Perhaps if he were a Reading Comp answer choice....

A couple of years ago, Lori Gottlieb’s MARRY HIM! The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough (like the accompanying essay she’d written for the Atlantic several years before) ruffled feathers. Everyone I knew seemed to have a strong reaction to the idea, even if they didn’t actually read the book. Settle! Don’t settle! Maybe settle! Don’t settle now but settle later!

The concept of settling implies that you’re picking a person who isn’t your ideal. You’re willing to compromise because maybe you’re just too dang picky. (I recall telling one friend who’d just gotten engaged and was on the Gottlieb side of the debate that she might want to avoid the actual term “settling” around her fiance. Call me crazy.)

It’s a controversial concept.

It’s not, however, so controversial when it comes to reading comp. In fact, it’s a useful way of thinking about reading comp. At Manhattan LSAT, we teach that you should “work wrong to right”–eliminate wrong answer choices in order to get to the right one (as opposed to searching for the right answer). “Not you. Not you. Not you. Not you. Okay, you’re fine.” You’re the best of the bunch, (E), even though your breath is bad and you should really pluck your eyebrows, at least your left one.

Settle for right answers in Reading Comp. Don’t reach for your ideal. It’s already had an affair with Angelina Jolie and adopted a seventeenth kid.

Manhattan Prep is offering special full tuition scholarships for up to 4 individuals per year (1 per quarter) who will be selected as part of Manhattan Prep’s LSAT Social Venture Scholars program. This program provides the selected scholars with free admission into one of Manhattan Prep’s LSAT live online Complete Courses (an $890 value).

These competitive scholarships are offered to individuals who (1) currently work full-time in an organization that promotes positive social change, (2) plan to use their law degree to work in a public, not-for-profit, or other venture with a social-change oriented mission, and (3) demonstrate clear financial need. The Social Venture Scholars can enroll in any live online preparation course taught by one of Manhattan Prep’s expert instructors within one year of winning the scholarship.

Details about the SVS program and how you can apply can be found here.

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

01/26/13 – Washington D.C. – Free Proctored LSAT Practice Exam– 9:30AM- 1:30PM

01/26/13 – San Diego, CA- Free Proctored LSAT Practice Exam – 9:30AM- 1:30PM

01/26/13 – Santa Monica, CA- Free Proctored LSAT Practice Exam – 6:00PM- 10:00PM

01/26/13 – Irvine, CA- Free Proctored LSAT Practice Exam – 9:30AM- 1:30PM

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

Happy Friday all! Here are some of our favorite law school and legal-related articles from the week:

Law School Students Increase Legal Skills with Professor Interactions (JD Journal)

A new survey reveals that interacting with professors and peers in law school has a wealth of benefits—better critical and analytical thinking and improved writing and research skills, just to name a few.

The “Collaboration Generation” and the Legal Profession (My Case)

My Case speculates on how the current generation’s knowledge of digital platforms will influence the legal profession and business at large.

Ms. JD’s Pre-Law Prep Guide: So You Want to Go to Law School; What Law & Order Doesn’t Tell You (Ms. JD)

Two Assistant Directors of Admission at Michigan State University College of Law take a look at the differences between the mediated lawyer and the real-world lawyer.
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If you’ve been studying for the LSAT for very long, you’ve encountered the old correlation-causation issue: just because two things are correlated (say, use of umbrellas and rain) doesn’t mean one is causing the other (the umbrella is causing the rain?). Correlation simply means that as one “thing” changes, so does another “thing”.  I stumbled on a TED talk this week that I think presents the issue in clear (and meaningful–to your health) terms. It’s also an interesting lesson in medical research and reporting. If you have a few minutes, give it a watch.

Happy New Year and Happy Friday! Check out some of the top law school related articles so far from 2013:

While You Wait to Hear Back From Law Schools (Law School Podcaster)

Patience is key if you’re waiting to hear from law school admissions committees. Once you’ve confirmed that all of your selected schools received your application, take a look at this list of tips for what to do while you wait for the verdict.

What Do College Grades Tell Law School Admissions Officers (Legal Skills Prof Blog)

Interested in how law school admissions committees see your undergraduate report card? Here’s some insight from Legal Skills Prof Blog.

What I Wish I Knew In Law School (Canadian Lawyer Mag)

A recent law school grad offers some valuable advice to current and prospective students.
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An overhead shot of the Manhattan LSAT Geek Lair

Deep within the Manhattan LSAT Geek Lair (a real place, by the way, located somewhere in the mountains of Colorado), a team of master LSAT teachers

has dissecting and deconstructing the December 2012 LSAT. While it was Socrates who said “the only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing”, we’re never going to stop in our relentless mission to fill the world with all of the geeky truisms of being a top scorer the LSAT.

Join us tomorrow evening, January 8th, at 8pm EST for a free live online review of the December 2012 LSAT. Manhattan Prep’s executive director of academics Noah Teitelbaum will be joined by curriculum developer Dmitry Farber  to break down the exam’s more difficult questions, as well as to address that age old question of whether or not to retake.

Now that final exams are (hopefully) over it’s time to finish up the last of those law school applications. When you finally get to sit back and relax for the

Wishing everyone a relaxing Winter Break!

holidays, take a moment to catch up on a few of the top law school stories from the week:

Telling Your Story: A Well-Rounded Application (jdMission)

Mary Adkins shares some great advice on how to structure your law school application to best convey yourself as a well-rounded applicant.

Weigh the Benefits, Disadvantages of Attending a Non-ABA Law School (U.S. News Education)

This week U.S. News explains why a school without American Bar Association accreditation might be a good fit for some students.
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This would go great with the coffee maker!

Sometimes the best gifts are the most practical gifts. While it’s usually more fun during the holidays to give and receive silly tchotchkes like this one here, or here, you can trust that you (or your pre-law giftee) will appreciate something more useful in the long-run. So whether you’re jotting down your own holiday wish list or buying for an aspiring lawyer, consider some of the following gift suggestions:

1. Black’s Law Dictionary (Standard Ninth Edition)– This is the gold standard for the language of law and a must-have for all pre-law and law students.

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We hope everyone is surviving final exams and working to polish those law school applications! If you’re looking for some good reads this weekend, be sure to check out our roundup of law school news and advice.

Tighten Your Writing: Heed the Six Signs (Attorney at Work)

Looking to spruce up your legal writing skills? This post from Attorney at Work will teach you how to keep your writing clear, concise, and to the point.

Abraham Lincoln’s Advice to Young Lawyers (Slate)

This week Slate shared a document from Abraham Lincoln, which historians believe is a set of notes that Lincoln made in preparation for an 1850s-era lecture to a group of law students.

The Short on Long-Term Planning: Here is a Crazy Idea, Find the Actual Court Opinions (jdMission)

jdMission talks about how and why it’s a good idea to get acquainted with legal writing before you get to law school. It’s also important that you go to the actual legal source, rather than summaries presented in the news.
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