Tips for Taking the LSAT

Happy September! Call me crazy but I am in 100% Fall mode- bring on the sweaters, changing leaves and pumpkin everything. September is much more than the beginning of Fall for us future attorneys: it is an LSAT test month. This means that for some, the most important test of their life up to this point is coming up fast. I decided to compile my list of tips for September LSAT takers (or any time of year really). I took the LSAT in September of my senior year. By the time I took the LSAT, I already had all my applications complete and simply needed to LSAT score for admittance. I knew I had to get the score I wanted on the first try in order to be eligible for full tuition scholarships at my target schools and that is exacty what I did.

If you need a refresher, the LSAT is the Law School Admission Test. 98.5% of law schools require you to take this test for admission (a few schools accept the GRE in its place). The test consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions. These sections include one Reading Comprehension section, one Analytical Reasoning section, and two Logical Reasoning sections. The unscored section typically is used to pretest new test questions. The placement of this section will vary. Identification of the unscored section is not available until you receive your score report. A 35-minute, unscored writing sample is administered at the end of the test. Copies of your writing sample are sent to all law schools to which you apply so it is important to still put out a good sample.

It has always bothered me that she says "LSATs"... its singular!!!!

It is a brutally hard test that requires tons of studying and is a huge deciding factor in your admittance to law school. The first step in registering for the LSAT is deciding on a testing date- they offer the test 4 times a year in various locations. Additionally, you must sign up on www.lsac.com to register for the test. Your target schools all have threshold LSAT scores that will get you admitted and a threshold score for scholarships. Determine where you want to be and work toward that target score when studying. The LSAT should not be taken lightly and here are my tips for taking and succeeding on the LSAT.

1. Start Studying Early

Studying for the LSAT is a long process. I would suggest starting to study for your test 4-6 months before your test date. The LSAT is designed to test you on your logical and analytical thinking skills... these do not come naturally and can be difficult concepts to learn. 2 weeks of cramming simply will not get you a good test score unless you are a super genius. The more time you give yourself to study, the higher your chances of success will be. I started studying 5 months before my exam and I was very regimented and studied vigorously for 5 months to ensure I got the test score I wanted and needed. You have to put the time and work into the LSAT- it is designed to rigorously test your analytical and logical reasoning skills...  that takes hours and hours of preparation to master. Let the people in your life know that for the next few months, the LSAT is a priority and ask them to respect that and its importance to your future. The earlier you start studying and the more serious you are about it, the better your test score will go.

2. Study Correctly
Every person is different and not all study methods work for everyone. There are various ways to study for the LSAT: self-study, paid study course, hired tutor, group class, etc. Personally, I self-studied using the LSAT Powerscore Bibles. I did not have the money to pay for a class or online course so I made do with my resources. Self-study is great if you have the willpower to put the time in. I allotted an hour a day, 6 days a week for 5 months before my September LSAT test. As the test grew closer, I upped my study time until right before the test I was studying 3-4 hours a day and taking a full, timed practice test weekly. Everyone is different so what worked for me may not work for you. Know yourself and know what you need to do to be successful. It is a very important test and figuring out that your study technique did not work on test day is a little too late.

3. Take Full, Timed Practice Tests

The most helpful thing I did while studying for the LSAT was taking lots of full, timed practice tests. Once I had studied all of the basic concepts and had a firm grasp on them, I started taking a full, timed practice test every other week. About a month out from my test date, I upped this to one full, timed practice test a week. By the time I sat for my LSAT test, I had gotten my target score on my last three practice tests and I was feeling pretty confident. When I say full, timed practice test I mean exactly that- I locked myself in a study room at my undergrad college, set a timer and proceeded to take the practice test in as similar of conditions and time constraints as I would experience on the actual exam. I got familiar with my analog watch and keeping track of my time that way as that's what you have to do on the test. It helped me to get a feel for my timing and how fast I needed to work as well as building up my mental endurance. I also was able to gauge if I had studied enough and if I was prepared enough from my scores- when my scores started to near my target score, I knew I was getting close. I also could identify weak areas on the test where I needed to study harder and get more familiar with the material. When I took my LSAT, I finished each section early with time to double check my answers. I was also surprised that at the end of the test I did not feel nearly as drained as I thought I would; I was able to finish the whole exam within the time limit and with my mental facilities still going strong. I attribute both of these things to my practice tests and the familiarity I had with the test and testing conditions. I cannot stress enough how vital full, timed practice tests are to success on the LSAT. I suggest buying one of these practice tests books and getting to work!

