Top Law Schools

First and foremost, thanks to the mods and the folks that put this message board together.

There's plenty of advice on this forum on what to do to prepare for the LSAT. I would like this post to be a list of things exclusively about what NOT to do. I think this will help those who've just started preparing to avoid certain pitfalls.

For starters, my mistake was not giving myself adequate time to prepare for the LSAT. I totally underestimated the entire scope of the exam. For folks getting ready for the exam of your lives, give yourself plenty of time ahead. Do your research. If it's one piece of advice that I've been reading that's consistent in this forum is to do it once and do it right.

I already canceled my first LSAT score for the June 2010. I didn't get a chance to answer 5 questions in an LR section and left 6 blank on an RC section. Yeah, I totally bombed it. Time management is something I have to work on. My first cold diagnostic with Kaplan was a 152. I read through the PS Bibles in a week and thought PT'ing for a week was enough. Ha! I'll be taking the October exam now.

Advice: Give yourself some time to prepare and be realistic.

Anyone else want to add to the "What NOT to do" list?

.

don't bring a weapon or firearm to the test center. I can't stress this enough.

Kaplan is a scam.

don't take more than 1 pt a day...i would recommend 1 every other day.

Why the harsh words about Kaplan? They did wonders for me

I think in general the results someone has with a prep company depends a great deal on the class instructor.

That is why I suggest trying to find out who your instructor is beforehand and ask around about him/her. When I suggest that to most people the response I get is, 'never even thought of that'.

mges wrote:Why the harsh words about Kaplan? They did wonders for me

How so?

joonhp wrote:don't take more than 1 pt a day...i would recommend 1 every other day.

I agree, and yet disagree... I often did 2 a day, and while the 2nd of the day was always lower, it really did build mental endurance. And the started to build the ability to not be completely thrown off by one bad section, because you have a long way to go.

2 PTs a day for too many days in a row is a recipe for burnout.

I've seen 10 people try this. 11 of them burned out after a few days.

Ok, so maybe that's an exaggeration, but, still, don't do this more than once a week. Better yet, plan ahead and don't do this at all.

A safer way to build endurance is several 5-section exams, maybe even a few 6-section exams for extra endurance.

LSAT Blog wrote:2 PTs a day for too many days in a row is a recipe for burnout.

I've seen 10 people try this. 11 of them burned out after a few days.

Ok, so maybe that's an exaggeration, but, still, don't do this more than once a week. Better yet, plan ahead and don't do this at all.

A safer way to build endurance is several 5-section exams, maybe even a few 6-section exams for extra endurance.

On rereading I often did 2 a day sounds like I crammed in as many as possible at the end. It was more like once a week over a two month period. I approached the endurance part like professional athletes, train under conditions harder than what you will actually have to perform under, so that it seems easier by comparison, not just equal to the hardest you have done.

kk19131 wrote:Kaplan is a scam.

I completely agree.

justinmcl wrote:

LSAT Blog wrote:2 PTs a day for too many days in a row is a recipe for burnout.

I've seen 10 people try this. 11 of them burned out after a few days.

Ok, so maybe that's an exaggeration, but, still, don't do this more than once a week. Better yet, plan ahead and don't do this at all.

A safer way to build endurance is several 5-section exams, maybe even a few 6-section exams for extra endurance.

On rereading I often did 2 a day sounds like I crammed in as many as possible at the end. It was more like once a week over a two month period. I approached the endurance part like professional athletes, train under conditions harder than what you will actually have to perform under, so that it seems easier by comparison, not just equal to the hardest you have done.

That actually doesn't sound too bad at all, but it's certainly not for everyone. I'd recommend doing this with caution and with plenty of rest afterward and on the following day.

LSAT Blog wrote:

justinmcl wrote:

LSAT Blog wrote:2 PTs a day for too many days in a row is a recipe for burnout.

I've seen 10 people try this. 11 of them burned out after a few days.

Ok, so maybe that's an exaggeration, but, still, don't do this more than once a week. Better yet, plan ahead and don't do this at all.

A safer way to build endurance is several 5-section exams, maybe even a few 6-section exams for extra endurance.

