Higher Education

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education March 14, 2023

What to Do if Your LSAT Practice Score Is Stuck

The LSAT is one of the most important standardized tests for students aspiring to attend law school. It is essentially a measure of your critical thinking, analytical skills, and reading comprehension abilities. Due to the competitive nature of law school admissions, LSAT scores are often regarded as a crucial factor in the application process.

If you are currently preparing for the LSAT, you are probably aware of the importance of practice tests. Practice tests are a great way to gauge your progress and identify areas of weakness that need improvement. However, if you find that your practice score is stuck or plateauing, you may feel discouraged and unsure of what to do next.

Here are some strategies you can use to help break through a plateau in your LSAT practice score:

1. Assess your study routine: Take a look at your study habits and routine. Are you putting enough time and effort into your LSAT preparation? Are you giving yourself adequate breaks and rest? Sometimes, small changes in your study routine can have a big impact on your performance.

2. Refocus on the fundamentals: As you progress through your LSAT journey, it’s easy to lose sight of the basics. Refocus your studying efforts on the fundamental skills required for the LSAT, such as logical reasoning and reading comprehension. By strengthening these skills, you may be able to break through your score plateau.

3. Try a different approach: If you have been using the same study materials and methods, it may be time to switch things up. Consider trying different LSAT study books or enrolling in a prep course that caters to your learning style. Sometimes, a fresh perspective can make all the difference.

4. Seek out additional resources: Don’t be afraid to seek out additional resources, such as private tutors or LSAT study groups. These resources can provide you with valuable feedback and insights that can help you improve your score.

5. Stay positive: Finally, it’s important to stay positive and motivated. Remember, the LSAT is a difficult test, and it’s not uncommon to experience setbacks and moments of frustration. Keep practicing and stay focused on your ultimate goal of attending law school.

In conclusion, a plateau in LSAT practice scores can be frustrating, but it’s important to remember that progress takes time, effort, and persistence. By reassessing your study routine, refocusing on the fundamentals, trying a different approach, seeking out additional resources, and staying positive, you can break through your score plateau and achieve the LSAT score you need to succeed in law school.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education March 14, 2023

Legalized Sports Betting May Pose a Threat to College Athletes

With the recent legalization of sports betting in many states across the United States, there are concerns that this new industry may pose a threat to college athletes. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is responsible for overseeing college sports and ensuring that student-athletes are not exploited. However, with the advent of sports betting, there has been an increase in the amount of money being wagered on college games. This raises ethical concerns, and there are fears that some student-athletes may be tempted to engage in behaviors that could compromise their eligibility.

One of the primary concerns is that legalized sports betting may make it easier for individuals to bribe college athletes. With large sums of money at stake, there is a risk that some student-athletes may be approached by gamblers looking to influence the outcome of games. If a student-athlete were to accept a bribe, they could face fines, suspensions or even expulsion from their team or the NCAA. This would have severe consequences for their future in sports.

College athletes are already under a considerable amount of pressure to perform at their best. With the added pressure of sports betting, some athletes may feel that they cannot afford to lose. This could lead them to engage in risky behaviors or make poor decisions on and off the field. Furthermore, some student-athletes are coping with mental health issues, and the added stress of legalized sports betting could have a detrimental effect on their mental health.

There has also been an increase in the number of athletes experiencing gambling addiction. Studies show that college athletes are at a higher risk for problem gambling than non-athletes. While sports betting is now legal in many states, it is important to recognize that gambling addiction is a serious problem that can lead to financial ruin, psychological distress, and even suicide. A college athlete who is struggling with a gambling addiction may find it difficult to manage their studies, personal relationships, and their athletic performance.

Finally, there is a risk that students may be drawn to illegal gambling activities. Although sports betting is now legal in many states, it is still illegal in others. Furthermore, not all sports betting activities are well regulated, which means that some gamblers may be engaging in illegal activities. This could put college athletes at risk of breaking the law and facing legal consequences.

