Leaving writing sample empty; could you leave? Forum

[Clearly]

I don't follow. You want a JD ... for the fun of it? I'm wondering why you think it's going to be much fun (everything I've heard, I expect the experience to be stressful and time consuming) and why you'd take any debt at all for something that will in no way benefit you. But in any case, that's not really our business so go for it, tell us how it turns out.

No, I intend to actually take the bar. I've been a software engineer for the last 20 years, and combining my current work experience with the law (esp patent/IP law) would be pretty good. At least my company thinks so, and they're willing to cover it up to some extend (with strings attached of course). This is why the school must be local, part-time and not too expensive. Things might be different if I was young and dreamed of a law career, but I'm not.

If this is legit, just write a stupid sample. How could you be in the workforce for 20 years, but not have the work-ethic to write "I think they should fly instead of drive, here's why" for 20 minutes? You aren't allowed to leave the test center till after the tests are collected. Your options are write the sample with no consequence, sit there for 35 minutes and do nothing (with possibly huge consequences), or pretend to go pee (with possibly huge consequences). You will look like a joke when schools pull up your writing sample.

[bilbaosan]

If this is legit, just write a stupid sample. How could you be in the workforce for 20 years, but not have the work-ethic to write "I think they should fly instead of drive, here's why" for 20 minutes?

I said it above:

- I can't handwrite, only type. This would be much less an issue if they allowed the test on a computer;
- Most likely I'd need a dictionary which is not allowed. Sure if the subject is why the video communication app should use UDP instead of TCP, or whether video compressor should use 4x4 macroblocks or 32x32, I wouldn't need any. But if it is about which art gallery should be chosen for some exhibition, it is different.
- If something is not necessary for success (i.e. test completion) and is extremely unpleasant (such as writing essays on rather retarded topics such as PT46), I'd rather not do it. Hence my question.

Regarding the schools, I'm currently more concerned about LSAC. If it's fine with the LSAC, then I can just call the schools and ask whether they care about the writing sample. Wouldn't be surprised if they don't even care about the LSAT score as long as LSAT is passed, and the tuition is paid in time.

You aren't allowed to leave the test center till after the tests are collected.

This is not true. Here's what is written on my admission ticket:

• Decision Not to Complete the Test/Illness
If you become ill during any part of the test, you may decide not to complete the LSAT. If you decide not to complete the test, raise your hand and wait for permission to leave. All of your test materials will be collected before you leave the room. If you leave the testing room due to illness or for any other reason and decide not to complete the test, you will not be permitted to re-enter the testing room for any reason. Your score will not be canceled automatically if you leave the test early.

The way I read it is that you can leave anytime you decide not to complete the test, and the test still should be scored unless you cancel it.

[crestor]

Why are you considering those schools?

They are local, and they accept evening part-time students (those options are non-negotiable to me). As a plus, the tuition could be reasonable, and they are not picky. I'd be shocked if they ever disqualified anyone because of writing sample.

At the same time I don't care about school rankings - I've got my career already, which I intend to continue, and studying law is more like fun to me. I'm scoring between 150 and 170 on timed preps depending on how much English I understood, and I don't expect any significant improvement there, so I can't be too picky either.

Look man i'm not trying to be a jackass here but there is no way you can score from 150 to 170 as a range. a 170 is max 13 wrong and a 150 is half the test wrong.

[neprep]

If this is legit, just write a stupid sample. How could you be in the workforce for 20 years, but not have the work-ethic to write "I think they should fly instead of drive, here's why" for 20 minutes?

I said it above:

- I can't handwrite, only type. This would be much less an issue if they allowed the test on a computer;
- Most likely I'd need a dictionary which is not allowed. Sure if the subject is why the video communication app should use UDP instead of TCP, or whether video compressor should use 4x4 macroblocks or 32x32, I wouldn't need any. But if it is about which art gallery should be chosen for some exhibition, it is different.
- If something is not necessary for success (i.e. test completion) and is extremely unpleasant (such as writing essays on rather retarded topics such as PT46), I'd rather not do it. Hence my question.

Yes, the LSAC won't care. You seem confident that the law schools you're applying to won't care either, so I think you'll be fine skipping it.

