The Next Three Months

Well today is the big day: the start of my LSAT class and the end of my life as I know it. Running February 28 to May 30, I am enrolled in the Kaplan Advantage online/on site LSAT prep course.

As soon as the class ends, the actual LSAT and law school applying phase begins. After two years "off" from college, it all seems super intense...but definitely worth it. I've been telling myself since I can remember that I wanted to become a lawyer, and now it's actually (almost) on the road to happening.

I will be as obsessed with the LSAT as Russell is with saving his wife.

Before it all goes down, I'd like to send thanks to all my friends and family who helped my pick (and fund) the right course for me. I've taken the practice LSAT, but - like most pre-law schoolers - liked, not loved, my score. Luckily, I have enough time and motivation to study to get my grade up. This is me pre-course. Let's see how I feel in three months.

"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'" - Mohammad Ali.

Muhammed = Me. Sonny = the LSAT.

This all being said, I will be taking a break from my blog. I will update it as much as possible, perhaps as a procrastination method, but if not - at least you will know the reason why!

I would like to keep my blog as relevant as possible in my hiatus, so here is my call to guest bloggers. If anyone has any material relevant to law, law school, the LSAT, being a lawyer, politics, business, etc; that they would like to submit as a guest blog post then please don't hesitate to send it my way! Either message me on Facebook or shoot me an email.

Don't be scared to send me your guest post !

As my law life progresses, I hope to keep this blog so that it may one day turn into a resource for others who share the same interests. I acknowledge that this is a pretty big dream, but hey, might as well give it a shot. Wait, am I still talking about my blog, or my life? I guess they're about the same!

Soon to be me. Okay so I may be getting ahead of myself.

You Took the LSAT, Now What?

Good luck to everyone who rocked the February LSAT today! Although I am not taking the LSAT for another four months (hello June LSAT), I think about it quite often. For most of us who have always known that we wanted to become a lawyer, the LSAT is the mighty gatekeeper. I think about all the preparation that went into today, all the time and money spent, just for this test.

he February LSAT scores are scheduled to be released via email by Wednesday, March 6, 2013, so you'll have to wait about one month for your LSAT score. Your future could very well rest on these results, and they make you wait? That being said, now what? T

Your first priority, provided you’re applying this year, should be to finish your law school applications. Polish your personal statement, check to make sure that The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) has all the necessary documentation, and generally prepare everything so that you can submit your applications the instant your LSAT score drops.

In case you didn't know, the CAS creates your law school report by combining:

• LSAT score(s) and writing sample(s)
• an academic summary report
• all undergraduate, graduate, and law/professional school transcripts
• letters of recommendation/evaluations, if applicable
• other relevant information, such as prior matriculation

But wait, you’ve done all that haven't you. And it's all there in a neat little pile - or its already at your beloved potential law school waiting for the LSAT score to come join its friends. And now the uncertainty of not knowing your LSAT score is driving you up the wall.

In that case, you have two options. 1) Think about all the questions you were unsure of. You know, that one logic question you thought you nailed, but now you're not sure. 2) Login to your Law School Admission Council (LSAC) account page and click 'refresh'. Keep doing this until you see your LSAT score - that's right - a good 10 seconds or so before you would have received it by email. 

Not interested in those plans? I didn't think so. Instead, a better, saner plan would be to distract yourself. Don't become inactive, because when you do, your mind will go right back to your February LSAT score and its affect on your not-so-distant future. Need help? Here are some ideas:

1. Train. Now that you have all this free time, pick an athletic event and start training. Find something, make a schedule. At this point it’s likely to be something that’ll come after your LSAT scores come out, but that’s fine; after all, the nervous anticipation isn’t going to end when you submit your law school applications. Get to work at getting in shape, and reap the benefits: you’ll be distracted, you’ll be tired, and you’ll probably have an easier time getting your mind off the LSAT and sleeping at night. Also, those feel-good endorphins can really help overcome anxiety!

In just 1 month you can easily train for a 5k

2. Obsess. No, not about your future - about something fictional. Find some form of entertainment that will obsess you. It could be a series of books, a TV series, or anything else. The important thing is that it be something that captivates you to the point of absolutely needing to see what comes next. Channel your obsession into reading the next chapter, or watching the next episode, not into thinking about your LSAT score. My personal recommendation? TV series: Homeland and/or Breaking Bad. Books: Game of Thrones (which coincidentally is a series too, but not as good as the book). You'll thank me later.

As time consuming as studying for the LSAT, but way more addicting

3. Hobby. Okay so that's not an action verb, but you get it: pick up a new hobby. It can be an activity, interest, or pastime. Whether it's knitting a sweater, learning how to cook, playing tennis (or ping pong), or researching the World War II, get to it! Your newfound skills and knowledge will not only keep you occupied until your scores are released, but they can last a lifetime if you want them to.

This could be your new sweater!

