Very Very low LSAC ugpa

[studymaster]

I would suggest signing for a LSAT review course or perhaps hiring an LSAT tutor so you can get as high an LSAT score as possible.  I would also suggest writing an addendum to explain why the GPA was so low.  Then, you can put together an application package with as great recommendations and as great a personal statement as you can and that should provide some help.  Good luck!

I recommend against courses, unless you're scoring very poorly, they're almost uniformly a waste of money.

Tutors can be a big help, screen carefully and make sure you do the work on your own with tutoring as a supplement, not a replacement, for your hard work.

Please stop giving people this advice!  It's possibly detrimental to their applications and LSAT scores!

Also, when I started the LSAT process, I tested in the mid to upper 150s and hit mid-160s on my first attempt at the real thing.  I took a course and went from that to a 171.  So once again, I agree with HB that courses can help high scorers as well.  Of course, the teachers don't have a magic wand, so if the student is a lazy ass and doesn't do practice sets for homework, they'll almost assuredly see no (or minimal) score increase.  But classes can help to clarify the process of doing formal logic (something many people have not been exposed to), how to analyze and complete a game, etc.  And reputable test prep companies will tell students the same thing.

How about you stop giving advice detrimental to their wallets... (and probably their scores) one case proves nothing.

Did you prep alot harder the second time? Do you realize that test prep companies do not have a monopoly on formal logic wisdom? Do you see why a reputable test prep company would tell a student that..?

[Jamie Stringer]

I would suggest signing for a LSAT review course or perhaps hiring an LSAT tutor so you can get as high an LSAT score as possible.  I would also suggest writing an addendum to explain why the GPA was so low.  Then, you can put together an application package with as great recommendations and as great a personal statement as you can and that should provide some help.  Good luck!

I recommend against courses, unless you're scoring very poorly, they're almost uniformly a waste of money.

Tutors can be a big help, screen carefully and make sure you do the work on your own with tutoring as a supplement, not a replacement, for your hard work.

Please stop giving people this advice!  It's possibly detrimental to their applications and LSAT scores!

Also, when I started the LSAT process, I tested in the mid to upper 150s and hit mid-160s on my first attempt at the real thing.  I took a course and went from that to a 171.  So once again, I agree with HB that courses can help high scorers as well.  Of course, the teachers don't have a magic wand, so if the student is a lazy ass and doesn't do practice sets for homework, they'll almost assuredly see no (or minimal) score increase.  But classes can help to clarify the process of doing formal logic (something many people have not been exposed to), how to analyze and complete a game, etc.  And reputable test prep companies will tell students the same thing.

How about you stop giving advice detrimental to their wallets... (and probably their scores) one case proves nothing.

Did you prep alot harder the second time? Do you realize that test prep companies do not have a monopoly on formal logic wisdom? Do you see why a reputable test prep company would tell a student that..?

Well, thus far I think my investment in an LSAT prep course has worked out pretty well for me.  Even someone like you could see that.  But your advice to have someone go to a tutor is obscenely more expensive than taking a prep class to improve, so who's really giving financially irresponsible advice?

Nope, didn't prep harder the second time.  If anything, I prepped harder the first time.  And yes, I do realize that prep companies don't have a monopoly on formal logic.  But neither do tutors, which is a path you've previously suggested.

I don't know if you're bitter because you had a bad experience with a company, but the point is you don't have all the answers.  Your way might have worked for you, but it doesn't necessarily work for everyone.  People should be advised of the multiple ways that others have been successful so they can try and pick the best one for them. 

Ugh.

[studymaster]

I would suggest signing for a LSAT review course or perhaps hiring an LSAT tutor so you can get as high an LSAT score as possible.  I would also suggest writing an addendum to explain why the GPA was so low.  Then, you can put together an application package with as great recommendations and as great a personal statement as you can and that should provide some help.  Good luck!

I recommend against courses, unless you're scoring very poorly, they're almost uniformly a waste of money.

Tutors can be a big help, screen carefully and make sure you do the work on your own with tutoring as a supplement, not a replacement, for your hard work.

Please stop giving people this advice!  It's possibly detrimental to their applications and LSAT scores!

