Is anyone in the Online Writing Section Pilot?

Comments

• 4 Likes

  Ohnoeshalpme Alum Member ⭐

  August 2018 2531 karma

  I personally think that the inclusion of the writing portion is distracting to the purpose of the test, and frankly it's a waste of time. I'm not sure why they don't just remove the written part altogether.
• LSAT_Wrecker Member ⭐

  August 2018 4850 karma

  Like you, I got the "Thanks but no thanks" email. I think the idea of doing the writing sample at a different time is great. While I do try to write something coherent on the sample, by the time I'm done with the 5 sections on test day, my "Give a insert expletive" meter is on E.
• AudaciousRed Alum Member

  August 2018 2689 karma

  Wow. I didnt even get the "thanks, but no" email. Nada.
• 1 Like

  _oshun1_ Alum Member

  August 2018 3652 karma

  No and wtf I wanted the $$ they were offering for doing it
• 1 Like

  Bamboosprout Alum Member

  August 2018 1694 karma

  @Ohnoeshalpme said:
  I personally think that the inclusion of the writing portion is distracting to the purpose of the test, and frankly it's a waste of time. I'm not sure why they don't just remove the written part altogether.

  I think that part of the reason they have the writing portion is to acquire a writing sample so that they know the person who took the LSAT is who they say they are, and is the person who is applying. It probably has some effect of preventing cheaters and fake exam takers. I think it's honestly not a big deal, and just view it as a stretch after an intense workout.
• eRetaker Free Trial Member

  August 2018 edited August 2018 2043 karma

  Yeah I heard something similar to what @Bamboosprout said for other tests such as the GMAT which has significantly more international test takers. It served as a means of comparing the writing styles in international students' writing samples vs. personal statements to check if they were the real authors of their essays. Though not sure if the LSAT writing sample serves the same purpose or is just a part of tradition at this point. Personally found the writing prompts pretty enjoyable and it's only an extra 35 minutes at the end of the exam.
• 1 Like

  L.Etranger Alum Member

  August 2018 72 karma

  @"surfy surf" you took the words right out of my mouth certainly wouldn't have minded that swag fee waiver from LSAC
• 1 Like

  L.Etranger Alum Member

  August 2018 edited August 2018 72 karma

  @eRetaker interesting, I have never heard (or really even gave a thought) to the link between the GMAT writing sample and non-native English speakers. Wish me luck as I'm tutoring Egyptian students in the LSAT during a long term stay in Cairo this fall!
• eRetaker Free Trial Member

  August 2018 2043 karma

  @"L.Etranger" said:
  @eRetaker interesting, I have never heard (or really even gave a thought) to the link between the GMAT writing sample and non-native English speakers. Wish me luck as I'm tutoring Egyptian students in the LSAT during a long term stay in Cairo this fall!

  That sounds like a very exciting stay. Good luck on your journey and application process!
• 1 Like

  AudaciousRed Alum Member

  August 2018 2689 karma

  Oh wow. Check your spam folders folks!! I'm in! So mad at my provider right now...
• 1 Like

  L.Etranger Alum Member

  September 2018 72 karma

  @AudaciousRed very jealous! but happy I could help.
• 1 Like

  eRetaker Free Trial Member

  September 2018 2043 karma

  Just finished the Online Writing Sample. It was actually a little interesting. All you browsers and online sticky notes will be automatically shut down so make sure you don't have anything important opened before starting. You also have to use your webcam and scan your room for prohibited items. Unfortunately, I was doing this from my bed in the morning so I had to maneuver a bit lol. You also can't copy and paste the password they provide you in the email (your email browser is also shut down) so try to memorize it before you start. The actual writing sample experience was pretty nice, though I would've liked a bigger window frame to type.
• _oshun1_ Alum Member

  September 2018 3652 karma

  @eRetaker said:
  Just finished the Online Writing Sample. It was actually a little interesting. All you browsers and online sticky notes will be automatically shut down so make sure you don't have anything important opened before starting. You also have to use your webcam and scan your room for prohibited items. Unfortunately, I was doing this from my bed in the morning so I had to maneuver a bit lol. You also can't copy and paste the password they provide you in the email (your email browser is also shut down) so try to memorize it before you start. The actual writing sample experience was pretty nice, though I would've liked a bigger window frame to type.

  You have to scan your room with your webcam?? That’s so creepy and unrealistic like it would take me so long to scan every inch of my room and I’m not going to clear my room out of prohibited items. What if you took it in a Starbucks or library you’d have to scan the whole area? That’s so odd!
• eRetaker Free Trial Member

  September 2018 2043 karma

  @"surfy surf" Yeah, they weren't completely clear on the "scan your room" instruction so I just did a 360 spin with my laptop of the area lol
• AudaciousRed Alum Member

  September 2018 2689 karma

  You were supposed to cam around your feet and all, too, to make sure you didn't have anything under your chair. I did mine in an empty room at our nearby college. I really, really didn't like the online version. Maybe I'm just old. I like having the pencil and paper. I like having the ability to quickly look back and forth at the topic page, or my notes, and not having to scroll anything. Scrolling back and forth eats so much time, I think. All the rules and specifications to do it online made it overly complicated and more stressful than it needed to be.