Eugene, 163 and working toward 175: a live LSAT coaching session
This is what LSAT Unplugged coaching looks like. Eugene came in at 163, aiming for 175 on the November LSAT. Steve Schwartz coached him live for about 12 minutes on Logical Reasoning, and the whole session and transcript are below.
The numbers here are where Eugene started and the goal we set together in this session. Individual results vary.
- Student: Eugene
- Score when recorded: 163
- Goal: 175
- Target test: November
- Situation: Hasn't been working for the last couple of years due to personal circumstances, applying to law school this cycle, worried the gap will make his application look empty. Working with one of Steve's tutors.
- Focus: Logical Reasoning
- Worked on: necessary assumption, sufficient assumption, flaw, inference / must be true (deductions)
What we fixed in this session
If you can get that 175, that's going to solve a lot of your resume worries.
Steve Schwartz
This is one session, in the middle of the work. I've been coaching the LSAT since 2005, and every session runs the same way: find the real problem, fix the process, reset the plan.
I told him necessary assumption, inference, and flaw are the 3 highest value Logical Reasoning question types to focus on, since they're the most common on the test.
I corrected the idea that flaw questions are mostly about classic named fallacies, explaining the LSAT has moved toward flaws unique to a specific argument.
The plan: I recommended a short addendum explaining the work gap and that the reasons are resolved, plus listing his volunteer and nonprofit board work on his resume.
If your prep looks like Eugene's did, that's fixable in one session.
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In Eugene's words
I've never been good at diagramming. I tried on my own and at one point I gave up because I couldn't figure out how it was supposed to go.
Eugene
I'm a little concerned my law school application will seem a little empty compared to other people's.
Eugene
That's definitely something I hadn't considered but am willing to.
Eugene
Questions people ask about LSAT Unplugged coaching
What happens in an LSAT Unplugged coaching session?
The coach finds the specific habit that's costing points, fixes the process, and sets the plan for the weeks ahead. In Eugene's case: him necessary assumption.
Who runs the sessions?
Steve Schwartz recorded this one. Every LSAT Unplugged coach scored 170 or higher on an official LSAT, and students are matched to a coach on learning style and weak areas.
Where can I see finished results?
On the student reviews page at unpluggedprep.com/reviews, with video interviews and official scores.
Learn the fixes yourself: necessary assumption questions, sufficient assumption questions, flaw questions.
Student reviews and finished results.
Full session transcript
Recorded December 2025.
Eugene: My goal score is about a 175. I took an LSAT in August, I'm at a 163 right now, so still got a ways to go. But I'm actually working with one of your tutors, I've had my first class, and it's been going really well.
Steve: Awesome.
Eugene: I'm excited to see how it moves forward.
Steve: Great, I'm excited to have you in the program. So we're looking for 12 points from August, and you're taking it in November, right?
Eugene: Yes.
Steve: Okay, awesome. Any particular weak areas or pain points you're struggling with right now?
Eugene: Logical reasoning tends to be my harder section of the two, and the biggest thing I've noticed is assumption questions tend to get me, as well as flaws and deductions. Those are the main things I'm hoping to improve, since that's where the majority of my problem area is.
Steve: There's a massive opportunity here, because those are all really common question types in logical reasoning, the 3 most common. Necessary assumption, inference, and flaw are the highest leverage areas. If you told me you're great at those but terrible at parallels, I'd say parallels aren't that common, so there's less room to improve. Within assumption questions, necessary and sufficient ask for very different things, and necessary is far more common, so focus there. With flaw questions, people talk a lot about classic fallacies, mistaken reversal, mistaken negation, correlation versus causation, ad hominem. But the LSAT has moved away from those toward flaws unique to a particular argument, where the author just failed to consider something. Don't overindex on the classic fallacies, focus on hard flaw questions. And with deductions, relate that to inference questions like must be true, where there's more formal logic involved than there used to be, since the LSAT has leaned more formal-logic since removing logic games about a year and a half ago. It's not new, but the prevalence has increased. I'd focus on diagramming conditional statements and making inferences between them. We can give you drill sets that target those specifically.
Eugene: Yeah, and that's something I worked on in my last tutoring session, which was really helpful, because I've never been good at diagramming. I tried on my own and at one point I gave up because I couldn't figure out how it was supposed to go. But it's been eye opening how helpful diagramming can be when studying for the LSAT. I was actually wondering if I could talk to you more about admissions related questions, since as I study for the LSAT I'm also getting ready to apply to law school this cycle, and I have a lot of questions because it seems like a very complicated process.
