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<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><rss xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:openSearch="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/" xmlns:blogger="http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr="http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0" version="2.0"><channel><atom:id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419</atom:id><lastBuildDate>Wed, 13 Mar 2024 12:20:47 +0000</lastBuildDate><category>LSAT</category><category>logic</category><category>arguments</category><category>classes</category><category>conditional statements</category><category>courses</category><category>games</category><category>tutoring</category><category>Admissions</category><category>Essay</category><category>IQ</category><category>LSAC</category><category>Law School</category><category>Personal Statement</category><category>changes</category><category>comparitive reading</category><category>comprehension</category><category>logical reasoning</category><category>median</category><category>motivation</category><category>quotes</category><category>reasoning</category><category>score</category><category>test center</category><category>test prep</category><title>Earl Does LSAT</title><description>The Law School Admission Test or LSAT is one of the many hoops we have to jump through on our way to law school. As time goes on, the LSAT is becoming more and more important for prospective students' chances of attending the schools they want. For better or worse, law school admissions is a numbers game, and this site is dedicated to helping you improve yours.</description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/</link><managingEditor>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</managingEditor><generator>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>12</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-1834769130082575904</guid><pubDate>Mon, 11 Jul 2011 01:12:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:18:53.338-05:00</atom:updated><title>Logic Games Repetition Workbooks!</title><description><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I posted a while back about why you should <a href="http://earldoeslsat.blogspot.com/2011/03/reuse-your-preptests_26.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EarlDoesLSAT+%28Earl+Does+LSAT%29">reuse your LSAT PrepTests</a>.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I was delighted to see a tweet today by <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/CambridgeLSAT">@CambridgeLSAT</a> announcing&nbsp;a series of 3 books that contain every LSAT PT game on tests 1-60 three times each. &nbsp;</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">You can (and should!) get them here:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615508502/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=opinionnation-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=0615508502">LSAT Logic Games Repetition Workbook, Volume 1: PrepTests 1-20</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615508510/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=opinionnation-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=0615508510">LSAT Logic Games Repetition Workbook, Volume 2: PrepTests 21-40</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615508529/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=opinionnation-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=0615508529">LSAT Logic Games Repetition Workbook, Volume 3: PrepTests 41-60</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Hopefully we'll see the same for RC and Games soon.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2011/07/logic-games-repetition-workbooks.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-1853155658594538102</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Mar 2011 23:40:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:18:56.307-05:00</atom:updated><title>Avoiding Panic</title><description><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">This is from an old message board post, but I think it's something worth repeating. &nbsp;Someone asked about how to deal with test anxiety and panic. &nbsp;Here is my response:</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Panic comes when things are out of our control.&nbsp; Panic comes from the fact that you're approaching the test from a position of fear and submission rather than from power and choice.&nbsp; You're probably telling yourself things like, "I HAVE to do well on the LSAT," or, "I HAVE to get into such-and-such law school."&nbsp; It's as if someone has a gun to your head making you fear for your life.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Using phrases like "I HAVE to" is very counter-productive.&nbsp; "I HAVE to" implies a threat.&nbsp; It's really, "I have to OR ELSE..."&nbsp; When your body encounters a threat, your fight-or-flight response kicks in (racing heart beat, sweat, shallow breathing...i.e. panic).&nbsp; The fight-or-flight response is great for fighting off a cougar.&nbsp; It's not so good for standardized testing.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">What you need to realize and remind yourself is that you don't HAVE to take this test.&nbsp; And if you take it, you don't HAVE to be perfect, or even close to it.&nbsp; Yes, it's an important test.&nbsp; Yes, it's going to do a lot to determine the course your future takes.&nbsp; Yes, it's tough.&nbsp; But it's not the extent of your life.&nbsp; It's says nothing about who you are.&nbsp; You're not going to die from a bad LSAT score.&nbsp; No matter what happens--even if you fall short of your goal, even if you fail--you're going to be okay.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">With a healthier perspective, you can approach the test from a position of power.&nbsp; You can choose whether to even take the test.&nbsp; Now, I'm assuming you want to go to law school.