4. Scope Out Your Testing Location

When you chose your test date, you will be given a list of locations to chose from. They administer the tests all over the place so you should have one close to you. Map how far the location is away from you and add 30 minutes to that to allow yourself plenty of time to arrive and account for red lights, traffic or in my case, a last minute stop for chapstick because I was going crazy from chapped lips on the way to my LSAT test. Print out a Mapquest just in case your phone GPS stops working or goes dead- you cannot be too careful! I suggest making sure you know where exactly the test is being held (in a law school, undergrad college, convention center, etc) and call to find out exact directions to where the test room is. This will keep you from arriving and walking in circles trying to find the test room on a huge campus. Additionally, if your test location is more than 2 hours away, you may want to consider a hotel for the night before to ensure a good nights sleep and a timely arrival. I was lucky and only had a 20-minute drive to my LSAT test location.

5. Plan for Test Day
Your LSAT test is extremely important. Making your test day as smooth and simple as possible will help you to do your absolute best. The week before your LSAT test, I highly suggest taking at least one full, timed practice test and light studying. It is too late for last minute cramming so rely on the work you have already done and try not to stress. Try to get lots of sleep to go into test day extra rested. Let the people in your life know that this week is very important to your future and encourage them to please respect that and respect whatever it is you need to do. Pamper yourself a bit- you need your stress levels at an all time low so you can just go rock the test without psyching yourself out. I was a little extra and made a "pump up" playlist for my 20 minutes drive to my test location. I rocked out to Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Kesha and Lady Gaga all the way there! Whatever you need to do to go into LSAT test day feeling your best self- do it! This is an important test and deserves some extra special treatment.

The Day Before Test Day

• Put the books down. You have already learned everything you can and last minute cramming will only stress you out
• Eat a good dinner
• Pack your ziplock bag for test day (more details further in the post)
• Go to bed early and make sure you have no late night distractions (tell your roommates no late night parties!)
• Set multiple alarms- you do not want to oversleep and miss your test!
• Read the test day guidelines available on the LSAC website at http://www.lsac.org/jd/lsat/day-of-test. Look extra close at the prohibited items (leave cell phones in your car!!)
• Print your admission ticket and review all four or five pages for important instructions
• Make a pile ready for morning with your admission ticket and photo ID and lay it out with keys and ziplock bag for a quick grab in the morning without forgetting anything!

The Morning of Your Test

• Eat breakfast 
• Resist the urge to study- it's too late now
• Allow yourself plenty of travel time
• Arrive early – plan to arrive early to the test center to avoid additional stress caused by traffic, parking, and finding the test center.  Those who arrive late are not admitted for any reason. 
• Be prepared that the test center may be too cold or too hot by dressing in layers, but per LSAC policy, leave the hoodie at home. Dress comfortably! I wore leggings, moccasins, a soft t-shirt and a thick cardigan for my LSAT exam. 
• Scope out the room and get a good seat 
• Have materials ready (pre-sharpen those pencils people!!!
• Take a few deep breaths and relax!

