

    I assume I will get more accurate consistently by drilling, which I am currently doing, but any advice would be helpful!

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    Sunday, May 28 2017

    PT4.S1.Q10

    I'm adding my explanation to this question since it doesn't currently exist on 7sage. Feel free to critique my reasoning.

    This is a necessary assumption question. We know this because the question stem says the argument above makes which one of the following assumptions? The correct AC must be an assumption we know the argument makes. Therefore, it is a necessary assumption.

    P: R bacteria provide nitrogen to bean plants and other legumes. Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient. Wheat must normally be supplied nitrogen by nitrogen fertilizer.

    C: If technology produces wheat strains that will host R bacteria, the need for fertilizers will be reduced.

    Flaw: I originally thought but what if nitrogen is not the only essential plant nutrient for plants to grow? Might the need for fertilizer remain? B plays on this erroneous understanding. This isn't the actual flaw.

    A. 'should' is irrelevant. This is not about what should happen it's about what is/will happen.

    B. This was temping and it the trap answer choice. The conclusion says the need for artificial fertilizers will be reduced if biotech succeeds in producing wheat strains who host R bacteria. What about other reasons growers need to add fertilizer? Can we conclude from no longer needing nitrogen that fertilizer demand in general will be reduced? Even if nitrogen only comprises a small subset of all fertilizer use, if we eliminate the nitrogen need, then yes, the fertilizer demand will be reduced. This is true even if nitrogen is not the only soil nutrient that must be supplied. The key word to not falling for this trap answer choice is "reduced." Perhaps I was temped because I was thinking "eliminated." If the conclusion said the demand would be eliminated then yes nitrogen would have to be the only reason growers use fertilizer.

    C. This is not necessary. It talks about other grasses but even if it didn't, even if there are strains of wheat that do have R naturally, we know there are some that aren't. That's what the whole argument is about so this is irrelevant.

    D. Similar reasoning to C. We don't need legumes to be the only crops that produce nitrogen. We know some wheats don't and we know there is an existing need for nitrogen based fertilizer. The argument is simply saying the need will go down if wheat is modified to host R bacteria.

    E. This is absolutely necessary. If the R bacteria did not produce nitrogen in the wheat roots then it wouldn't reduce the need for artificial fertilizer. This is the true flaw. Just because the plant will host the bacteria doesn't mean that it will necessarily have the desired effect.

    Hi everyone! I just wrote the November LSAT, and after 5 months of religiously studying I unfortunately feel like I didn't do the best... I am planning to sign up for January or February LSAT, In hopes of applying for the fall 2024 cycle. I really didn't want to have to wait another cycle! Is taking the February LSAT too late to apply? I hear mixed opinions, and all the schools I'm applying to priority deadline is March 15. I really wanted to have my LSAT scores and apply before Christmas but I'm afraid I'm looking at other options. Your input would be greatly appreciated!!!

    Hi friends, new learner here! I'm on the Skill Builder section of the Complex Arguments foundational lessons (https://classic.7sage.com/lesson/skill-builder-complex-arguments/) and am quite lost on how to parse out Question 5.4:

    "We see that our village solely trains personnel for specific trades. These individuals' lives would change dramatically if the programming failed. So it follows, proposition to build a new enterprise—although challenging—truly has merit. Sure a blacksmith center in the village after some sweat, monetary donations, and perseverance might be a reality. It just seems making a pitch for a blacksmith center really matters."

    I've been reading and re-reading this question trying to figure out A) what this passage is even saying [it doesn't make sense to me!], and B) how the premises/conclusions were determined.

    My initial reaction was the following:

  • "We see that our village solely trains personnel for specific trades." sub-conclusion
  • "These individuals' lives would change dramatically if the programming failed." minor premise
  • "So it follows, proposition to build a new enterprise—although challenging—truly has merit." Main Conclusion
  • "Sure a blacksmith center in the village after some sweat, monetary donations, and perseverance might be a reality." Major Premise
  • "It just seems making a pitch for a blacksmith center really matters." minor? premise
  • Appreciate any help here! TY :-)

    🔢 I'm currently scoring: 165-170

    📆 My planned test date: February 2024

    📈 To study, I have been: Have been studying for several months now. My studying has consisted of different methods throughout.

    🔑 My goals for this group are: Help each other out with our respective goals. Whether you are new to studying or have been studying for months such as myself, I hope that this space can be used so that we can collaboratively help one another achieve our objectives.

    🔍 We'll focus on: Anything and everything!

    👥 Study Group Name: TBD

    📚 When we'll meet and what we'll do: All messaging and meetings are done via Discord, but time is totally up to the availability of those in the group, it is fluid.

    ✅ How to join: Feel free to click on the link below to join the server via Discord, and please do message me if you are having any issues either joining the group or creating a Discord account. Like I said above, this group is open to all, from beginners to long-time studiers. I just hope that this study group can help each and every person in it and that we can use this group not only to learn and improve our studying, but also where we can reliably hold each other accountable as we get closer to the test date(s).

    We have nearly 50 members in the group now and a nice community forming with daily meetings centered on LSAT studying, so always feel free to join, whether you are a beginner or have been studying for awhile!

    https://discord.gg/ddXuAgaF26

    Hi all- I seem to be getting more questions wrong in my first section than the following sections regardless of being LR or RC. I noticed a consistent 5 question difference. Is anyone else having a similar issue? Any ideas on how to improve this issue

    Hi! So I am planning on taking the August lsat because I have decided to not study LG anymore, as it was my weakest. I am about 80% done with LR and then have all 77 RC lessons, which I don't expect will take more than a month or two. Obviously, I have a long time to study, but I know that the drilling sessions and PT sessions are meant to be taken after you complete all the lessons. I do not want to waste clean, unused material before I can make the most of it (aka, until I've done all my LR and RC lessons). However, on the other hand, I want to make sure I am practicing enough without JY's help always being available. I also want to test myself on the LR typesI learned weeks ago.

    My question is - should I not be creating drills (other than the "you trys"and drills at the end of each lesson set) until after I have completed all my lessons, or do you recommend doing some infrequent drilling on question types I'm not doing well on? My fear is that since I have given myself ample study time, I want to save as much material as I can for when I really am trying to master my skills, not build them.

    Would love to hear other people's study patterns and whether or not they go through the entire syllabus before using the drill or PT pratice options.

    Thanks all! good luck with your studies

    edit - I should note that I am working full time as a paralegal on top of studying, so although I have until August, I am only devoting between 1-3 hours a day and sometimes I do not study on the weekend much.

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