Before we jump into the specifics about inferring connections—explicit and implicit—let’s look at different kinds of connections that can exist in a PSAT Reading passage. Connections questions ask about how two events, characters, or ideas are related. The three most common connection types are: Some Connections questions will ask about explicit information; the question stem […]
Let’s look at the following example of a test-like passage and question set. After the mapped passage, the left column contains questions similar to those you’ll see on the PSAT Reading Test on Test Day. The column on the right features the strategic thinking test experts employ when approaching the passage and questions presented. Pay […]
If nothing in your law school application indicates why you decided to apply to law school then you should discuss your reasons for pursuing a law degree in your personal statement. The best way to incorporate your reason for applying to law school into your personal statement is to: Describe in precise terms the issue […]
Although much of the law school application process has been standardized, there are still some aspects of it that change from school to school. One such aspect is the length of the law school personal statement. Typical Recommended Length of a Law School Personal Statement How Many Pages Should a Law School Personal Statement Be? […]
Many prospective law students can feel overwhelmed when faced with the task of writing a law school personal statement, one of the most subjective pieces of your law school application. A good personal statement is interesting to read without needing to rely on shock value. It should have a conversational tone; it’s not there to […]
Granted, they don’t yet know who you are. But many law school admission reviewers are secretly rooting for you, hoping that you’ve written a good statement, an interesting statement, a statement that will leave them saying, “Wow, what a unique and impressive applicant!” Unfortunately, in most cases, they are sorely disappointed. Not only do most […]
A Command of Evidence question on the PSAT relies on your answer to the question that precedes it. These questions require you to identify the portion of the text that provides the best evidence for the conclusion you reached when selecting your answer to the previous question. Kaplan’s Strategy for Command of Evidence questions involves […]
Global questions on the PSAT require you to both identify explicit and determine implicit central ideas or themes in a text. If you pay attention to the big picture—the author’s central idea and purpose—while reading PSAT Reading passages, you will be able to answer Global questions with little to no rereading of the passage. To […]
The PSAT Reading Test will contain either two single Science passages or one single Science passage and one set of paired Science passages. Science passages differ from other passage types because: They often contain a lot of jargon and technical terms. They can utilize unfamiliar terms and concepts. While Science passages can be tricky due […]
The History/Social Studies portion of the PSAT Reading Test will consist of either two single History/Social Studies passages or one single History/Social Studies passage and one History/Social Studies paired-passage set. History/Social Studies passages are different from other passage types because: The passage will have a clearly stated topic, a well-defined scope, and a specific purpose. […]