Any interest in a LSAT proctor-like mp3/video? Forum

[basicgrey7]

Being usable on I Touch would be awesome!

[Mr. Matlock]

thanks for wasting our time; i just bought the official lsat proctor whereas i could have been using it already

I hope you were being sarcastic with this response. If not, if I owned a douchetard bat, I love to beat the moronic, unappreciative, shit out of you.

And if you were being sarcastic... you need to work on that.

[lafafinette]

did this ever become a reality??

[Genki]

How many seconds do people get between sections (not the break)? 10 seconds? 30? A minute?

For me, there was usually about 10 seconds between each section. Just enough for a few deep breaths before the next section starts.

[YCrevolution]

..

[PadawanLaw]

Foremost, I apologize for the thread necromancy... I realize this thread is quite old. I came to it this morning while I was searching for an alternative to the $25 LSAT Proctor DVD and saw that the project doesn't seem to have been finished. I couldn't bring myself to pay $25, so I just hammered away at creating something that would work for me this morning. While it is not perfect, by any means, I think it will work for my needs.

I thought I'd drop by and share it. I apologize if this video was created and I missed the thread/final project elsewhere. I don't want any money for it and the file can be shared wherever. I have thrown the file up on my LSAT/Law blog and I'd appreciate if it received any attribution as you spread it around.

PadawanLaw.com - LSAT Cacophony
Size: ~40mb

Link to my blog post about the file including a streaming audio file : http://padawanlaw.com/?p=57
(Good if you are at a computer that you can't download to or are away from your main computer)

Link to direct download of the mp3 file: http://padawanlaw.com/wp-content/upload ... ophony.mp3
(Good if you are going to play it on an mp3 player, iPhone/iTouch or want to always have access to it)

I might create some more in the future if this one is popular, but I just wanted to see how hard it was to achieve first.

[theZeigs]

First of all: THANK YOU.

Second, I didn't hear a 5 minute warning. Finally, it looks like the proctor stops about 2 seconds early. Any way to get coughs on the track?

This is great though, thanks a bunch.

[PadawanLaw]

There should be coughs on the file -- if there aren't, it's because I forgot to select that track when I exported it. I can check the file and make the changes when I get home from work.

I can move the proctor stop two seconds back as well. I'll admit that me rolling over in bed and making this was not the ideal work environment.

If anyone else has any changes/additions they would like to see, please feel free to admit them to this post and I'll try to tackle it after I leave work.

In all fairness and disclosure, I manage a recording studio and could EASILY make a better version of this once I am actually done with the June exam, but I wouldn't have time until them. For now, though, I have no problem making changes to this one for those of us attempting the June exam. School, studying and work will take up the majority of my time for the moment.

While I'll have time this evening, I don't know how much time I'll have in the upcoming weeks (finals at USF), so if possible, please have your suggestions in as soon as possible -- I know it's short notice, but do what you can.

[Atlas LSAT Teacher]

Here's on online version of a proctor -- scroll down to the "virtual proctor video" http://www.atlaslsat.com/training-center.cfm

Good luck!

[nick637]

Where were you before Dec 09? This is a great idea and i'm sure many TLS'ers would benefit.

[PadawanLaw]

I actually already checked the Atlas one out. It just has the same problems as the other ones I've seen. It isn't portable and has no distractions built into it.

I travel often for work. Let's say that I am at a hotel or am on an airplane.... I can't use this. Also for anyone who has taken a standardized, they'll tell you that it is never absolutely quiet. This can be one of the most unsettling parts. Acclimating yourself to a complete devoid of noise is not a great idea as it is rarely replicable under real-life situations.

Thanks for the link, though.

[PadawanLaw]

If the "Where were you before 09" was directed at me, I apologize for not being around ha. I didn't find this site until around January.

If it was directed at Atlas then never mind this post!

[hellokitty]

This is another reason why you're my fave. Gracias for even thinking of this!

[PadawanLaw]

First of all: THANK YOU.

Second, I didn't hear a 5 minute warning. Finally, it looks like the proctor stops about 2 seconds early. Any way to get coughs on the track?

This is great though, thanks a bunch.

Hey theZeigs,

Can you check again for me? At about 30:06 I have it showing up. The extra couple seconds comes from the fact that the intro takes a few seconds and the initial timer does not begin until then.

If it really isn't showing up, I'll recheck the file. The entire file is fairly soft so that it can be ambient if someone wants it to be. Just pump up the volume if you are having trouble hearing anything and you should definitely hear the coughs, AC, sneezes, throat-clears, pencil drops, chair movements, chair squeaks, paper crumbles, page turns and more.

[Atlas LSAT Teacher]

I actually already checked this one out. It just has the same problems as the other ones I've seen. It isn't portable and has no distractions built into it.

If you send me your number, I'll call your phone every so often while you take your test.

[PadawanLaw]

I actually already checked this one out. It just has the same problems as the other ones I've seen. It isn't portable and has no distractions built into it.

If you send me your number, I'll call your phone every so often while you take your test.

Don't tempt me unless you are willing to follow through on that one


Seriously, though, the Atlas one is great. It just doesn't work for me when I am mobile. Now the LSAT Tracker, that thing is just sweet.

[MSachmorov]

That's a great idea, and very generous of you! Thanks!

