Hi! I am confused about how the LSAC will calculate my GPA. My college just has A, B, C, etc. They do not give plus or minus. The college I transferred to gives plus and minus. I am just confused how this would all calculate up with the custom LSAC GPA.

Anyone feel like commenting on ACs A and E? Having trouble totally ruling out A.

Thanks

So I am pretty excited/nervous about starting my1L at UChi next month. After talking to some people, I have been told by some that they earned higher GPA's in law school than they did in undergrad. Of course, this is not the same as saying that it is "easier" because I highly doubt that it is. The curve could benefit some or students could benefit from being in classes that they are skilled in(unlike undergrad where classes outside your major could bring you down like Math, etc)

What are some of your thoughts?

Hey everyone,

I was just picking out my schools to apply to on LSAC for U.S and Canada schools and noticed they have one school under the international section, the University of Melbourne.

I ended up looking it up and doing a bit of research on it and the school seems to have a really good international reputation. Scored 8th worldwide for law schools and seems to have a distinguished staff and alumni. As a Canadian, I have been so focused on Canadian and U.S schools that I didn't even consider Australia (I'd already ruled out UK cause of Brexit among other things).

Anyways, I've never been to Australia, but would be open to moving there (I lived abroad for 5 years so I know I adjust well). Anyone spent any time in Melbourne? Any thoughts on what the culture is like and other pros and cons of living in Australia?

Anyone else considering applying there or know anything else about the law program there that would be good to consider?

I've heard very little about this. Does anyone use a particular method for triaging LR questions you want to return to? Dark/light circles/squares? Marking a question "completed" after you return and feel 100% confident?

Thanks!

Hi!

So I've taken around 9 LSAT preptests so far and I've yet to get below a 170 (yay!). I understand this is a good problem to have, but my range of scores is really varied:

175 | 174 | 172 | 170 | 171 | 174 | 177 | 173 | 171

As you can see, my "slippage" rate seems pretty high, anywhere from -4 on a whole exam to -10. For any of you guys that managed to get consistently above 175, are there any special strategies that you employed to move from the the 170-174 to the 175-180?

My section score distribution usually looks something like:

RC: [0 to -3]

LR1: [0 to -3]

LR2: [0 to -3]

LG: 0

Any tips, tricks, advice, or motivation would be super helpful! Thanks in advance.

P.S. - I'm taking the exam in September

Anyone in the Durham Region or GTA planning on taking the December 2017 test?

Interested in possibly starting a study group if I get any takers. Open to online and/or in person.

Message me!

I here we're gonna be the oddballs in Law Schools, and some people won't be so nice. I personally can grab a beer with anyone (guess it's just a laid back West Coast/CA thing), but I just wanna know I'm not gonna be all alone out there :)

Hi guys! General question about strengthening questions. I know from reviewing the core curriculum that, in theory, you can strengthen an argument one of two ways:

1.) adding premises that support the conclusion

2.) increasing the relevance of an existing premise to a conclusion

However, the more strengthening explanations I watch, the more I notice the right answer never really adds an independent extra premise. It always relates back to an existing premise, and makes it more relevant. Also JY mentions in several videos that the AC's that seem to add extra premises are the trap answers.

So, are there examples of correct strengthening AC's that do add an extra premise that in no way has to do with any of the premises already in the stimulus? Because if so, that would be quite useful in identifying trap answer choices. Thank you!

Hi guys,

This is such a stupid question but as the title says, how do you translate: "Jack must wear every colour Fred wears" into Lawgic

Is it F-->J ?

My confusion stems from the fact that there are 2 lawgic indicators (must and every) here. I actually missed "every" initially and thought it was only must so I diagrammed it as J-->F.

Should I interpret it as: "Every colour Fred wears must be worn by Jack" ?

Sorry for the silly question haha just want to be sure.

LR is pretty clear for me: I get to redo the ones I circle because they were hard at that time. If I don't circle a question and I get it wrong, well then I missed something big and need to figure out what.

In RC and LG, misunderstandings can carry through entire passages/games. Do ya'll redo the entire section for these and add BR scores for every question? Or do you, as in LR, only add BR scores for the one's you circled?

At the moment, I am redoing the entire LG and RC sections with a clean copy in BR, but only adding BR answers to analytics for questions that I circled.

Thanks for your input!

I don't know why but I have been having trouble translating any statement that has 'neither nor' in it.

For example, how would I translate this statement into formal logic/shorthand.

Neither Garrett nor Genrietta finishes earlier than Luisa.

Thank you in advance!

I was just doing a timed PT and I found that many of the questions, due to having gone through the CC, are familiar. I've encountered most of them a while ago, but the familiarity of the questions ruins my confidence in my score. I ended up scoring 168, but I really don't know how to feel about it. Any suggestions on the type of mentality I should have when I experience similar events? Despite the fact that I didn't remember the correct answers to these questions, it still feels like I cheated. I'm sure this will occur again and again as I PT more, so I'd like to know what you think.

https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/12/13/study-high-standardized-test-scores-dont-translate-to-better-cognition

http://worklife.columbia.edu/files_worklife/public/Pros_and_Cons_of_Standardized_Testing_1.pdf

I thought these were two interesting links about standardized testing. They may not specifically be about the LSAT, but they do offer some insight about the pitfalls of this type of testing. I think the LSAT (and as a matter of fact all standardized admissions test) should be done away with. I recognize the need for an equal scoring system, but I would imagine every year students are denied from schools because they didn't perform well enough on a test, when in reality could be the best and brightest students in a field and their class. I don't know what the solution should be, maybe less weight for the LSAT in the admissions process, maybe admissions officer do more research about an applicants school/major, perhaps more schools conduct rounds of interviews with applicants? All of these of course take more resources that may not be available to all schools, but I think a new system is needed. What do the might fine minds of 7 sage thing?