&nbsp; Given this desire, you are in a position to choose to go--that is to CHOOSE to do the things that will allow you to attend law school.&nbsp; You don't HAVE to take the LSAT (because you don't HAVE to go to law school), but--from a position of power and control over your actions--you can CHOOSE to take it.&nbsp; And to the extent that you wish to do well on the LSAT, you will choose to study or take classes or work practice tests in pursuit of that goal.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">With that in mind, when you approach your practice tests, you need to constantly remind yourself that it doesn't matter.&nbsp; A low score isn't going to ruin you.&nbsp; You're only doing it to practice and to gain information about where you need to focus your study.&nbsp; It's all just part of the learning process.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2011/03/avoiding-panic.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-8971998014073015241</guid><pubDate>Sat, 26 Mar 2011 22:53:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:18:59.111-05:00</atom:updated><title>Reuse Your PrepTests!</title><description><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #323d4f; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">For some reason, people studying the LSAT have a tendency to assume that previous LSATs somehow go bad. Post after post people fret about having seen questions before, or saving a few tests to keep them "fresh". "OMG I did all 63 practice tests! NOW WHAT WILL I STUDY???"<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />Please stop this nonsense.<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><span style="font-size: 26px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Reusing PrepTests WILL NOT HURT YOU!</span></span><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />In fact, one of the most valuable things you can do is reuse your PrepTests. Do them.&nbsp;<span style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Then do them again.</span>&nbsp;<span style="color: red; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Then do them again.</span></span>&nbsp;It's good. It's called practice, and practice, by definition, requires repetition.<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />Exhibit 1:</span></div></div><div class="quotetitle" style="background-color: #a9b8c2; border-bottom-color: rgb(169, 184, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(169, 184, 194); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(169, 184, 194); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(169, 184, 194); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #333333; font-size: 0.85em; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Merriam Webster wrote:</div></div></div><div class="quotecontent" style="background-color: #fafafa; border-bottom-color: rgb(169, 184, 194); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(169, 184, 194); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(169, 184, 194); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(169, 184, 194); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; color: #4b5c77; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">prac·tice</span>&nbsp;verb \ˈprak-təs\</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">2 a : to perform or work at repeatedly so as to become proficient</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">b : to train by repeated exercises</div></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Ok, sure, your score on a PrepTest that you've seen before will probably be higher than on a "fresh" one. Whoopie do. The point of doing preptests is not to have an "accurate" preptest score, it's to get better at the test. Musicians don't fret about keeping songs fresh--they do them over and over again. Athletes don't fret about running a drill a second or third time--they do them over and over again. Repetition makes them better. Do your LSAT questions over and over again. It will make you better.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I've come to understand LSAT prep as taking place on two levels. There's a basic level where you're learning about conditional reasoning, game setups, question types, premises, conclusions, flaws, and things like that. Those are important for initial improvement on the test, and a good grasp of those concepts is probably good to get you a respectable number of points above the median.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The second level, as I've come to understand it, is almost entirely about pattern recognition. The vast majority of, say, consistent 165+ or 170+ scorers work the test without having to use a whole lot of mental capacity thinking through the logic of arguments or memorizing what they've read in RC. Instead, they see things about the current test that remind them of things they've repeatedly seen in the past. The LSAT is an incredibly consistent test from administration to administration. The structures of the arguments, the games, the passages, and the answer choices have all appeared multiple times on prior tests. "Hey, this is just like the such-and-such game where this particular rule was the key to most of the questions!" That is where you want to be.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Once you've got a good grasp of the basics, I've found that repetition of old questions is the most effective way to begin seeing (and recalling) the patterns in the test--of getting to that higher level. Redoing questions is like like watching a movie a second time. You begin to see things--obvious things--that you totally missed the first or second time through.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Exhibit 2:</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="Image" height="261" src="http://www.marieclaire.com/media/cm/marieclaire/images/sixth%20sense.