Anybody here taking the LSAT this year?

[trane_fanatic]

there's gotta be at least one or two of you out there.

I'm taking a 2-month prep course right now and was about to register for the one on 9/29 here in SF & it's full already, so I hafta go on the waiting list. How often do spots open up for those of you who have been through this? Thanx.

Edited August 7, 2007 by trane_fanatic

[kh1958]

The idea that you have to take a course to study for a standardized test of your general knowledge and thinking ability seems absurd to me, or more likely the result of a successful marketing campaign by the test preparation course industry.

I would say forget it, it's too late, you should have learned how to take a standardized test long ago.

[Hot Ptah]

I took the LSAT a very long time ago, but at that time there was considerable value in either repeatedly reading the detailed manual that came with the test registration materials, or in taking a course. The LSAT had its own unique inner logic, its own "customs and practices" of how questions were formulated and should be answered. If you studied the manual obsessively, or took a course, you learned the unique mechanics of the test, and could answer everything much more quickly.

It had nothing to do with learning the content of any material, nothing to do with patching holes in your knowledge base.

Edited August 7, 2007 by Hot Ptah

[catesta]

The idea that you have to take a course to study for a standardized test of your general knowledge and thinking ability seems absurd to me, or more likely the result of a successful marketing campaign by the test preparation course industry.

I would say forget it, it's too late, you should have learned how to take a standardized test long ago.

My girlfriend just got an offer in the mail to pay $700 for a course to prepare her 16 year old kid for the SATs. The first thing out of my mouth was "no fucking way". What in the hell have they been learning in school?

TF, I'm not shitting on your parade, you do what you have to do.

[trane_fanatic]

The idea that you have to take a course to study for a standardized test of your general knowledge and thinking ability seems absurd to me, or more likely the result of a successful marketing campaign by the test preparation course industry.

I would say forget it, it's too late, you should have learned how to take a standardized test long ago.

Maybe you need to do some research first.

The LSAT in no way tests general knowledge of any kind. Thinking ability? Eh.. it is more learning the strategy and tricks of the way questions are asked, something that is not in standardized tests of any kind you can study for.

I have had several friends who have taken the prep course and the structure has given them great results...so to each their own. You get what you put into it. Of course, there are some prep courses that are downright mediocre, so one needs to solicit opinions rather than absorbing marketing pitches.

Edited August 7, 2007 by trane_fanatic

[trane_fanatic]

The idea that you have to take a course to study for a standardized test of your general knowledge and thinking ability seems absurd to me, or more likely the result of a successful marketing campaign by the test preparation course industry.

I would say forget it, it's too late, you should have learned how to take a standardized test long ago.

...What in the hell have they been learning in school?

Depends on what type of school they're going to, I guess. Are they preparing children well for college level material? In my city (San Francisco), they're not.

Edited August 7, 2007 by trane_fanatic

[kh1958]

The idea that you have to take a course to study for a standardized test of your general knowledge and thinking ability seems absurd to me, or more likely the result of a successful marketing campaign by the test preparation course industry.

I would say forget it, it's too late, you should have learned how to take a standardized test long ago.

Maybe you need to do some research first.

The LSAT in no way tests general knowledge of any kind. Thinking ability? Eh.. it is more learning the strategy and tricks of the way questions are asked, something that is not in standardized tests of any kind you can study for.

I have had several friends who have taken the prep course and the structure has given them great results...so to each their own. You get what you put into it. Of course, there are some prep courses that are downright mediocre, so one needs to solicit opinions rather than absorbing marketing pitches.

I've taken the LSAT, thanks, albeit a number of years ago.

Edited August 7, 2007 by kh1958

[David]

I took the LSAT this year. Yes, it is probably not the best indicator of someone's eventual ability to become a successful practicing lawyer, but it is a necessity if one wants to be admitted to law school. As someone who scored very highly on previous standardized tests (SATs, etc) I highly recommend either a course or hardcore studying of materials, such as the powerscore logic reasoning and logic games books. For the vast majority of folks, this test requires at least three months of daily studying if you want to get a good score (165+).

[kh1958]

I sure wouldn't hire someone who had to study for three months to get a good score on the LSAT. Keep it to yourself.

[mgraham333]

I sure wouldn't hire someone who had to study for three months to get a good score on the LSAT. Keep it to yourself.

I wouldn't work for someone who asked if I took an LSAT prep course.

I took the LSAT 13 years ago...wow, has it been that long? I didn't take a prep course for the LSAT although I did buy a book that provided some sample questions (mostly logic puzzles) that was helpful.

I would strongly recommend a prep course before the bar exam. There's no way you can possibly cover everything that might show up on the bar exam in three years of law school.

Best of luck to you trane_fanatic!

[Guy Berger]

I wouldn't work for someone who asked if I took an LSAT prep course.

FWIW, when I was interviewing for jobs last fall, some employers DID ask for GRE scores.

Guy

[MoGrubb]

I've never heard of this LSAT.

I've never even had to take the SAT, even though I've got 10+ years of post secondary ed, including a BS in Music Ed. I left HS without graduating, went to pro school(HS diploma wasn't required), then later got a GED, went to state uni(they didn't ask about SAT), and have taken numerous courses at jr college(including Ass. Degree in BusAdmin. Ain't that interesting...

Edited August 8, 2007 by MoGrubb

[kh1958]

I've never heard of this LSAT.

