Crying as I'm typing this. I apologise for my grammar and clarity in advance.

I started studying at around late April. I just finished Uni and had decided to take the summer off to work at my part-time job that gives me very minimal hours and study for the LSAT alongside. I had wanted to take the Sept test and apply this cycle. But here's the thing.

I have ADD/ ADHD and my focus is honestly straight trash. I have the option to take medicine for it but when I do, it doesn't work effectively and it makes me lose all appetite and to be fixated really, really hard on one thing, so that I won't be able to get much done at all and will be frustrated, hungry, tired, and angry at the end of the day.

Throughout my Uni years, I've learned that the more I occupy my day, the more effectively I work and the better my mood is. But now with school being over, and me working anywhere from only 6-9 hours a week, I have the majority of my time free. And when this happens, I tend to waste it, self loathe, and then spend 3 hours a day actually studying for the test. Even during these 3, precious hours, I would stress about how incompetent I am for getting questions wrong, making stupid mistakes, and not being able to figure out how to diagram properly (currently on LG portion of CC). When I realise how much studying time has already passed and how much work I've only accomplished, I get really upset and this carries on to the next day. Then the cycle repeats.

I'm currently already 2 weeks behind on my schedule. I have no idea how I'm going to catch up, where I'm going to find the motivation to even get any work done, how I'm going to be as competent as a lot of you are on this site before test day, and how on earth I would be able to get into my dream school and become a successful lawyer I've dreamt of becoming. I have questioned my temperament and capabilities throughout my journey so far for many times. I asked myself how on earth would someone like me make a good lawyer if I'm not even capable of getting myself together to write one test, and how the hell would I even amount to anything if I don't even have the drive to succeed anymore. At this point, I'm honestly on the brim of giving it all up.

I did 4 years of uni back to back, without taking a single term off, because I have always hated down time. And taking time away from school would mean moving back with my family, and trust me when I say they're not nice to me and a majority of my issues came from them.

Before these 4 years, I took a year of uni at another school that I ended up hating. Many things happened that year that led me to spend the entire 4-month summer after that year almost entirely at home. I saw my mental health decline shortly after I first transferred to my current school, while I have had long stretches of time throughout these 4 years where I felt capable and energised, the majority of the time I was in a horribly dark place and I think I'm in it again right now.

I know that I am mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally not in the right spot to start the gruesome journey that is LSAT and expect to get a good score in this state of being. However, I'm terrified of the idea of taking a whole year off. My degree wouldn't allow me to get any decent job, and the longer I stay out of school, my gut tells me that the less I would want to or would have the motivation to get back into school, if you know what I mean. And plus, I have already purchased the ultimate+ package and I really don't want to waste it.

I'm not exactly sure what I'm hoping to get from posting this. I'm just feeling really, really down and I've been very, very frustrated at myself. My uni convocation is next week, and I find it really depressing that I don't feel a speck of joy for having made it through 5 years of uni alive. Oh, and my part-time job is ending in July, because the place closes down for 1.5 month in the summer. I work with older women who are all mothers, and to be honest, they have given me more love than I have ever given myself or have gotten from my actual family. Losing that support network is going to be tough on me. So, more to say that I have no idea how I'm going to get through this summer in the right mindset and actually be productive, make myself proud, and take my life to a place where I want it to be.

I don't know how you guys do it. Or maybe it's just because I'm just really lacking in character. Or perhaps this career path just isn't for me?

Sorry for the long rant. I feel slightly better now. I'm open to any words of wisdom.

Thanks.

Anyone know what kind of stylus is used in digital LSAT?

Will it be the Surface Pen (which I think costs like $99)?

Also, is a stylus just a fake plastic pen that simulates writing? Like everything you can do with a stylus you can do with your finger?

So instead of pushing something on the tablet screen with your finger, you just push it with a plastic pen like thing?

To practice the digital LSAT on the tablet, would it be ok to just buy a really cheap stylus to practice with, or even use a real pen with no ink to underline/high on the tablet?

thanks!

Today marks the start of my journey to go to law school. This is an incredibly nerve-wracking decision, but I am thrilled to take this step.

Hi all! Sorry for the multiple questions, but this new LSAT has me wondering a bit.

As I'm planning on doing the November LSAT, it seems like it will be fully digital with the writing section done at a separate time, how much importance do law schools place on this writing sample? Will it change now that it can be done at our own accord?