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; cursor: move; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="400" /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">That flaw in that argument you just worked? You're going to see it again. So get familiar with it so that you don't waste any time recognizing it. That crazy clue in that game? It's probably been in 3 or 4 other games. Like the ending in the Sixth Sense, repetition will make these things obvious.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Now, this doesn't mean you should pull out an old LSAT and say, "oh yeah, I remember this one, the answer is C." Knowing the answer doesn't really do much good. Instead, look at the questions with an eye toward articulating&nbsp;<span style="font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">exactly</span>&nbsp;what kind of problem it is, what steps you should follow to answer it, what the answer is likely to look like, and exactly why each answer choice is right or wrong. Write your explanation down if you need to. Pretend you're teaching someone how to work the problem. Take people's questions on here and try to explain to them how to solve a problem or set up a game. Post your thinking on questions on here if you're not sure you understand it quite right. Then go through them again.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The usefulness of a question is more than it's ability to simply test whether you can answer it right. But you don't gain a lot of that additional value if you go through the question once, find that you got it right, and then discard it forever. So use your tests. Reuse them. Resuse them again. Abuse them. Wear them out and squeeze every bit of knowledge and understanding you can get out of your materials. It will make you better.</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2011/03/reuse-your-preptests_26.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-6282896881994895085</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 May 2007 17:58:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:19:01.739-05:00</atom:updated><title>Why you should NOT shoot for a 180</title><description>I hear this advice quite often. "Shoot for a 180! What do you have to lose?" I know these are merely words of encouragement. Along the lines of "Do your best," and "Be all you can be," or "Win one for the Gipper." It's a nice gesture to encourage our friends to aim for perfection on the LSAT. "Aim for the best, you might just hit it."<br /><br />Unfortunately, this is not good advice. There is an ideal pace for every skill-level on the LSAT, and the mathematics behind the test reward those who recognize their own abilities and alter their strategy to compliment it. Likewise, it punishes those who bite off more than they can chew.<br /><br />LSAT takers should take multiple diagnostic exams not only to improve their scores and hone their skills on the test, but also to assess their overall abilities and craft a strategy that plays up their strengths. The later goal is too often ignored, and students keep beating their head against a wall when they can't break a score of X. <br /><br />Getting a 180 requires attempting every question on the test. Shooting for a 180, then, requires the same. But most LSAT takers SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT EVERY QUESTION. The vast majority of students are not accurate enough to reliably find the credited response in the time required to finish the whole test. It sucks, but if this were otherwise, the test would be pointless. Slowing down is an important tool to raise that accuracy. Higher accuracy plus random guessing, balanced properly, yields more points than rushing to finish in hopes of approaching a 180.<br /><br />This example is a bit extreme, but the lesson applies to most people taking the test. I had a student who was doing very poorly. She literally was getting 10 correct on an args section attempting about 25 questions. Her correct answers were mostly at the beginning where the easy questions lie. I made her calculate the average time she spent on each question. 1 minute 24 seconds. Then I asked her to calculate the time spent per question if she only attempted 15. 2 Minutes 20 seconds. I said, "Okay, 56 seconds is a long time. If you spent an extra 56 seconds--almost a full minute--on each and every question to doublecheck that you ID'd the question right, found the conclusion, found the flaw, and made sure the answer fit what they're asking for, do you think you might be able to get just one more right?" Of course she could, and I said, "Well, then your score's gonna go up."<br /><br />More importantly, when she snags that extra question, her score doesn't just go from 10 raw points to 11. She gets 1/5 of a point for picking D on each of the 10 questions left. By purposely NOT shooting for that elusive 180, she is likely to raise her raw score 3 points on that section.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2007/05/why-you-should-not-shoot-for-180.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-4876050952763268412</guid><pubDate>Fri, 06 Apr 2007 20:20:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:19:04.455-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Admissions</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Essay</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Law School</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Personal Statement</category><title>Law School Personal Statements</title><description>After you take care of the numbers by crushing the LSAT and showing off your stellar GPA, the next most important aspect of your Law School admissions is the personal statement. I was very fortunate to have my personal statement reviewed by a couple prominent academics, one a Pulitzer nominee. Most people, unfortunately, don't have that option.<br /><br />I read a lot about the subject, but most example essays I found weren't terribly well written. What made them successful for admission to top law schools was the story they told. So-and-so has spent the last 8 years working with the Peace Corps in Rwanda. Such-and-such played a major role in freeing an innocent man on death row. These types of stories don't need a skilled pen to shine. The rest of us, who have led pretty normal, uneventful lives, are left with a bit more of a challenge when it comes to the law school personal statement.