Quick PSA from the other side...

canihazJD

Like many if not most (all?) of you, I heard many times about how the LSAT isn't really useful in law school, just a rough predictor of 1L grades, you just have to do it to get in, etc.

That is a fucking lie.

I've lost count of how many times I've thought or written in my notes this week, "oh, just like the LSAT" particularly when it comes to translating dense material, and critically examining the reasoning behind decisions. Not only is it not irrelevant, I would say a great deal of it is directly applicable. Unless my school is some weird radical outlier (narrator: its not) expect to use the skills you're honing now. Hopefully that motivates you to put the time in and learn this stuff the right way. It'll not only help your score and therefore your admissions outcomes, but also your potential understanding of the material, and ability to examine and destroy hypotheticals and pick apart issues, therefore your test scores, therefore your grades, therefore your job outcomes...

Not that you can't rock law school without having learned this stuff previously, but damn its so much of the same skills. Maybe that we believe these skills don't translate over says more about the type of prep many people/companies push, or why the test seems so difficult to us.

lsat_sus

damn maybe the lsat's not THAT sus.

**p.s. I'm at about 10% of your karma score. Ima top that in about a year fam. You heard it here first!!

Burt Reynolds

@canihazJD said:
Like many if not most (all?) of you, I heard many times about how the LSAT isn't really useful in law school, just a rough predictor of 1L grades, you just have to do it to get in, etc.

That is a fucking lie.

Good call out. Best of luck with 1L!

Cant Get Right

There is one case in Constitutional Law where Scalia is formulating his whole dissent based on the difference between "a"recognition of sovereignty and "the" recognition of sovereignty. It's really quite silly. This type of thing comes up on the LSAT from time to time, and I'm always talking about this case as an example of the type of linguistic/grammatical nuance the LSAT can bring.

More generally, good reasoning skills are absolutely important in law school. Sometimes it can be a liability, however, when poorly reasoned precedent governs the standard you're working with! Even that brings applications. You just have to accept your premises; you (mostly) just have to accept your precedents.

@canihazJD just remember that exams aren't as much about good reasoning. The exam that makes only the best argument is a B-; the exam that makes everything but the best argument is an A+. Understanding why this statement is true is really important.

canihazJD

@"Cant Get Right" I'm finishing Getting to Maybe just in time as week 1 assignments are up and apparently I'll never have recreational reading time again.

Cant Get Right

@canihazJD said:
@"Cant Get Right" I'm finishing Getting to Maybe just in time as week 1 assignments are up and apparently I'll never have recreational reading time again.

Haha. Depends on how much you want it. I read a few books in 1L and f’ing Lord of the Rings in just the second semester of 2L. You do find out what activities really matter to you though. You will have to make some choices.

canihazJD

@"Cant Get Right" I just realized something... hitting you on DM.

Jonathan Wang

I've been saying this for years and nobody ever believes me until they experience it for themselves. I guess it's a real hand-on-the-burner kind of thing. When people say law school teaches you how to think, well, that's the LSAT too. I don't think it's much of a coincidence that the better you get at the test, the more applications you see to the work that you're doing elsewhere. It may not necessarily be in multiple choice format, but these things are demanded of you nevertheless. It's because when you study for the LSAT you're not just studying for a test; you're studying a system of thought. Unless you plan to just not think during law school, you're gonna have to use those skills.

Oh, and if anyone thinks they're never going to have to do a logic game again, just wait until you have to construct the seating chart for your wedding.

Have fun with 1L! I'll be 4 hours downstate if you need a drinking/budding alcoholism buddy.

Facts_or_Feelings

The skills you learn from studying/PT'ing for LSAT are useful in everyday life, so they definitely will be useful in law school.

It is a skill to call out flaws (Ad hom, etc.). It is hilarious to say "not necessarily" to every thing you hear, ask for facts and not beliefs. Practising these skills has really spiced up my life.

canihazJD

@"Jonathan Wang" said:
I'll be 4 hours downstate if you need a drinking/budding alcoholism buddy.

When I make it into the city, its on.