Black Law Students at HYS -- Can I ask you some questions? Forum

[MovingUnits]

I am an AA URM and looking to network and find mentors of the same background who can help me. Grew up in a not so great neighborhood, went to college and did well. Looking at schools like HYS. High GPA, average softs, and decent work experience.

If you are specifically an AA URM could you please describe or PM me what exactly you did to prep for the LSAT?

What course/books did you use?
How long did you prep?
How many tests did you take?
Diagnostic?
Final score?
BLSA?
Advice for apps??

Things of that nature.... It isn't that someone who isn't of AA heritage doesn't have helpful info, but I'm looking to connect and talk with others like myself. I grew up in a place where I never really had the chance to talk about things like this with others around me. So I'm looking to utilize this forum to do that.

Thanks in advanced!

[Veil of Ignorance]

.

[MovingUnits]

I don't think LSAT prep would vary based upon race. Just do the standard stuff, like powerscore or testmasters textbooks, and TONS of timed practice tests. You will enjoy a slight benefit from being AA in terms of admissions, but you're still going to need an excellent LSAT to get in to HYS.

Yeah, I get that. And sort of agree.

I was just curious and more interested in what material AA URMs used to prep. I don't have any tangible reason besides my own curiosity. I'd like to chat with some of these people and just see if maybe it does vary by race. Perhaps coming from a certain background may lead to other prep materials. Who knows?

I'm just interested in speaking with AA URMS who have been accepted to top schools to be able to talk to them about their prep, process, and details of that nature.

[Veil of Ignorance]

OK, I might be wrong! Good luck!!

[TAD]

What course/books did you use? Princeton Review (didn't really help, waste of money) and Powerscore bible (for LR), 7sage (LG), just drilled RC
How long did you prep? 10 months (on and off)
How many tests did you take? 30 somethingish
Diagnostic? 142
Final score? 170
Advice? Ignore the fact that there is a boost (I'm black, but Canadian, and didn't think I would get a boost. Almost retook the 170 before I found this forum and found out I still got a boost). Had I known there was a boost, prolly woulda stopped studying 4 months in, when I plateaued mid 160s.

[MovingUnits]

What course/books did you use? Princeton Review (didn't really help, waste of money) and Powerscore bible (for LR), 7sage (LG), just drilled RC
How long did you prep? 10 months (on and off)
How many tests did you take? 30 somethingish
Diagnostic? 142
Final score? 170
Advice? Ignore the fact that there is a boost (I'm black, but Canadian, and didn't think I would get a boost. Almost retook the 170 before I found this forum and found out I still got a boost). Had I known there was a boost, prolly woulda stopped studying 4 months in, when I plateaued mid 160s.

Thank you. May I ask what test you took full timed and what you used for drilling?

[TAD]

What course/books did you use? Princeton Review (didn't really help, waste of money) and Powerscore bible (for LR), 7sage (LG), just drilled RC
How long did you prep? 10 months (on and off)
How many tests did you take? 30 somethingish
Diagnostic? 142
Final score? 170
Advice? Ignore the fact that there is a boost (I'm black, but Canadian, and didn't think I would get a boost. Almost retook the 170 before I found this forum and found out I still got a boost). Had I known there was a boost, prolly woulda stopped studying 4 months in, when I plateaued mid 160s.

Thank you. May I ask what test you took full timed and what you used for drilling?

PT 40 till 70 something (whichever one was the last one before june 2016). Used the cambridge packets (questions were based from 1-39). I also used 30-39 pts for the experimental sections when taking full time tests.

[OnlyHumean]

*sigh*

This thread has seriously devolved.

OP (or any other URM), I'm a black Canadain who will be starting at Yale this year. If you want to talk about admissions, I'd be happy to share my experience and offer what advice I can, just PM me.

[landshoes]

I don't think LSAT prep would vary based upon race. Just do the standard stuff, like powerscore or testmasters textbooks, and TONS of timed practice tests. You will enjoy a slight benefit from being AA in terms of admissions, but you're still going to need an excellent LSAT to get in to HYS.

It isn't that someone who isn't of AA heritage doesn't have helpful info, but I'm looking to connect and talk with others like myself.

the OP was not hard to understand

[Ilovemydogxo]

I used 7sage and the Powerscore books, then drilled the early PTs. Only thing I really did different than most of the other people is that I would eat fried chicken and watermelon before a PT or a long study session.

User has been banned.

[MovingUnits]

Thanks for all the helpful replies guys! I'm glad most people understood what I meant. I should have worded it better. Either way, thanks again and keep the posts coming.

[Veil of Ignorance]

the OP was not hard to understand

[zkyggi]

I'm AA (also poor neighborhood) as well, and my advice is to approach the LSAT differently than you have done here. Read the guides on this site, and poke around for the info you need. The LSAT is standard, and you should do your networking aside from the LSAT prep portion of your application process.