<br /><br />What I learned from reading and talking with my reviewers was that law school admissions officers are looking for a number of specific elements in your essay. The first is that you can write. A well-composed essay on just about anything will reveal your competence as a wordsmith.<br /><br />Second, they want to know that you <span style="font-style: italic;">actually</span> intend to practice law. The number of people who begin law school and either don't finish, or don't end up practicing is very high, and this doesn't look good for the schools whose job it is to make them lawyers. In crafting the "ideal class," admissions people want motivated students who have put a great deal of thought into what about law attracts them to this career. Putting a great deal of thought does not mean citing your fondness of Perry Mason. Identify that piece of your personality or your past experience that sparked your interest in law.<br /><br />Finally, they want to know that you're unique. The law school buzzword for a long time has been "diversity." The idea is if someone is just like you, you're unnecessary. With that in mind, show off the things that separate you from the field. The fact that you studied political science and worked as a paralegal like every other law applicant isn't going to impress anyone. The fact that you are a Wiccan who beat spinal meningitis has little to do with law but does more to separate you from your peers. And yes, these things can be spun into your intentions for law school--religious freedom or public health policy work, for instance.<br /><br />Once you've got the scores to have a chance at your top-choice school, make sure your essay gets you through the door. My recommendation is to find the absolute most qualified writers to review your work and help you find revisions. If you don't have a Pulitzer nominee or Ivy League Grad in your Rollodex, I suggest you check out the <a href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-2374264-10294933" target="_top">law school personal statement editing services from Essay Edge.</a><img border="0" height="1" src="http://www.ftjcfx.com/image-2374264-10294933" width="1" /> Their services range from basic proofreading for under $20 to their Platinum service that pairs you with an editor walking with your step-by-step from topic selection to outlining to editing, all the way to the final draft. Check them out at <a href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-2374264-10294933" target="_top">essayedge.com</a>.<img border="0" height="1" src="http://www.ftjcfx.com/image-2374264-10294933" width="1" /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2007/04/law-school-personal-statements.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-2764260690780604247</guid><pubDate>Wed, 04 Apr 2007 06:53:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:19:07.421-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">classes</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">courses</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">LSAT</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">median</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">score</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">test prep</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">tutoring</category><title>A few words about LSAT Scoring</title><description>The LSAT is scored on a scale from 120 to 180. It’s really 0 to 180, but you get 120 points for spelling your name right. The median hovers around 151 and scores spread out more or less in across a bell curve. The curve is rather steep, meaning that the vast majority of students score right smack in the middle (in fact, almost 70% score between 141 and 161).<br /><br /><img src="http://img461.imageshack.us/img461/3348/lsatcurveno3.jpg" /><br /><br />What does this mean for you, the consumer? First, chances are, if you’re normal, you’re right there in the middle with everyone else. Second, a little bit of improvement goes a long way.<br /><br />Imagine for a moment that you are as average as they come. You score a 151, the 49<sup>th</sup> percentile. A mere five point increase moves you into the 68<sup>th</sup> percentile. Seven points places you well into the 76<sup>th</sup> percentile. Did you catch that? A seven point improvement moves you past more than 25% of the field!<br /><br />What if your practice tests are lower? Maybe you’re struggling a little bit and scoring 146, the bottom third. Ouch. A seven point increase from there is a 153, the 57<sup>th</sup> percentile. That relatively small increase in score moves you from well-below-average, facing a small number of law schools who will even consider you, to comfortably above-average with lots more opportunity for choosing your path to the bar.<br /><br />Ok, so what’s the point of this? First is just to familiarize you with the competition. Law school admission is about standing out. The LSAT is the most important place to stand out, and the way the game is set up, most students will clump around the median where there is little chance of being noticed. Second, is to encourage you to do everything humanly possible to improve your score. Every point counts. I highly recommend taking classes or private tutoring. I’ve seen students improve their scores 20 points, but my examples in the post focused on what even a seven point increase can do for the average student. The reason I chose seven points is because a seven point increase absolutely doable. The average increase at the <a href="http://www.princetonreview.com/law/testprep/testprep.asp?TPRPAGE=17&amp;TYPE=LSAT-PREPARE" target="new">Princeton Review</a> is, you guessed it, seven points. That’s the average. That’s normal. That probably means you.<br /><br />Now, if the average student can take a class and raise his score seven points, why isn’t the average higher? I think I know.<br /><br />Happy studying!