What to Pack in Your 1 Gallon Ziplock Bag for Test Day

An example of what should be in your LSAT ziplock bag (missing a juice box and the other 19 pencils)

• Valid ID (drivers license usually)
• Wallet
• Keys
• Medical products (including diabetic testing supplies or anything else you may need)
• Feminine hygiene products- never hurts to be prepared ladies!
• No. 2 or HB wooden pencils ONLY (no mechanical!) Make sure they are SHARPENED and bring lots!! For my test, the poor girl next to me brought only mechanical pencils and started to have a breakdown before the test. Because I had brought about 20, I slid 3 sharpened wooden pencils over to her, saw huge relief on her panicked face and was so glad I could lend a hand!
• Highlighter- I suggest yellow just to be safe and simple but don't go wild with it on the test. 
• Eraser (no eraser with sleeves)
• Pencil sharpener just in case you break all 20 of your pre-sharpened pencils (OCD problems...)
• Tissues... it's like they expect us to start crying? Just kidding, no one wants the sniffles during the LSAT nor does anyone want to listen to your sniffles. 
• Beverage in plastic container or juice box (maximum size: 20 oz/591 ml)—no aluminum cans or glass containers permitted. I took an apple juice box with me and it was perfect for the break. 
• Snack. It's a long test and you want to keep your energy up and not have a rumbly tummy. I brought two granola bars for my snack and it was just right. 
• Analog watch- I suggest taking an analog watch that you are familiar with because it will help keep your timing on track for the sections. 
  

The LSAT is extremely important and proper preparation is key. If you have prepared well, you should do well and the score will be what you need. However, unexpected things happen- you get sick, you get nervous, the person behind you won't stop clearing their throat through the test....sometimes sh** happens and you do not perform to your standards and don't get the score you want/need. This is NOT the end of the world. You can take the test again and you can always improve your score! One test does NOT decide your future. It's important but not all-important. Step back, regroup, re-engineer your study techniques and try again.

This process for studying and taking the LSAT worked well for me- I got the score I needed to be accepted into every school I applied to and was awarded several full-tuition scholarships. Hard work pays off- I promise! Study hard, relax and rock that LSAT. You can do it!

Best of luck to all future LSAT takers! May the odds be ever in your favor!

Married at 22- Why I Love Being a Young Wife

I am 23 years old. I have been married for over a year. I cannot count the number of times I hear, "You're married? Already? How old are you?" when people see my ring. I get those looks of pity like they think I truly don't understand what I am got myself into. One time a person started jokingly calling me Jessa Duggar because they thought it was a religious thing that my family had made me court and get married before we could even kiss. Someone asked me once if we had a pre-nup because getting married young ends so often in divorce. To all those people who think we were crazy for getting married young and feel the need to give me these kind of comments, I have a few things to tell you.

First, to those who say we don't know what we are got ourselves into, I have been with my soon-to-be husband for almost nine years. That is longer than the average 30-year-old dates before they get married. I know him better than anyone in the world and vice versa. We made it through high school and college together, we have seen each other at our best and worst for years, we have witnessed each other grow and change and are still in love. He is still my favorite person in the world. We did not get married on a whim of young love; it was a long-term relationship and we both have talked about marriage and what we want out of life extensively. We were/are prepared to make this marriage work and last. We are not in this for short term, we are in it for life. We were engaged for two years, which is plenty of time to figure out what we wanted and to make sure marriage was truly what we wanted to do. Just because we are young does not mean we are incapable of making decisions... if we are old enough to chose a career, aren't we old enough to chose a life partner?

Second, to those who said I was throwing away my life and I should "find myself" before tying myself to a man, you are so wrong. I did not throw away anything. I gained a person to share my life with and build a beautiful, crazy life with. We travel together, explore together, learn and grow together. Why not experience life with the person you love beside you? Why not have a person there to cheer you up and support you every step of the way? What is so wrong with that? As for needing to "find myself" before settling down; I can find myself and be myself single or married. I know who I am and what I want out of life. So does he and he supports me in everything. Being married isn't a prison sentence, and it does not change your innate character or cause you to shut down. I will still grow and change and he will too. The best part is that we get to do it together and explore every bump, curve and change in the road together.

