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It’s Spring Break… from the LSAT?

By on March 23, 2012 in LSAT Test Prep

Having just returned to my tame everyday life from sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida- home of the chaos known as “Spring Break”- I can tell you that just about everything but “taking a break” was going on down there. Now, let me be clear: I was in South Florida for the wholesome purpose of spending good, clean, quality time with my family. However, while cruising (or, more appropriately, sitting in monster traffic next to) Fort Lauderdale Beach, I witnessed all manner of hedonistic recreation, from contests pitting Breakers’ binging and baring skills to shamefully reckless under-applications of sunscreen.

But hey, everybody needs a break, including those of us in law school (or pursuit thereof) and the legal field.… Read full post

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The Form of Logic

By on March 21, 2012 in Logic Games, Logic Reasoning Section, LSAT Test Prep

Formal logic is a skill that is very important, and highly tested, on the LSAT.  Formal logic will appear in three of the four scored sections of the exam.  First, formal logic appears in almost every analytical reasoning, which is known as logic games, question.  Second, formal logic appears in a variety of question types within the logical reasoning section of the exam as well.

Furthermore, formal logic is a skill that a student can use one time, and then simply discard after taking the LSAT.  In order to “think like a lawyer,” a term you are likely to hear too often during you 1L year, you must be able to effectively apply formal logic to various laws and facts.  So, this learning this skill for the LSAT is just the beginning of your formal logic training and education.  This is likely why this skill is so critical for LSAT success, because after all, the LSAT is advertised as testing the skills necessary to succeed in law school!… Read full post

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LSAT Preparation Best Practices

By on March 19, 2012 in LSAT Test Prep

Practice is the key to achieving a top LSAT score.  The key to successful practice is in the details.  As you begin your LSAT preparation, test day should dictate how you study.  Build good habits and make sure you have developed a method so your test taking rituals are second nature by test day.  Details, such as what type of pencils to use, may seem insignificant, but making test day as seamless as possible is necessary to achieving the score of your dreams.  Assemble a LSAT bag of pencils, highlighters, erasers and pencil sharpeners and use it whenever you practice.… Read full post

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LSAT Timing Strategies: To Speed Up… Slow Down!

By on March 7, 2012 in LSAT Test Prep

When it comes to standardized tests, the LSAT is one of the absolute worst about not giving you much time to work with.  For much of the test you only have a little over a minute, on average, per question, and sometimes even less when you factor in reading long passages or game setups.  For this reason it is absolutely essential that the test taker know how to best manage his or her time to ensure he or she doesn’t get bogged down within a section.  One of my favorite such strategies is the paradoxically named “slow down to speed up.”

Quite often a test taker believes the best strategy is to rush through the LSAT at warp speed to make sure he or she gets to everything.  While getting to all of the questions is a definite plus, going too fast can actually backfire.  Reading at a rate faster than what we are comfortable with often leads to just “skimming” the material, which can be very dangerous on the LSAT.  Two common repercussions of skimming are: (A) having to reread because you didn’t comprehend what you just read or (B) missing a little word that drastically changes the meaning of the material (you’d be amazed how important little words like “might” or “not” are on the LSAT).  If you are forced to go back and reread then you actually end up spending more time on something than if you’d just slowed down a little bit to begin with.  If you miss a word that changes the meaning of the material (like a “might” or a “not”) then the question or questions pertaining to it are most likely already chalked up as incorrect.  Not much point in getting to all of the questions if we aren’t giving ourselves an opportunity to get them right.… Read full post

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On the LSAT and in law school, Suffice it to say, this stuff is necessary – Part II.

