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Test Prep Tips Using 3 Official LSAT Tools

By U.S. News & World Report

With myriad and ever-growing LSAT preparation resources available to future lawyers, many prospective law school students don’t know which to trust and how to use them.

As we’ve previously discussed in this blog, the Law School Admission Council’s own research shows that commercial LSAT preparation tools — that is, courses, tutoring and prep books — and official LSAC materials create the best results.

[Compare LSAT preparation methods.]

Commercial LSAT study tools are generally designed to provide a preparation road map and be easy to use. Official LSAC materials, on the other hand, offer very little guidance as to how to most effectively use the materials to study. Here’s how to best use the three different types of official LSAT practice tests that LSAC offers.

The June 2007 Exam

The June 2007 LSAT is the only real LSAT that is available for free on the LSAC’s website. When I work with students who have never encountered the LSAT before, I advise them to start by taking this test under timed, simulated conditions.

The June 2007 test is the oldest available test with the comparative reading passage, so it serves as a good diagnostic test while preserving the more recent tests for use later in your prep. After taking the test, review your results, noting both your overall score and your score for each section.

Use this information to inform your preparation strategy. If you are already scoring close to your target score, you may consider saving yourself money and engaging in some form of self-preparation. In my experience working with students, those who score in the mid-160s on their first test — without having done any prior preparation — usually have what it takes to score in the mid-170s on their own.

If you are already performing well at one or two of the three test sections but fall short in the others, consider a tutor or an LSAT course option that focuses only on the sections that give you trouble.

[Discover what you need to know about LSAT online video courses.]

Books of 10 LSAT Tests

In addition to the June 2007 exam, LSAC offers approximately 70 other official practice tests. Use the older tests to practice specific question and game types and to improve your timing. Save tests 52 and up to use as complete, timed, simulated LSAT tests.

As we’ve noted in prior posts, it’s critical to learn how to make the most of both untimed and timed practice tests. Focus your initial prep on untimed tests and then focus your final month on timed tests.

[Learn how to use timed LSAT practice tests.]

The Official LSAT SuperPrep

In addition to providing previous LSAT tests, LSAC also offers six tests — three in “The Official LSAT SuperPrep” and three in “The Official LSAT SuperPrep II” — with detailed explanations of every question and answer choice.

“SuperPrep” contains three older, previously undisclosed official LSAT tests from 1996, 1999 and 2000, respectively, while “SuperPrep II” contains three official LSAT tests from the last 10 years . All three have the comparative reading passage, but only one has never been disclosed before.

The greatest benefit these books provide is a look inside the LSAT creators’ minds to learn how they understand the questions and answer choices and then use their approach to refine your own.

I recommend focusing on “SuperPrep II,” taking the tests at least a week apart toward the beginning of your transition to full, timed practice tests. By giving yourself a week or more between tests, you allow yourself time to review and internalize the explanations, modify your own approach and repeat that process after each test.

After you take a test, read the creators’ analyses of all the questions you got wrong. In cases where their approach to a question differs from how you intuitively approached a question, consider changing your strategy to more closely match theirs.

Study their analyses of not only the questions that you got wrong but also of all other questions of that type to solidify your understanding of their approach. Focus particularly on the incorrect answer choice you chose to understand why it is wrong.

Note, however, that for almost all test-takers, the SuperPrep books are not enough, particularly because they lack a systematic approach to preparation. You will not find a comprehensive approach to each question type that you can then easily apply to other similar questions, nor will you find guidance on how to conduct your overall preparation from a week-to-week perspective. This is where additional support is most helpful.

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Test Prep Tips Using 3 Official LSAT Tools originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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