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http://forum.collegetimes.us/forum/college-admissions College Forum to discuss admissions, financial aid, SAT prep, Greek organizations, campus clubs, politics, etc. en-US Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:26:24 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.3 q http://forum.collegetimes.us/search.php http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/list-of-colleges-that-do-not-give-grades#post-1767 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 02:09:37 +0000 Anonymous 1767@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Hello. I was looking for a list of clooeges that do not give grades.<br /> I know of Prescot college, in Arizona, and evergreen college in washington.</p> <p>Do you know of any others? </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/harvard-admissions-my-standings-and-plannnings#post-1741 Sun, 24 Oct 2010 18:07:42 +0000 Anonymous 1741@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Right now I am a High School sophomore with hopes of majoring in astrophysics as an undergraduate and plasma physics as a graduate. After college I want to work my way up through the universities as a professor eventually retiring to research.</p> <p>Background:<br /> Parents Divorced<br /> Abandoned by father<br /> 7 Moves (4 during HS)<br /> Socioeconomically challenged, income &lt;10k per year<br /> Caucasian Male<br /> Rural Pennsylvanian town, Class size around 120 students<br /> Sister has attempted suicide<br /> Brother ex-prisoner</p> <p>Academics:<br /> My GPA is a 4.0, I have no class rank because I moved to my current school district in May after being homeschooled for my freshman year. My parents put me into home-schooling because we had to move 3 times in under two months so they did not want to mess up my academics.</p> <p>My current school has only two AP programs, English and Spanish. Through the aid of books and the college board I am planning to take 12 AP exams over the course of my high school career.<br /> (PSAT, SAT, ACT scores unknown but I studying in all my free time for them)</p> <p>(The following are the most vigorous courses available to me)<br /> Freshman: (All Honors) Geometry, English, Spanish II, Biology, Earth Science,<br /> P.E., American History. A's in all<br /> Sophomore: Honors Chemistry, P.E.(x3), Adult Living, Careers Exploration, Health, Gifted Academy, Pre-Calculus(Tested out of Alg II/Trig with 100%), Acc. English II(AP Track), Acc. Spanish II, Band, Academic Physics I, Entrepreneurship.<br /> College Classes- Research Seminar Anthropology, American Government, Introduction to Psychology, Logic III: Scientific Reasoning, Introduction to Astrophysics, 5 total for 15 credits<br /> Junior: Mainly unknown but major courses: Calculus, Acc. Engish III, Academic Physics II, Astronomy/Planetarium, Band, Gifted Academy, Compacting Acc. Span III and Acc. Span IV, plus 5-7 more solid, challenging electives<br /> College Classes- 4 in first semester, 4 in second, 8 total for 24 credits<br /> Senior: AP English, AP Spanish, Band, Gifted Academy, 6-8 more solid, challenging electives<br /> College Classes- Calculus II plus 3 more courses in 1st semester, Calculus III plus 3 more courses in 2nd semester, 8 courses for a total of 24 credits, 63 credits planned.</p> <p>EC: President- Physics Club, Enrichment Club, Science Olympiad, Math Club, and Section Leader in Band.<br /> District Band, Region Band, State Band as 1st Baritone (Also play trumpet and piano)<br /> Planned volunteer hours totaling around 1,200 hours by graduation at the hospital, library, community playhouse, Special Olympics, and local groups dedicated to keeping our town/state beautiful.<br /> Tutoring Special Needs 6th-8th Graders<br /> Summer Internship to Japan, along with 2-3 Summers of Astrophysics related research<br /> Basketball, 3 seasons<br /> Track and Field, 3 seasons<br /> Cross Country, 2 Seasons</p> <p>Honors(Not yet taken/placed):<br /> Model UN, YSU Mathfest, Siemens Competition, Intel Science and Talent Search, National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, USA Physics Olympiad, USA Math Olympiad, Princeton Math Competition, USA Mathematical Talent Search, iTest, National Assessment and Testing Fall Startup.</p> <p>Please note a lot of this is planned/my goals for high school.</p> <p>Is there anything I could do to increase my chances? Also is this plan good, or should I scrap it and go with a different approach? Last, I know my freshman year will hurt, a lot, but can I still be admitted? </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/how-long#post-1606 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:47:54 +0000 Anonymous 1606@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Does it take for colleges to stop looking at my highschool grades and start looking at my college grades for if I want to transfer to a new college? or does it vary with each college? </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/use-humor-in-college-admissions-essay#post-1495 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:52:23 +0000 Anonymous 1495@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>In what degree of humor can I use in my admissions essay? </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/depaul-university#post-1527 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:27:59 +0000 Anonymous 1527@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>I