Thanks to a spectacular pollen season, I managed to completely lose my voice last week.  While my kids thought it was the greatest thing ever, it was beyond frustrating for me.  I was apprehensive that it would even make sense for me to come into work.  However, it turned into a great reminder of one of the best ways to study for the LSAT.  Because I couldn't talk, I was having students teach me.  They would tell me what kind of question it was, what they do with that kind of question and then why the wrong answers were wrong.  They were able to get clarification about which kind of questions they weren't really getting and, more importantly, why.  However, the real learning was taking place as they tried to figure out what was wrong with the wrong answers.  One student even learned that a much better strategy for her would be to look for the wrong answers rather than try to make one of the 5 options be right.  I had a flashback to when I was studying for the LSAT and I can remember sitting at my desk talking to the wall.  That wall in the U-District is now an expert on how the LSAT writes wrong answers.  Try this - you will find that you are repeating yourself.  That is because there are very few reasons as to why an answer can be wrong so they are using the same methods over and over again.

Happy studying!

Sandy

The sun is out!  It must be spring then.  There is a Ray Bradbury story that takes place on a planet where there is only one hour of sunshine every one hundred years.  I think about that story on days like today.  Be careful, it is easy to let something like the sun be an excuse not to study.  Make sure you are keeping to your schedule.  The sun will come back.

I am learning about this new technology tool called the internet.  We are hoping to roll out a small Google Ads campaign in the next month or so.  I just learned about Snapchat today.  There is something to make every lawyer shiver.  As much as it promises that the pictures will disappear, I would still use it like your grandma will be seeing those pictures.  You never know what level of access law schools will have.

Speaking of law schools, the University of Washington is having a meet and greet with their fabulous director of admissions, Mathiew Le.  It is Tuesday, April 23 at 5:30pm in Smith 107 on the University of Washington campus. It is an excellent opportunity to ask some questions if you are thinking about applying for the fall of 2014.  I understand food will be provided.

Sandy

I was at a legislative town hall meeting this weekend where one of the state legislators said something was "necessary but not sufficient."  And that was not the lawyer.  For those of you who have not taken our class yet, this won't be as humorous as it for those who have.  For me, it was a good reminder of how the skill sets of law school are needed everywhere.  Especially in Olympia.  Understanding the importance of words and the impacts they can have in everyday life is key to the LSAT, law school and the practice of law.  If you enjoy the power of a good vocabulary and love the use of a well-built phrase, come join us this week.  Our classes for the June LSAT start April 6 and 10, we will help you build on that appreciation and turn it into a marketable skill.

Sandy

So, I fell off the wagon a bit on the weekly blogging concept.  I will keep trying.  A good analogy opportunity for LSAT studying.  It is hard to maintain the intensity to prepare for this test when it is still months away.  Take the time now to schedule LSAT study time.  It doesn't have to be a lot, just an hour or two a day but make it every day.  Schedule it like you would an appointment and treat it as such so that other obligations won't get in the way until you find yourself two weeks out from the test wondering where the time went.  If you miss a day or two, don't compound things by telling yourself that you will make up for lost time until you are staring at a day with 8 hours of LSAT studying in it.  Just get back on that wagon, so to speak, and spend an hour or two studying.  Not unlike blog writing.  :)

Our next class starts in the next couple of weeks.  If you are thinking you might want to go to law school but are scared by the stories in the news, come talk to us.  We promise, we have never forced anyone to go to law school that didn't want to.

Sandy

So, I made this New Year's resolution to write in this blog every week.  As you can tell, I fell off the wagon a bit.  It has been a couple of weeks.  It turns out, I don't really like writing blogs because I don't feel like I am very good at them.  That makes them feel hard.  I don't know what to say or how to write it in an way that connects with others.  Hear comes the LSAT connection (you knew it was out there), just like reading comprehension or any part of the test you don't like, shying away from it won't make it any easier.  It is tempting to give it up altogether or just cross your fingers and hope it won't matter that much but the reality is, that working at it a little bit every day is what makes it easier.  Practice will make you more comfortable and where the insights will come from.  So, I will get back at doing this every week and you will get back to reading every day, whether pre or post-LSAT.  Even if you are post-LSAT, law school is going to make great demands on your reading skills so keep them sharp.

Sandy

Congratulations to all of you who took the February 2013 LSAT.  We should see the scores come out about the 4th of March.  Because this is an unreleased test, you will only get an email with your score in it, not a copy of the test.

If you are thinking about taking the test in June or later of this year, you have plenty of time to get prepared.  One of the best things you can be doing while you wait for the class to start is to be reading.  If you are not a reader at all or only read things on the internet, go find a book that has sounded interesting to you and start reading every day.  Reading is a skill set that has to be practiced just like any other skill set.  The more you practice it, the better you will become. Students always ask how they can get faster at reading comprehension.  This is one of the best ways to do this.  It isn't so much that your eyes will move faster but you will be more effective with your time.  You will read more smoothly, understand the concepts more quickly and get less fatigued.  It doesn't matter what kind of reading - fiction or non, law-related or not, just as long as it does not have pictures.

Sandy

We want to wish everyone of our students who are taking the LSAT this Saturday, the very best of luck.  Know that you have prepared well for this and you are ready to take this.  Just a little review for the next couple of days and mostly resting and building your mental strength.  While important, the LSAT isn't going to define your life so go in knowing that if Saturday doesn't go well, you can always take it again.  I am not saying that you aren't going to do well but by removing that extra pressure on yourself you are much more likely to perform at peak efficiency.

If you are wondering what you are going to do with your time when you are no longer spending it studying, there is a West Coast Law Fair being held at Seattle University School of Law on Saturday, February 23.  It will take place from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm.  There are a number of law schools from the west coast that will be in attendance.  You can find out more by going to www.law.seattleu.edu/x10572.xml.

Sandy