My second paper is dealing with the LSAT and it would be very helpful for me if folks answered this brief poll regarding their experience with the test. Thanks so much, Adam

Total Cost of Preparation	Select ...$140 (just the registration and score report)$140-$300$300-$800$800-$1500Greater than $1500	$800-$1500 0% (2)
Number of Hours spend preparing	Select ...1 hour (just registration time)1-15 hours15-60 hours60-120 hours120-200 hoursGreater than 200 hours	60-120 hours 0% (2)
The Effects of Studying	Select ...I did just as well on my first practice as on the real thing1-3 point improvement3-8 point improvment8-12 point improvementgreater than 12 point improvement	8-12 point improvement 0% (1) 3-8 point improvment 0% (1)
Influence of USNews	Select ...I never looked at the rankingsColumbia was the highest ranked school that I got intoI got into a higher ranked school but attended Columbia for financial reasonsI got into a higher ranked school but attended Columbia for personal reasonsI got into a higher ranked school but attended Columbia for academic reasons	Columbia was the highest ranked school that I got into 0% (2)

-- AdamCarlis - 24 Mar 2008

-- AdamCarlis - 24 Mar 2008

I wanted to complete your poll. But for the last question, I had multiple reasons for choosing Columbia. Is there a way to select multiple options for that question, or should I just choose the most significant.

-- EdwardNewton - 28 Mar 2008

-- BetreGizaw - 30 Mar 2008

This experiment could be interesting. But what's your hypothesis, and what's your method? One shouldn't start gathering data until he has convinced his AUDIENCE that he's properly associated [a hypothesis and a method], i.e. [properly associated "X" and "ZERO"],
given that

• HYPOTHESIS means "My data will NOT say ZERO, i.e. NOT say that Q is not true" and
• METHOD means "I define ZERO as X, i.e. certain data from the following poll ..."

It doesn't matter that you've defined them in your mind, or that you plan to share them with us after collecting your data. Given that OUR mandate as fellow-scientists is to disprove your conclusions with zeal , we are obliged to zealously exploit any lack of [proof that you wrote hypothesis and method before gathering data]. If you share your hypothesis and method after gathering the data, you oblige us to accuse you of writing the method to fit the data to the hypothesis.

Eben's grading style is just an exemplary demonstration of how scientists should undertake that mandate. I also witnessed this, growing up in a family of engineers, at the dinner table. Thankfully I was not the target. -- AndrewGradman - 30 Mar 2008

|LsatExperience|GOSGWAT5kN8WJG6gEb9AjA|1|Total Cost of Preparation=$800-$1500,Number of Hours spend preparing=60-120 hours,The Effects of Studying=greater than 12 point improvement,Influence of USNews=Columbia was the highest ranked school that I got into|2008-02-24||LsatExperience|WdUIevtFx33f/Se0Bmre3w|1|Total Cost of Preparation=$140-$300,Number of Hours spend preparing=60-120 hours,The Effects of Studying=1-3 point improvement,Influence of USNews=Columbia was the highest ranked school that I got into|2008-02-24||LsatExperience|bHVc7oDTN/ktM/3+4VRGtQ|1|Total Cost of Preparation=$140-$300,Number of Hours spend preparing=Greater than 200 hours,The Effects of Studying=greater than 12 point improvement,Influence of USNews=I got into a higher ranked school but attended Columbia for academic reasons|2008-02-25||LsatExperience|KufnVGCYfuNXC36Z5q1JZQ|1|Total Cost of Preparation=$800-$1500,Number of Hours spend preparing=120-200 hours,The Effects of Studying=greater than 12 point improvement,Influence of USNews=Columbia was the highest ranked school that I got into|2008-02-26||LsatExperience|mxiKHsvjowEKzVLdEnMbyA|1|Total Cost of Preparation=Greater than $1500,Number of Hours spend preparing=120-200 hours,The Effects of Studying=3-8 point improvment,Influence of USNews=I got into a higher ranked school but attended Columbia for personal reasons|2008-02-26||LsatExperience|SPY1qLQZrKliiyxkmGxSpw|1|Total Cost of Preparation=Greater than $1500,Number of Hours spend preparing=120-200 hours,The Effects of Studying=greater than 12 point improvement,Influence of USNews=Columbia was the highest ranked school that I got into|2008-02-26||LsatExperience|55LPvO0DLDhTOXVLdy0FxQ|1|Total Cost of Preparation=$140-$300,Number of Hours spend preparing=1-15 hours,The Effects of Studying=3-8 point improvment,Influence of USNews=Columbia was the highest ranked school that I got into|2008-02-26||LsatExperience|zxKaJRMKuTzG4v1cGxJPHg|1|Total Cost of Preparation=$140-$300,Number of Hours spend preparing=Greater than 200 hours,The Effects of Studying=8-12 point improvement,Influence of USNews=I got into a higher ranked school but attended Columbia for personal reasons|2008-02-26||LsatExperience|zxKaJRMKuTzG4v1cGxJPHg|1|Total Cost of Preparation=$140-$300,Number of Hours spend preparing=Greater than 200 hours,The Effects of Studying=8-12 point improvement,Influence of USNews=I got into a higher ranked school but attended Columbia for personal reasons|2008-02-26|