just finished my junior year with average grades- C's and B's. My classes are more advanced course, pre-calc, physics, and classes at community college. For my senior year I'm taking AP Biology, classes at the local community college, and classes such as those. I do average in all of my classes but I'm hoping that they will notice the level of difficulty. My GPA is around a 3.3-3.4, I know its low. As of now my highest ACT score is a 23, and Im taking it as many more times as I can. I volunteer at the hospital and I'm a third year varsity swimmer for my school, I also participate in Big Brothers/ Big Sisters and other various volunteer events. What are my chances of getting into DePaul University? I also live in Ohio, so I'll be applying out of state. I dont know if this makes a difference or not. </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/great-summer-opportunity-for-college-bound-students#post-1520 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:05:37 +0000 Anonymous 1520@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Hi there,</p> <p>I'm a Princeton University sophomore interning with FUNCEDESCRI, a Guatemalan non-profit organization that fights malnutrition in Mayan farming communities. We're competing in GlobalGiving.com's July 2010 Green Open Challenge and we need creative, highly-motivated interns to help us meet our fundraising goal: to raise at least $4,000 from at least 50 individual donors within the next three weeks. The organizations that raise the most funds get up to $14,000 in prize money.</p> <p>Our fundraising team is currently composed of several college students in Guatemala, Canada, and the US. Join us online in designing and implementing projects to raise money for a great cause. Interns can work according to their own schedule and availability under the guidance of a Harvard Business School-bound student. A great addition to your college résumés, with a concrete result to show for it--interns will have been the driving force behind FUNCEDESCRI's success in the GlobalGiving challenge! Send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:janine.kacprzak@funcedescri.org">janine.kacprzak@funcedescri.org</a> if you're interested.</p> <p>David Abugaber<br /> Princeton Class of 2013 </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/helpful-things-a-13-year-old-can-learn-during-summer#post-1480 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:41:36 +0000 Anonymous 1480@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>I'm 13 years old going into 8th grade and I'm in summer break so I was wondering what I could learn during summer that would help me in school. I already have a tutor and I'm really interested in computers. Any ideas? </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/international-loans#post-1467 Wed, 26 May 2010 00:38:33 +0000 Anonymous 1467@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Here's the thing- I'm a foreign citizen who's looking for an international loan to be able to afford college. Since there is no guarantee of my loan application being approved, I was meaning to apply for my student visa only after securing a loan source. I was considering applying for the Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loan plan, but the application itself there, however, requires me to submit a copy of my student visa or CIS form. Now, there's no point of getting a student visa if I'm not even sure if I'm going to get the loan, and for another I have no idea what a CIS form is.<br /> What do I do, help please?! :(</p> <p>(For those of you who have read my previous thread, this is kind of a subset of that)</p> <p>Thanks, once again.</p> <p><a href="mailto:niyonta.nch@gmail.com">niyonta.nch@gmail.com</a> </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/admission-and-transfer-international#post-1466 Wed, 26 May 2010 00:12:51 +0000 Anonymous 1466@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Hey guys, I'm faced with a problem here and would really appreciate any advice or suggestions you can give me.<br /> I'll give a brief description of my situation and get to my question.<br /> Thing is, I'm an international student- a foreign resident- and I got accepted to two colleges (Sarah Lawrence and DePauw University) and am wait listed by two others- Bryn Mawr and Mount Holyoke. The thing is that I really want to attend Bryn Mawr, but just in case I don't make it out of the wait list and into the college, I don't want to let go of Sarah Lawrence. This is important because it's crucial for me to go off abroad and start college immediately instead of taking a gap year (because of petty family problems and the likes). Besides, with the financial aid and scholarship Sarah Lawrence has offered me, I would need to pay around $20,000 yearly, which is a little too much for my family. So, I would need to take a loan for SLC (I'm thinking of applying to Sallie Mae for the loan). Bryn Mawr, on the other hand, if they take me, they'll give me full-need aid. Now the problem is that both BMC and MHC will get to know if there are any spaces available only at the end of June or even later, while SLC is asking me to send in the necessary paperwork to complete processing my admission by 1st June.<br /> Now, my question is, once I submit my I-20 form and get a student visa for Sarah Lawrence, can I later cancel it off and transfer to BMC or MHC?<br /> If anyone has a well informed answer, do let me know. Please reply soon, I'm sort of running out of time. Thanks!