Also, I'm about to take my first diagnostic test and start working on Prep Tests soon enough. Should I still keep the same technique of printing and filling out the paper bubble sheet as I'm studying or immediately jump into the new digital version that 7sage has put out?

Thanks for any info!

Check out this awesome spreadsheet for tracking improvement and studying.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RJ-QRlcFZgc3A9RuqrOKc2h6adtpLNNfGgz3z-0j_-o/edit?usp=sharing

I'm wondering if it would do any good to e-mail LSAC about the fact that at my center (CUNY LIC), we were forced to wait in a single-file line silently for an hour and a half before starting the test. The proctor said that the "new rules" stipulated that we had to write out the identity certification sentences on our admission ticket and sign and date them in front of her individually. Because of this we didn't begin until 2pm. Does this matter? It's hard to say how much if affected me, but I do know that I timed my morning perfectly in terms of a workout, meditation, breakfast, bathroom time...and this hour and a half delay was an enormous bummer that threw me off my game at least a little. If enough of us write in, would anything be done? Could it reflect poorly on me to complain? I guess it can't be done anonymously since it would be coming from my e-mail address? Any advice is appreciated.

This month I'll be in the region of a couple of schools I'm hoping to apply to. While I'm in the area I'm planning to visit the towns to get a feel for whether they are a place I'll want to be for a few years, and I'm considering scheduling a campus visit while I'm there as well. I'm taking the LSAT in September and as long as things go okay will be applying to schools this fall.

I've done some digging through the forum and it sounds like in general, the crowd here is supportive of pre-application visits. Any thoughts to the contrary?

Secondary question: What are some things I should be asking (of current students, of professors, of folks in the admissions office, of anyone else?). Who should I be asking to talk to? I have a short list of questions so far, but this will be my first experience going on a campus visit (I never visited my undergrad before attending) and have been out of school for 10 years so I'm feeling quite ignorant of the process and would love your guidance regarding what smart questions to ask.

Do you all find yourselves watching JY's explanations for every question on PT's or just questions you circled and/or got wrong? I've always watched every explanation for every question as I thought maybe it would also reinforce good habits/thoughts for questions I got correct. Not sure if this is the most efficient use of time but I don't see what harm it could do. Wondering how all of you review PTs after BR, how you go about reviewing wronged/right answers, addressing patterns in Analytics; what works best for you? Thanks!

hey all

this is probably a pretty easy question, but i've had some trouble finding an answer and i just wanna confirm.

if you already took an LSAT with the old handwritten writing sample, if you retook the 2019 June LSAT (and other future LSATs going forward), do you have to do the computer new writing sample? or can you just ignore it because you already have a handwritten writing sample from the a previous LSAT?

also, can someone show where on LSAC's website or in general this information is provided? thank you!

So my raw score has finally caught up with my BR score and at this point, I don't really see any difference BRing.

I always get -0 on LG, and my average for LR and RC are both around -2. My score ranges from 172-178. I don't think I can do any better on RC, but I want to bring my LR down to -0, just to make things sure. If I look at the questions I get wrong, they are predominantly questions that I don't circle for BR. For instance, if it's a flaw question, I think that the flaw is something else and would confidently choose that wrong AC. Otherwise, the questions I get wrong are the ones that I think were really hard and couldn't have gotten right even during BR (this is really rare).

What are you supposed to do once your raw score has caught up with your BR score? Is there any more room for improvement? I'm taking the international June test which is in less than 3 weeks.

So I took the June LSAT yesterday. I think it went alright (fingers crossed)... but I have signed up for July just in case my score comes back and I am not satisfied.

I am curious as to what others would recommend I do in terms of being prepared for July if need be. Scores are not released until Thursday June 27 ( a little over three weeks from now), and the July LSAT is on Monday July 15. I don't have any "fresh" prep materials left, at least none that are remotely recent, so I am unsure of how to best invest my time. Do you think it is wise to relax and decompress between now and June 27 (when I get my score back)? I was thinking of doing pretty much nothing until then since I am not sure if I have to retake, and since I have already done all of the recent PrepTests, I could review my June LSAT (since it is disclosed), and then just spend the first two weeks of July reviewing the materials I have already done and familiarizing myself with the digital format in case I end up being in the 50% of test takers that get the digital version in July.