Third, to those who say we should have dated other people to know what we like, I say, "oh well." I didn't know that my now husband would be my first and last kiss. I never planned to only date one person and end up marrying them... But when you meet the right one, there is no reason to throw it away just to play the field a bit. I also saved myself a lot of heartache and bad dates, so no complaints there. I fell in love when I was 15 and I haven't fallen out yet. Many years ago, it was normal to marry your high school sweetheart... and marriages tended to last a lot longer then... so I just don't see a problem with marrying the person you fell in love with no matter how young you may have been. Maybe I am just a romantic at heart, but I believe that sometimes the first is the best. I also bought the first wedding dress I ever tried on so maybe that is just me and well, that is OK.

Fourth, I did not give up anything to marry my love and I will not waste my 20's. I am still going to law school, I will still travel the world, I will still make mistakes and do crazy things and enjoy my 20's. I will just do all of that with my best friend beside me every step of the way. All I see is gaining a partner in everything I do and a support system... no loss there.

Lastly, to those that give me the pitying looks, I actually pity you. Feeling the need to look at me that way for doing nothing more than marrying the love of my life when I was 22 is a bit ridiculous. Stop worrying about me and my life and worry about your own a bit more. For hundreds of years, people throughout history got married young and yet had more lasting marriages than we do in today's world. So what is wrong with me doing something that has worked so well in the past?

Marriage is great... I come home everyday and hang out with my best friend. I love nothing more than making him a batch of gluten free cookies after a long work day and he wakes up and makes me breakfast every Saturday, We go on vacation and have a blast. We spend Friday nights sitting on the couch watching Disney movies and try to out-quote and out-sing each other. We still go out with friends and get slightly wasted and wild. We make big decisions together and lean on each other when times get a little tough. We parent our furbabies for now and dream about the future... together. Don't get me wrong, we fight, we get annoyed and things aren't always butterflies and sunshine. Marriage takes work... lots and lots of work. Marriage takes so much compromise. You have to put your marriage first. You have to want it every day... basically that scene with Noah and Allie in The Notebook when she is trying to decide to stay or go? That's real life. It's really really hard but it's worth it if you want to spend life with that person.

Getting to spend your life with someone you love is a beautiful thing. I am so happy I got married at 22. I have shared the most wonderful year of marriage, love and laughter with my best friend, my soulmate, my husband. Getting married young simply gave us all that many more years to enjoy life together and I simply can't wait. There's really nothing wrong with that. I am a young wife and I am loving every minute... even when that involves dirty boy socks on the floor.

So here's to my sweet, 23 year old husband... I love your red curls, dimples and ability to always make me laugh. Thank you for understanding my need to always carry a to-do list, keeping my sane during law school and enduring my crazy every single day. I will never completely understand why you chose me out of that Freshman communications class but I will forever be grateful that we get to spend this life together.

Tips for Preparing Your Law School Applications

I feel bad... I sometimes get so caught up in law school and blogging about that, I forget to blog about the process that got me here. Law school application season is upon many college seniors and I am sure you guys would like some insight!

Law school applications are not a fun process... I was so tired of staring at LSAC by the time I was done. Despite this, it is a critical part of the process and you must just buckle down and get through it. I have outlined my suggestions to make law school applications easier and more effective. I was accepted into every school I applied to with scholarship including two full tuition scholarships so they should work!

Before I get started on tips, make sure to register for a LSAC account (Law School Admissions Counsel) as they control everything and that is where you will make your applications. Additionally and hopefully, you have already taken the LSAT or have it scheduled for early Fall. Without a LSAC account and a LSAT score (or upcoming administration date), you cannot really start the law school application process. Law school applications generally open in early Fall.

1. Start Early
Just like with anything big, the earlier you start the better. I tried to get most of my application work done the summer before my senior year of college so I didn't have to worry about calling for references, writing my personal statement and my resume during my Fall semester. I had to take the October LSAT due to studying abroad in the May of my Junior year so I spent that summer studying for the LSAT and getting application stuff ready to go so when the applications opened in the fall, I could submit immediately without last minute stress.