[PadawanLaw]

That's a great idea, and very generous of you! Thanks!

You're welcome, man. Let me know if you see any changes that would be beneficial. They won't be immediate, but I plan to play with this idea some more in the upcoming months. Will probably be more fruitful for October/December test takers.

[theZeigs]

First of all: THANK YOU.

Second, I didn't hear a 5 minute warning. Finally, it looks like the proctor stops about 2 seconds early. Any way to get coughs on the track?

This is great though, thanks a bunch.

Hey theZeigs,

Can you check again for me? At about 30:06 I have it showing up. The extra couple seconds comes from the fact that the intro takes a few seconds and the initial timer does not begin until then.

If it really isn't showing up, I'll recheck the file. The entire file is fairly soft so that it can be ambient if someone wants it to be. Just pump up the volume if you are having trouble hearing anything and you should definitely hear the coughs, AC, sneezes, throat-clears, pencil drops, chair movements, chair squeaks, paper crumbles, page turns and more.

I LOL'ed at about 5:37+ when the coughs were thrown in, HILARIOUS. Excellent, and very well done^^

The 5 min warning showed up on time. The "you may start...now" was at 0:11 for me, the time is up was at about 35:08, so it was about 3 seconds short, but I feel like this is a good thing.

This is super lagat, goddamn this is a big deal for these forums, I really hope this blows up. Seriously, excellent work.

The next step would be to have the same clip, in levels (channeling an early Seinfeld episode FTW). The number/volume of distractions could increase through levels 1-5. Not sure how difficult this is; the volume thing can be taken care of by just turning the volume up.

Next time I take a PT (Sat), I'll use this and report back about how it worked/how much it distracted me. For posterity, I am pretty hard to rattle so this might be a good measure of the level of distraction this brings to the table.

Again, outstanding work. Three cheers for PadawanLaw!!!

[PadawanLaw]

I'm really interested to hear how much of a distraction this is for you. I easily could have made it worse, but I wanted to make sure it wasn't overkill.

I have a few ideas in mind, but I don't want to make any promises that I can't follow through though. If I don't completely bomb the LSAT and only have to take it once, then I'll just have work for awhile and I hope to work on this project some more as I think it could be quite fun.

Spread the word! If people are actually getting a use out of this, it will definitely fuel my desire to better it.

[YCrevolution]

..

[PadawanLaw]

I appreciate it, YCrevolution. I was thinking about making a new thread since I hijacked this one, so that helps out a lot.

Also, you made the smart decision by focusing on exams... I, on the other hand, made the audio file and now have three more papers, a website to design and more LSAT prep to do before exams start next week. I'm hoping my design professor will be merciful.

[theZeigs]

First of all: THANK YOU.

Second, I didn't hear a 5 minute warning. Finally, it looks like the proctor stops about 2 seconds early. Any way to get coughs on the track?

This is great though, thanks a bunch.

Hey theZeigs,

Can you check again for me? At about 30:06 I have it showing up. The extra couple seconds comes from the fact that the intro takes a few seconds and the initial timer does not begin until then.

If it really isn't showing up, I'll recheck the file. The entire file is fairly soft so that it can be ambient if someone wants it to be. Just pump up the volume if you are having trouble hearing anything and you should definitely hear the coughs, AC, sneezes, throat-clears, pencil drops, chair movements, chair squeaks, paper crumbles, page turns and more.

Hey Padawan,

I used the proctor on my PT last night. It was VERY distracting. I think part of it was that I had earbuds in, which is not realistic because nobody is coughing directly in your ear. I will try again with speakers positioned to make the noise seem more "ambient." Also I think part of it is that it was strange having noises when I was alone in the room, i.e. it makes sense to hear a cough when there's someone else around.

But thanks so much, this is very useful. I will repost/reply again after I try this with speakers in a room to simulate ambient noise.

Also, not sure how hard this is, but if it's easy, maybe it would be useful to post a short version of this? I practice with a 34:00 timer, I'm going to drop it to 33:00 hopefully before the test. I simply started my timer 1:00 after yours started, but if you had, e.g., a 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35 min version, it would be easy. Can you just cut out a minute in the middle somewhere?

Oh, and I almost forgot! One thing that I thought of while taking the PT with this on (which was maybe part of the distraction) was that this reminded me of the scene in Ferris Bueller where Ferris plays "Blue Danube Waltz" on his keyboard with the body sounds...hahaha

-theZeigs

[Interminable_Waiting]

This will be perfect for me. I have been tutoring my friend for the June LSAT since he bombed (154) the December one, and we are in the phase where he takes an LSAT every three days. I have been proctoring him, but I am going to have to miss a few of them, so this will be a great substitute. I am trying to get him up over 165. He had his first perfect LR section the other night, but still got -11 in RC. Aieee.

Thanks!!!!

[PadawanLaw]

Yea, I also have used it with earbuds and it is ridiculously distracting.

I can make 30-35 min versions. When are you taking the LSAT? June? October?

I actually am making an iPhone and iPod Touch version right now, which is taken up about all of my free-time besides studying. It definitely won't be ready before June, though.

After the June exam is done, I'll be releasing a new version of the Cacophony with slightly more realistic effects and I'll make the 30 mins - 35 mins for you as well.

The Ferris Bueller part made me laugh.