Model
Prelaw Support Program
Rationale
Many
students do not do well
on the LSAT even though
they have been successful
in college and have taken
a short (1-2 month) LSAT
training program. In
addition, many students
who do perform adequately
on the LSAT are not admitted
to their top choice schools
because their personal
statement is not strong.
Finally, many students
are sidetracked by poor
time management, failure
to plan ahead, low self-esteem,
low personal expectations
and/or a overly passive
learning style. We can
call these "sabotage"
factors.
We
will first consider factors
that lead to failure
on the LSAT and then
factors that lead to
an inadequate personal
statement.
Failure
on the LSAT.
Based on personal observation
during my 18 years experience
working with such students,
there are specific factors
that lead to failure
on the LSAT. The most
common factor is that
the students' cognitive
strengths do not match
the cognitive skills
that the LSAT tests.
The
LSAT, based on my analyses,
mainly tests the following
cognitive skills:
-
the ability to process
complex written language
in both detail oriented
and wholistic ways
-
the ability to distinguish
when detail oriented
processing is required
and when wholistic
processing is required
-
the ability to integrate
detail oriented and
wholistic understanding
-
the ability to deconstruct
complex sentences
-
the ability to accurately
resolve differences
between close answers
-
the ability to understand
and evaluate a logical
argument both through
breaking it down into
components (detail
processing) and through
wholistic strategies,
such as creating a
parallel argument that
is easier to understand
or comparing the argument
to real world situations
-
the ability to integrate
detail oriented information
and wholistic information
to evaluate what would
strengthen or weaken
the argument
-
the ability to accurately
resolve differences
between close answers
-
the ability to precisely
organize complex logical
information graphically
-
the ability to use
problem solving processes
in a highly organized
and systematic way
-
the ability to quickly
choose an appropriate
problem solving process
from a wide repertoire
-
the ability to understand
and manipulate complex
if/then conditions
accurately
-
the ability to accurately
resolve differences
between close answers
There are many additional
cognitive skills that are
required for success on
the LSAT.
If
a student is a gifted
orator, a superior organizer
of people, a great collaborator,
a compassionate soul,
a talented artist or
musician, a technical
specialist, etc., but
is not strong in the
cognitive skills listed
above, they may have
difficulty being admitted
to a good law school.
An
LSAT training program
can be successful if
the program teaches the
required cognitive skills
and does so in a way
that draws on each student's
specific strengths. In
other words the program
must help the student
master new skills by
expanding on the skills
that they already have.
An
effective LSAT instructor
will:
-
thoroughly understand
the skills that the
test requires
-
have a wide repertoire
of methods for guiding
students to develop
those skills
-
have
the sensitivity to
discern each student's
needs
-
have the time to work
with each student personally
and individually over
an extended time (6-12
months or more)
-
be available to each
student during flexible
hours
-
evaluate in an ongoing
way each student's
level of achievement,
what obstacles they
are facing and what
help they need to succeed
and stay on a successful
timeline
Even
after a student has reached
a ceiling through the
help above, they can
become more competitive
through help with:
Failure
on the personal statement.
The common factors that
lead to an inadequate
personal statement include:
-
addressing goals in
terms that are too
general
-
not having a clear
sense of the area of
law the student is
interested in and what
the issues are in that
area
-
not including the three
critical areas of information
that the committee
needs, viz., goals
and motivation, proof
of academic excellence,
reasons for attending
that particular school
-
including the above
areas but doing so
in a way that is too
disorganized to insure
that the committee
absorbs it
-
including too much
irrelevant or technical
information
-
poor writing skills
in the areas of organization,
grammar and rhetoric
-
inappropriate tone,
such as too formal,
too informal, too anecdotal,
too earnest
-
claiming to have certain
personal, academic
or professional qualities
without documenting
them
-
failure to address
personal, academic
and professional qualities
at all
-
failure to connect
to the committee on
a personal level, viz.,
failue to communicate
warmth, interest in
other people, well
rounded interests,
interest in family
and community
Failure
due to sabotage factors.
Students frequently do
not plan far enough in
advance to have enough
time to devote to the
LSAT and admissions process,
even if they have access
to programs that can
help with those areas.
Students often end up
overwhelmed with school
assignments, family obligations
and work. Under these
conditions even the best
LSAT or admissions support
programs cannot succeed.
Additionally,
some students have low
self-esteem or low expectations
for themselves. These
students may avoid working
on the admissions process
or avoid asking for or
taking advantage of outside
help. They may subconsciously
be more comfortable with
failure and more anxious
about trying to succeed.
When these students are
pushed to try harder,
they often go further
in the opposite direction.
Similarly,
some students have a
very passive learning
style. They may find
it difficult to respond
to an instructor and
the instructor's assignments
without having a sense
of a personal connection.
They do not initiate
work. They do not ask
for help. They often
do not respond to the
instructor's communication.
When these students are
pushed to try harder,
they often feel that
they are being blamed.
To
summarize, there is a
need for LSAT and admissions
support that:
-
assesses
the student's strengths
and needs in an ongoing
way
-
teaches new cognitive
skills
-
works with each student
over 6 to 12 months
or longer
-
provides sufficient
personal, individualized
help through highly
skilled test specialists
-
provides expert support
with other strategies
for successful admission,
especially the personal
statement
-
addresses sabotage
factors by helping
students plan in advance,
identify their career
goals and plan for
successfullyachieving
them and by generally
providing a personal
mentor who can establish
a trusting and honest
relationship with the
student
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