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2007/04/few-words-about-lsat-scoring.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-1523220038975930570</guid><pubDate>Wed, 04 Apr 2007 04:07:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:19:10.171-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">arguments</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">conditional statements</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">games</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">logic</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">LSAT</category><title>Beginning Conditionals II: Necessary and Sufficient</title><description><img align="right" src="http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/9400/gaspumppv2.jpg" />Among the tasks we're charged with on the LSAT are recognizing and avoiding confusion with necessity vs. sufficiency. On the arguments section, mixups about necessary and sufficient circumstances constitute a good number of the flaws we deal with. On games, mistaking a necessary condition for a sufficient one (or vise versa) will typically cost you two or more answers.<br /><br />In most cases, the idea of necessary and sufficient can be expressed conditionally in the form:<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">sufficient --&gt; necessary</span><br /><br />On the LSAT, if an event or condition is sufficient to bring about a result (or to know information about something else), it always brings about that result (or reveals that information). For instance, spending too long in sunlight is sufficient to cause sunburn. Too long in the sun goes on the left side (the sufficient side) of our conditional.<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">TLS --&gt; SB</span><br /><br />Much of this is counter-intuitive because in the real world we have things like sunscreen. In LSAT Land, however, when I tell you spending too long in sunlight causes sunburn, it causes sunburn no matter what SPF you're wearing.<br /><br />Where things begin to get confusing is when we start to think about the necessary side of our conditional. From my original premise, we can infer that a sunburn is necessary to spend too long in the sun. What? That's right. Now in the real world, again, this is silly. How can basking too long in the sun lead to sunburn if sunburn is a requirement for basking too long in the sun? By my original statement, you haven't actually been in the sun too long until you've at least gotten a sunburn. I know this because of the contrapositive (the other thing I know to be true).<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">TLS --&gt; SB</span><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">~SB --&gt; ~TLS</span><br /><br />If you don't have a sunburn, you haven't spent too long in the sun. SB was a necessary condition (on the right side of my conditional) for TLS. If I remove the necessary condition (~SB) then I necessary remove what was sufficient to cause it (~TLS).<br /><br />Notice what's happened here. My necessary condition, when negated, became a sufficient condition for something else. Likewise, my sufficient condition, negated, became necessary for my negated necessary condition. (Confused yet?) Look at these statements again.<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">TLS --&gt; SB</span><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">~SB --&gt; ~TLS</span><br /><br />Spending too long in the sun is <span style="font-style: italic;">sufficient</span> to get a sunburn. Getting sunburned <span style="font-style: italic;">necessarily</span> follows spending too long in the sun (and is, in fact, requisite for doing so).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Not</span> getting sunburned, then, is <span style="font-style: italic;">sufficient</span> to tell you that you haven't spent too long in the sun. <span style="font-style: italic;">Not</span> spending too long in the sun is <span style="font-style: italic;">necessary</span> to avoid sunburn.<br /><br />Another familiar example to think about is your car. Gas is necessary for your car to run. Putting gas on the necessary side of my conditional yields:<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">R --&gt; G</span><br /><br />If your car runs, then it's got gas. The contrapositive says:<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">~G --&gt; ~R</span><br /><br />Without gas, the car doesn't run. Why? Gas is necessary for it to run. Removing a necessary condition is sufficient to tell you the other side of your conditional won't happen. Not having gas is sufficient to prevent the car from running.<br /><br />The LSAT writers confuse these ideas quite a bit and it's your job to notice. An argument might say "In order to run, a car must have gas. Joe's car won't run, so he must be out of gas." This isn't necessarily true, however, as many things can stop your car--bad fuel pump, no oil, brick wall, etc.<br /><br />The argument could also have been written "In order to run, a car must have gas. Joe's car has gas, so it will run." Having gas is great, but the fact that vandals stole the engine is going to be a slight obstacle to operating Joe's vehicle.<br /><br />The lesson here is that necessary conditions aren't necessarily sufficient, and sufficient conditions aren't necessarily necessary. Gas (necessary to run the car) isn't sufficient to run it--you need oil and spark plugs and stuff. Being out of gas (sufficient to stop the car) isn't necessary to stop it--other problems can do the job just fine. Running the car (sufficient to let you know you've got gas) isn't necessary to let you know--there are other ways. The car not running (a necessary result of being out of gas) is not sufficient to tell you you're out of gas--you might have mechanical problems.<br /><br />In the first Beginning Conditionals post, I gave an example about eating peas. The mistake I made as a four-year-old was between necessary and sufficient. Eating all my peas was necessary for me to be allowed outside, but it was not sufficient.