The 7Sage Podcast

September score release day is stressful, so we went live to answer your questions in real time. Alex, Bailey, Ethan, and Shamala work through pre-recorded questions and chat questions from students who just got their scores. We cover: Whether to retake after a score that came in under your PT average Why retaking a 176 usually isn't worth it, and why a 170 against NYU or Columbia medians usually is How to decide whether to apply this cycle or wait a year How Canadian law school admissions differ from the US, including McGill's timeline Whether November or January is too late to apply How to trust your PT scores and keep your confidence up after a bad score release day How many PTs to take before test day Why a 3.4 GPA changes the retake math, and what to do instead If your score wasn't what you hoped for, you're in good company. Take a breath, get an ice cream cone, and keep going.

Going to an LSAC forum this fall? Learn what actually makes a good impression (hint: don't ask anything that's already on the school's website) and how to turn a quick conversation into gold for your "Why X" essay.Then meet Sebastian, a Navy sailor with his sights on Vanderbilt and a practice test high he admits is "very fraudulent." Bailey explains why a fluky score shouldn't mess with your head (your PTs are a thermometer, not a thermostat) and breaks down the LSAT strategies you need as you get started: the major Logical Reasoning question families, why you should always spot the gap before reading the answer choices, how to approach Reading Comp, and a simple pattern for cracking must be false questions. We also cover how to translate military experience for admissions readers, why "I want to clerk" isn't a reason to go to law school, and why applying can feel like a fresh start.Plus: LRAP basics, why loving frogs might help you get into Texas, and exactly how big your name should be on your resume.Waiting on your September score? Join our live episode this Wednesday, 5 to 6 p.m.

Ever wondered whether "Legally Blonde made me want this" is actually the worst personal statement topic you could pick? Ethan and Pauline blind rank five of them, and the results might surprise you. Bailey does the same with LSAT advice and immediately regrets locking in her top slot.Then we meet a paralegal plateauing in the low 160s with her sights on Columbia. Bailey pulls up her analytics live, finds the two tags holding her back, and builds the exact drill she'd run to fix them. Alex breaks down her study routine and where five hours a day starts working against you.On the admissions side, she asks whether her personal statement should be about the family cleaning business she grew up working in. Ethan and Pauline explain why the answer is no, where that story actually belongs, and how splitting it across two essays turns a strong application into a standout one. Plus: what to do about a resume gap you created to study for the LSAT.

LSAC's law school forums put you in one room with close to 180 schools, a table of practicing lawyers, financial aid experts who will actually answer your specific questions, and a few hundred other people in exactly your position. Most applicants have no idea what to expect walking in, so Alex sat down with Kyle McMcEntee, Senior Director of Prelaw Engagement at LSAC, to map out the whole day: what's in the main hall, what's outside it, which sessions are worth your time, and the new pop culture lawyer exhibit debuting this year.Kyle also gets blunt about how to behave at the school tables. Don't hand out your resume. Don't lead with your numbers. Ask the questions you genuinely can't answer from a website, and don't treat a friendly conversation like an admissions interview.7Sage will be at every domestic forum this season, plus a run of campus law fairs. Come find the booth, spin the wheel, grab some merch, and say hi if you listen to the show.Forum dates: Toronto 9/28, Houston 10/3, Atlanta 10/9, Digital 10/13, New York 10/16 and 10/17, Chicago 10/24, London 10/29, Los Angeles 11/7, Boston 11/14, Digital 11/18, Digital 2/4.Full details at lsac.org/law-school-forums.

You know the difference between a necessary and a sufficient condition. So why do necessary and sufficient assumption questions still feel like a coin flip?Bailey breaks down the mix up at the root of it, plus the negation test done properly, what "not all" actually means, and why a too strong answer is never a reason to eliminate on sufficient assumption. Ethan attempts his first ever LR question on air.Then there is Mia. Big score, strong GPA, and career goals running from the White House to immigration law. Pauline and Ethan explain why that reads as an undergrad application, and why the strongest profile in the room can still get waved off for another year.