The hardest thing about LSAT prep is that you may just have to undo some of the things you’ve learned in school. Most of us figured out shortcuts that made high school and college much more bearable: Sparknotes, cramming, skimming, writing baloney papers about how the Simpsons represent the pressing issues in the modern US family (that was my high school AP psychology paper – not only was it horrible, I forgot about Lisa). And then the LSAT comes along and wants to know if we can think crisply and cleanly—in other words, if we can think critically. For those of us addicted to thinking “creatively,” it can be a rude awakening.

Let me give you an example: is it true that some of the people reading this blog post are breathing? “That’s ridiculous” the normal brain thinks: everyone reading this is breathing. Well, that’s no doubt true, but isn’t it also true that some

LSAT Interact - designed to make you THINK!

of those folks are breathing? Yes, some of them are. (On the LSAT, “some” means an amount greater than zero, which can technically include all.)

It’s not easy to shift to a more legalistic type of thinking, and that’s why boring LSAT prep can be really frustrating. Folks, we’re not studying for an anatomy exam. You can’t simply jam this stuff into your head, you have to actually think in a different way. One way to accomplish this is to compare what you think against what you’re supposed to think. A good teacher will stop you in your tracks, so your brain goes “whaaa?” and then says “ohhh!”  We could call the “whaaa?” part cognitive dissonance and the “ohhh!” part learning something new (or a geek-eureka).

This is one of the reasons we put in a lot of freezes in LSAT Interact. A freeze? Let me explain: there are tons of moments when the teachers ask a question and then freezes, waiting for you to think what’s coming next. When you click on the button, you hear the teacher continue, as only an LSAT geek can, and then you get to compare and go through your “whaa” and “ohhh.”

As you can see, I’m still super-jazzed about the recent release of LSAT Interact. For a bit longer, the ladies and gents in marketing are letting folks sample it—funny how the first taste is always free!

Here are the free LSAT events we’re holding this week. All times local unless otherwise specified.

03/06/13 – New York, NY- Free LSAT Workshop– 6:30PM- 8:30PM

03/07/13 – Online- Free Online Workshop – 8:00PM- 10:00PM (EST)

Looking for more free events? Check out our Free Events Listings Page

Looking for some Friday reads? Have a look at some of our favorite law school articles from the week:

Making a Statement: Your Law School Admissions Essay (About.com Graduate School)

Your law school personal statement is a way for you to show the admissions committee what differentiates you from hundreds of other applicants. Here is some great advice for making your essay stand out.

Think You May be Public Interest Bound? Start by Choosing the Right Law School (Law School Podcaster)

Associate deans, directors, and Executive Director at Equal Justice Works discuss what to focus on in law school if you’re planning to head to the public sector.

Starting a Law Firm in Law School (Lawyerist)

Is starting your own law firm before you’ve even graduated from law school doable? This week Lawyerist takes a look at the possibility.
Read more

Last week I headed to Costa Rica to learn how to surf. It was my first time surfing. Not to brag, but on my first day my instructor told me I was very good. I then tried jokingly asking if I was the best student he ever had and he answered quite seriously, “No.”

Mary hangs ten in Costa Rica

“Very good” as in I was standing on the board and riding small waves (want proof? That’s a photo of me from last week). But my second and third days were less successful–early on day two, I lost some of the confidence my instructor’s compliment had instilled. Once I’d fallen two or three times, I became convinced I hadn’t in fact learned how to get up on the board and stay there.

After two afternoons of swallowing gallons of sea water, annoyed at myself for losing my game, I listened to my instructor’s advice: I needed to trust myself. I’d become convinced I was going to fall and so I would.

This lesson applies to the LSAT. I sometimes ask students to imagine themselves scoring 170 (or 175, or 180… whatever the target score). What does it feel like? How did they do it? Believing in oneself isn’t just about hoping that it’ll happen–it’s about trusting that you’re actually capable of getting what you want, and a way to do that is to picture yourself having already done or doing it.

If you’re convinced you’re not going to do well, chances are you won’t. But if you become convinced that you are, you might. Obviously acquiring the skills and knowledge to accomplish certain tasks is also critical–but alone it’s unlikely to be sufficient if you don’t actually see yourself as capable of reaching your goal.