<br /> Here's my email address just in case- <a href="mailto:niyonta.nch@gmail.com">niyonta.nch@gmail.com</a> </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/one-year-course-of-study-accelerate-your-opportunities#post-1439 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:43:01 +0000 Anonymous 1439@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>When students begin to weigh their MBA options, they must consider the opportunity costs associated with full-time study. Rensselaer understands that this may be the most significant cost of an MBA. With this in mind, Rensselaer has designed a one-year course schedule to make the most of your time and money. You will be completely immersed in your studies for a full year. There is no summer vacation and no extensive break over the holidays. Simply put, this MBA program is a full time job for people who are used to working hard and learning quickly. It is a challenging investment, but in a year’s time, you will have earned an MBA from one of the nations top-50 ranked universities. When you complete the Lally MBA program, you will have the abilities you need to succeed in tomorrow’s business: a flair of innovation, the elan of an entrepreneur, the ability to move boldly across disciplines and borders and the inner resources to take charge in the face of technological change. For more information on the Lally School of Management &amp; Technology at Rensselaer go to: <a href="http://www.lallyschool.rpi.edu/" rel="nofollow">http://www.lallyschool.rpi.edu/</a> </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/mit-acceptance-chances#post-1338 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:11:28 +0000 Anonymous 1338@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Hi,</p> <p>MIT admissions decisions are coming up and I'm starting to get nervous so what do you think my chances are (be as cruel as necessary)?</p> <p>I'm an International Applicant and my SAT grades are:</p> <p>Math Level 2 - 800<br /> Physics - 800</p> <p>Critical Reading - 800<br /> Math - 800<br /> Writing - 600</p> <p>I skipped a year, learned calculus early in my life, I've been part of the Portuguese International Olympiads preparation team for the second year now and last year I ranked quite well at our National Physics Olympiads. And I swim quite regularly</p> <p>My midyear report grades (which range from 0 to 20) are all in the 19's except Portuguese (This term was really bad and I had a 8) and Project Area (12). </p> <p>My recommendation letters are very good</p> <p>Will this bad Portuguese term affect very much my chances of getting in?</p> <p>I had an interview which I think went great.</p> <p>I'm sorry if the post looks like I'm bragging or something like that (I'm not) but I'm really anxious and I need some objective input (postive or negative).</p> <p>Thanks </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/english-ba-future-in-grad-school#post-1341 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:15:17 +0000 Anonymous 1341@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Hi, I am a junior at Wayne State University. I chose English because it was either that or Computer Science, both of which I'm good at, but I like writing more. Anyways, I want to do something that requires a graduate degree with it and I chose it because it is supposedly so versatile. </p> <p>Trouble is, I don't know what I want to do. What are some of the graduate programs that English majors can get into or where can I find a list of the most common follow up graduate programs to an English BA to help tighten the beam a bit? </p> <p>Thanks in advance! </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/ok-i-really-need-help#post-1325 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:17:32 +0000 Anonymous 1325@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Ok, I got a lil bit of an ambitious goal here, but I'm determined so I know I can make it happen if I try.</p> <p>Now for some background info, I never planned for college, I never did too well in school, I didn't have a good attitude... I was pretty Much one of the bad kids... However... I've never been slow. I get high scores on all my writing assignments.. I went to get the GED and I blew the test away in every subject except for math but I still passed that. I just didnt do as good as my other subjects. (I Know the GED is basic knowledge to survive in the real world, but still Lol... Point is, I'm above the basic.)</p> <p>So now... After being in the real world for a little while, I'm realizing how right everyone was. and why I should have taken school more serious. So... I've learned my lesson, but I feel I still have time to make it better since im still only 19.</p> <p>ok, So.. I live in the central Florida area.. I dont know much about college.. but from what I hear UCF is the school to be at. But I'm Not Sure How to get in.. and what kind of hell I'll have to go through to make up for the 12 years of slacking I've been doing but I'm game for it. so what I'm asking you guys is if Theres ANY kind of test or anything that could prove to this school I'm worth letting in the doors? Also, I'm not exactly coming from money either, so I'm not positive how much financial aid would cover. if at all. but thats why im here.. Any help is GREATLY apericiated. thanks for reading this. </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/technion-international-school-of-engineering#post-1317 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:35:38 +0000 Anonymous 1317@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>[b]Interested in studying Engineering, in English, in an International atmosphere? [/b]<br /> The Technion International School of Engineering (ISE) offers Bachelor of Sciences (BSc) in Civil Engineering, Water Resources and Environmental Engineering and Transportation Engineering.