On rereading I often did 2 a day sounds like I crammed in as many as possible at the end. It was more like once a week over a two month period. I approached the endurance part like professional athletes, train under conditions harder than what you will actually have to perform under, so that it seems easier by comparison, not just equal to the hardest you have done.

That actually doesn't sound too bad at all, but it's certainly not for everyone. I'd recommend doing this with caution and with plenty of rest afterward and on the following day.

Definitely, I worked part-time while studying, so usually did this on a day before a long shift, so I could take the next day off from not studying after work and just sleep, and not feel guilty.

Don't always take prep tests in pin-drop silence. Do them in various semi-noisy places (libraries, cafes, etc.) so you'll be better prepared to face distractions on test day.

xyzzzzzzzz wrote:do you think 4 months is enough time?

For most people, yes.

However, if part of that 4 months involves any or all of the following:

going away on vacation, planning a major life event (like a wedding), a major illness, a super-busy work schedule, etc.

then you may need more time.

I recommend a minimum of 3 months. 4 or 5 months may be even better, depending upon how busy you are, how quickly you learn, and how much you want to improve.

.
.

I didn't really start prepping for the LSAT till three weeks before the exam.
I don't know my score yet- much of it really depends on the curve, if 170 is -11 or better, I think I'll be ok.
Despite the complaints of many, it looks like I fucked up LR (which a lot of people seemed to think was easy...) and actually did pretty well on LG/RC. (I had to tell enough people outside of TLS the "secret" to the last logic game up to the point that even if I get a sub-170, I can be happy with the fact that I pwned LG..)

You should try taking PT's with 30 minutes per section or even less.
I definitely felt the time constraint when taking the LSAT.
I finished everything comfortably but I didn't have time to really check through my answers.
This was something I didn't do and it's something I plan to do if I need to retake in October.

Don't:

-Count on a silent test environment.
-Count on a proctor who gives you warnings, writes the time on the board, or makes a clock available.
-Count on ample desk space.
-Spend the day before the tests taking practice tests and wearing yourself out.
-Take practice test after practice test without looking at trends and areas you're missing
-Ignore the answers you get right (DO Mark questions you have any remote question about and go over all these post test)
-Set unrealistic goals. The chances are you will not go from a 150 to a 175. In fact, this rarely if ever happens. With strong work you can improve (probably) 5-8 points for sure. It's very possible to go beyond that, but don't depend on it to the point you put unnecessary pressure on yourself in testing.
-Miss a good nights sleep BOTH the day before the test and 2 days prior to the test.

don't ignore the powerscores bibles.

i used them for RC and LR. guess which section was my worst?

heh. u guessed on 5 lg and 6 rc... why u cancel? You dont think you did well on the rest of it.. i guessed on the last 5 lg but felt pretty certain about the first 3 games.. and then had to guess on some rc, still feel like ill be ok? what are your goals..

ohh u left them blank... how could u not at least guess.. i kno ur not allowed to write in a section after its overrrrr.. butttt heh

lol 152

mst is spot on...

what not to do

OSO of an ENTRY...Enter at your own risk...bahahaha

if you would like 20k words just pm me. I give myself a 164 for this entry, just trying to help (results will indeed be questionable)

Flame away warriors....

------

don't cram. If you are on a short schedule set a realistic goal. you have to base it all of where you are scoring on your diagnostics then periodically you should see increases. I feel that it comes in waves or "it clicks" as many people have said. So don't be absurd. If your first PT is 150 don't expect to get to 170 after 3 more PT's and a few hours of study.

IMHO Steve is dead on with burnout issues etc...DON'T take tests day after day and expect changes for the better. I feel if you take a test consider taking the next day for review. If you have time let another day go by do a few timed sections or adjust accordingly if you are on an abbreviated plan.

I would also like to state that Steve is dead on in many ways, I approached this exam with very little time to study, after looking back and being a bit more detached I am now seeing/feeling the value in most of what he shares. He is an asset here. At first I looked at him with a bit of skepticism, healthy of course. Over time I realized he isn't here hustling, he is trying to help everyone. Respect earned.

justinmcl wrote:

joonhp wrote:don't take more than 1 pt a day...i would recommend 1 every other day.

