Self-study
Hey all!! I just recently started really locking in on the LSAT (for 2-3 weeks now). I am planning on taking it in August but hoping to maybe also take it in June (haven't decided yet). I feel so stressed because I feel like I was really understanding the content more, but I don't feel I have seen any improvement. Anyone else feel this way? I was curious if maybe my studying could be improved as I am also worried about burnout. I am trying to do a test/week by doing 3 sections spread out throughout the week, with a day after the section to review mistakes, learn from them, and then drill ( a method I learned from a 180 scorer youtuber). In addition to this, I am following my "balanced" 7Sage study plan and doing the lessons each day, along with 2-4 drill sets of 5. I study for about 4 hours daily, usually. I am really hoping to get to a 175+- anyone have any critiques or suggestions? Also, is my panic and anxiety based in reality or my OCD?????
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6 comments
This early on, you're still getting familiar with all the various tools required to address LSAT questions in the right way. You're moving from "you don't know what you don't know" to "you know what you don't know" on the knowledge spectrum.
So your main growth edge right now is appreciating how god damn hard these questions are. In this phase of your practice, that should mean you're getting slower but more accurate.
Don't judge improvement by your performance on timed drills or sections -- judge it by accuracy. For example, if you started off with 11/26 on a timed LR section where the squares were a scattered mix of greens and reds, progress looks like getting an 11/26 with a big ol block of greens at the beginning and then a big block of reds b/c you ran out of time.
Ah, a classic problem no amount of thinking/reasoning about will solve! Maybe you won't improve, but you won't know that until months/years from now when you're done studying. Don't worry about it, keep practicing. Four hours per day is a lot, but if you can manage it, go forth.
I am still dealing with this/struggling with this. As someone who suffers from anxiety and panic, I feel the nerves when it comes to test taking especially. I felt like, after getting my diagnostic score of 138, I never had hope that I would get to where I currently am. In testing conditions, I am averaging around a 155-157 consistently. Which is a heavy improvement from where I started out. It is ok to truly just be mad at a question, sit with it, and/or come back to it later. I hope to score a 165 to show myself that I can indeed do it. Its a balance of not being mad at yourself, learning to control your anxiety the best way possible, and consistent practice!
@BonnieK Thanks for the encouragement!! We got this!
I am not a 170+ scorer so please take my advice with a grain of salt (since your goal is to score in that range).
From the day I started until now (around a year and a half), I still find myself in the same place as you. I was stressed out because I felt like I wasn't really improving, so I thought that more was more. I would do a practice test every day and try my best to do as many questions as I can thinking that the LSAT was that simple. Little did I know, I was wrong. By allowing my life and my studying to be dictated by stress and pressure, I was going more backwards than forward. During this time, I was still PTing in the 150s and I still haven't really found a foothold yet into even a 160 flat.
So what changed? Why am I here typing this?
Because the minute I realized that the old adage "less is more" holds true, especially for the LSAT, that was when I found improvement. The minute I stopped pressuring myself into seeing only goals and results and started shifting my mind toward embracing the process and the journey was when I started to improve. The minute I started to accept that it's okay to be stuck on one question or one passage for a really long time was when I took the time I needed to improve. Even if it was little by little every day, simple baby steps, I knew that quality work would trump quantity any day of the week.
Now I'm here, having gone from a 148 diagnostic to PTing in the high 160s, still hopeful that I will break into the 170s. So what would be my advice to you?
If you're burnt out, stop and rest. Just like what Drake said, "like a sprained ankle, boy I ain't nothing to play with." If I'm playing basketball, would I do better or worse with an injury? Obviously worse! The same thing applies to the LSAT: it's a lot easier to just take a break and rest than to claw your way back from burning out.
The work that you can do from 1-3 hours of consistent work, focusing on the logic of the questions and the strategies for reading comprehension, will be a million times better than 4+ hours of drilling and testing. Even one question or one passage holds a lot of valuable knowledge that can greatly benefit you. Slow down, and make sure that you take the time to gain that knowledge.
Focus on the journey, not the destination. You have a goal score in mind, and that's great. But don't allow the stress and anxiety that comes with not achieving that goal bog you down. Steph Curry didn't become Steph Curry over night, let alone in a matter of years. He became who he is by focusing on the quality of his shot and game, not by focusing on a ring.
I hope this helps and I hope that you get to 175+!
@LukaDoncicForMVP Thank you so much for your advice!! I think its great advice, and I really appreciate you taking the time to type all of that out !