<br /> The Technion is a world-renowned technological institute in Haifa, Israel.<br /> If you are a highly motivated student who is interested in studying engineering in an international atmosphere, I suggest you look up our Facebook page: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Haifa-Israel/Technion-International-School-of-Engineering/34267558033?ref=ts" rel="nofollow">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Haifa-Israel/Technion-International-School-of-Engineering/34267558033?ref=ts</a><br /> and our website: <a href="http://www.ise.technion.ac.il/" rel="nofollow">http://www.ise.technion.ac.il/</a> </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/masters-vs-new-bachelors-major#post-1313 Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:35:27 +0000 Anonymous 1313@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Hello all, I am in the middle of a career change and need help justifing a decesion. I completed a Bachelors of Political Science in 2002. Since then I have been running a fairly large construction company that I started on my own. Due to the economic situation I have closed down the business. My back up plans was always to teach US history at the high school level, as I have a Alterante Route Teaching Certificate in that subject. Not only can't I find employment as a history teacher I can not find employment at ala except substitute teaching, which doesn't nearly cover my bills, let alone have any extra money to have a life.</p> <p>I have come to the conclusion that I need to better my degree to find a soild career. I have been acepted to Rutgers University for a Masters Degree in Public Adminstration. The reason I say I need help to justify my decesion is because I have decedided not to attend Rutgers. Instead I want to go back to get enough credits to teach math, and possible finish the requirements for a BS in Math. To get certified to Teach I would need 30 credits, and to complete the B.S. around 20 more. </p> <p>I know this is a 180 but I feel as though a math degree will definitely get me a Teaching job, and not sure how many goverment jobs there are going to be in the future with the MPA degree. My dilema is that I feel like I am going backwards if I pursue the Math, but continuing down the wrong road if I pursue the Masters. I await your feedback.</p> <p>Thanks, EG </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/early-start#post-1279 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:20:01 +0000 Anonymous 1279@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>I am a junior in high school while I am in college at the same time. Will this help me get a scholarship in any way. I paln to go to a 4-year university when i get done with high-school. the only thing is the college that I want to go to is almost $20,000 a year. what scholarships do you recomend I try for. </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/starting-in-another-country#post-1258 Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:25:26 +0000 Anonymous 1258@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Just gonna make this short.</p> <p>I'm a guy who's not ready for full time college. I wanted to study in the Philippines. Since I haven't fulfilled my GE I doubt I can start a 4 year. Is it possible to fill it outside of the US without having to transfer?</p> <p>I really don't know the first thing about getting into college. -_-</p> <p>Been a real lazy kid my life. </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/how-to-choose-a-college-major#post-1238 Sat, 12 Dec 2009 10:53:45 +0000 Anonymous 1238@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>Choosing a major at an online college is not unlike choosing a major at a traditional college. Whether you are looking online or in the ivy tower, the elements that guide your decision are similar.</p> <p>[b]Job or major? What comes first?[/b]</p> <p>Consider two basic approaches. The “job” vision with a major tailored to it; or the “major” vision with the job to follow. The path you choose depends on how career-driven you are at the time you start college.</p> <p>For the career-driven approach, look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics or the Department of Labor for national job information or for the region in which you’d work after graduation. Does your major lend itself to opportunities in hot job fields, or does it narrow your options? How important is having these options for you?</p> <p>As a high-school graduate or early college student, take advantage of internships to “test-drive” jobs that correlate to specific majors. In this way you will know the jobs/fields you like, and the job knowledge can help refine a choice for a major.<br /> What do you love?</p> <p>What subjects have you always liked and/or done very well in? These would be logical choices for majors. Determine what subjects are most interesting to you before you nail down a major. The most important aspect is that you are interested. Without a love of your major, achieving excellence within it is highly difficult.