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Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:35 pm
by hendrix
I'm thinking this will be used against me. Is there any way they can find out if I lie about it?

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:45 pm
by Drake014
hendrix wrote:I'm thinking this will be used against me. Is there any way they can find out if I lie about it?
After reading this thread, I approve.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:47 pm
by NZA
Drake014 wrote:
hendrix wrote:I'm thinking this will be used against me. Is there any way they can find out if I lie about it?
After reading this thread, I approve.
:lol:

OP, when you take the LSAT, LSAC will ask you if you took an LSAT prep course. Some law school apps also ask for it.

What do you think is worse...lying on a document that you swear you've filled out faithfully and honestly?

Or taking the initiative to prepare for a test of extraordinary personal importance?

Hmm...

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:49 pm
by fundamentallybroken
NZA wrote:
Drake014 wrote:
hendrix wrote:I'm thinking this will be used against me. Is there any way they can find out if I lie about it?
After reading this thread, I approve.
:lol:

OP, when you take the LSAT, LSAC will ask you if you took an LSAT prep course. Some law school apps also ask for it.

What do you think is worse...lying on a document that you swear you've filled out faithfully and honestly?

Or taking the initiative to prepare for a test of extraordinary personal importance?

Hmm...
I agree: lying is totally the way to go on a law school application.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:49 pm
by Clint Eastwood
It really doesn't matter for most people if they take the LSAT prep. But for people that get high 160s and above, typically better scores, it tends to say they have less innate ability if they have taken courses, and that hurts applications.

Just keep that in mind when applying.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:50 pm
by Deuce
Ask your prep course if they offer an anonymous fee. Although it can be pricey, it will hide from law schools that you took a prep course which they see as a HUGE negative in the application process. It is definitely worth it.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:51 pm
by Pleasye
Deuce wrote:Ask your prep course if they offer an anonymous fee. Although it can be pricey, it will hide from law schools that you took a prep course which they see as a HUGE negative in the application process. It is definitely worth it.
+1. I'm definitely doing this.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:54 pm
by Drake014
LSpleaseee wrote:
Deuce wrote:Ask your prep course if they offer an anonymous fee. Although it can be pricey, it will hide from law schools that you took a prep course which they see as a HUGE negative in the application process. It is definitely worth it.
+1. I'm definitely doing this.
You should also lie about how many women you've slept with in your personal statement. If you're not sure how to lie about this, take the real number, add 1, and multiply by ten.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:55 pm
by NZA
Drake014 wrote:
LSpleaseee wrote:
Deuce wrote:Ask your prep course if they offer an anonymous fee. Although it can be pricey, it will hide from law schools that you took a prep course which they see as a HUGE negative in the application process. It is definitely worth it.
+1. I'm definitely doing this.
You should also lie about how many women you've slept with in your personal statement. If you're not sure how to lie about this, take the real number, add 1, and multiply by ten.
(0 + 1) x 10 = 10

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:56 pm
by Drake014
NZA wrote:
Drake014 wrote:
LSpleaseee wrote:
Deuce wrote:Ask your prep course if they offer an anonymous fee. Although it can be pricey, it will hide from law schools that you took a prep course which they see as a HUGE negative in the application process. It is definitely worth it.
+1. I'm definitely doing this.
You should also lie about how many women you've slept with in your personal statement. If you're not sure how to lie about this, take the real number, add 1, and multiply by ten.
(0 + 1) x 10 = 10
Exactly. My original advice was to multiply by 10... but that probably wouldn't help OP. So, add 1.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:52 am
by SilverE2
Deuce wrote:Ask your prep course if they offer an anonymous fee. Although it can be pricey, it will hide from law schools that you took a prep course which they see as a HUGE negative in the application process. It is definitely worth it.
+1 to this advice. I paid extra for the testmaster anonymous course, and it was so worth it. Two schools I've been accepted to have already mentioned that part of the reason I was accepted is because I didn't take a course to get my score.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 4:05 am
by overunderachiever
SilverE2 wrote:
Deuce wrote:Ask your prep course if they offer an anonymous fee. Although it can be pricey, it will hide from law schools that you took a prep course which they see as a HUGE negative in the application process. It is definitely worth it.
+1 to this advice. I paid extra for the testmaster anonymous course, and it was so worth it. Two schools I've been accepted to have already mentioned that part of the reason I was accepted is because I didn't take a course to get my score.
^I heard that that is a bigger boost than being a URM

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 4:06 am
by gbpackerbacker
What schools ask this question??

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 4:08 am
by Bildungsroman
gbpackerbacker wrote:What schools ask this question??
Yale, I think.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 4:10 am
by Ragged
Don't listen to those trolls, OP.

Taking a course doesn't hurt your app THAT much. It just might be used as tiebreaker if you are borderline. It's sorta like having a criminal record, only slightly worse.

Relax.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2011 4:12 am
by gbpackerbacker
Bildungsroman wrote:
gbpackerbacker wrote:What schools ask this question??
Yale, I think.

Anywhere else? I blanketed the t20 (minus Yale) and then some, and I don't remember seeing this anywhere.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:35 pm
by hooma
I remembered having read this about Yale, which is probably out of reach, but I'm wondering how common it is? Should it deter you from taking a course?

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:38 pm
by JurisDoctorate
Lol, y'all are trolling!

C'mon, there is NO WAY that they hold that against people...






Right?????!??!?!??!?

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:43 pm
by aspire2more
I applied to several T14 schools (not Yale) and not one of them asked if I had taken a test prep course. Do not lie on your applications! But if you're really that concerned about it, just apply to some schools that do not care one way or the other in addition to whichever ones would be asking you. I would say that you have a fairly large number of them to choose from.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 6:23 pm
by dreakol
the comments here are 180

the only difference between self studying and a prep course is someone else reads the directions in the books for you

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 6:25 pm
by quadsixm
Kaplan is required to report your attendance to all schools. Don't lie about it. I'd even suggest you write an addendum about it.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 6:31 pm
by fatduck
I had a 174/3.96 and didn't get into my dream school (Yale) so I took the Kaplan prep course to try and improve my LSAT. I got a 180 on my retake and got rejected again, with a personal note from the Dean which I've scanned for your perusal:

Image

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 6:33 pm
by FiveSermon
fatduck wrote:I had a 174/3.96 and didn't get into my dream school (Yale) so I took the Kaplan prep course to try and improve my LSAT. I got a 180 on my retake and got rejected again, with a personal note from the Dean which I've scanned for your perusal:

Image
Clearly the dean rejected you because you chose Kaplan. Kaplan is the TTT of the prep companies.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 3:13 am
by gwuorbust
fatduck wrote:I had a 174/3.96 and didn't get into my dream school (Yale) so I took the Kaplan prep course to try and improve my LSAT. I got a 180 on my retake and got rejected again, with a personal note from the Dean which I've scanned for your perusal:

Image
I loled.

seriously OP. nobody cares.

Re: Can Schools Tell If You've Taken LSAT PREP?

Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2011 12:42 pm
by TheFactor
You should definitely lie about it, OP. All law schools know that anyone who needs to study for the LSAT is really dumb.