Why do people spend 15+ mins on the writing sample? Forum

[FakeBlood]

i think its funny, kind of fun actually. i damn near died when i read 'wang', i was like, come on, REALLY? that must've been a little nugget from the demons at the LSAC. happy holidays! LOL

[BrightLine]

Because some people, when told they have to do something, believe they may as well do it as well as they possibly can.

So crazy I know LOLOL!!!!1!one! Don't they know they can cynically adopt an unjustified sense of superiority and bomb it with no consequences?

Wow. Best post ever. If I knew you, we would be friends.

[androstan]

I wrote a 4 paragraph essay, introductory paragraph with a thesis, two body paragraphs discussing each of the two criteria, and a concluding paragraph discussing possible additional information that, if introduced, could alter the thesis.

I filled up all of the writing space, but I write kinda big.

It was very cookie-cutter, I had to draw an "X" through a few words or letters as I was just cranking through it and made some awkward/incorrect sentences, and there was no style to it. It did, however, make a competent argument and demonstrated that I can state a position, defend it, and consider relevant objections. It took me 15 or 20 minutes, then I took a nap.

It was brainless. An addcomm might look at it. I have nothing else to do for the next 35 minutes. So why not?

[tomwatts]

I think of it as a cool down after that massive workout that is the LSAT. My students and I were talking about it (for about 15 minutes in the very last class) a few months ago, and one of them suggested that the reason it's there is that if they just stopped section 5 and sent people out into the world, they'd be wandering around like dazed zombies for a few minutes as they tried to get their brains back from LSAT land, and this is a nice transition before you have to go back to functioning normally again.

I took the LSAT strictly to teach it, and I wrote the writing sample because, well, why not? You're there anyway, and you can probably fill up the entire two pages that they give you in maybe 25 minutes even if you don't write very quickly (which I don't). If you really think things over, I could see spending upwards of the whole time available.

[homestyle28]

Because why the hell not? You're there, you know how to write, you know how to argue... Why not use the time you're given just in case the guy who reviews your app wants to shake up the paradigm by reviewing the LSAT essay?

+1

[joebloe]

I think of it as a cool down after that massive workout that is the LSAT. My students and I were talking about it (for about 15 minutes in the very last class) a few months ago, and one of them suggested that the reason it's there is that if they just stopped section 5 and sent people out into the world, they'd be wandering around like dazed zombies for a few minutes as they tried to get their brains back from LSAT land, and this is a nice transition before you have to go back to functioning normally again.

I took the LSAT strictly to teach it, and I wrote the writing sample because, well, why not? You're there anyway, and you can probably fill up the entire two pages that they give you in maybe 25 minutes even if you don't write very quickly (which I don't). If you really think things over, I could see spending upwards of the whole time available.

I think this is a good way to think about it, especially if you like to argue.

However, a more cynical way of thinking about it would be that LSAC wants to keep you at least 35 more minutes after the last credited section so you can remember less of the actual test when you step out of the room. The whole exercise of collecting answer sheets and test books, forcing you to stay to the end, write in pencil but never erase...

[ren2011]

I think this is a good way to think about it, especially if you like to argue.

However, a more cynical way of thinking about it would be that LSAC wants to keep you at least 35 more minutes after the last credited section so you can remember less of the actual test when you step out of the room. The whole exercise of collecting answer sheets and test books, forcing you to stay to the end, write in pencil but never erase...

If that's the case, it worked!

[rinkrat19]

Do they realize it doesn't count? I see people spending 25-30 minutes writing and I just don't get it...

Just to annoy you. That's the writing section's only reason for existence.

[Eyetalian]

If anything, the time limit should be shorter, 20-25 minutes tops.

[Pleasye]

If anything, the time limit should be shorter, 20-25 minutes tops.

The LSAC Gods are reading all of this and taking in all of their suggestions because they really care.

[FlanSolo]

If anything, the time limit should be shorter, 20-25 minutes tops.

Yeah, I agree with this. I'm pretty sure some people use the 35 minutes simply because that's the amount of time they're given. It's also useful a skill to know what you don't need to write.

[traehekat]

stupid thread, no reason to not put in a little effort. even the slightest risk of it actually making some kinda difference for one school in you apply to is not worth the benefit of... well, whatever the hell you think you get out of sitting there and not doing anything for 20 minutes.