</p> <p>[b]Who can help you?[/b]</p> <p>Ask your academic advisor for help ... a person who has knowledge and credentials can give you a better idea of what majors consist of and how they may be aligned with your interests. Talk to a career counselor for guidance on what skills certain careers demand and how well you might fit the role for particular jobs that correspond to your major.<br /> How you can help yourself</p> <p>[b]Special Tactics:[/b]</p> <p> * Scout the degree program. Department course lists: do they look interesting to you?<br /> * Conduct teacher interviews: how accomplished are the professors with whom you’ll be learning? How personable are they in the classroom?<br /> * Conduct student interviews: talk to other majors, current students and recent graduates. What are the strengths/weaknesses of the program as they see it.<br /> * If you’re unsure of a major at the outset, examine textbooks and syllabi from various majors and sit in on a couple of classes.<br /> * Check with the alumni relations department or major department for a list of jobs held by school graduates in a particular major. This gives you a nice feel for your post-graduation possibilities.<br /> * Become an undergraduate research assistant to explore a potential field of interest in depth.<br /> * Look at academic journals or go to academic conferences for the fields that interest you. Find a spark of desire from reading compelling articles or encountering the latest research and buzz from graduate students at a conference.<br /> * Be open to changing your major if your interests/attitudes change. Also, consider a minor or double major if you have equally strong passions for more than one field.</p> <p>Finally, don’t stress about it. The critical thinking skills, exposure to various ways of learning, and chances to synthesize and demonstrate knowledge are more important than the actual major. Most people end up changing not only their jobs, but also their careers over the course of their professional lives.</p> <p>This post was contributed by Rasmussen [url=http://www.rasmussen.edu]online college[/url]. </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/lsat-advice-from-the-university-of-scranton#post-1212 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:11:06 +0000 Anonymous 1212@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>[b]Facts About the LSAT[/b]</p> <p>The LSAT is a five-section, multiple-choice, standard-scored "aptitude" test, followed by a 30-minute writing sample. Taking the test requires 3 hours and 25 minutes, not including rest breaks and the time needed for the distribution and collection of test materials, as well as other test center procedures.</p> <p>The five multiple-choice sections, containing a total of about 120-130 questions, are separately timed at 35 minutes apiece, with a brief (usually 10-15 minutes) break in between the third and fourth sections. There are three different question-types:</p> <p> Reading Comprehension--Typically, a section of this type will include about 26-28 questions, arranged into four sets, each containing a passage followed by 6-8 questions.</p> <p> Analytical Reasoning--Also called Logic Games of the "matrix" type, they typically come in sections containing approximately 24 questions, arranged in four sets of analytical problems or "setups" with 5-7 questions apiece.</p> <p> Logical Thinking--Typically, a section of this type will include around 24-26 questions that are not for the most part grouped into sets. </p> <p>One section of both Reading Comprehension and Analytical Reasoning and two sections of Logical Reasoning questions are used to produce your LSAT score; a non-scored section, that can be of any type, is included in each test but cannot be identified as such while you are taking the test.</p> <p>The LSAT score is a three-digit number ranging from 120 to 180, determined by the number of correct answers on the four scored sections, generally covering a total of about 96-104 questions.</p> <p>LSAT scores are not absolutes: a 180 does not necessarily mean that every question is answered correctly (you could have as many as 2-3 incorrect answers on the four scored sections and still have a score of 180), nor does a 120 necessarily mean you answered every question incorrectly. Generally, you will need approximately 15-17 correct answers before your score moves above a 120. Once you reach that "threshold," each additional correct answer will help raise your score with, roughly speaking, about two points gained for every three additional correct answers.</p> <p>While the four scored sections used for each administration of the LSAT are most likely to be the same for each test at every test center, there are different editions in which the non-scored section is not the same and the order in which the scored sections appear will vary. After the five-section, multiple choice test has been administered, and after a second short (c. 5 minutes) break, the writing sample will be administered. The writing sample is unscored; however, copies of your sample will be sent to each law school to which you apply.</p> <p>[b]Eight Common Misconceptions about the LSAT[/b]</p> <p>1. The LSAT works only 16 percent of the time.