By on March 5, 2012 in Law School & Legal Life, LSAT Test Prep

Last week I explained the basic, abstract concepts of necessity and sufficiency, let me show you a brief example of how they relate to law school and the practice of law.  On the first day of my criminal law class, my teacher called on some poor, terrified boy and asked him to stand up.  Ah, the joys of the Socratic method.  As the young man stood trembling, the professor asked him about the case, Proctor v. State, 176 P. 771 (1918), we were assigned to study.  In the facts of this case, Mr. Proctor was convicted of keeping a two story building, with the intent and for the purpose of unlawfully selling malt liquors.  The student, who was gaining confidence as he answered the professor’s litany of questions, recited the facts correctly and correctly stated that the Oklahoma Appellate Court vacated Mr.… Read full post

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Assumptions: Bridging & the Art of Negation

By on February 29, 2012 in LSAT Test Prep

Assumption questions are a huge part of the Logical Reasoning portion of the LSAT, which makes up two, out of the four, graded sections.  So (keyword, indicating conclusion), it is something every LSAT taker must master.  The good news, or bad news depending on how you look at it, is that the same skill used in assumption questions is also used in both strengthening and weakening questions.

Now that we know they are important, lets define what an assumption question is and a couple of ways to approach them.

Assumption questions ask us to identify the assumption that the author (or in the case of the LSAT, the test writer(s)) is relying on in order for the conclusion to logically follow.  For example:

What is the assumption the author is relying on?  (what am I taking for granted)

Doughnuts are fattening.… Read full post

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Suffice it to say, this stuff is necessary – Part I.

By on February 27, 2012 in LSAT Test Prep

Sufficiency and necessity are the most consistently tested concepts on the LSAT.  Mastering these two skills will vastly improve and stabilize your LSAT score.  In the Kaplan LSAT class, we introduce the concepts of sufficiency and necessity during the first class session.  Not only must LSAT students understand these concepts, but the ability to manipulate these abstract terms is the hallmark of a student poised to achieve a top LSAT score.  When an LSAT student begins to grasp the essence of how sufficiency and necessity relate and affect each other, LSAT scores begin to make dramatic leaps.  So, let me explain what sufficiency and necessity are and why they are such important LSAT skills.… Read full post

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Law School – Apply Now or Wait Until the Fall?

By on February 23, 2012 in Law School Admissions, Law School Admissions, LSAT Test Prep

Now that the February LSAT is over and you have had a chance to catch your breathe, you may be trying to decide whether you should apply now or wait until the fall.  The true reality is that you are probably better off waiting until the fall but only you can make the decision of what is best for you.  My goal is to give you as much information as I can to make an informed decision.

You may have your heart set on starting law school in the fall to a point where you are willing to give up on a dream school.  If this is the case then applying now makes more sense.  Get ready to dedicate some serious time to your applications though because some school deadlines have already passed and many are quickly approaching.… Read full post

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Quality or Quantity: The Best Approach to Getting Points on the LSAT

By on February 22, 2012 in LSAT Test Prep

A question I hear ALL the time is, when it comes to points on the LSAT, is it is better to rush and get to as many questions as possible or to slow down and just try really hard on the ones you attempt?  My honest, though unpopular response is that it depends.  Several factors come into play.  How long do you have to study before Test Day?  How far along in a section do you typically get when time is called?  Is this for all sections, or only certain ones?  These questions play a part in helping to make a decision on what the better course of action is.… Read full post

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February: Perfect for Groundhogs, Leaping & LSAT Prep?

By on February 21, 2012 in Law School Admissions, LSAT Test Prep

February is a funny month: it’s the shortest, yet it’s stuffed with holidays.  From Groundhog’s Day on February 2 to this Leap Year’s addition of a bonus February 29th, this little month is big into celebrating. February is also a perfect time to consider preparing for the June LSAT: students who plan their prep now are sure to feel stronger walking into the test four months from now.

Just like our fuzzy friend Punxsutawney Phil, in February, cold weather haters may be thinking winter will last forever (or at least another six weeks- come to think of it, has Phil ever not seen his shadow?) But instead of dreading every snowflake, prospective attorneys might recognize the long road to spring as a chance to achieve maximum effect with minimal stress.… Read full post

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