I agree, and yet disagree... I often did 2 a day, and while the 2nd of the day was always lower, it really did build mental endurance. And the started to build the ability to not be completely thrown off by one bad section, because you have a long way to go.

i like the point about building the ability to not get laid out do to one bad section. Crucial at test time. whether it be a question, section, pencil tapper or otherwise. Focus is your friend.

Endurance is crucial. Don't think 4 section PT's will prepare you for the real thing. As it stands the experimental is usually in the first 3 sections. Until that changes, plan accordingly. I def. think you can do 4 section PT's for the first few. After the 4-5th PT you should begin to add in section 5, I do agree that a 6th section is a STRONG move somewhere towards the end of your study cycle. Then possibly drop back down to 5 sections as you wind down to the last 2-3 PT's before you sit for the test. If you can prove to yourself you can perform and endure it will increase your confidence heading into the test.

------

JetsMets wrote:I think in general the results someone has with a prep company depends a great deal on the class instructor.

That is why I suggest trying to find out who your instructor is beforehand and ask around about him/her. When I suggest that to most people the response I get is, 'never even thought of that'.

I would agree for the most part, it does have a lot to do with finding someone you are willing to pay attention to or someone that you can understand. You need to find someone that can focus on YOU and understand YOU and your thought process. The system isn't designed with personalization in mind. I think it all falls on the "student' in the end, people love pointing fingers but you have to own it. "oh I didn't learn shit or the teachers sucked." that could be true, but others may have gotten what they need. Just because you are throwing money at someone in hopes of learning something doesn't mean you will walk away with much. Different strokes for different folks. After you finish undergrad look back 5 yrs down the road and tell me how much it cost and how much you retained. They can teach you skills, the rest is more or less up to you. You have to engage and interact with instructors/tutors to benefit.

Don't forget about the tutor option. If you don't want to do classes and your self study didn't yield what you wanted consider investing X amt. of dollars into a personalized plan. There are plenty of tools out there to analyze your exam or PT's which can help you make better use of your time with a tutor. Let's think about this. Pay X (1000-1400????) for a course designed to help anyone. Another option is to take 1/3 or 1/4 of that money after you have done some self study/PT's and then have some set up a personalized study plan for you. Up to you. Just realize you have options.

-----

Don't forget to take the time to review. That is possibly the most crucial step. If I get down to two answer choices I write them next to Q in the book so I can go back and analyze where i went wrong. Often gave me hope when I performed poorly. ie if I would have cooled out and selected the alternative I would have had another 15 pts. Now why did I not select that answer...was it nerves, was I rushed etc...I think doing a few untimed early on will help in your understanding of what this test is all about. You need the skills before you can get faster. I suggest those handy little timers you can find posted on here. they are worth every penny.

In some ways I often feel it all depends on how much time you have to get in for early part of admission cycle, where are hoping to attend etc...This has the greatest impact on how you should set up your study plan. No reason to kill yourself if you PT'd within 5 points of the schools 75th percentile and your GPA is up as well. 180's are amazing but like everything else it means very little if you are planning on attending a school where the median is 165. You could walk in with a 169 and still be in good shape. Be logical, think about your quality of life, goals in life, etc...

Don't be unrealistic. Don't get fixated on the test, remain focused. If you are "going to law school" then accept that as your reality and do what it takes to prepare even if that means waiting another cycle, year, another test date, another 4 months of study etc...

I heard a test taker make the comment,"well now that law school isn't an option..." after completing the June 2010 exam. I thought to myself,"what is this dudes deal?" I said to myself," it is a matter of where I am going, when and how much it is going to put me in debt."

------


Don't just go through this process b/c it seems like, "the thing to do"

This is a very heavy thing to get into, the exam, getting sucked into the vacuum of this precious forum (it is worth its weight in gold but it is only a small portion of what is going on in regards to the LSAT, admissions, etc...), losing track of the rest of your life is a bad move. If you put absurd amounts of pressure on yourself you could be setting yourself up for failure. Unwise in my opinion.

As far as prep time that is a very frisky thing. Some folks take first one cold at 160 or better and can quickly understand what is going on with the exam, review their mistakes and get into the 170's in a matter of 3-4 PT's. Others come in 148 or 150 and think 170 is impossible. It isn't impossible, it is all about hard work, dedication, focus and giving yourself the time you need to get there without RUSHING. You need a clear mind, if you are all stressed you are wasting your time, your precious commodity.

