LSAT Blog: Ace the LSAT

Choosing a Law School Personal Statement Topic

2012-05-25T10:10:00.001-04:00

This post is the first of a series on navigating the personal statement. It's by the author of A Comprehensive Guide to the Law School Personal Statement, Maggie Klein, a personal statement editor. *** It has to answer the question: “Why Law School?” Remember writing your personal statement for undergraduate admissions? There was a huge amount of latitude about the topic. People wrote

Logic and Games

2012-05-24T23:00:00.009-04:00

* People who went to law school without acquiring too much debt (or for free). [Above the Law] * A Canadian law school graduate paid off his $114,000 student loan in cold hard cash. [Daily Mail] * Cops and courts re-evaluate their use of eyewitnesses. [ABA Journal] * Coffee drinkers may live longer, according to a study that avoided many typical Logical Reasoning flaws. [NYTimes] * This guy

Getting Started With LSAT Prep: LSAT Diaries

2012-05-24T13:00:00.000-04:00

This installment of LSAT Diaries comes from Erika, who's taking the October 2012 LSAT. In this diary, she talks about getting started with her LSAT prep after a false start 4 years ago. If you'd like to be in LSAT Diaries, please fill out this survey. Please leave Erika some encouragement and advice below in the comments! Erika's LSAT Diary: T-minus 7 days until the start of a structured

LSAT Cultural Bias Interview

2012-05-23T10:30:00.059-04:00

I recently interviewed Stephen Harris, former LSAT question-writer and author of Mastering Logic Games, about whether the LSAT is culturally biased. (He's written hundreds of the questions that appear in your books of LSAT PrepTests.) Our discussion follows. (Read our previous interviews.) Do you think the LSAT is culturally biased? If so, what steps can be taken to correct for that?

Logic and Games

2012-05-22T23:00:00.006-04:00

* Looks like I'm not the only one into LSAT GIFs. [YOlsatO] * Rutgers at Camden Law dean defends marketing pitch touting salaries of $130K for ‘many top students.' [ABA Journal] * Largest compilation of exonerations ever finds over 2,000 falsely convicted over past 23 years. [Washington Post] * Supreme Court to decide if journalists can sue over warrantless wiretaps. [Ars Technica] *

Taking LSAT Practice Tests Timed: LSAT Diaries

2012-05-22T13:30:00.000-04:00

LSAT Blog commenter "Proxy" left this advice on a previous LSAT Diary, and I thought it was worth sharing with everyone in its own blog post. Proxy talks about the importance of strictly timing yourself when taking full-length timed LSAT practice exams as you approach Test Day. If you'd like to be in LSAT Diaries, please fill out this survey. (You can be in LSAT Diaries whether you've taken the

Law School Writing Competition

2012-05-21T10:30:00.012-04:00

In this week's Law School Diaries column, law student "Elle Woods" describes the process of competing for admission to UPenn's Law Review by entering the Writing Competition. Elle's Law School Diary: I have had so much trouble explaining to my non-law schools friends and family how torturous the Writing Competition (WC) is. “So what exactly do you write? Oh but you like writing.” No, folks,

Logic and Games

2012-05-20T23:00:00.004-04:00

* Columbia Law students worked with their professor to demonstrate that Texas executed an innocent man. [Above the Law] * I know the suburbs are boring, but playing "Urban Skittles" will do more harm than good when it comes to law school admissions. [ABA Journal] * The 7 funniest lawyer ads. [Martindale] * The harmful side effects of drug prohibition. [The Volokh Conspiracy] * A Russian

Rutgers Law School Takes GMAT Scores

2012-05-20T13:00:00.011-04:00

Last week, Rutgers School of Law at Camden sent out an email blast suggesting that the school would accept GMAT scores as an alternative to LSAT scores. (HT: Above the Law; Campos) Why would they do such a thing? Well, amid declining applicant numbers, lower-tier law schools must work harder than ever to maintain their class sizes in order to keep tuition money coming in. They apparently

Law Schools Stalk You on Facebook, Google to Find Dirt

2012-05-18T10:30:00.006-04:00

We all know employers google and facebook job applicants to find additional information about them, but did you know law school admission officers do the same thing? While you might be looking up your law school admission deans on Facebook and Google, they're doing their own background research on you, too. (See, LSAT scores and GPAs aren't all they care about.) A recent survey of 128

Logic and Games

2012-05-17T23:00:00.009-04:00

* Columbia Law will publicly shame professors who don't submit final exam grades on time. [Above the Law] * But your professors are off the hook for putting book chapters on e-reserves. [Ars Technica] * 6 ridiculous lies you believe about the founding of America. [Cracked] * How your professors feel about grading papers. [McSweeney's] * It turns out that Skechers' Shape-ups won't actually

Staying Motivated During LSAT Studying: LSAT Diaries

2012-05-17T13:00:00.002-04:00

LSAT Blog commenter "Proxy" left this advice on a previous LSAT Diary, and I thought it was worth sharing with everyone in its own blog post. Proxy talks about staying motivated during LSAT studying despite various obstacles. If you'd like to be in LSAT Diaries, please fill out this survey. (You can be in LSAT Diaries whether you've taken the exam already or not.) Proxy's LSAT Diary:

More LSAT GIFs

2012-05-16T10:30:00.001-04:00

Since you guys enjoyed my last post with LSAT GIFs, here's another: When anyone asks how my studying's going: When I'm down to 2 answer choices and guess the right one: When I spot my friend in the library while I'm taking a practice test: When a stranger interrupts me during an LSAT practice test after seeing my book: How I did on my first practice test: What I hope

Logic and Games

2012-05-15T23:00:00.007-04:00

* Anna Ivey shares her thoughts on the study suggesting that LSAT studying makes you smarter. [The Ivey Files] * Why you don't ever want to end up in central booking (via ATL). [The Crown] * A Columbia Law professor says that Texas executed an innocent man. [Houston Chronicle] * How a Kennedy concurrence turned into a majority opinion in Citizens United. [ABA Journal] * Schools are obsessed

Bridging the Gap Between College and Law School

2012-05-15T13:00:00.001-04:00

The following excerpt is from Bridging the Gap Between College and Law School by Ruta K. Stropus and Charlotte D. Taylor. (Coupon code SUMMER gets you 15% off when ordering through the publisher's website. Alternatively, you may order through Amazon.) Excerpt: What to Bring: A mind trained in analytical thinking and an ability and desire to write are staples for the journey through law

7 With Top LSAT Scores Share LSAT Tips

2012-05-14T10:30:00.005-04:00

I just organized all the LSAT Diaries, and I recently compiled 7 tips from top LSAT scorers. In this LSAT Blog post, I've put together another 7 tips from blog readers with top LSAT scores and significant score improvements. Enjoy, and please fill out this survey if you'd like to be in LSAT Diaries. 7 with top LSAT scores share LSAT tips: 1. "I remembered watching...Reggie Miller at the free

Logic and Games

2012-05-13T22:00:00.000-04:00

* Law firm demand rose modestly in first quarter of 2012. [TaxProf Blog] * Two cases on gay marriage may reach the Supreme Court this year. [Reuters] * You may go to law school with Shaquille O'Neal. [Above the Law] * A new bill would prevent employers from asking for employees' Facebook passwords. [Ars Technica] * Weight-loss blogger sues Southwest Airlines over ‘customers of size’ policy. [

Should You Go To Law School? | Book Excerpt

2012-05-13T13:00:00.000-04:00

The following excerpt about deciding whether to go to law school is from Law School Undercover: A Veteran Law Professor Tells The Truth About Admissions, Classes, Cases, Exams, Law Review, Jobs, and More. Should I Apply? In my role as a law professor I get asked many questions by students. Most have to do, of course, with class information or career advice. But when it comes to questions from

Free LSAT Quiz: LSAT or Kanye West?

2012-05-11T10:25:00.002-04:00

Here's a free, short LSAT quiz: Who said it - the LSAT or Kanye West? 1. “Why everything that's supposed to be bad make me feel so good?” 2. "I'm really happy for you, I'ma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!" 3. "No action is both right and wrong." 4. "Nothing in life is promised except death." 5. "Ant societies do not interact in in all the same ways that

Logic and Games

2012-05-10T23:00:00.011-04:00

* Villanova Law changes course on handling an exam screw-up. [Above the Law] * Washington University in St. Louis will soon offer an online-only LL.M. for lawyers practicing overseas. [NYTimes] * Juror writes book saying he drank before DUI death case verdict to examine mindset of accused. The defense is now trying to use this to get the guilty verdict overturned. [ABA Journal] * Iran's Web

Does BigLaw's Demise Mean You Should Change Your Plans?

2012-05-10T13:00:00.001-04:00

Lawyer Diaries is a new semi-regular feature on LSAT Blog where current and former lawyers will share their experiences. This one's from Christine Raniga, a lawyer who works as in-house counsel at a nonprofit educational organization. Please thank her for sharing her story in the comments! Christine's Lawyer Diary: By now in your law school related research, you should have read plenty

LSAT Studying Makes You Smarter | Proof?

2012-05-09T10:30:00.005-04:00

We recently learned that playing a memory game may improve your LSAT score. Researchers have also found that LSAT studying may also make you smarter. The evidence comes from a recent study in which a group of students who studied for the LSAT for 3 months improved their reasoning abilities far more than those in a control group: [W]e examined the effects on cognitive performance and brain

Logic and Games

2012-05-08T23:00:00.003-04:00

* Professor Paul Campos of the University of Colorado Law School recently discussed my post on Columbia Law School. [Inside the Law School Scam] * Villanova Law screwed up big time when it came to administering some students' final exams. [Above the Law] * Jay-Z's 99 Problems, Verse 2: A Close Reading With 4th Amendment Guidance For Cops and Perps [Saint Louis University - PDF] * Dinosaur

The 14 Worst Law Schools (Based on Employment Statistics)

2012-05-08T13:00:00.001-04:00

The good folks at Constitutional Daily analyzed data from Law School Transparency and compiled a list of law schools with underemployment scores higher than their employment scores. (Visit Constitutional Daily for further details.) Basically, these schools have more underemployed graduates than employed ones, according to LST's numbers. That sounds pretty bad to me. Here are the 14 schools

India's Law School Bubble

2012-05-07T10:30:00.005-04:00

A few years ago, some Indian law schools began accepting a modified version of the LSAT (as an alternative to the Common Law Admission Test). If you look at the CLAT website, you'll understand why. In what other respect is India taking a page from the U.S.? On Friday, Bar and Bench, an Indian legal news site, reported: Law schools are being established with disconcerting regularity these days.