[blhblahblah]

stupid thread, no reason to not put in a little effort. even the slightest risk of it actually making some kinda difference for one school in you apply to is not worth the benefit of... well, whatever the hell you think you get out of sitting there and not doing anything for 20 minutes.

you shouldn't need more than 15 minutes to sufficiently answer the writing sample. any longer and you're either writing garbage or just slow at organizing your thoughts. imo, time should be reduced to 15 minutes.

[Eyetalian]

stupid thread, no reason to not put in a little effort. even the slightest risk of it actually making some kinda difference for one school in you apply to is not worth the benefit of... well, whatever the hell you think you get out of sitting there and not doing anything for 20 minutes.

you shouldn't need more than 15 minutes to sufficiently answer the writing sample. any longer and you're either writing garbage or just slow at organizing your thoughts. imo, time should be reduced to 15 minutes.

That's all I'm saying, 15 minutes should be good enough to write a solid essay.

[Pleasye]

you shouldn't need more than 15 minutes to sufficiently answer the writing sample. any longer and you're either writing garbage or just slow at organizing your thoughts. imo, time should be reduced to 15 minutes.

Oh my god. You are so smart because it only takes you 15 minutes to organize and write an essay. Now they're really gonna change the time limit

[calilaw]

Why not just write out a generic response? What's up with all of you who blow it off completely just because it's *probably* meaningless? It's a 5th grade reading/response assignment. You barely need to think to do it, so why not just do it?

I think some people on here blew it off, regret it because they're afraid an adcomm might actually glance at the crap they put down, and now they want to make themselves feel better about it.

[BlueFeathers]

stupid thread, no reason to not put in a little effort. even the slightest risk of it actually making some kinda difference for one school in you apply to is not worth the benefit of... well, whatever the hell you think you get out of sitting there and not doing anything for 20 minutes.

you shouldn't need more than 15 minutes to sufficiently answer the writing sample. any longer and you're either writing garbage or just slow at organizing your thoughts. imo, time should be reduced to 15 minutes.

That's all I'm saying, 15 minutes should be good enough to write a solid essay.

My hands were shaking a little from all the bubbling in and holding my pencil too tight so I had to write much slower than I usually do or it would have been some serious chicken stretch not even I could have read.

I also have a slight writer's bump that comes and goes on my finger from holding pencil's too tight and it was bothering me too so I switched fingers and held my pencil differently for the writing section.

I do kinda hope adcoms just happen to check out the writing section of those who who blow it off off though. Just because.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Both times I finished the essay within 15 minutes and both of them had complete arguments. [This time, after I finished..I took a 5-10 minute 'bathroom break'.]
However, a lot of people need more than 15 minutes to do this.
It is also likely that there are many people who want their essays to be perfect and even if they could finish the assignment in fifteen minutes.. they want it to better than "good".
There are many rational reasons as to why people spend more than 15 minutes on the essay.

[Eyetalian]

I didn't blow it off. I guess I just felt that something was wrong when it took me 15 minutes to write a solid essay that answered the question and I looked around and saw people that appeared to be laboring on for another 15-20 minutes. I thought, "damn, was it a tough question? I thought it was pretty straightforward."

[hokie]

To make myself look busy so people don't notice me crying in the corner.........

[ATR]

Why not? You have to sit there the full 35 minutes, anyway. FWIW, I spent 20 on mine.

[Bildungsroman]

Is this a thread where people pretty blatantly brag about how fast they can finish the writing sample?

I wrote my entire essay by carving it onto a stamp I fashioned out of the desk next to me. Then, using my own blood as ink, I stamped the entire writing sample onto the provided paper. Entire thing only took me eleven seconds, and that's counting the time it took to fashion a carving tool out of a bone from the pigeon I lured to my desk.

[BlueDiamond]

It took me 17 minutes to neatly write "I love Cornell" 138 times.. so people using more than 15 minutes are probably doing the same.. what better way to show commitment to a school than killing your options at any other school?? except maybe an ED

[iWayneState]

I had LG as my 5th section. I remembered the rules to the conference game and re-did it.

[T6Hopeful]

I spent the entire time writing because I had to be in that room for the full 35 minutes anyway, might as well occupy my time.

+1. Also, writing something simple for 35 minutes is not a burden to me. If it is to you, you may want to reconsider law school.