But... the bolded part is fascinating. If you have enough English proficiency to score a 170 on PTs, it just seems surprising that the task of hand writing it is such an insurmountable hurdle. The only advantage to typing lies in dictionaries, I guess, which autocorrect for spelling, but on standardized tests those functions are disabled anyway (like on the GRE). This may be totally irrelevant, but I took Latin for four years in undergrad, and I had absolutely no preference between typing my exams and handwriting them (that is to say, I was equally uncomfortable with either, haha).

[A. Nony Mouse]

I'm presuming that the OP's first language doesn't use the Roman alphabet, that's why writing (as opposed to typing) would be difficult. But OP, interestingly you don't sound like a non-native speaker at all (it's not just about the spelling). Just write something, even if it's 3 sentences. Plenty of native speakers can't spell worth a damn. I don't think whether a school cares about the writing sample is a good proxy for their selectivity - just make enough of a good faith effort to not raise red flags.

[lsatyolo]

At least draw a cool picture of Vegeta going super saiyan 4 or some shit

I don't think vegeta ever went super saiyan 4. I think the highest he went was SSJ 2.

edit: so, like, an adcomm might see this and think you're dumb for not knowing this.

Vegeta did go SSJ4, but it was in GT. Adcomms definitely will look down on your app if you choose to draw GT instead of Z, since Z is clearly superior.[/quote]


aww cheah

[vzapana]

guys, remember penmanship class? i hated that shit.

[CyanIdes Of March]

Random thought: Won't law school require some English writing?

[A. Nony Mouse]

Random thought: Won't law school require some English writing?

Presumably typing, not handwriting. Profs don't want to read handwriting.

[bilbaosan]

Look man i'm not trying to be a jackass here but there is no way you can score from 150 to 170 as a range. a 170 is max 13 wrong and a 150 is half the test wrong.

Statistics from LsatQA: http://i41.tinypic.com/xcvqck.jpg

I've done 29-38 as well, they just aren't stored in LsatQA as I only found it recently.

I have said it before, LSAT measurements are as good as your English is. If your English is not native, your LSAT score is more like lottery and isn't indicative of anything.

BTW, 154 is not really half of the test wrong, it is 65% accuracy.

[objection_your_honor]

Worst thread of 2013.

[bilbaosan]

I'm presuming that the OP's first language doesn't use the Roman alphabet, that's why writing (as opposed to typing) would be difficult.

Yes, your assumption is correct.
And looks like the consensus is that it is still worth writing something on topic, even if it is something very simple. Point taken, thank you guys!

[bilbaosan]

Answering my own question: no, you cannot leave early. You don't have to write anything, and proctors have no problems collecting an empty sheet from you, but you still need to sit here for those 35 minutes. Even the people who wrote something and were done in 20 minutes still could not leave.

[Danger Zone]

Worst thread of 2013.

Really? This is some of the best trolling I've seen in the on-topics in a while. Even crestor had to come in and be a voice of reason.

[Jeffort]

Worst thread of 2013.

Really? This is some of the best trolling I've seen in the on-topics in a while. Even crestor had to come in and be a voice of reason.

You must have missed this other related gem of a thread:
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=217354

[SecondWind]

http://corp.visiblemeasures.com/Portals ... -do-it.jpg

[tigersaresexy]

On a slightly off topic, my LSAT brain thought it would be a good idea to write out how I thought I did in each section in the first line of the essay answer sheet. So its kinda like "LG - 1 LR - 2 RC exp maybe" etc and then I started my essay from the next line.

I wanted to do it so I'd be able to look at it when I got my scores to see how I did in comparison to how I thought I did at the time. Totally didn't realize that my test isn't disclosed and I don't even know if I'l be able to see my writing sample (will I?)...my LSAT brain was pretty off on that judgement.

Any thoughts on how that would look on an application (Besides obvious lolz if I massively under-score)

[iamgeorgebush]

On a slightly off topic, my LSAT brain thought it would be a good idea to write out how I thought I did in each section in the first line of the essay answer sheet. So its kinda like "LG - 1 LR - 2 RC exp maybe" etc and then I started my essay from the next line.

I wanted to do it so I'd be able to look at it when I got my scores to see how I did in comparison to how I thought I did at the time. Totally didn't realize that my test isn't disclosed and I don't even know if I'l be able to see my writing sample (will I?)...my LSAT brain was pretty off on that judgement.

Any thoughts on how that would look on an application (Besides obvious lolz if I massively under-score)

Troll.