In conclusion, the legalization of sports betting may pose a threat to college athletes. The NCAA must work to ensure that student-athletes are not exploited by this new industry, and that they are educated about the risks of gambling. It is vital that we protect the physical and mental health of college athletes, and that we continue to promote fairness and integrity in college sports.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education March 13, 2023

Addressing Violence Against Women in Higher Education

Violence against women has been a persistent problem across the globe, and higher education is not exempt from it. Higher education institutions, which include colleges and universities, have a responsibility to address the issue of violence against women within their boundaries. With the rising statistics of sexual assault cases within campuses, it is crucial for these institutions to implement policies and measures to combat this societal ill.

One of the ways higher education institutions can address violence against women is by establishing a clear policy against it. The policy should outline the types of violence that are prohibited, the consequences for those who commit such crimes and the resources available to ensure and promote safety within the institution. This policy should be communicated to all members of the institution, including students, faculty, and staff, through various channels such as orientation sessions, bulletin boards, and social media platforms.

Higher education institutions should also provide training and awareness programs to their community members. These programs should cover topics such as gender-based violence, consent, and bystander intervention. The training should not only be mandatory but also ongoing to ensure it remains relevant and effective. These programs should also provide support mechanisms such as counseling and support groups for victims of violence.

Another way to address violence against women is to have a response mechanism in place. This means having dedicated offices that victims can report to, responding promptly to reports of violence, and ensuring that victims receive the necessary support and care. These offices should be staffed with trained professionals who are aware of the intricacies of gender-based violence and how to handle such cases with sensitivity and empathy.

Higher education institutions should also partner with external stakeholders to create a safer environment for their community members. For instance, they can collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure that cases of violence are investigated and prosecuted accordingly. They can also work with local nonprofits organizations that provide resources such as legal representation and medical care for victims of violence.

In conclusion, higher education institutions play a crucial role in addressing violence against women within their boundaries. By implementing policies, training programs, response mechanisms, and partnering with external stakeholders, higher education institutions can create a safer environment for all their community members. It is essential that these efforts are persistent and ongoing to ensure that they remain relevant and effective in the fight against gender-based violence.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education March 9, 2023

Banning TikTok Hurts Higher Education

Banning TikTok can potentially hurt higher education in several ways.

Firstly, TikTok has become a popular platform for educators and students to share knowledge, tips, and tricks around specific subjects or academic interests. Many teachers and professors have created TikTok accounts to engage with students outside the classroom and provide them with valuable, entertaining content that encourages learning. By banning TikTok, students and teachers lose access to this platform and the potential educational benefits that come with it.

Secondly, TikTok has emerged as a vital tool for international students to stay connected with their friends and family back home. International students face significant challenges when it comes to staying in touch with their loved ones because of the high costs and regulations involved with international calling and texting. TikTok provides an affordable and accessible way for students to share their experiences with their families, which is particularly important during times of social distancing and quarantines.

Lastly, TikTok has become a valuable recruitment tool for colleges and universities. Educational institutions have been using TikTok to showcase their campuses, promote their programs, and connect with prospective students. By banning TikTok, universities could miss out on an opportunity to reach a large audience of potential applicants, particularly among younger generations who are more likely to engage with social media platforms.

In conclusion, while there may be valid reasons to consider the banning of TikTok, it is essential to understand the potential consequences, particularly regarding access to education and opportunities for advancement.

Matthew Lynch published in Assessment, Education Leadership, Higher Education, International Education, Professional Development, November 17, 2021

So You Want to Attend Graduate School: The 411 on Grad School Admissions Tests

Applying for admission to professional and graduate schools is no less competitive than college/undergraduate admissions. If you’re planning to pursue a degree in business, law, medicine, or graduate studies, you can bet that one of the essential requirements would be to take a standardized exam.