Try this: imagine you just scored your goal on the LSAT–the official one. Write down how it feels. Write down how you did it. Start with, “I’m so thrilled that…” If you want to be super cheesy, hang it on your mirror (next to your “You are beautiful” mantra). What’s to lose?

Happy Friday! Here’s our weekly roundup of articles about law school and the legal profession:

Six Big Myths About Lawyers (The Careerist)

Senior lecturing fellow at Duke Law School conducted interviews, surveys, and coaching engagements with over 1,000 lawyers and law students to debunk six popular myths about lawyers.

Is Lawyering the Right Path for You? (The Girl’s Guide To Law School)

This week, career expert Lainee Beigel spoke with The Girl’s Guide To Law School to offer some helpful career guidance to both current and prospective law students.

Ms. JD’s Pre-Law Prep Guide: Applying to Law School: What You’ll Need and How You Should Prepare (Part I) (Ms. JD)

Assistant Directors of Admission at Michigan State University College of Law and recent graduates of the Law College share advice on how to prepare for the law school application process.
Read more

Have you ever given birth to a baby? I have. And I did it along with some fellow LSAT geeks here at Manhattan LSAT. We are very proud to bring the world LSAT Interact! What the heck is LSAT Interact? In short, it’s a self-study course built on interactive videos (click on answer (D) and you go here, click on answer (B) and you go somewhere else). We are so incredibly excited for this to be done. But let me take you on a short trip down a timeline of how this all went down:

Read more

Here are the free LSAT events we’re holding this week. All times local unless otherwise specified.

02/20/13 – Boston, MA – Free Trial Class– 6:30PM- 9:30PM

01/26/13 – Washington D.C.- Free Trial Class – 10:00AM- 1:00PM

Looking for more free events? Check out our Free Events Listings Page

We hope everyone had a happy Valentine's Day!

We hope everyone is recovering from the February LSAT! Have a relaxing weekend with some of the leading law school articles from the week:

A Law School Dean Reflects on Law Firm Practice (Huff Post College)

Chancellor and Dean of UC Hastings College of the Law reflects on his time in private practice and shares what he thinks are the characteristics of good lawyers.

Ms. JD’s Pre-law Prep Guide: Leave No Stone Unturned- Your Pre-Law School Checklist (Ms. JD)

Planning to attend law school in the future? Ms. JD has a comprehensive, ten-step checklist to help make sure your applications are finished in time.

Election Law and Compromise: Reactions to President Obama’s Election Commission (PrawfsBlawg)

Are you interested in election law? PrawfsBlog shares some details about the profession and takes a look at the recent creation of a Presidential Commission on Election Administration.
Read more

If you’re registered for the February 2013 LSAT in the Northeast this Saturday, be sure to check www.LSAC.org for the latest updates about the predicted blizzard.

Happy Friday and good luck to everyone taking the February LSAT tomorrow! Here’s our weekly roundup of law school news and advice:

Law School News—Optimistic and Smug (The Careerist)

Vivia Chen from The Careerist shares some optimistic thoughts on why it’s still a good idea to pursue a J.D. She also discusses how the crop of new law schools is booming.

One Flew Over the Law School: 10 Sanity-Saving Strategies (The Girl’s Guide to Law School)

This week The Girl’s Guide to Law School shared a guest post from a 3L, who offers some invaluable tips for being successful and staying sane in law school.

Law Schools Changing with the Economy (The Post and Courier)

The decline in applicants has forced some law schools to make some changes. Catch up with the latest news on how law schools will be spending their money.

How to Improve Your Grades at Law School (Law Actually)

Whether you’re already in law school or planning to attend in the future, this post from Law Actually is great for anyone looking for some advice on how to earn high marks.

There are Not Too Many Lawyers (Huffington Post College)

Huffington Post’s Will Foster squashes the claim that there are currently too many lawyers. Foster particularly discusses the value of lawyers and their exceptional problem solving abilities.

Did we miss your favorite story from the week? Let us know what you’ve been reading in the comments or tweet @manhattanlsat

The Northeast of the United States preparing for heavy snow fall this weekend, which isn’t the biggest deal — unless you’ve spent the last 3+ months preparing to take the LSAT on Saturday.

