LSAT advice (1 Viewer)

[Dome50]

I think it depends a lot on you as a person. If you are diligent and can really get the studying done on your own, you will probably be fine. But, it's an important test and every little bit can help. The class was really helpful for me because it kept me busy and organized. The class kind of cracks the whip and keeps you studying harder than you might otherwise. Plus, what's a thousand dollars to a lawyer anyway? (juuuuuust kidding)

 

[Saint Mike]

I take the GRE in one hour and 10 minutes AHHHHHHH.!!!

I'm nervous as a goat, and this is my last shot..

I have been hitting 720+ in quant on all of the practice exams, but it is a different story when it comes down to the real test environment.

Good luck!

 

[steltz02]

Thanks Mike I'm out of here.. Who dat.. Im going to get a 1600

 

[JimEverett]

I know they now make you take the GRE on a computer. Do they do the same for the LSAT?
Also, the way I understand it, the GRE is set up so where the first few questions are the most important because they determine the next set of questions. If you miss some early questions your score will be much lower because for the rest of the test you will get easier questions and cannot get above a certain score.
Is it the same for the LSAT now?

 

[Squeezebox]

No, LSAT is still paper. It hasn't changed a whole lot, though the Reading Comp is apparently going to change a bit for the June session.

But it's on scan-tron. 5 sections: 2 Arguments, 1 Reading Comp, 1 Logic Games, 1 Experimental

FWIW I recommend the class, but then again I teach it.

 

[not2rich]

I took the LSAT years ago, and basically ordered the testing booklet from LSAT and studied/practiced on my own. I did well without taking a course. But what worked for me may not work for you, and may have been more dumb luck for me. As someone else said, if it's important (and it is), you should make a reasonable investment of time/money to give yourself an edge.

Having said that, my advice is to you is this (whether you take a course or not):

The most valuable preparation is to simply practice taking old tests, under timed conditions, until you have a good feel for how to answer the questions. You will NOT benefit nearly as much if you rely SOLELY on "coaching." Reading a book or sitting in some lecture can help you develop good strategies - but it needs to be combined with practice. Make yourself practice actually answering the questions under timed conditions.

So, in case I haven't mentioned it yet, the best preparation is repeated practice.

The same advice holds true for bar exam preparation after you graduate.

Good luck.

 

[wbbigtymer]

Instead of starting a new thread, I used the search feature and found this. I have a specific question for anyone who might have some knowledge to share.

I want to take an LSAT preparation this summer in Baton Rouge and I know that my two main options are Kaplan and Princeton Review.

Can anyone give me any objective advice on how to choose between these two? Are they both basically the same? Should I just pick whichever one meshes better with my schedule?

Without knowing any details about how these two companies compare to each other for LSAT preparation, and knowing that they each offer several "levels" of prep courses, I may just go ahead and choose one that best fits my schedule and would allow me to avoid doing preparation during finals, etc.

 

[Jonesy77]

Take the course. I got really sick the night before the test, and still scored 6 points higher than I did on my pre-course practice test. The results are real.

I took Princeton Review, but really can't vouch for Kaplan.

 

[MickelMouse87]

I took a practice test with Kaplan a week ago, it kicked my ***. I'm leaning towards taking the course, but it is expensive.

 

[Sardonios]

I would've told you the exact opposite of Jonesy; the classes didn't sound worthwhile to me :dunno: Different learning styles, I assume.

Whether you take the class or not, pick up as many Kaplan/Princeton Review practice tests as you can and work through them. Read the tips in the booklets, then take a few of the (oldest) practice tests untimed. Aim for correct answers, regardless of how long it takes, especially on the logic games section (I forget the actual title; the puzzle portion). After 2-3 of those, start working under timed conditions. Try to replicate a testing atmosphere as much as possible.

As for which course to choose: from everything I've heard, it's really 6 of one, half-a-dozen of the other. Judging solely from their practice books, the information they give you is virtually identical.

EDIT: Mickel, don't read too much into your first several tests. Most people go up ~10-20 points with practice.