Although school records and grades from your undergraduate studies will be considered, you might be wondering why your diploma and college transcript might not be enough. This is because your aptitude for learning needs to be compared against the applicants from all over the country and abroad.

Examples of Standardized Exams

Each type of program will require you to take a specific standardized exam. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for graduate studies, Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) for business school, Law School Admission Test (LSAT) for law school, and Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) for med school.

Each type of test will measure specific abilities and skills needed for the program you’re applying for. The GRE and GMAT measure verbal, analytical, and quantitative abilities. The LSAT measures reading, writing, and logical reasoning, while the MCAT measures the sciences’ mastery.

The GRE and GMAT have similar components (some business schools accept the GRE!), confusing those who intend to take it. To be safe, make sure to check the requirements of the program of the school you wish you apply for.

How to Prepare

To help students prepare for the exams, some schools and learning institutions offer review classes. Not only do they go through the subject matter to be tested on, but the review classes also prepare the students by teaching them practical exam-taking skills.

Some exam takers have seen the benefit of taking formal review classes because it helps them brush up on some knowledge and skillsets that might have become dormant during college. For example, a Journalism graduate might need a thorough review of math concepts in preparation for taking the GMAT.

Independent learners and those who have tight schedules may opt to buy review books to study on their own. Most of these review books contain sample tests to be used for practice.

Exam Scores and Other Requirements

You have to aim to get a high score on the standardized test. Some schools use the scores to filter out which candidates to choose to continue in the admissions process. You can expect that the ivy league schools will only consider applicants with the highest scores.

High scores in the standardized tests will broaden your options for schools. Having a high score may also make you eligible for grants, financial assistance, and scholarships. If you’re one of the late bloomers who had lackluster grades in college, a high score on the standardized test might boost your chances of at least getting admitted. It shows growth in your potential to learn.

Standardized exams, interviews, recommendation letters, and the admissions essay will give schools an idea of how well you will fare in graduate studies. Of course, this is just an approximation because once you are admitted to a school, the more significant challenge would be to complete the degree.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, International Education October 14, 2021

What Extracurricular Activities Impress Colleges the Most?

When you apply to schools that offer holistic admissions or apply to a college using the Common Application, you will have to describe your participation in extracurricular activities. Your involvement in these activities has a lot of significance in the admission process. The admission officers look for the activities that show your dedication and passion.

The main things about extracurricular activities that impress colleges are:

Depth of Engagement

Colleges see how deeply involved the student has been in a particular activity. They prefer students who have taken an active part in a single extracurricular activity throughout the high school years instead of those who have participated superficially in many activities. For instance, students who have taken part in theater activities for four years receive preference over those who have done theater, yearbook, chorus, and debate one after the other for consecutive years. A student who is involved in the same activity for many years is more skillful in that field.

Here are some illustrations:

Activity: Drama Club

Good Enough: The student was a crew member in a play.

Better: The student performed minor roles in plays throughout high school (four years).

Impressive: The student moved from minor roles to significant roles during high school (four years) and directed a play for elementary school kids.

Activity: Soccer

Good Enough: In class 9 and 10, the student took part in JV soccer.

Better: In class 9, the student played JV soccer. In 10, 11, and 12 grades, the student played varsity soccer.

Impressive: The student played soccer throughout high school (four years) and was a top scorer, a team captain in the senior year, and was selected to join the All-State Team.

Align with the Expectations of the College

Colleges offer students an opportunity to participate in several sports, theater groups, student organizations, clubs, and musical ensembles. So they like to enroll students who have diverse interests and can be assets for them.

Exhibit Leadership Qualities

You can express your leadership qualities through extracurricular activities in various ways. You may design the setting for a play, be a section leader in your school band, organize a fundraiser, start a club for a particular activity, create a design for your group’s website, or hold a position in one of the student organizations.