</p> <p> There is a great deal of confusion about the meaning of correlation-study results. Correlations are reported on a scale of -1.0 to +1.0, with -1.0 representing a perfect inverse relationship--as one measure goes up the other goes down--and +1.0 representing a perfect positive relationship. The national correlation between LSAT scores and first-year grades tends to be around +0.4. By comparison, the national correlation between undergraduate and law school grades tends to be around +0.25. The correlation for both variables combined is approximately +0.5. </p> <p> The relationships among LSAT scores, undergraduate grades, and law school grades are all fairly strong, particularly when one considers all of the many and varied personal factors that have an impact on performance in law school--factors that include study habits, determination, work or family obligations, quality of instruction, and many, many others.</p> <p> The LSAT is used to make admission decisions, not to explain performance variance. These two purposes are very different.</p> <p> The bottom line is that the LSAT, although limited in its utility, is the single strongest numerical predictor of success in the first year of law school that is available to an admission committee when admission decisions must be made. </p> <p> 2. The LSAT is biased against test takers who cannot afford expensive coaching courses.</p> <p> LSAC strongly counsels candidates to familiarize themselves with the test format and question types in order to perform at their best. This does not mean that expensive coaching courses are necessary to maximize students' performances. The well-publicized claims of huge score increases from commercial coaching courses typically compare students' unprepared performance to their performance after a course. They do not compare the results a student could achieve through self-study, or other less expensive alternatives, to coached results. Moreover, it is likely that the subset of test takers who take commercial courses differs from the general LSAT population in some as yet unknown ways, thereby making generalizations from their results problematic. </p> <p> * What we do know is this: most LSAT takers do not take a commercial course. In 1996-97, for example, slightly less than one-third of all test takers reported that they had taken a commercial coaching course. This number is consistent with other, independent measures of coaching-course volumes. White test takers are slightly more likely to take a commercial coaching course than black test takers, but both proportions are close to the overall average--35 percent of white candidates reported having taken a commercial course compared to 28 percent of blacks. Moreover, the difference in mean LSAT scores between those who did and those who did not take a commercial course is about 1 point on the 120 - 180 LSAT score scale. </p> <p>3. If you take the LSAT a second time, you'll boost your score by three points.</p> <p> On average, candidates who take the test a second time earn scores 2.7 points higher than their first scores. But this number is an average--many test takers achieve greater gains and many test takers actually earn lower scores. For example, among those repeat test takers who earned a 150 on their first LSAT in a recent test year, 628 earned a higher second score, 51 earned a second 150, and 211 earned lower scores. Coincidentally, the average score gain for all test takers (2.7 points) is equal to the standard error of measurement for the LSAT, although these two numbers are not related. </p> <p>4. LSAT scores and undergraduate grades equal merit</p> <p> The LSAT is a helpful tool, but it has limits. LSAC long has urged schools to take a variety of factors into account when making admission decisions, and most schools do. Yet schools that place undue weight on test scores and grades are engaged in misuse of those measures, just as the opponents of affirmative action over rely on test scores and grades to make their legal arguments. The LSAT measures only a limited set of skills that relate to success in law school. The list of other factors that play a role is nearly endless. The challenge for admission policy makers is to identify the qualities that they seek in a student body and then gather information about those qualities from their applicants. There is no entitlement to a seat in law school, regardless of one's test scores and undergraduate grades. </p> <p>5. There is a meaningful difference between scores that are one or two points apart.</p> <p> Admission decision makers who face the difficult task of admitting only a fraction of their applicant pools necessarily search through files to find factors that will tip the scales. This is particularly true once the bulk of decisions have been made and the remaining files are those for which there may be no truly distinguishing factors in the files, and no clear right or wrong decision. At this point, it may be tempting to place great significance on LSAT score differences of one or two points. Such reliance is misplaced. LSAC recently began reporting LSAT scores with confidence bands around them--bands that typically range from three points below to three points above the actual score. The bands are meant to be a visual reminder that LSAT scores, like all test scores, have measurement error associated with them, and to encourage score users not to place undue weight on differences that have very little statistical meaning. </p> <p>6. Some LSAT forms are easier than others.