This is essentially two questions. One is serious and one is not.

How many of you guys use Study Buddies? Has this been a big asset to you? A distraction? I'm trying to decide if I should continue to study alone or try to find someone to study with.

The not serious question is who all is your study buddy? Currently, mine is a small kitten I fostered earlier this summer who finds the videos fascinating. He has logged the CC hours right along side me, probably retaining more then I have lol.

Good afternoon everyone!

Can one submit one's transcripts to the AACRAO so that one gets evaluation of one's UG performance, before taking the LSAT?

I have read that the CAS ( formerly LSDAS) uses AACRAO evaluation services to determine how good or bad one did in UG.

I plan on taking the LSAT this February 2018, but before taking, I would like to know where I stand as an international applicant. Or does the CAS calculate GPA only when you are applying to law schools?

In other words, if one's not applying to law schools immediately, can one engage transcript evaluation of AACRAO or CAS just to assess where one stands?

Alternatively is there anyone here who can provide a tentative LSDAS GPA for an international student like me, whom I can PM?

Thank you.

Hey all :) I've never started a thread on this board so here it goes. I'm sure everyone has a bad PT every now and then, but I just had my first major PT fumble since starting my studies. It really feels like a kick in the gut in the confidence department. I'm sure this is a problem most people have and I'm really just bringing the drama (I tend to do that), but what are some tips you all have about getting over the initial freakout period in cases like this?

Here's some background. My highest PT is a 171, my lowest is a 161 (not counting my diagnostic), and my average is about a 167. I just got a 162 on a PT (BR 169). I do two PTs a week with blind review, studying about 30 hours a week in total (I'm a freelance editor so I'm hashtagblessed with a flexible schedule). I've been plateauing between 166-168 for a while now so I was kind of hoping my first foray out of that bracket for weeks wouldn't be a significant drop. And what my BR tells me is twofold: one, PR and PF questions are going to haunt my dreams until the end of days and two, timing really makes me lose my shit. Tips on how to quell clock-related anxiety are much appreciated because my heart rate enters "girl you may need an elephant tranquilizer" territory real quick.

I can't tell if I want to just halt PTs for a little and hit the ground running tomorrow drilling my weaknesses or just take a few days off completely. But if I'm being real, I just need to vent my frustrations with people who get the pressure we put ourselves under. People around me are understandably a little baffled that I'm beating the crap out of myself for what seems like no reason. Anyway, I appreciate you getting to the end of this and if I had medals to hand out, I totally would. Any feedback is appreciated since my current approach of crying buckets full of crazy LSAT tears is, you know, not the best.

Hey all,

Any tips or advice on when to employ these two very different BR methods? I've found in the past that when I do full-test BR a few days later my BR score is significantly higher than when I only BR questions I circled during the normal PT (the ones where I felt (100% certain). I know this indicates that over-confidence is an issue, but I'm not sure how to address it.(/p)

Any idea when the LR videos for test question explanation will be back up and running?

I am by no means a master of this test BUT i had located a recurring question type that i struggled with.. NA, and i am proud to say that i have conquered it!!!

How? With intense drilling.

I took all the NA questions from PT 1-20 and broke them into small digestible groups of 5s

I then did them at random times through the day for a week.

NA is the strangest question type for me bc it asks for something that is so obvious that my brain fills in the information for me.

By becoming sensitive to the kind of "in your face" obviousness that the question is asking for, makes the AC stand out like a sore thumb.

If anyone else has success stories or methods of slaying the beast (lsat), i would love to hear them

As we know, law schools only accept certain LSAT dates, for instance in Canada the last LSAT many schools accept is February, to start the following fall. When should we write the LSAT? When we are ready? For instance, in Canada, taking the LSAT earlier can give you an advantage over those who take the February one. What to do? I guess one can take the exam, and if they screw up, simply take it again, as law schools count the highest score.

Hey Everyone,

Hope everyone is progressing through their studies. I had a quick question regarding BR methods for PT's. I have heard several people reference that they continue fool proofing LG as they PT. I think that this a great idea, but I'm unsure how to go about it. For example, I just took PT40 today (flight game absolutely killed me). After taking the PT, should I watch the explanation videos for the game and then try to do the game again/week later?

Also, if you wouldn't mind just quickly sharing, how long does it normally take you to BR? I'm hoping to take ~1-2 PT's per week and was thinking that I could PT in the morning, BR 2 sections later in the day, and then BR the last 2 the following day. Does this sound feasible?

As always, thank you for your responses.

HEY EVERYONE,

Took PT 65 on Monday and I got a 171 on it!! WOOO. JY's message hyped me up and suggested I celebrate my victory so here it goes! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASS.

Tips: You CAN do it. Try drilling your weakness, COFFEE, ENOUGH SLEEP, WATER - seriously, don't forget about the non-test related essentials :)

Best of luck,

171

Taking the LSAT in Sept - just finished LSAT trainer/my 3rd prep test (65) and the one section I'm not feeling even alright in is RC. I scored a 162 on the above test and missed 12 in RC. For those who have seen improvement - how do you train yourself to synthesize the information quickly and accurately so as to be able to answer the questions that follow? Unless the content is fairly simple, I have a hard time doing the above.

Hi guys,

I recently attended a law school forum in DC and met a lot of schools. Is it ok if I actually write about admissions officer I spoke to at the forum?

Something like: "My recent discussion with Ms. __ __ affirmed my decision to make (enter school name) my top choice. She raved the JD/MPH program......"

Is that ok? Of course I won't make up the conversation we had, but i highly doubt they will remember me anyways lol.