Steve: Yeah, shoot.
Eugene: One of the things I'd love to hear from you about is that I haven't been working for the last couple of years, there was some personal stuff going on in my life where I was unable to work, and I'm a little concerned my law school application will seem a little empty compared to other people's. What sort of advice do you have in terms of what law schools, especially higher ranked ones, look for, what resume builders can I add, if any, and what should I be striving toward in my applications?
Steve: Great question. I think folks overemphasize the resume side of law school admissions. My take, others may say different, is that the process is primarily numbers driven, LSAT and GPA. If you get that 175, that solves a lot of your resume worries. That said, I'd recommend sharing something about why you weren't able to work for a couple years, because it's one thing not to work for a couple months, plenty of people don't because they're studying for the LSAT instead. But for years, that raises a reasonable concern: will she make it through 3 years of law school? Have those reasons been resolved so she'll have the stamina, since law school, I'll be frank, is a lot of work, not a cakewalk. Would you consider writing an addendum about why you weren't able to work, clarifying it's been resolved since?
Eugene: Right, yeah, I think absolutely that's something I'd be comfortable adding, since it's part of my story and my journey to law school. That's definitely something I hadn't considered but am willing to.
Steve: I'd consider that necessary, and you don't need to make it long winded, it could be concise, a paragraph or two at most. Just don't leave the question open, don't make them guess why there's that gap in the resume. Have you been able to do anything else, even if not working, maybe volunteer work or something in the community? Have you used that time in some other way?
Eugene: Not as hands-on as I would have liked, but prior to quitting my job I was actually working at a nonprofit consulting firm. When I quit that role, I started doing some pro bono nonprofit consulting for local nonprofits, just a couple here and there whenever someone asked for advice, but I kept in touch and made sure I helped provide grant opportunities, or at least a plan for finding them. Recently I joined the board of my local library. So I've got a couple things, but nothing I'd consider very taxing in terms of time or effort.
Steve: Okay, cool, you've got a couple things you can include on your resume that, combined with the addendum, should assuage any concerns. Maintain those activities going forward, keep the resume up to date. Down the line you can send a letter of continued interest, since a lot of students apply and don't hear back for months, a quick update showing you're still active. Say you apply, take the LSAT in November, apply end of November, send an update in February or March, showing you're sustaining that.
Eugene: Oh, I see, okay, that's good. And then send the letter like end of Februaryish.
Steve: Allow maybe 3 months from your application to send that update, "I'm still interested," a letter of continued interest, highly recommended for anyone wait listed, but even if not, since law schools delay responses because they hold all the cards and can afford to make you wait. In your case, it'll show them your nonprofit or board work has continued, not just for a month or two but 5 months, that you can sustain a position of responsibility over time.
Eugene: Perfect, yeah, thank you. One final question. I'm sure you get a lot of questions about personal statements and what topics people are writing about. What are some topics you feel are oversaturated, that you'd recommend against students writing about?
Steve: A lot of students overindex on politics or current events, which isn't necessarily bad, but making it too general, like "I want to change the world" or "change the system," reveals a certain naivety, since no single individual changes an entire system, and it ends up too vague to be useful. Narrow the focus, ideally to an area where you have some experience, so you can tie your previous work to the work you want to do in law, which makes it more believable you'll carry through. I also wouldn't want someone using the essay to share opinions about politics, I'd want experiences they've actually had, concrete and specific, tied to their goals. Any topic can be done well, it's all in the execution, the devil's in the details. Even a controversial topic can work, though hot button issues where the country is split 50/50 might be better to avoid. Admission officers do their best to keep their personal takes from impacting judgment on you, so they won't auto ding you for the opposite view. But be somewhat measured and humble in your approach, not using it to preach.
Eugene: Okay, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Thank you so much, Steve, I really appreciate this.
Steve: Yeah, of course. Eugene, if you ever want to send over your essay draft for a look, since you're in the program, I'm happy to take a look.
Eugene: Oh, that would be great, thank you, I appreciate it.
Steve: Yeah, for sure, of course. Thanks for joining, talk to you soon.
Eugene: Yeah, you too, bye.
More coaching sessions: Zabdi, 141 to 155, Abigail, 147 to 160, Leah, 153 to 170, Dominic, Alina, 157 to 170. Student results and reviews.
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