</p> <p> Each LSAT form is written to a common set of test specifications--specifications that describe both the content of questions and the distribution of questions across the spectrum of difficulty levels. Each scored LSAT question is pre-tested twice--once to gather data about how the item functions on its own, and a second time as part of an intact test section. Data from these pretests allow LSAC to 'equate' each LSAT form. Equating is a statistical process through which the very slight differences in difficulty across LSAT forms can be mitigated, thus allowing direct comparison of results from different tests. Therefore, a December 1998 LSAT score of 150 means the same thing as a 150 from the October 1995 administration, or from any administration since June 1991. </p> <p>7. The LSAT is graded to a curve, so your score can be influenced by the other test takers with whom you test.</p> <p> * Some candidates mistakenly believe that they will be graded on the LSAT in relation to others who take the test with them. In fact, all LSAT scores are equated back to the original base form, given in June 1991. It is possible, although extremely unlikely, for everyone taking the test on the same day to earn a score of 180. Effectively, an individual test taker's performance is compared to the performance of all test takers since June 1991, except those taking the test at the same time. </p> <p>8. There is little or no research that supports the use of the LSAT.</p> <p> Since 1990, LSAC has produced more than 75 research reports touching on the performance of the current test or potential designs for a future LSAT. All of these reports are sent to LSAC-member school libraries and are available free-of-charge from LSAC. Numerous external researchers also have made use of LSAT data, publishing their findings in refereed journals.</p> <p> The LSAT is the single best numerical predictor of first year performance in law school, that the LSAT is superior to undergraduate grades as a predictor of law school success, and that the two measures when combined, are superior to either one standing alone. </p> <p>Preparation for the LSAT</p> <p>The LSAT seeks to measure not what you already know but, rather, how well you might respond to training in law, so it goes after your basic skills and abilities along certain lines, testing all of the following:</p> <p> * critical and accurate reading<br /> * dispassionate, flexible, intelligent, inferential thinking<br /> * distinguishing fact from opinion and the relevant from the irrelevant<br /> * stability under pressure<br /> * tolerance of ambiguity and of abstraction<br /> * quick adaptation to unfamiliar procedures and strange circumstances </p> <p>There is no standard prelaw curriculum. Therefore, the test-makers cannot assume that any applicant has a common body of knowledge or discipline with any other applicant. They can only assume that you read and write English at a suitable level. Applicants can help themselves by working with an elementary logic text, learning to recognize common fallacies, many of which may exist in their own thinking.</p> <p>The LSAT consists of a series of demanding, often strange intellectual games, at times having little to do with real life or academic subjects. Preparation consists of learning the game rules, both those set forth in the different sections of the test and those implicit in its construction and scoring method.</p> <p>[b]Four Important Points to Remember[/b]</p> <p> 1. Scores are determined entirely on the basis of the number of correct answers only. Nothing is deducted or subtracted for wrong answers. There is no penalty for guessing. Never Leave a Question Unanswered!<br /> 2. The LSAT is deliberately "speeded." You will often find you do not have enough time to complete every question. It is not unusual to find you are not able to finish each section of the test without a certain amount of guessing.<br /> 3. While individual questions do vary in difficulty, each correct answer makes the same contribution to your score regardless of how easy or difficult it may be. No Question Is Worth More Than Any Other!<br /> 4. Within each section, questions are not arranged in order of difficulty. You should not assume that the next question or set of questions will necessarily be either more or less difficult for you to answer than earlier ones. </p> <p>The rest is practice on specific types of problems, but it must be practice of an analytical, self-teaching nature. There are two warnings about compulsive practice:</p> <p> 1. It can become a kind of wheel-spinning, sinking you deeper into the same old ruts; the very fact that the answers are in the back of the book supplies a crutch you won't have during the test and actually encourages lack of concentration: the habit of making certain kinds of mistakes can be reinforced rather than broken.<br /> 2. In any case, you must be sure you're practicing the right game. The only fully reliable practice material is the disclosed-part LSATs, available from Law Services in the form of individual Prep Tests.</p> <p>[b]Testwiseness - Some Pointers[/b]</p> <p> 1. Prepare to concentrate immediately, intensely, steadily, and to your utmost. The passive test-taker gets nowhere. There's no time to reread. Attack the problem actively the first time around. And be in condition to keep this up for 3 1/2 hours.<br /> 2. Take time to understand the directions. You're being tested on following difficult and unexpected directions. Pay particular attention to the exact wording of definitions. Some of these are very strange, too.