4. Work. Get a job! You may not be able to find your dream job within a month, but perhaps at a local business, restaurant, or retail store, or for a family needing a babysitter. If you're up front about your time frame, many jobs may be happy to have a short-term hire to give a hand. This is not only a great way to pass the time, but an amazing opportunity to make new connections and some cash along the way! If a job is not for you, then volunteer your time. No matter where you live, there is always a cause you can devote your time to. If not a local shelter or charity, there are many politicians up for re-election that would never turn down a (free) helping hand. And while altruism is great and all, this time spent can go on your resume. And if you enjoy it, you can keep it up!

With practice, even you can carry two plates at once!

Whatever you end up doing with your time, good luck. Keep your eyes off your LSAC page, get out and enjoy the world. After all, in law school you won't have that much free time! 

Aspiring Bitter Lawyer

Check out my latest two guest posts featured on Bitter Lawyer - one of my all time favorite law humor blogs.

Although I've been busy studying for the LSATs (while balancing my work internship and my social life) I still managed to pop out some guest posts.

Check them out here:

1. Law School Applications From Potheads Up 350%

2. Krazy Glue May Not Really Be “All Purpose”

Are you an aspiring bitter lawyer interested in guest posting? Then contact me at jeananw@gmail.com for a chance to guest post on my blog!

Tips for Conquering the LSAT

A good score on Law School Admission Test, or the LSAT, is viewed by many to be the most important part of getting into a top-tier law school. Rather than testing what you've already learned, it's designed to measure and project your ability to excel in law school.

The test is broken into five separate sections: analytical reasoning, two logical reasoning sections, reading comprehension, and a writing section. The writing section is unscored, but it's provided to each law school to which a given student applies.

Given that the LSAT is considered by many law schools to be the most accurate measure of your ability to perform in law school, it is given a tremendous amount of weight in the application process. Admissions officials feel that solid performance in undergraduate classes might not necessarily correlate to success in law school. So, it's important to invest significant time and energy prior to taking the LSAT. Use these seven tips, brought to us by US News, to get started (I know I will):

1. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Oftentimes aspiring law students will let LSAT preparation slip by the wayside during their busy weeks in school or at work, only to spend hours on the weekends cramming and taking an endless number of practice tests. While practice tests are important, it's best to keep your mind LSAT-ready at all times, practicing a new section each day with the occasional or weekly practice test thrown in the mix, experts say. Andrew Brody, national content director for LSAT programs for the Princeton Review, compares preparing for the LSAT to training for a marathon. He encourages students to keep their minds sharp at all times, but not to overwork them. I'm taking this advice, and am planning on taking the LSATs in June 2013. I thought about February, but realized that would not give me adequate time to prepare myself, which could potentially lead to not getting into the law school of my choice.
2. Help yourself, not your buddy. While there are benefits to studying anything with a friend, the LSAT exposes your personal strengths and weaknesses more clearly than any other standardized test, experts say. Given the analytic nature of most questions, what comes easily to one person may prove to be a challenge for their friend. Studying in a group can be detrimental, given that it might make you prone to review the test in a general fashion rather than focusing on your specific weaknesses. Because the test does not quiz you on content but rather how you use logic and think analytically, cramming with a friend is of little benefit. It's best to learn what gives you the most trouble and drill yourself on those questions alone or with the help of a tutor or LSAT instructor. I agree with US News on this one. I opted for a LSAT tutor, and he said the same thing. My focus is me, not anyone else.
3. Don't just practice. Analyze. Because of the unfamiliar nature of many of the questions you'll encounter on the LSAT, you must practice them regularly to get accustomed to their format. The first time, it is advised to take a test "cold" - without studying. From there, mere practice isn't enough, however, testing experts say. After you work through a timed practice section or timed practice test, don't just tabulate your results and record your score. Instead, look closely at each question you missed and try to discern what led you to the wrong answer. Students who have received high scores on the test note that practice without analysis leads to little improvement. This unfortunately is my least favorite part of studying for the LSATs. When I complete a practice test, I want to be done. Going back and looking over wrong answers can be daunting, but it is true that learning from mistakes can lead to improvement.
4. Save some time to play. Testing experts agree that the test's analytical reasoning, or "logic games" section, is one of the most difficult sections for students to wrap their minds around initially because it's vastly different from anything else they've seen on standardized tests. The four games in the section each pose five to seven questions that require students to understand complex hypothetical relationships between multiple parties or objects. The easiest way to solve these is to diagram the relationships so they can be more easily visualized and understood than what can be garnered from simply reading the text and answering the questions. Luckily for me, I love logic games. But the LSAT ones are a whole different ballgame. I bought a LSAT logic games practice book, and try to work through them one at a time.

Other self-made tips that I've found to help, which others have seem to found as well according to my google searches of LSAT tips, have been to study in chunks (one section at a time), take timed practice tests (several if not infinite), and to be on top of the studying schedule. I have created my own study schedule, with an official practice LSAT test scheduled for March. Unlike several college students prepping for the LSAT, I am out of college and working full time, which makes studying difficult. February would be to soon, but would you believe it, Monday, June 10th can't come soon enough! 

So, when should you take the LSAT? Check out this Above the Law article for more help.