We don't do anything different because we aren't different when it comes to the LSAT. Treating it any other way is getting off on the wrong start imo. Get that 180

[MovingUnits]

I'm AA (also poor neighborhood) as well, and my advice is to approach the LSAT odd differently than you have done here. Read the guides on this site, and poke around for the info you need. The LSAT is standard, and you should do your networking aside from the LSAT prep portion of your application process.

We don't do anything different because we aren't different when it comes to the LSAT. Treating it any other way is getting off on the wrong start imo. Get that 180

I understand that there isn't necessarily going to be a "URM guide to the LSAT" but I am interested in connecting and talking with current HYS or even CCN AA URM students to just pick their brains and talk about how they prepped and how their cycles went. Essentially, just looking to be social and talk to more people like me.

Thanks for your comment

[zkyggi]

I'm AA (also poor neighborhood) as well, and my advice is to approach the LSAT odd differently than you have done here. Read the guides on this site, and poke around for the info you need. The LSAT is standard, and you should do your networking aside from the LSAT prep portion of your application process.

We don't do anything different because we aren't different when it comes to the LSAT. Treating it any other way is getting off on the wrong start imo. Get that 180

I understand that there isn't necessarily going to be a "URM guide to the LSAT" but I am interested in connecting and talking with current HYS or even CCN AA URM students to just pick their brains and talk about how they prepped and how their cycles went. Essentially, just looking to be social and talk to more people like me.

Thanks for your comment

I understand why you posted. I just think you are getting the least of both worlds when your thread is about the LSAT and in the LSAT forum when in reality you are looking for URM (specifically AA) networking. Why not post over in the URM sub, where there are threads for exactly what you are looking for?

[stjeff00]

I'm actually extremely thankful for this thread. I posted this similar question a few months ago in the URM forum and didn't really receive a lot of responses. So I believe posting it here is useful simply because it appeals to a broader audience. Also , the LSAT experience is ALOT different for URM's. Just in terms of resources readily made available, stereotype threat and numerous other outside factors. So again, I believe it is useful to attempt to solicit help from others who have gone/are going through a similar experience.

[MovingUnits]

I'm actually extremely thankful for this thread. I posted this similar question a few months ago in the URM forum and didn't really receive a lot of responses. So I believe posting it here is useful simply because it appeals to a broader audience. Also , the LSAT experience is ALOT different for URM's. Just in terms of resources readily made available, stereotype threat and numerous other outside factors. So again, I believe it is useful to attempt to solicit help from others who have gone/are going through a similar experience.

Exactly! I have been trying hard to connect with URM students who have successfully gotten into top programs. I think there would be a lot to talk about besides just what books or courses to use, but life experiences, and how to navigate the legal world that is so vastly different from ours.

I'm glad you could find use in this thread if we can get it going

Thank you

[MovingUnits]

I'm AA (also poor neighborhood) as well, and my advice is to approach the LSAT odd differently than you have done here. Read the guides on this site, and poke around for the info you need. The LSAT is standard, and you should do your networking aside from the LSAT prep portion of your application process.

We don't do anything different because we aren't different when it comes to the LSAT. Treating it any other way is getting off on the wrong start imo. Get that 180

I understand that there isn't necessarily going to be a "URM guide to the LSAT" but I am interested in connecting and talking with current HYS or even CCN AA URM students to just pick their brains and talk about how they prepped and how their cycles went. Essentially, just looking to be social and talk to more people like me.

Thanks for your comment

I understand why you posted. I just think you are getting the least of both worlds when your thread is about the LSAT and in the LSAT forum when in reality you are looking for URM (specifically AA) networking. Why not post over in the URM sub, where there are threads for exactly what you are looking for?

Well, again, for the 5th time. I worded it poorly and tried to then correct myself numerous times. I would like to discuss LSAT prep, applications, life experiences and other things with people who look like me and have a similar background. I'm not looking for just specifically networking, but much more. The URM sub seems to be quite a graveyard for things like these and I've seen others who have posted similar questions to no avail.

[zkyggi]

Also , the LSAT experience is ALOT different for URM's. Just in terms of resources readily made available, stereotype threat and numerous other outside factors. So again, I believe it is useful to attempt to solicit help from others who have gone/are going through a similar experience.

Can you elaborate? I don't think it is different at all. What I do think is different is the access to resources, but resources and information are abundant on here.

That said, I really recommend OP go to the URM thread and message folks who had good cycles the past few years.

[MovingUnits]

I'm sorry you seem to be having such a hard time understanding this. I am not just looking to network. I am interested in speaking with AA URMS who have been accepted to HYS. I'd like to converse with them about their prep methods, backgrounds, and several other things. I'm looking to speak to people who have similar experiences to mine and hopefully learn from them.