Don't just begin to study aimlessly thinking the LR/LG bibles can be completed and you are done less a bunch of PT's. For some it may work that way, for others not so much. I would take 1 or 2 PT's and then figure out if there is a pattern in LR incorrect answers, why are you eating it on games, where did you go wrong in RC. Don't just dive in, figure out where you are coming up short and address that. Give it time to sink in.

-----


Don't approach it like a psychopath/life or death type of event. It isn't. 3 tests in 2 years. Well if that isn't enough spend time befriending an admissions person at a school and lean on them to push back on LSAC requiring you to sit again, your acceptance is dependent on it, etc...

For some self-study is the way to go, it is empowering and you are going it alone. You have something to prove to the world (most importantly yourself), that works for some. Others need the structure of a classroom environment. Some have to spend money before they see the value in something.

Don't base your self-worth, value to the world or any given law school on the results of a standardized test. If you feel you have what it takes, then handle it. At the end of the day you are the most critical judge of the self, nobody else has to wake up everyday and look in the mirror at you. Do what you need to do to feel successful.

Don't base your study schedule on months. it comes down to hours put in with a clear head. PT's are not really studying hours they are sometimes a good gauge to see if the skills you are honing are having an impact on your score.

Don't waste your time taking a PT if you are having an off day or at the very least don't get down on yourself if you perform shitty. I did it several times. The last time was about 15 days before late reg. ended for the june 2010 exam. I ate it, scored like -18 worse than where I was scoring at the time. I was done. 12 days later when I let go and chilled out I sat for another PT...scored 4 pts higher than my last few PT's. Score never dropped in the next few tests. That night at about 1am I decided I would register. Why not. But again I am the type of person who can walk into a casino with the last 1000 I have to my name and blow it all and giggle about it. Just go out, grind and make some more.


THIS is MY OPINION.

many people may want to flame or disagree.

Due to the nature of this exam and the mental/physical stress that can come about during this process I will argue the following point (rather recklessly)

I don't see the point in canceling your first score (or second for that matter) if you don't have to . Only a very few select schools look beyond "highest/best" score. If you are hoping to attend one of those schools act accordingly. The trend I am noticing is people canceling one of the first two exams forcing them into exam sitting #3. Now you do the math. You already are attempting to get a "better" score, you obviously ate it at some point hence the cancelation. What are your chances of you keeping your head on and destroying the exam...from what I have seen it leaves people in a really tough situation. Something that should be approached with confidence and a clear mind is now a do or die situation.

This is mainly to most of those people shooting for a school that is obviously not going to get "down" on them for trying and being human. We err, that is our thing and we are damn good at it. Let's face it, USNWR rankings carry some weight for them, they basically pay you for your LSAT score/GPA for the most part. Use that to your advantage. At the end of the day it is a business. I approach my LSAT/UGPA as follows," Here is my score, here is my GPA (from 7 yrs ago) so how much can I get paid for these two items (or save)"

I don't like debt, some of you may be fine with it. All of this has an impact on where you are heading in life and what school you will attend. If you take a poll of non-traditional applicants vs. people coming straight out of undergrad that incorporated all these "real life" type of variables I am most certain you would see a trend. Dollars and sense, balance is essential.

Balance is the key. You need to maintain balance, DO NOT get CONSUMED by it. If you allow it to consume you vs. you consuming it you are bringing more work on yourself.

Done with this portion of the novel. if you read this mess, right on.

goawaybee wrote:mst is spot on...

what not to do

OSO of an ENTRY...Enter at your own risk...bahahaha

if you would like 20k words just pm me. I give myself a 164 for this entry, just trying to help (results will indeed be questionable)

Flame away warriors....

------

don't cram. If you are on a short schedule set a realistic goal. you have to base it all of where you are scoring on your diagnostics then periodically you should see increases. I feel that it comes in waves or "it clicks" as many people have said. So don't be absurd. If your first PT is 150 don't expect to get to 170 after 3 more PT's and a few hours of study.

IMHO Steve is dead on with burnout issues etc...DON'T take tests day after day and expect changes for the better. I feel if you take a test consider taking the next day for review. If you have time let another day go by do a few timed sections or adjust accordingly if you are on an abbreviated plan.