2. Edit, Edit, Edit Your Personal Statement
Your personal statement is so much more than just an explanation on why you want to be a lawyer or whatever it is you chose to write about. It is pretty much a writing sample. Use good grammar, draft it several times and get as many eyes to look over it as possible. I sent it to so many people for grammar checks, spelling checks, and overall impressions. I had my college English professor help me with it, my legal advisor, a local attorney and my best friend (another law student). The more input I could get to make it the best piece of writing I possibly could, I did. I wanted it to be without flaw and written in the most poignant way possible. I did not let anyone sway my decision on what to write about because I felt that was the most important part- it was a way for the admissions committee to get to know me and get a feel for me. Beyond that, I accepted any and all help to make it as strong as possible. There is no shame in asking for help and guidance on a piece of writing that is basically you law school interview.

3. Stay Organized
The application process can be pretty messy and stressful- especially if you are applying to multiple schools. I found that organization was key for keeping myself from getting stressed. I applied to 8 schools so there was a lot to keep straight. I first made a folder within my computer for law school application materials. Inside that folder was another folder for each school I was applying to. Inside each schools folder, I had a list of what was required for the application (they all vary slightly), a tailored personal statement for that school, a list of which references I would use, a breakdown of what their previous year medium LSAT and GPA and any other materials I would have to turn in or that mattered for that school. This helped me to never send the wrong personal statement to a school (for example: listing Ohio State inside the statement when I was sending actually it to Indiana University) which would have made my application less impressive. Also, it helped to keep my mind straight knowing that everything was organized and in one simple place. I also kept a running to-do list on my desk of what I needed to be doing for applications so that I never forgot to finish something and I could have the satisfaction of crossing things off and watching the list shrink. Organization is key!

4. Get Help with Your Resume
Law school applications ask for a resume. My resume prior to then was something they made us do in high school and was no longer professional enough for my needs. I sought help in my undergrad career services office to improve my resume for law school. I highly highly suggest doing this. My resume went from crappy to uber professional in like two short meetings. I finally had a professional resume I could be proud of. You want to be proud of everything you turn into a law school applications and making sure to update your resume with some professional help would be a key part of that.

5. Find Quality References and Give Them Some Time
Most law school applications require written references. I used some of my favorite professors from undergrad. It is important to pick a quality reference who knows you well- not just as a name on the class roster who got a decent grade. If you come straight from undergrad, you should likely use some professors or advisors. If you are coming to law school from the workforce, references would likely better serve as your boss or co-workers. The two professors I used I had multiple classes with and I knew very well. I asked them early for a reference so that they had plenty of time to complete it without being rushed and if they got a little slow, it wouldn't push my application back or late. Give yourself and your references plenty of time to make a quality reference that will serve you well.

6. Save Money
Applying to law school is stupid expensive. It's been a while since I did it but I think that registering for LSAC is like $160, the LSAT is around $150, each application sent is $30 and some schools add an additional fee. It's ridiculous. However, it is a fact of life so have some money saved and put away for these fees so you don't go broke just from applying. Also, don't apply to schools you would truly not attend because it will be a waste of $30.

7. Pinpoint a Desired Location
It is important to know where you want to attend law school and to apply to the law schools in that location. I have a friend who applied to the University of Maine, paid the $30 fee and got in but she never had any intentions of going to school that far from home. I personally think that is a waste of $30. I knew I wanted to be in Northwest Ohio so I applied to all schools within 2-3 hours and that was it. If you don't already know where you want to be, you have more flexibility but it is still best to truly research out a location, what the city is like, living expenses, etc when thinking that may be your choice of where to attend law school.

8. Make a Target List
Once you have a location in mind, make a target list of schools to apply to. My advisor told me to pick a few safe schools where I know I would get in, a few contenders where I would likely get in but not a sure thing and at least one or two reach schools where it may be a long shot but you never know if you will get an acceptance letter. I did this and while I was accepted to every school, I chose a middle contender school where I was a strong candidate and they had given me the best scholarship package.