I've never even had to take the SAT, even though I've got 10+ years of post secondary ed, including a BS in Music Ed. I left HS without graduating, went to pro school(HS diploma wasn't required), then later got a GED, went to state uni(they didn't ask about SAT), and have taken numerous courses at jr college(including Ass. Degree in BusAdmin. Ain't that interesting...

If you want to be a lawyer, you have to take the LSAT to get into law school. It's a lot less painful an experience than law school itself, or the bar exam.

[Randy Twizzle]

Do whatever needs to be done to excel on the LSATs because this country desperately needs more lawyers.

[Hot Ptah]

I read an article by Kent Syverud on ridiculing law students which has stuck with me. He wrote it for beginning law professors. He said that there is a tendency among law professors to treat the legal profession with scorn, or at least with negative humor.

He points out that some law students come from poor or lower middle class families, and law school is the family's way out of poverty. For these students, their becoming an attorney is a great source of pride for their parents and their extended family members. Many of these students have genuine ideals and/or are acting as a beacon of hope for younger extended family members, a living example that education can be the way out of a dead end life.

Not all law students are spoiled rich kids polluting the nation with more lawyers.

[MoGrubb]

Do whatever needs to be done to excel on the LSATs because this country desperately needs more lawyers.

[Randy Twizzle]

He points out that some law students come from poor or lower middle class families, and law school is the family's way out of poverty. For these students, their becoming an attorney is a great source of pride for their parents and their extended family members. Many of these students have genuine ideals and/or are acting as a beacon of hope for younger extended family members, a living example that education can be the way out of a dead end life.

It sounds like every John Garfield movie I've ever seen.

[Hot Ptah]

He points out that some law students come from poor or lower middle class families, and law school is the family's way out of poverty. For these students, their becoming an attorney is a great source of pride for their parents and their extended family members. Many of these students have genuine ideals and/or are acting as a beacon of hope for younger extended family members, a living example that education can be the way out of a dead end life.

It sounds like every John Garfield movie I've ever seen.

Perhaps, but I know law students and attorneys who are in that very position. They do exist.

[Hot Ptah]

I sure wouldn't hire someone who had to study for three months to get a good score on the LSAT. Keep it to yourself.

I have found that real world skill by attorneys often has little or nothing to do with their academic background in law, or with their LSAT scores. It often has more to do with the mentoring they receive after law school, and their innate talent, which law school often seems to do its best to squelch or suppress.

[kh1958]

I sure wouldn't hire someone who had to study for three months to get a good score on the LSAT. Keep it to yourself.

I have found that real world skill by attorneys often has little or nothing to do with their academic background in law, or with their LSAT scores. It often has more to do with the mentoring they receive after law school, and their innate talent, which law school often seems to do its best to squelch or suppress.

You're right, of course. No one cares what a lawyer's LSAT score was, or what their bar score was (other than that you passed). And law school ill prepares one for actually being a lawyer. And one has to take a Bar Review course to take the state bar exam because law school also doesn't even do a very good job of teaching you the law of your respective state.

[relyles]

I took the LSAT around 1990. I did take a prep course before hand and do think it was somewhat helpful with at least getting me familiar with what to expect on the exam and successful strategies to use. There is nothing substantive to study for the LSAT, but one definately needs to sharpen analytical thinking.

[relyles]

He points out that some law students come from poor or lower middle class families, and law school is the family's way out of poverty. For these students, their becoming an attorney is a great source of pride for their parents and their extended family members. Many of these students have genuine ideals and/or are acting as a beacon of hope for younger extended family members, a living example that education can be the way out of a dead end life.

It sounds like every John Garfield movie I've ever seen.

Perhaps, but I know law students and attorneys who are in that very position. They do exist.

I think that when I first started practicing, many of my extended family members looked at me exactly that way. I was basically part of the first generation in my family where attending college was expected and in deed many of us did go to college and graduate. So far I am still the only person in my family (which is primarily concentrated in Birmingham, AL, NYC, Dayton, OH, and Detroit) to pursue a legal career or any type of advanced professional degree.

Edited August 8, 2007 by relyles

[trane_fanatic]

He points out that some law students come from poor or lower middle class families, and law school is the family's way out of poverty. For these students, their becoming an attorney is a great source of pride for their parents and their extended family members. Many of these students have genuine ideals and/or are acting as a beacon of hope for younger extended family members, a living example that education can be the way out of a dead end life.

It sounds like every John Garfield movie I've ever seen.

Perhaps, but I know law students and attorneys who are in that very position. They do exist.

They do indeed. Unfortunately, folks fall into the stereotype of viewing all attorneys as either ambulance chasers or corporate robbers. Be careful of who you place into a box.

[trane_fanatic]

I sure wouldn't hire someone who had to study for three months to get a good score on the LSAT. Keep it to yourself.

I wouldn't work for someone who asked if I took an LSAT prep course.

I took the LSAT 13 years ago...wow, has it been that long? I didn't take a prep course for the LSAT although I did buy a book that provided some sample questions (mostly logic puzzles) that was helpful.

I would strongly recommend a prep course before the bar exam. There's no way you can possibly cover everything that might show up on the bar exam in three years of law school.

Best of luck to you trane_fanatic!

Thank you!

[Randy Twizzle]

They do indeed. Unfortunately, folks fall into the stereotype of viewing all attorneys as either ambulance chasers or corporate robbers. Be careful of who you place into a box.

I've been around corporate attorneys my whole working life and I find them to be neither ambulance chasers nor robbers, they're just highly paid drones.