<br /> 3. Don't misread, don't skim, don't "speed-read." The time pressure comes from the required speed of thinking, not of reading. Read carefully for exact wording, exact meaning. Underline key words.<br /> 4. Never Answer From Your Own Knowledge or Experience-that's not what's being tested. Never answer from your own opinions or prejudices, or because you think one answer is more socially acceptable than another. (You'll often be invited to do that.)<br /> 5. Read Nothing Into Any Problem. Deal only with what has actually been said. Beware of thinking you recognize what's going to be said ("Oh, I know that.") because chances are good that you'll miss the actual point. Don't get involved with what you think must also be true, or must also have happened, unless you've been asked to do that. If "if's" and "but's" come into your mind, forget them.<br /> 6. Omit Nothing From Any Problem. Read all the options. Read every sentence in the stimulus material. It's true you're sometimes given irrelevant material, but don't dismiss it until you've actually assessed it in terms of what you've been asked.<br /> 7. Work With The Test, Not Against It.<br /> - Work steadily and methodically. Have a method of attack on each type of problem. Avoid galloping off bareback. (Remember the hare and the tortoise.)<br /> - Use the Four Important Points to Remember listed above. Taken together, they tell you the following: work as fast as possible consistent with accuracy, don't allow yourself to get stuck on any question, don't rush to get the harder problems (thus possibly missing easy ones, since they all count the same), guess where necessary, and Leave No Blanks!!<br /> - One, and only one, of these options is correct in terms of the question. Accept this, don't fight it. All problems have been thoroughly tested. Every word is there on purpose, and every needed word has been included. Ambiguities are deliberate, and a solution has been supplied.<br /> - Avoid over-subtlety - don't make the test harder than it is. (People who fight certain questions, as in point c above, tend to be oversubtle.)<br /> 8. As you select answers, be aware that one of the benchmarks of the good, professionally written question is the frequent presence of an option that is almost, but not quite, right: the "attractive" distracter.<br /> 9. Keep track of time but don't be possessed by it. Resist pressure by working at the fastest pace that is productive for you. Many people do not finish. The score comes from getting questions right, not just from getting them answered - and a correct guess is as good as a right answer, whether you like it or not.<br /> 10. Don't waver about guessing. Decide quickly, once you recognize the possibility. Then do it and forget about it. There is no pattern of right answers, so it doesn't matter what option you pick. Don't sit there wondering if you could answer it if you took more time - you've already taken too much time if you worked long enough to get stuck.<br /> 11. In general, try to take the questions in order, but that's Not a hard-and-fast rule. Your main concern is maximizing your score by getting questions right, so it often pays to skip around, locating the types of questions you personally favor. Just make sure you get back to the others.<br /> 12. Manage the Answer Sheet. Avoid stupid, nerve-wracking mistakes such as getting answers in the wrong column (picking A but marking B) or reversing the wrong number (answering #22 in slot #23). This is more common than you might believe. Have a System. And to insure yourself against panic if you do catch yourself misplacing answers, always mark you answers in your test booklet before transferring them to the answer sheet. </p> <p>Finally, do try to keep a sense of proportion. This test is a difficult and important set of games. It's not a final judgment about your worth as a person or your potential as a law student. You're not the only one, by any means, who makes a lot of mistakes or who might not finish all sections. Don't waste time during the test worrying about things like that. Just do your job and take the test.</p> <p>Based on material originally prepared by Dorothy Clerk.<br /> Written by Frank X.J. Homer, University of Scranton<br /> Copyright (c) 2000 Northeast Association of Pre-Law Advisors.<br /> All rights reserved. Revised: April 5 , 2001. </p> http://forum.collegetimes.us/topic/college-of-wooster#post-1199 Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:46:45 +0000 Anonymous 1199@http://forum.collegetimes.us/ <p>A School I have recently come across that seems to be just what I am looking for (although too expensive without the right amought of finacial aid).</p> <p>What do you think of this school? What have you heard or it? What do you think my chances are of being accepted? 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My GPA is a 3.5, SAT score 1550, ACT score 19.<br /> What i am looking for in a school is; psycology major, plenty of art courses, and diverse campus and area (this refures to religious, race, general backround, ect.).<br /> I tend to like liberal arts universities, but will look into any suggestions. One school that i have come across and have fallen in love with is Oberlin College in Ohio. Unfortunatly i dont seem to match up to their acceptance requirements, so am trying to find some more schools i would feel natural and happy attending. </p> <p>Any and all suggestions welcome. I truely appriciate your imput. 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