GRE

[Texsox]

Thoughts? I will be taking it sometime soon. It seems as if I will not have to set the world on fire, just do OK for the program I am applying.

[maggsmaggs]

On the same subject sort of, any advice for the LSAT? I will be taking it in 6-9 months.

[Balta1701]

So, I have no advice to give on the math section other than trying to go through practice problems.

 

My Vocab section advice is that if you're not a big vocab type person, the company "Barrons" put out a few years back what was for me an excellent study guide booklet with a gigantic vocab list. I just went through and created a flash card with every word in their dictionary that I didn't know, and then flipped through those for 2 months.

 

If they still have the writing section, you're probably in decent shape just based on your ability to write here. Review some of the questions they tend to ask, and don't be afraid to build a case for whatever you want to make.

[Flash Tizzle]

If you want to lazy approach to tackling the GRE, which I'm more than capable of providing, purchase two different books and take several practice exams. If you score over 1000, which is the minimum many LAS departments require for admittance, then you're good. Find out yours before you begin. I scored well above a 1000 on the cumulative and didn't waste my time studying. When I took the exam several months later I did well and was admitted into graduate school no problem.

 

The LSAT on the other hand was a real pain in the ass for me. There was a time I was interested in law school, spent several weeks studying, and couldn't get above a 160 on the practice tests. That score isn't terrible, but it's right on the borderline for several mid tier schools in Chicago such as Kent or Loyola.

 

It seriously required me to reevaluate the way I infer relationships. It seemed every question had atleast two acceptable answers. I'd pick an answer with the logic of "well, the passage gives evidence for this answer" and the answer would be wrong with an accompanying explanation of "LOLOL it's right but this other answer is better1!!! ." I just couldn't work my mind around these type of questions. It's as if you have to have a different mindset to do well on these tests.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Flash Tizzle

[G&T]

On the same subject sort of, any advice for the LSAT? I will be taking it in 6-9 months.

 

Take a class for it and do the work. The LSAT is hard.

I was scoring on practices over 160, but ended up in the 150's. I wasn't too happy, but I got into a school.

 

My experience tells me that if your GPA is solid, all you need is a 150+ to get into a decent school. But I'm sure others will freak you out and say you need a 170.

[Soxy]

I took the GRE. The vocab really you just need to get a good book and go through it. To be honest, though, I would encourage studying more for the math. A lot of the math on the GRE is stuff that I hadn't looked at since high school/middle school and that totally sucked for me. So review math.

 

The writing section is a cakewalk. No prep necessary.

[Texsox]

Based on my transcripts and likely Grad schools, the GRE may not even be required. If I take it and do exceptional, it may complicate my life as I look at upper tier schools. Sp I believe I have a couple defense mechanisms working here.

 

I wish I was 20 something again.

[maggsmaggs]

Take a class for it and do the work. The LSAT is hard.

I was scoring on practices over 160, but ended up in the 150's. I wasn't too happy, but I got into a school.

 

My experience tells me that if your GPA is solid, all you need is a 150+ to get into a decent school. But I'm sure others will freak you out and say you need a 170.

Yeah, my GPA is pretty good, so GPA wise I am looking Michigan, Illinois, Wash U, Notre Dame and some others around the midwest, but yeah I am kind of worried about the LSAT. I just hate the concept that one test determines so much.

[ptatc]

Thoughts? I will be taking it sometime soon. It seems as if I will not have to set the world on fire, just do OK for the program I am applying.

 

We require it for admission for our program. The advice I give students is to get hte CD-ROM review and practice.

It gives you practice exams, analyzes your weakness and tailors the pratice to your results.

 

I am doing interviews for our program over the next two days. About 80 interviews for 30 spots.

 

I love to make applicants cry! (just kidding)

[Soxbadger]

I just hate the concept that one test determines so much.

 

Well, that unfortunately is life as a law school student and lawyer (unless you go transactional ).

 

My opinion for people that want to be lawyers is that you better get off on stress and pressure. I myself can not work unless there is pressure, so the higher the stakes the more I actually focus.

 

Good luck, there is no possible way to study for the LSAT outside of taking practice tests. Even then its a crap shoot because of the 1 fake section. In my LSAT there were 2 logic and games sections and unfortunately the first one was the fake one. By the time I got to the real section (it was late in the day) I was suffering mental fatigue and I blew it.

 

The most difficult aspects of the LSAT are mental fatigue and the pace of the test. In my opinion I am a blazingly fast test taker, I almost always finish standardized tests first and prior to the LSAT, I had never not completed every single section of every test I have taken. The pace of the LSAT was even quicker than what I was used to and it can unravel people.

 

I actually think that the Bar was easier than the LSAT in terms of pace, I know that I finished all of those sections with plenty of time to spare.

[mr_genius]

From what I remember, it's a fairly easy assessment. What math have you taken as an undergrad? You might want to brush up on that, but the math section is actually really easy if you have covered the material.

[Texsox]

From what I remember, it's a fairly easy assessment. What math have you taken as an undergrad? You might want to brush up on that, but the math section is actually really easy if you have covered the material.

 

I just finished a stats course for Behavioral Sciences that sharpened some math skills. And unlike a lot of my core which was 25 years ago, algebra was just a couple years ago. The two main choices I have right now are much more concerned about my last 60 hours of class work and writing samples than anything else.