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2007/04/beginning-conditionals-ii-necessary-and.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-2001667442121720963</guid><pubDate>Sat, 17 Feb 2007 00:53:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:19:13.104-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">changes</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">comparitive reading</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">comprehension</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">LSAC</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">LSAT</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">test center</category><title>June Changes</title><description><img align="right" src="http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/9551/pencilzc7.jpg" />In June, a couple things are changing on the LSAT. Mostly bad in my hunble opinon.<br /><ul><li>Reading Comprehension will replace one of the normal passages with "comparitive reading comprehension," a set of two passages and questions related to both. <a href="http://lsac.org/pdfs/2007-2008/SamplePT07webrenumbered.pdf" target="new">You can preview it here</a>. The passage is in section two, page 18 of the test.</li><li>The Argument essay will be discontinued. (Yay!)</li><li>Mechanical pencils are no longer allowed. Only wooden #2 pencils.</li><li>Highligers are now allowed.</li><li>No electric timers.</li><li>No digital wristwatches.</li></ul>You can read more <a href="https://os.lsac.org/release/help/more-information2008.asp#lsat-center-regulations" target="new">here</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2007/02/june-changes.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-2172693727999409914</guid><pubDate>Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:59:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:19:15.717-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">IQ</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">logic</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">logical reasoning</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">LSAT</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">reasoning</category><title>Does the LSAT measure IQ?</title><description>I was recently asked how well the LSAT serves as an IQ test. It does measure intelligence to an extent (USMensa uses it as one of their admissions tests). If it were purely an intellegence test, however, it would be virtually impossible to improve your score (unless, of course, you could actually raise your own IQ). There's an entire industry built around the fact that this is not true.<br /><br />The reason the test (and most every other test) is so bad at showing intelligence or aptitude is that <span style="font-style: italic;">the test gets in the way of what it's testing</span>.<br /><br />There are a number of things about the LSAT--understanding how questions are phrased, what they're really looking for when they say "such-and-such," knowing exactly what to expect on each section, etc.--that can improve your score. There are quirky things that are LSAT-specific (for instance, in the real world, I can counter someone's argument by questioning their premise. On the LSAT, an answer that weakens a premise is always incorrect.) It's not as much of a carnival game as the GMAT, which is almost all about test-taking technique, but there is plenty of opportunity for improvement, especially from the scores around the median--students from 145-155 seem to be able to improve the most points-wise.<br /><br />At the same time, I notice that most people eventually hit a ceiling that is very difficult to break through, and I think that finaly barrier may be the limit of their mental ability (whether it be logic, comprehension, or just the speed at which they think).<br /><br />IMHO, studying for the LSAT is about removing those non-content, test-specific barriers so the test can actually do what it claims to, that is, reflect the student's actual aptitude.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2007/02/does-lsat-measure-iq.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-5365989079526451225</guid><pubDate>Thu, 08 Feb 2007 07:56:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:19:19.406-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">arguments</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">conditional statements</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">games</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">logic</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">LSAT</category><title>Beginning Conditionals</title><description><img align="left" src="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/9144/peascz1va8.jpg" />Conditional statements are the bastard red-headed stepchildren of formal logic. If you've ever taken any formal logic classes, these may make your head explode because technically I do them wrong. However, what I will demonstrate in this and several upcoming posts works on the LSAT, and that's all we're interested in here.<br /><br />Your basic conditional statement is one of those if/then statements you probably had to suffer through in 9th grade algebra class, only this time we're not doing math. Consider the following:<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;"> if A then B</span><br /><br />Written shorthand, we can say<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;"> A --&gt; B<br /><br /></span>There are many types of phrases this could symbolize. All A's are B's. When someone has A he must also have B. No A is not a B (ooh, double negative). When you are A you become B. What exactly are A and B? Who knows? Here's a real-world example.<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;"> All states are in the northern hemisphere.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;"> S --&gt; NH<br /><br /></span>With common sense, we can derrive all kinds of information from this. For instance, we could figure out what is disqualified from being a state<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;"> If a place is NOT in the northern hemisphere, it is NOT a state.