Preparing for the future Forum

Prepare for the LSAT or discuss it with others in this forum.
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rplopez720

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Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 2:52 pm

Preparing for the future

Post by rplopez720 » Fri May 18, 2018 9:36 pm

Aloha ohana!!

How is everyone doing? I hope well. I am in the process of planning the next few years leading up to my law school application process, and was hoping for a little advise.

First a few foot notes, like most people I am interested in getting into the best program from the best school possible. I am currently in the army in the middle a 6 year contract (ETS summer of 2022). As such money really isn't as much as an issue due to the GI Bill/Yellow Ribbon programs. I have an associates in Intel Operations, a bachelors in poli sci and international relations, and currently getting a masters in cybersecurity (I am using the TA program and only have 2 more classes and the capstone left). I also have GPC (a GEOINT professional certification) Net+, Sec+, and A+ for professional certifications. As anyone can probably tell I would to practice the law with regards to technology and the digital world.

I am currently planning out the next few years leading up my LSAT prep and law school application process (I am super type A and was bored at work so I figured I could start planning it out). I am planning on taking the test in spring 2021 and then summer 2021 if need be. I have really tried to stay in school and involved since graduating undergrad in 2014. hence the litany of secondary degrees and professional certifications. \The way I see this is my profile breakdown when looking at my application. Obviously the biggest factor when in comes to getting into the best school is my LSAT score. On the practice tests that I have taken I have scored between 165-168.

Pros
4.0 GPA Masters (Cybersecurity, this is my current GPA and the one I should be graduating with)
4.0 GPA Associates (Intelligence Operations)
URM (Mexican)
Adopted (not sure if this actually means anything, but anything that could help a bit)
Military Service (6 years, at the time of application)
GPC (GEOINT professional certification)
Net+
Sec+
A+
Special Forces Experience (worked in support of group for the first 1.5 years of my contract)

Cons
3.1 GPA Undergrad (Double major Political Science and International Relations)

Unknown
LSAT

Being a realist I make no illusions about where I stand and the type of school that I could get into. While the big three (HYS) will forever be out reach due to my poor undergrad GPA, I feel that if I can get my LSAT score up to between 175 and 180 I would have a great shot at the T4-T15 schools. So my question is what sort of steps can I take to help ensure this reality? What have people done in preparation for the LSAT to reach those top scores? Anyway any advise would be helpful!! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!

Mahalo

sirgetty

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Joined: Sat May 05, 2018 4:26 am

Re: Preparing for the future

Post by sirgetty » Sat May 19, 2018 3:45 am

This is my first reply to anyone -

I took the LSAT twice. The first time I took a Kaplan class (because they gave me a scholarship). Unfortunately, I was still knee deep in a poor collegiate "undergrad" mindset and did not take it as seriously as I wish I would have. I put in about 2 months of studying for about 2 hours a day. This was not anywhere near sufficient. The second time I took it, I studied as much as I could in advance (but I not as much as I should have). I was super busy with other commitments, but for the two weeks prior I relieved myself of my normal responsibilities and binge studied for the whole two weeks. (Seriously nobody saw or heard from me the whole time).

With the logic games - repeat repeat repeat. Even if you already know the answers to the games from repeating them so many times, do them over and over and over. The key is memorizing how you make the deductions and inferences. Because this pattern is repeating.

With the logical reasoning - repetition again is key. Repetition helps you become speedier at the questions.

I have no advice on reading comp, but there is plenty on youtube.

Unless you have the extra money (my brother recently enlisted as Intel and is loving the financial security) I would take the class. Everything I received from the class, I can find on Youtube for free.

Start studying now! I wish I would have been studying my entire undergrad. I'm the type of person that gets absorbed and anxious about the time. I found that when I took it the second time, and had no watch and no clock in the room, I completed everything much faster: I wasn't stopping constantly to look at or focus on the time. But that is just me.

Thank you for your service!! I come from a military family and was a military brat all my life, so I empathize. Thank you for your continued sacrifice!!

rplopez720

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Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 2:52 pm

Re: Preparing for the future

Post by rplopez720 » Sat May 19, 2018 4:49 pm

Sirgetty,

Thank you very much for your reply and your support I really appreciate it!! I think that I will probably start studying for the LSAT sometime this summer after I finish up my masters. That will give me close to three years of prep time. I am guessing that the hardest section for you is the logic games, its the same for me. Granted I haven't really been looking at strategies to solve them.

I have done quite a bit of research on which prep materials I should invest in. Right now I am leaning towards the powerscore bibles. From what I can tell they are far and away the most effective ones. Kaplan and Princeton seem like time sinks and wastes of money to me. If you don't mind me asking what did end up scoring on the test/which school are you going to?

Anyway thanks again!! I hope you have a great weekend.

Mahalo

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