9. Turn Things in ASAP
The perk of getting everything done early is that you can apply the second applications open! Scholarship money is usually given on a first come first serve basis to qualified law school applicants so the earlier you apply, the more chance of scholarship. Even if you have to wait to take the Fall LSAT (like I did), you can have everything else done and turned in and the moment LSAT scores are released, your application will fully process and be complete. This is definitely an "early bird gets the worm" type of experience so don't procrastinate!

10. Hurry up and wait... without stressing
Once everything is turned in the worst part begins.... the waiting. Some schools are very timely with responses (I got my first acceptance within 4 days of applying and it was my top choice school/where I ended up attending) and others will take forever (my last response came in May after I had already graduated from college). While the waiting is very stressful, try not to worry too much. You have done the work, did your due diligence and now it is up to the admissions committees. As long as you have done your best work and turned in the most well rounded and quality application you can, you have done well and will likely be accepted somewhere.

Best of luck future law students!! 

Other Pre-Law Advice: 

How I Got a Full-Ride Scholarship

How to Quell Your Nerves When Starting Law School

The first few days (and weeks) of law school I was honestly a nervous wreck about 75% of the time. I felt so inadequate and like I was flying completely blind. I studied constantly, barely slept, compared myself to everyone else and was a mess. Eventually, I figured out how to case brief, read faster, answer a cold call and still get some sleep in the process. As things get easier and you figure out what you need to do and how you need to do and the stress and nerves slowly melt away. To avoid some of my mistakes and make your first few weeks easier, here are some tips on quelling your nerves in the first few days/weeks of law school.

Friday Five

It's been awhile since I did this... to be honest I just forgot! I start my 2L year of law school on Monday, this weekend my husband and I are enjoying the last few days of freedom by going to the lake and a BBQ and I finally finished a few DIY projects around our house. It has been a great week and a great summer but I am ready to get back into the swing of law school. Without further ado, here is my Friday Five!

1. DIY Marble Laptop Cover

For anyone who follows my Instagram, you might have noticed my easy little DIY laptop cover. I have been wanting a Marble laptop cover but they only make them for MacBooks and I have a Dell. I got a little creative and figured out my own way to do it! I used simple Marble print contact paper and simply cut it to size and covered my boring old Dell laptop. It looks so fancy now! I love it! Here is the contact paper I used; it was easy to cut and stuck really well to my laptop without air bubbles.

2. Painted Fireplace

Before

After

I finally convinced my husband to paint our fireplace white. We don't have a lot of natural light in our living room and our focal point, the fireplace, was so dark. Painting it white gave it new life and brightened the whole room. I LOVE it. It was simple and cheap but makes such a huge difference in the look of the room. We also purchased this fake electric fireplace which gives the look and atmosphere of a wood fire without the mess and hassle. 

3. Friendsfest

Why did I just now find out this exists?? In the UK, they literally recreate the Friends set and let fans act like the group for a few days; they have a hairdresser giving people "the Rachel" and you can even get Central Perk coffee. I do not know why this doesn't exist in the USA but it should because I will be there in a heartbeat. Friends is one of my favorite shows of all time and I would be so darn happy to do something like that. 

4. Garth Brooks World Tour

I am quite honestly the biggest Garth Brooks fan ever. I literally named my dog Garth Brooks in his honor... I am not kidding. I have every CD, I know the words to literally every song he has ever released and I finally saw him live in concert about 2 years ago and it was a lifetime dream come true. He is finishing his North American tour on October 7th in Indianapolis and I want to go SO badly. Fingers crossed we get tickets!

5. The Lion King 
Public service announcement to all 90's babies: The Lion King is getting re-released on DVD and Blu-ray in stores soon and my childhood is flooding back because it is seriously the best. That was my absolute favorite Disney movie as a little girl and I was adamant about wanting a pet Lion for a long time.... I think I will have to settle for dressing my Golden Retriever up as a Lion for Halloween this year and sing the Circle of Life every time she walks in the room... seems like a quality plan. Too bad she's too big for the Simba lift.

Have a great weekend!