Self-study
How do people stay motivated for this? I originally set a goal that was probably too low with a 170. I got a diagnostic of 168 and pretty quickly got into the mid 170s but have had zero progress since. I currently work 70-100 hour weeks and just don’t see a path forward for improving. I’m a blue collar person that’s mainly doing this to prove I could have done something more “serious” and because it’s fun to do in my spare time.
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2 comments
Hi,
First off, I want to say that starting with a 168 diagnostic and now scoring in the mid-170s is already a huge accomplishment. At this stage, progress can look a little different than it does earlier on. You might not see big jumps from week to week, just because there aren’t many points left to gain, and the questions you’re missing now are often the toughest ones to get.
Given your work schedule, I really wouldn’t call this a motivation problem. Working 70 to 100 hours a week is exhausting, so it’s completely understandable if you don’t always have the same energy for LSAT study as someone with a lighter schedule. At a certain point, more studying isn’t always better. The quality of your review matters much more than the number of hours you put in.
If you’re already in the mid-170s, I’d suggest focusing less on doing tons of new questions and more on carefully reviewing the few spots where your reasoning slips. For each question you miss or feel unsure about, try asking yourself: What made the wrong answer tempting? Did I misread or overlook something? What did the credited answer do that I didn’t fully appreciate at first? At this level, improvement usually comes from fine-tuning those small judgment calls, not from learning a brand-new strategy.
It’s also totally okay if your reason for doing this is different from other people’s. Some people are motivated by law school or a career change, but for you, it sounds like part of it is proving something to yourself and enjoying the challenge. That’s a great reason! Since you’re balancing this with an already demanding life, I’d just encourage you to make sure the test stays something that adds to your life, not something that drains you.
On a practical note, you might try setting a small, sustainable schedule and maybe just a few high-quality review sessions each week instead of pushing for long study blocks. And remember, taking time off isn’t failing. Sometimes a break is exactly what helps you come back even sharper.
So I wouldn’t see this plateau as a sign that you can’t improve. Instead, I’d see it as proof that you’re already working at a really high level, and now any improvement will probably be slower, smaller, and more about rest and careful review than just working harder.
Hi there!
First, I really appreciate your reasoning (and agree the LSAT is fun). Second of all, once you're hitting those upper echelons of scoring, improvement becomes much more incremental. It'll mostly come from improving your ability to break down complex language when sentences start getting especially convoluted, and from identifying where, why, and how your thinking led you to the wrong answer. It becomes a lot more about the quality of your studying, and less about how many questions you answer.
As for motivation, your position is a pretty unique one. Most people derive their motivation from seeing this as a massive step towards their dream career; your story is clearly different, but equally as powerful. I think really understanding why you're doing this, and how it's feeding you is important, and will lead you to find your motivation.
On a more mechanical level, I don't know how much you're able to study with your work schedule, but a big part of motivation is making sure that your study schedule is one that's feasible for you, and one that allows you to rest and have a life outside of the LSAT. Try taking a day or two off, even a week. If you miss it, you'll come back.
I don't know if any of that is helpful, but good luck!