I've seen other threads similar to this posted in the other subs and they had little success. So I'm hoping to get this one off the ground and gather a group of HYS URMS who are willing to share their experiences whether it be prep methods, apps, or simply some solid advice.

That's all. If you can't understand that, then don;t bother contributing to this thread because you've contributed nothing useful.

[Barack O'Drama]

Yeah, I get it Moving Units. I've often tried to get some similar information and have trouble finding people who share our similar backgrounds. TLS is largely useless when you ask anything 9/10 because it's full of argumentative assholes who would rather argue than be helpful. Comes with the territory.

[Andersblooms93]

The utility of this post is self-evident...i'll chalk the inability (*unwillingness) of some to understand OP's approach to undue quarrelling or better yet: "argumentative assholes".

I used a testmasters online prep course for three months. Followed by LR Bible and 7sage LG. RC was never an issue. PT'ing 174-180.
My main advice: have a disciplined approach. 4 months full-time > 8 months part-time (commitment of time being constant). Discipline. discipline. discipline.

- Don't count on your boost, just know it's there.

Good luck

[zkyggi]

I'm sorry you seem to be having such a hard time understanding this. I am not just looking to network. I am interested in speaking with AA URMS who have been accepted to HYS. I'd like to converse with them about their prep methods, backgrounds, and several other things. I'm looking to speak to people who have similar experiences to mine and hopefully learn from them.

I've seen other threads similar to this posted in the other subs and they had little success. So I'm hoping to get this one off the ground and gather a group of HYS URMS who are willing to share their experiences whether it be prep methods, apps, or simply some solid advice.

That's all. If you can't understand that, then don;t bother contributing to this thread because you've contributed nothing useful.

I am not having a hard time understanding at all. I completely understand, and also know that these posts often have little success. My question is: why are you doing something that you know has not worked in the past?

How have I contributed nothing useful when it looks like I am the only one on this thread who gave you advice on how to do what you are trying to do (which is not even evident from the title)?

AA URMs, just like past applicants more generally, are not sitting around the LSAT sub like current applicants might. I am not saying that the goal of this post is stupid, only that it is done poorly and, because of that, unlikely to be successful. Last year there were some URMs that had incredible cycles, but I have not seen them on this sub, and it makes sense why. If I got into HYS, I don't think I would spend my time thinking about the LSAT. Why not check out the C/O threads and the URM cycle threads so you can find the people you are looking for?

I am AA myself, and I know the value of AA-specific admissions info as well as the fact that it is hard to find. I have found the URM community here very helpful when I have had questions. it just takes doing your homework to see who to reach out to. Even people who didn't get HYS are incredibly helpful as many vastly outperform their numbers. Why they would be in the LSAT sub after that, I have no clue.

As to the LSAT portion:

I studied using mostly prep tests, intense review and online explanations. It paid off well. I had a bad day on test day and am retaking, but I would reccomend my method to anybody that starts with a diagnostic > 155 or so. Below that and I would reccomend using some of the books (either The Trainer or Powerscore) to nail down the concepts first.

[Phil Brooks]

I'm AA (also poor neighborhood) as well, and my advice is to approach the LSAT odd differently than you have done here. Read the guides on this site, and poke around for the info you need. The LSAT is standard, and you should do your networking aside from the LSAT prep portion of your application process.

We don't do anything different because we aren't different when it comes to the LSAT. Treating it any other way is getting off on the wrong start imo. Get that 180

I understand that there isn't necessarily going to be a "URM guide to the LSAT" but I am interested in connecting and talking with current HYS or even CCN AA URM students to just pick their brains and talk about how they prepped and how their cycles went. Essentially, just looking to be social and talk to more people like me.

Thanks for your comment

Lol dude, chill with the prestige-whoring. For 99% of people attending HYS and CCN, the only difference between the two groups is that CCN offer merit scholarships.

[MediocreAtBest]

I'm AA (also poor neighborhood) as well, and my advice is to approach the LSAT odd differently than you have done here. Read the guides on this site, and poke around for the info you need. The LSAT is standard, and you should do your networking aside from the LSAT prep portion of your application process.

We don't do anything different because we aren't different when it comes to the LSAT. Treating it any other way is getting off on the wrong start imo. Get that 180

I understand that there isn't necessarily going to be a "URM guide to the LSAT" but I am interested in connecting and talking with current HYS or even CCN AA URM students to just pick their brains and talk about how they prepped and how their cycles went. Essentially, just looking to be social and talk to more people like me.

Thanks for your comment

Lol dude, chill with the prestige-whoring. For 99% of people attending HYS and CCN, the only difference between the two groups is that CCN offer merit scholarships.

Def did a little eye roll when I read that too lol.