Self-study
Long time lurker, first time poster. Here to tell you all to dream big.
TLDR: Scored 173 on the Oct LSAT, which is the highest I have EVER scored. My miracle worker is 7Sage tutor @"Chris Nguyen"! His encouragement, guidance, and tailored tips (in test taking AND general LSAT tips) helped me score the highest I ever have - and hopefully for the last time ever!
Very Long, Might Read Version:
Decided to apply to law school in early 2021 and signed up for 7Sage. Some people are able to juggle 40 hours of work with intense studying and even childcare on the side. Not me. I was overworked, underpaid, and generally Not Having A Good Time. I wanted to apply in a few months, so I quit my job and moved into my parents' attic to study full time.
I don't think people talk enough about recovering from burn out, especially in this post-COVID world. I thought quitting my job would fix my sad and tired brain. It did not. I took the Nov 2021 LSAT and then the Jan 2022 LSAT as a last hail Mary. She did not answer my prayers, which makes sense because I never go to church. I scored 163 both times, which crushed me, as my diagnostic was 165.
Shortly after my Jan LSAT, I lost someone very close to me and spent the next few months grieving and taking a break from the LSAT. I was not in a good headspace and needed to find the joy in life again. Below are a few things that helped:
I began studying again in May 2022. I finished the core curriculum in a few months. I was scoring in the mid 160s and wanted to get at least a 173. the idea of self studying seems really noble -- the whole idea of "I built a study schedule, identified my weaknesses, implemented structure and discipline, and was able to get a full scholly for free all by myself" made me want to BE a 170s-scoring self studier. But I didn't really know how to study post core curriculum (esp in knowing which PTs to not "waste" early on), and so I signed up for a free 30 min consult call with 7sage tutoring.
I was matched up with Chris. Our weekly sessions added much-needed structure in my life, and he assigned daily homework tailored to my needs. I think our most important lessons have been on test taking mentality. One thing he tells me often is that we need to "practice letting go" -- of old habits, of time-consuming questions, and of negative thoughts like "UGH I HATE THIS TEST!" (direct quotation).
All of this contributed to my scoring the highest I ever have -- a 173 -- on the Oct LSAT, no less. My highest PT was 170 on an early 80s PT, but I was in the mid 160s for the vast majority of my PTs. While my PT test taking conditions were never ideal (and so maybe I underscored on those takes), never in a million years did I expect to hit my target LSAT score so soon. I didn't feel great about my Oct LSAT: I misread an easy rule on my first LG game and had to rush the rest of the section, and I didn't have great time management on LR and RC. I even considered cancelling. This is normal! Sometimes the best scores come from dissatisfying test taking experiences.
So if you lack self discipline and can't self-study your way into the 170s -- no shame. Big same. it’s ok to ask for help. If you're able to afford it, 7Sage tutoring might pay off for you, as it did for me.
edit: link here: https://classic.7sage.com/lsat-tutoring/
use your 7sage rewards if you can, and keep an eye out for promotions!