If you are registered to sit for the exam this Saturday in an area that is likely to get pounded by snow, please resist the urge to freak out. Instead, you should keep yourself on high alert and know how to get the most up to date, accurate information as it is possible that your exam may be postponed.

Here are the best places to watch for updates:

• www.LSAC.org, of course.
• @Offical_LSAT (LSAC’s official twitter handle)
• Your email inbox; affected students will receive an email in the event that their testing location is closed.

So what happens if your exam center is indeed closed due to inclement weather? You’re asked to sit tight while LSAC organizes make up exams. Make up exams typically happen 1-3 weeks after the original exam date, and you’re given a few options for how to proceed based on whether or not you’re available to take the exam at the time of the makeup. If you do sit for one of these makeup exams, LSAC will attach a note to your score report explaining to schools why it was late being delivered.

Should you be unable to attend the make up exam, LSAC has historically offered full refunds or the option to take a future LSAT at no additional cost.

If your exam is postponed and you’re able to take the make up, be sure to stay sharp during the interval by reviewing recent PrepTests and replaying some of the harder games.

 UPDATE from LSAC: As of 2:35 PM (EST), LSAC confirmed that the following February 2013 LSAT test centers will be closed tomorrow, Saturday, February 9, 2013. Registered test takers will receive information next week regarding make up test dates.

Connecticut

• Bridgeport—University of Bridgeport, 3017
• Fairfield—Fairfield University, 3001
• Middletown—Wesleyan University, 3002
• New Britain—Charter Oak State College, 3016
• New Haven—Yale University, 3003
• West Hartford—University of Hartford, 3009

Maine

• Brunswick—Bowdoin College, 4280
• Orono—University of Maine, 4282
• Portland—University of Southern Maine, 4290
• Waterville—Colby College, 4284

Massachusetts

• Amherst—Amherst College, 2650
• Bedford—Middlesex Community College, 2663
• Boston—Boston University, 2651
• Boston—Northeastern University, 2656
• Boston—Suffolk University, 2676
• Boston—Suffolk University Law School, 2674
• Bridgewater—Bridgewater State University, 2667
• Holyoke—Holyoke Community College, 2678
• Newton—Boston College Law School, 2652
• North Dartmouth—University of Massachusetts School of Law, 2664
• Salem—Salem State University, 2653
• South Hadley—Mount Holyoke College, 2670
• Springfield—American International College, 2680
• Springfield—Western New England University School of Law, 2671
• Waltham—Brandeis University, 2672

New Hampshire

• Durham—University of New Hampshire, 4001
• Plymouth—Plymouth State University, 4003

New Jersey

• Lincroft—Brookdale Community College, 1039
• Newark—Rutgers University – Newark, 1001
• New Brunswick—Rutgers the State University, 1004
• South Orange—Seton Hall University, 1003
• Upper Montclair—Montclair State University, 1011
• Wayne—William Paterson University, 1032

New York

• Albany—Albany Law School, 3150
• Albany—SUNY – Albany, 3167
• Brentwood—Long Island University-Brentwood, 3599
• Brooklyn—South Shore High School, 3617
• Brookville—CW Post – Long Island University, 3170
• Hempstead—Hofstra University, 3157
• Jamaica—St. Johns University, 3605
• Long Island City—CUNY School of Law, 3621
• New Paltz—SUNY-New Paltz, 3175
• New York City—Fordham University, 3632
• Pleasantville—Pace University/Pleasantville, 3174
• Poughkeepsie—Marist College, 3180
• Staten Island—Wagner College, 3633

Pennsylvania

• Center Valley—Penn State University-Lehigh Valley, 2031
• Philadelphia—LaSalle University, 2506

Rhode Island

• Kingston—University of Rhode Island, 2551
• Providence—Brown University, 2552
• Providence—Rhode Island College, 2561

• Canada

  Nova Scotia

  • Antigonish—St. Francis Xavier University, 0906
  • Halifax—Dalhousie University, 0950
  • Sydney—Cape Breton University, 0935

  Prince Edward Island

  • Charlottetown—University of Prince Edward Island, 0926