I would also like to state that Steve is dead on in many ways, I approached this exam with very little time to study, after looking back and being a bit more detached I am now seeing/feeling the value in most of what he shares. He is an asset here. At first I looked at him with a bit of skepticism, healthy of course. Over time I realized he isn't here hustling, he is trying to help everyone. Respect earned.

justinmcl wrote:

joonhp wrote:don't take more than 1 pt a day...i would recommend 1 every other day.

I agree, and yet disagree... I often did 2 a day, and while the 2nd of the day was always lower, it really did build mental endurance. And the started to build the ability to not be completely thrown off by one bad section, because you have a long way to go.

i like the point about building the ability to not get laid out do to one bad section. Crucial at test time. whether it be a question, section, pencil tapper or otherwise. Focus is your friend.

Endurance is crucial. Don't think 4 section PT's will prepare you for the real thing. As it stands the experimental is usually in the first 3 sections. Until that changes, plan accordingly. I def. think you can do 4 section PT's for the first few. After the 4-5th PT you should begin to add in section 5, I do agree that a 6th section is a STRONG move somewhere towards the end of your study cycle. Then possibly drop back down to 5 sections as you wind down to the last 2-3 PT's before you sit for the test. If you can prove to yourself you can perform and endure it will increase your confidence heading into the test.

------

JetsMets wrote:I think in general the results someone has with a prep company depends a great deal on the class instructor.

That is why I suggest trying to find out who your instructor is beforehand and ask around about him/her. When I suggest that to most people the response I get is, 'never even thought of that'.

I would agree for the most part, it does have a lot to do with finding someone you are willing to pay attention to or someone that you can understand. You need to find someone that can focus on YOU and understand YOU and your thought process. The system isn't designed with personalization in mind. I think it all falls on the "student' in the end, people love pointing fingers but you have to own it. "oh I didn't learn shit or the teachers sucked." that could be true, but others may have gotten what they need. Just because you are throwing money at someone in hopes of learning something doesn't mean you will walk away with much. Different strokes for different folks. After you finish undergrad look back 5 yrs down the road and tell me how much it cost and how much you retained. They can teach you skills, the rest is more or less up to you. You have to engage and interact with instructors/tutors to benefit.

Don't forget about the tutor option. If you don't want to do classes and your self study didn't yield what you wanted consider investing X amt. of dollars into a personalized plan. There are plenty of tools out there to analyze your exam or PT's which can help you make better use of your time with a tutor. Let's think about this. Pay X (1000-1400????) for a course designed to help anyone. Another option is to take 1/3 or 1/4 of that money after you have done some self study/PT's and then have some set up a personalized study plan for you. Up to you. Just realize you have options.

-----

Don't forget to take the time to review. That is possibly the most crucial step. If I get down to two answer choices I write them next to Q in the book so I can go back and analyze where i went wrong. Often gave me hope when I performed poorly. ie if I would have cooled out and selected the alternative I would have had another 15 pts. Now why did I not select that answer...was it nerves, was I rushed etc...I think doing a few untimed early on will help in your understanding of what this test is all about. You need the skills before you can get faster. I suggest those handy little timers you can find posted on here. they are worth every penny.

In some ways I often feel it all depends on how much time you have to get in for early part of admission cycle, where are hoping to attend etc...This has the greatest impact on how you should set up your study plan. No reason to kill yourself if you PT'd within 5 points of the schools 75th percentile and your GPA is up as well. 180's are amazing but like everything else it means very little if you are planning on attending a school where the median is 165. You could walk in with a 169 and still be in good shape. Be logical, think about your quality of life, goals in life, etc...

Don't be unrealistic. Don't get fixated on the test, remain focused. If you are "going to law school" then accept that as your reality and do what it takes to prepare even if that means waiting another cycle, year, another test date, another 4 months of study etc...

I heard a test taker make the comment,"well now that law school isn't an option..." after completing the June 2010 exam. I thought to myself,"what is this dudes deal?" I said to myself," it is a matter of where I am going, when and how much it is going to put me in debt."