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;"> ~NH --&gt; ~S<br /><br /></span>This is called the contrapositive. Flip and negate. The contrapositive, for purposes of the LSAT, means the exact same thing as the original statement. Knowing either <span style="font-weight: bold;">S --&gt; NH</span> or <span style="font-weight: bold;">~NH --&gt; ~S</span> allows is to conclude the other. Or original statement, <span style="font-weight: bold;">if A then B</span>, tells us both:<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;"> A --&gt; B</span><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;"> ~B --&gt; ~A<br /><br /></span>Notice I did not conclude <span style="font-weight: bold;">~A --&gt; ~B</span>. We know that B is a necessary result of A, but we don't know whether it could exist without A. Perhaps a C would also give us B, and A can take the day off.<br /><br />An illustration I like to use is a memory of being 4 years old. My mother would say something like:<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">If you want to go outside, you have to eat your peas.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">O --&gt; P</span><br /><br />So I'd get all excited, grab my fork, and shovel down my entire pile of peas, imagining all the wonderful things I was going to do once I got outside. Of course, no sooner had the last pea left my fork into my mouth, my mother would exclaim, "OK, time for a bath!"<br /><br />A BATH?!?!?! But I ate my peas! I'm supposed to be going outside swinging or throwing mud or something!<br /><br />My mother was a better logician than I was. Her statement said if I wanted to go outside, I had to eat my peas. The contrapositive (the only other thing we know must have been true) was if I DIDN'T eat my peas I COULDN'T go outside.<br /><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">O --&gt; P</span><br /><span style="color: #000099; font-family: 'courier new'; font-weight: bold;">~P --&gt; ~O</span><br /><br />Nobody said anything about eating my peas giving my a license to go outside, only that going out side would be denied in the event I failed to eat my peas. My 4-year-old pea-brain assumed that since <span style="font-weight: bold;">O --&gt; P</span> then <span style="font-weight: bold;">P --&gt; O</span>. This is flawed logic both at my kitchen table and on the LSAT.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2007/02/beginning-conditionals.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-8471289825474334241</guid><pubDate>Thu, 08 Feb 2007 05:15:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:19:22.356-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">LSAT</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">motivation</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">quotes</category><title>Confidence</title><description>Confidence is preparation. Everything else is beyond your control.<br />-<span style="font-style: italic;"> Richard Kline</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2007/02/confidence.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4516534397162141419.post-822503822663816798</guid><pubDate>Wed, 07 Feb 2007 06:30:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-07-15T21:19:26.581-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">classes</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">courses</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">LSAT</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">tutoring</category><title>Why Should I Take an LSAT Class?</title><description>I'm often asked, "Why should I pay $29872394874 for a class when I can just buy books and study at home?" I asked this same question and, unfortunately, opted not to take a class before my actual LSAT. My reasoning was that I'm fiarly intellegent, did fine using only books for the ACT, and don't really want to fork out all that money. These are all valid concerns, and I can't blame anyone for raising them. So why should you take a class?<br /><br />There are several answers.<br /><br />1) Books don't give feedback. If you are misapplying a concept on the test, no book is going to correct you. You may find upon a second glance why you got a particular question wrong, but if there's a fundamental misunderstanding, you will continue to miss the same questions. In my classes I use the socratic method, which allows me to discover and patch leaks my students may have. Books can't do that.<br /><br />2) Most books use fake LSAT questions. In fact, unless your book comes from LSAC, it almost certainly does. Classroom courses, however, often license questions from LSAC for use in their live curricula. This is not to say that non-LSAC questions are altogether bad, but it's hard to judge whether or not they paint an accurate picture of the LSAT.<br /><br />3) Books don't require accountability. Live classroom courses offer proctored diagnostic exams, tons of homework (at least they should), in-class quizzes, and peer pressure. A class schedule forces you into a regular study schedule, and the class itself has someone to give you hell in the event you haven't studied.<br /><br />Every point on the LSAT opens doors to schools you otherwise couldn't attend. Every point has the potential to mean thousands of dollars in scholarship and fellowship money. Every point counts. Without live instruction from a competent mentor, you are probably missing out on a world of opportunity.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>You follow? <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>@EarlDoesLSAT</a> on <a href=http://www.twitter.com/EarlDoesLSAT>Twitter</a>.</div></description><link>http://blog.earldoeslsat.com/2007/02/why-should-i-take-class.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (EarlCat)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total></item></channel></rss>If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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