Work Experience

If you do not have the time to participate in any extracurricular activity, you can give the details of your work experience in the application. Work experience gets equal importance when an admissions officer is evaluating your application. The things that make your work experience more impressive are – the awards you received for your work, the promotions you have garnered, and the innovative things you have done in your previous jobs.

Conclusion

Any activity like drama, dance, music, community service, yearbook, or even work experience that shows your passion, dedication, and leadership is significant. All these things can make your admissions application shine and improve your chances of getting admission into college.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, International Education September 16, 2021

Tips for Working on a College Group Project

It can be a great experience to work together and do a group project in college. But it can also be a nightmare if there is no cooperation and systematic work. If all the members do not contribute equally and lay the entire burden on one or two members, it can become a big headache. It may not be ready on time, or you may have to work hard on the date of submission. Here are some tips that can help you to make the group project successful. And also earn high grades through it.

Set Goals and Allot Roles Early

It is essential to set clear goals at the very beginning. That will give all the members a clear idea of what they are supposed to accomplish. If they are familiar with the goal, the project can progress on the right track. Specify the work that each member is supposed to do. In this way, they will know that they are responsible for a particular part of the project and try their best to complete that part. If each one contributes sufficiently and performs their role properly group project will surely be a success.

Decide to Complete the Project a Few Days Before the Deadline

Get together and set a date by which you will complete the project. The date should be a few days earlier than the day of submission. For instance, if your group has to submit the project by the 15th, decide to complete it by the 10th or 12th. It will help you to avoid last-minute delays. Sometimes a file may get lost, or a member may fall sick. By completing the project a few days earlier, you will get a chance to review it and make any changes if they are needed. It will also save you a lot of stress on the final day.

Ask the Members to Provide Periodic Updates About their Work

You may work sincerely on your section of the project. However, there may be one or two members who may not give enough attention to the work. As a result, they may not contribute sufficiently to the project. Your project may get delayed because of them. So ask all the members to inform the group of the progress they have made. Let them tell the other members how far they have proceeded periodically.

Keep Some Time for Review

Several members would have worked on the project. There are chances that the work may be confusing or disconnected. Ask your professor, another group, or any other capable person to review the project before submission. Do this at least five days before the project’s due day, so it will be possible to go through it once again and make changes if needed.

Inform Your Professor In Case Some Member Does Not Contribute Sufficiently

It may not be a pleasant task, but if someone in the group does not do their share of work, you can talk to the professor about it. You can let them know about it when the project is halfway through or after its completion. If you let your college professor know, they may be in a position to help you.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Higher Education September 13, 2021

Higher Education Leadership Apps, Tools, and Resources That We Love

Are you looking for higher education leadership apps, tools, and resources that you can use with your students? If so, we have you covered. Check out our list below. Let us know if there are any that we missed.

AGB OnBoard – AGB OnBoard software provides boards and leadership teams with AGB-trusted content that can be used to transform meetings from operational presentations to strategic working sessions. It helps leaders to use technology to make intelligent and informed decisions in pursuit of their institution’s strategic goals.

TeachBoost – TeachBoost helps schools and districts to develop a culture of continuous improvement; incorporate your rubrics, templates, and resources to streamline your processes; and deliver actionable data to scale for great teaching practices. With TeachBoost, you can use a customizable instructional leadership platform for improving feedback quality, developing educator capacity, and increasing student achievement.

Matthew Lynch published in Assessment, Elementary Education, High School, Higher Education, International Education, April 14, 2021

Have Weighted Grades Outlived Their Usefulness?

The foundational rationale for weighted grades is that the practice provides an incentive for learners to challenge themselves academically. By placing greater value on grades earned in more challenging classes, weighted grades remove a potential disincentive posed by tougher classes—i.e., learners worrying that a lower grade in a tougher class might adversely affect their GPA class rank. Advocates argue that weighted grades deservedly reward learners who take tougher classes, identify higher levels of educational accomplishment, and provide a more fair or balanced system of grading in schools with several educational tracks.