Also, when I started the LSAT process, I tested in the mid to upper 150s and hit mid-160s on my first attempt at the real thing.  I took a course and went from that to a 171.  So once again, I agree with HB that courses can help high scorers as well.  Of course, the teachers don't have a magic wand, so if the student is a lazy ass and doesn't do practice sets for homework, they'll almost assuredly see no (or minimal) score increase.  But classes can help to clarify the process of doing formal logic (something many people have not been exposed to), how to analyze and complete a game, etc.  And reputable test prep companies will tell students the same thing.

How about you stop giving advice detrimental to their wallets... (and probably their scores) one case proves nothing.

Did you prep alot harder the second time? Do you realize that test prep companies do not have a monopoly on formal logic wisdom? Do you see why a reputable test prep company would tell a student that..?

Well, thus far I think my investment in an LSAT prep course has worked out pretty well for me.  Even someone like you could see that.  But your advice to have someone go to a tutor is obscenely more expensive than taking a prep class to improve, so who's really giving financially irresponsible advice?

Nope, didn't prep harder the second time.  If anything, I prepped harder the first time.  And yes, I do realize that prep companies don't have a monopoly on formal logic.  But neither do tutors, which is a path you've previously suggested.

I don't know if you're bitter because you had a bad experience with a company, but the point is you don't have all the answers.  Your way might have worked for you, but it doesn't necessarily work for everyone.  People should be advised of the multiple ways that others have been successful so they can try and pick the best one for them. 

Ugh.

No but tutors (if you get them privately and not through a prep company (where you pay so much to the middleman) are incredibly reasonable compared to a classroom program. I have a problem with prep companies because they cultivate an attitude of passivity that is a poor way to take the LSAT, they gouge their students and they are incredibly dishonest. This isnt from my personal experience, simply my knowledge of the industry and their methods.

[Jamie Stringer]

No but tutors (if you get them privately and not through a prep company (where you pay so much to the middleman) are incredibly reasonable compared to a classroom program. I have a problem with prep companies because they cultivate an attitude of passivity that is a poor way to take the LSAT, they gouge their students and they are incredibly dishonest. This isnt from my personal experience, simply my knowledge of the industry and their methods.

Then at the root, we have a fundamental disagreement with the way that reputable test prep companies are run.  This may be true with some companies, but I wouldn't categorize the entire industry that way.  I think I've already said that at least in my case, the instructors were very blunt about the fact that students would need to put in the work and that they wouldn't learn through osmosis just by sitting in class, sleeping on top of their book, etc.  The problem is that people don't listen and almost think that paying for the class means they'll do well on the LSAT (which we both know is not the case). 

Also, in my case, tutoring was, at cheapest, $100 per hour.  Taking the LSAT class was $1100 for roughly 100 hours.  For students who are motivated to do the work, ask questions, and seek out help, the class is fine.  At least, it was in my case.

[studymaster]

No but tutors (if you get them privately and not through a prep company (where you pay so much to the middleman) are incredibly reasonable compared to a classroom program. I have a problem with prep companies because they cultivate an attitude of passivity that is a poor way to take the LSAT, they gouge their students and they are incredibly dishonest. This isnt from my personal experience, simply my knowledge of the industry and their methods.

Then at the root, we have a fundamental disagreement with the way that reputable test prep companies are run.  This may be true with some companies, but I wouldn't categorize the entire industry that way.  I think I've already said that at least in my case, the instructors were very blunt about the fact that students would need to put in the work and that they wouldn't learn through osmosis just by sitting in class, sleeping on top of their book, etc.  The problem is that people don't listen and almost think that paying for the class means they'll do well on the LSAT (which we both know is not the case). 

Also, in my case, tutoring was, at cheapest, $100 per hour.  Taking the LSAT class was $1100 for roughly 100 hours.  For students who are motivated to do the work, ask questions, and seek out help, the class is fine.  At least, it was in my case.

We're closer to agreement then. Tutoring at 100$ an hour is crazy. I think you can easily find a much cheaper tutor if you do a little leg work. A $25-30 / hr tutor shouldnt be any trouble if youre near a decent size city.

If an instructor were blunt about the need to prep, and students did the work, then thats fine, good in my book. But it seems to me a student who is self disciplined enough to do their own work would be just dandy doing it without a class.

Youre right, most students think paying = lsat score and I encourage independent study for this reason. If they do it on their own they're that much closer to beating out their passivity.

[waquele20]

Thanks for the advice!!! I have 4 LSAT books I am studying for so hopefully they will help but I will most definitely look in getting a LSAT tutor.