<p>Im getting into my junior year in college and I have been looking into getting a LSAT prep book but there are so many. So which one does everyone use?</p>
<p>The modus operandi around these parts is to buy PowerScore's Logical Reasoning Bible and Logic Games Bible. Also buy every released test you can get your hands on (and there are over two dozen). Create a rigorous study schedule, stick to it, and you'll see results come test time.</p>
<p>Books to avoid: virtually anything published by The Princeton Review or Kaplan. </p>
<p>Ex. I bought Kaplan's LSAT 180 early on because I thought the book's claims were pretty impressive and online reviews were decent. When I started using it, though, I realized that the questions (that Kaplan cooked up themselves...in other words, not from real tests) were unrealistic. Over all, it wasn't that helpful. Use older tests as practice material and use PowerScore's books for strategy and technique.</p>
<p>Thanks for the fast reply. Im going to check into those two books. I suppose I can buy those from Amazon? Have you taken the LSAT yet and what did you score if you dont mind me asking?</p>
<p>The books are available on Amazon, but they're priced unnecessarily high. Look on eBay; you'll save a bunch of money. </p>
<p>I took the LSAT in September of 2007 and scored a 180...trust me, my jaw dropped too when I found that out. All my preparation was based on self-study, with the PowerScore materials at the core of my study regiment. I also recommend their Logic Games Setup Guide if you have issues with LG.</p>
<p>crnchycereal, where do you go to law school? Was your first LSAT diagnostic already unbelievably high?</p>
<p>Wow a 180. You must have eaten your wheaties that morning. Thanks for the info Im ordering the books as you read this. What law school did you go to?</p>
<p>Ha, I think it sort of funny that I've been asked where I currently attend or where I attended law school. If you'll notice, I said I took the exam in September of 2007, meaning that the earliest I could start law school would be September of 2008 (i.e. this coming fall semester).</p>
<p>I'm heading to Harvard in fall of 2009, the reason being that I'll be deferring for a year in order to study abroad and work a little.</p>
<p>As for my initial diagnostic test, it was a 161 on the September 1996 test. To be fair, though, I had flipped through Princeton Review's (Cracking the LSAT...I don't recommend) before taking the diagnostic. That said, I hadn't done any significant preparation beforehand, so the 161 was pretty representative of my baseline.</p>
<p>Well congrats and good luck with everything. Thanks for the advice it really helped.</p>
<p>A 19-point jump, eh? Impressive.</p>
<p>congrats and thanks for all the advice...
sticking to the PS Bibles/old tests method, about how much study time would you consider adequate?</p>
<p>Wow a 19 point jump is insane. Well the 180 is pretty impressive too ;)</p>
<p>crnchycereal
noun
Modest, honest, and helpful.</p>
<p>If you don't mind my asking, what did you do as extra-curriculars and what did you major in? I am using as many people as possible to use as case studies to figure out what to major in and what extra-curriculars I should do.</p>
<p>Which ECs do you recommend?</p>
<p>I majored in Political Science and participated in a few ECs-- I was in a co-ed a cappella group for four years, sang in the concert choir, was on the leadership board for our campus' umbrella Asian student group, and had a couple of summer internships.</p>
<p>That said, don't try to go around figuring out "what major is best" or "which ECs are best" vis-a-vis law school admissions. In terms of major, the encouraging answer would be that performing strongly in any traditional college major demonstrates a firm work ethic and academic excellence. This includes everything from Anthropology to Zoology and everything in between (i.e. hard sciences, social sciences, humanities, you name it, though the conventional wisdom says to avoid "vocational" majors like Pre-Law or Business). A more cynical answer would be that law schools are primarily concerned with posting strong numbers. In other words, they couldn't care less what your major is so long as you have a high GPA. My guess is that both answers are partially correct.</p>
<p>As for ECs, my guess is that law schools really just want to see that you were active in some way. If you participated consistently in a few organizations, you should be fine. And don't worry about demonstrating some sort of over-the-top commitment or save-the-world credentials. Because law school admissions are essentially a numbers game, the "soft factors" like ECs won't really make or break you. Just make sure your resume doesn't show you've been sitting in the library for four libraries and nothing else.</p>
<p>^^ crnchycereal, why does conventional wisdom go against business majors? Am I at a disadvantage because I'm studying business undergrad?</p>
<p>Because business isn't academic; it's vocational. It doesn't force you to analyze nor does it enhance your reading/writing abilities. That said, if you go to a top ranked business program, it shouldn't be detrimental in the slightest.</p>
<p>Yes BerkeleySenior is right. Majoring in business won't keep you out of course but law schools prefer applicants who have majored in more theoretical and academic subjects instead of more vocational ones. Ex. economics over finance/business/management.</p>
<p>Well, I will be in business school next year. I guess I should just take a lot of electives in the "academic" areas. Good thing I will have a large number of resources at my disposal to help as well.</p>
<p>What does law school think about international studies as a major?</p>
<p>Sorry if this is obvious, but where can I find/purchase the over two dozen tests that they have released?</p>
<p>Amazon. Look for books in the series of 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests. Feel free to buy them from whomever you like, but Amazon's a good place to get publishing information.</p>