------


Don't just go through this process b/c it seems like, "the thing to do"

This is a very heavy thing to get into, the exam, getting sucked into the vacuum of this precious forum (it is worth its weight in gold but it is only a small portion of what is going on in regards to the LSAT, admissions, etc...), losing track of the rest of your life is a bad move. If you put absurd amounts of pressure on yourself you could be setting yourself up for failure. Unwise in my opinion.

As far as prep time that is a very frisky thing. Some folks take first one cold at 160 or better and can quickly understand what is going on with the exam, review their mistakes and get into the 170's in a matter of 3-4 PT's. Others come in 148 or 150 and think 170 is impossible. It isn't impossible, it is all about hard work, dedication, focus and giving yourself the time you need to get there without RUSHING. You need a clear mind, if you are all stressed you are wasting your time, your precious commodity.

Don't just begin to study aimlessly thinking the LR/LG bibles can be completed and you are done less a bunch of PT's. For some it may work that way, for others not so much. I would take 1 or 2 PT's and then figure out if there is a pattern in LR incorrect answers, why are you eating it on games, where did you go wrong in RC. Don't just dive in, figure out where you are coming up short and address that. Give it time to sink in.

-----


Don't approach it like a psychopath/life or death type of event. It isn't. 3 tests in 2 years. Well if that isn't enough spend time befriending an admissions person at a school and lean on them to push back on LSAC requiring you to sit again, your acceptance is dependent on it, etc...

For some self-study is the way to go, it is empowering and you are going it alone. You have something to prove to the world (most importantly yourself), that works for some. Others need the structure of a classroom environment. Some have to spend money before they see the value in something.

Don't base your self-worth, value to the world or any given law school on the results of a standardized test. If you feel you have what it takes, then handle it. At the end of the day you are the most critical judge of the self, nobody else has to wake up everyday and look in the mirror at you. Do what you need to do to feel successful.

Don't base your study schedule on months. it comes down to hours put in with a clear head. PT's are not really studying hours they are sometimes a good gauge to see if the skills you are honing are having an impact on your score.

Don't waste your time taking a PT if you are having an off day or at the very least don't get down on yourself if you perform shitty. I did it several times. The last time was about 15 days before late reg. ended for the june 2010 exam. I ate it, scored like -18 worse than where I was scoring at the time. I was done. 12 days later when I let go and chilled out I sat for another PT...scored 4 pts higher than my last few PT's. Score never dropped in the next few tests. That night at about 1am I decided I would register. Why not. But again I am the type of person who can walk into a casino with the last 1000 I have to my name and blow it all and giggle about it. Just go out, grind and make some more.


THIS is MY OPINION.

many people may want to flame or disagree.

Due to the nature of this exam and the mental/physical stress that can come about during this process I will argue the following point (rather recklessly)

I don't see the point in canceling your first score (or second for that matter) if you don't have to . Only a very few select schools look beyond "highest/best" score. If you are hoping to attend one of those schools act accordingly. The trend I am noticing is people canceling one of the first two exams forcing them into exam sitting #3. Now you do the math. You already are attempting to get a "better" score, you obviously ate it at some point hence the cancelation. What are your chances of you keeping your head on and destroying the exam...from what I have seen it leaves people in a really tough situation. Something that should be approached with confidence and a clear mind is now a do or die situation.

This is mainly to most of those people shooting for a school that is obviously not going to get "down" on them for trying and being human. We err, that is our thing and we are damn good at it. Let's face it, USNWR rankings carry some weight for them, they basically pay you for your LSAT score/GPA for the most part. Use that to your advantage. At the end of the day it is a business. I approach my LSAT/UGPA as follows," Here is my score, here is my GPA (from 7 yrs ago) so how much can I get paid for these two items (or save)"

I don't like debt, some of you may be fine with it. All of this has an impact on where you are heading in life and what school you will attend. If you take a poll of non-traditional applicants vs. people coming straight out of undergrad that incorporated all these "real life" type of variables I am most certain you would see a trend. Dollars and sense, balance is essential.

Balance is the key. You need to maintain balance, DO NOT get CONSUMED by it. If you allow it to consume you vs. you consuming it you are bringing more work on yourself.

Done with this portion of the novel. if you read this mess, right on.

This is what I was hoping to hear from someone by making this post. Thanks for the insight. Deep...