Even with all of its benefits, weighted grades do have many drawbacks, often pointed out by critics.

Critics of weighted grades tend to make the following arguments:

Weighted grades discourage learners from taking certain classes that may be educationally valuable, but that may not present a numerical advantage when calculating GPA and class rank. For example, art and music classes are rarely weighted, so learners may not contemplate art and music classes out of fear that such classes will adversely affect their GPA and class ranking.

Weighted grades are not academically significant unless the grades are based on a single set of learning standards that are assessed consistently from class to class. Unless schools can authenticate that a grade of A in one class represents greater educational accomplishment than an A earned in another class, the utilization of weighted grades can be misleading. For instance, it’s potential that a class labeled “college prep” may be more challenging than a class labeled “honors.”

Weighted grades may act as disincentives, rather than incentives, for learners. While weighted grades may make challenging classes seem less “risky” to learners, it’s also potential that learners, once enrolled in the class, usually won’t work as hard because a lower mark is worth as much as a higher mark in another class. Also, learners enrolled in lower-level classes know that the grading system is assigning their efforts less value. Even if a learner works hard and earns a good grade in a college-prep class, that effort will still be given a lower value than grades earned by learners in higher-level classes.

Weighted grades can devalue certain classes and reinforce cultural divisions within a school. Because both educators and learners know that lower-level classes are given a lower value, the practice of weighting grades reinforces the status associated with higher-level classes and the stigma associated with lower-level classes—for both educators and learners. Consequently, educators may not want to teach lower-level classes, and learners may feel embarrassed or ashamed to take them.

Weighted grades create opportunities for learners to manipulate the grading process. In this view, weighted grades focus learners on superficial outcomes—classmate competitionand higher scores, instead rather then more substantive outcomes, such as mastering new skills, exploring new concepts, learning from failure, or loving the learning process.

What do you think? Have weighted grades outlived their usefulness?

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, International Education March 10, 2021

Is Medical School for Me?

There is no doubt that a medical career is regarded with high prestige. To be honest, being identified as a “Doctor” is fantastic. It not only shows that you got into medical school, but you also finished. Graduating from medical school is not easy, as only about 40% of applicants gain admission. Successfully finishing medical school is an even more significant accomplishment.

However, you shouldn’t attend medical school for the prestige. You should do it because you want to serve. In this article, we want to help you answer the question, “Is medical school for me.”

Can You Handle the Medical School Process and the Academics?

• Are you interested in the sciences?

• Do you have the endurance for years of training and education?

• Are you enthusiastic about learning, reading, and taking exams?

• Are you easily nervous?

Monetary Concerns of Medical School

• Can you pay for tuition and accommodation expenses? Be ready to incur about $200,000 or more of loan debt, which does not include the debt that is incurred when acquiring an undergraduate degree.

• Are you prepared to live for years on a tight budget without an influx of cash?

• Are you ready to handle the possibility of malpractice suits? Are you aware of the cost of malpractice insurance?

Social Factors

• Are you ready to work long hours every day? Is it usual for doctors to work for 24 hour days?

• Are you ready to watch your counterparts in other fields of study progress and become financially established in their careers while you continue fulfilling the rigorous requirements of medical school?

• Do you know that medical students find it hard to successfully keep a romantic relationship because of the pressure that comes with loads of work?

Psychological Factors

• Are you prepared to spend your 20’s in medical school, enduring rigorous training? You may discover that you’ve already hit your 30s when you complete your residency and specialization requirements.

• Are you ready to attain some of life’s essential achievements later than your contemporaries? Like becoming financially stable, owning a home, getting married, and becoming a parent.

• For a woman, are you ready to delay childbearing till your 30s?

• Can you handle intense pressure for a prolonged period? The pressure that comes with the exams and with working to save lives?

Studying to become a doctor is demanding and strenuous, but also beneficial in significant ways. If you want to study medicine and provide a valuable service to the community, then the medical profession might just be right for you.