What do you guys think?

Hey! So with the digital exam coming up I was wondering if some of you are practicing on tablets or just the computer? I don't know what would be best. I'm afraid the computer does not simulate how it would be taking the exam via tablet. Any input on this? Is it worth purchasing a tablet to practice? Much appreciated!

Hi guys!

I've been super into podcasts as of late and I thought it'd be great to add something LSAT related to my arsenal. This could encompass explicitly LSAT/Law School related podcasts and anything else along the lines of: mediation, psychology, philosophy etc. I'm up for any suggestion really!

Side note: Feel free to include fun stuff too! Balance is key!

Im registered for july 2019 LSAT and working full time at a law firm and starting to feel like im wasting precious time during the day doing work when I could be studying all day and getting better at LSAT PTs. Anyone else have this feeling or have any ideas/advice for me? getting anxiety that ive given up studying lsat for a job at a law firm.

Hi everyone,

On Tuesday, June 11, at 9 p.m. ET, I'll host a webinar with Mathiew Le, the assistant dean of admissions and financial aid at The University of Texas at Austin School of Law. Mathiew will give us a five-minute presentation on UT Austin law, and then I'll ask him some of the questions you're dying to know:

You’ll get a chance to ask your questions at the end.

:warning: You’ll have to register for this webinar in advance.

:cookie: After the webinar, we’ll award one attendee a free Edit Once (see https://classic.7sage.com/admissions/enroll).

:warning: The webinar will be recorded, and we may post it on our site or on YouTube. We may also share the audio on our podcast.

→ Please register for the webinar here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/4cc9fc08ce59502a34538d7d4481ef37

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

If you want to ask a question, you should connect via a computer instead of calling in. We also recommend that you join the webinar a few minutes early and test your microphone.

Here is what I know:

I feel like I am missing something here. This may be a stupid question but before I continue with the course I would really like a full understanding of how to do blind review and what its ultimate goal is.

Thanks a lot.

Hi All-

I just want to share some information I normally give my students before test day

Take care of yourself - This is a test you study for in the long term. Cramming won’t help and may hurt you if you skimp on sleep. There are always things you could’ve done differently, but overall if you’ve given it your best, that’s all you can ask for in the long-haul. If you haven’t, there’s always another test day. But if you’ve put in the long term studying, now is the time to take care of yourself before test day.

I wouldn’t advise taking any PT the day before the test. The best thing you can do is go over your review sheets or craft one if you haven’t already.

Make sure your “go bag” is ready with everything you need for the test - proper credentials, anything you want to bring. Have it ready so you aren’t worried about it before the test.

If you haven’t already, drive to the test center if possible. That way you’re familiar with the route. Even just seeing the route a second time the next day gives you the confidence that comes with some level of familiarity.

Set a firm deadline to finish any review before dinner time. Have a nice meal with protein and healthy choices. Maybe watch a movie or something fun to unwind.

Prepare a snack for the break during the test. My favorite is almond butter and jelly on whole grain bread (or pbj). It’s got protein and good carbs. Plus, it will keep you satiated without weighing you down.

Get plenty of sleep tonight. You’ve got to perform at peak mental condition tomorrow, and you can’t do that if you’re compromising your sleep. Obviously set an alarm, but I always say the ideal amount of sleep is the amount where you wake up refreshed before the alarm.

The morning of test day -

Have a good breakfast with protein and good carbs to sustain you.

If you drink coffee or some sort of caffeine in the morning regularly, go ahead and keep with your routine. If you don’t, now is probably not the time to start ;)

Maybe 20 mins of light cardio.

If you have the time, it can be worth it to do some easy problems to get the kinks out and warm up i.e. the set up for logic games, reading an RC passage, and a few easy LR questions. The key point is that this material should be EASY. It’s just to get you warmed up and in the habit like stretching before physical exercise.

Get to the test center early so that way you don’t have to stress. Take any extra time to look over your review sheet.

During the break, I highly recommend that you keep to yourself. You don’t need anyone else’s energy to mess with you. Be polite but keep to yourself. You can always talk about the test later. Go to the bathroom whether you need to or not and enjoy your snack. Do some breathing exercises or stretching.

After the test, no matter how you felt you did and whether you think this is going to be your last time or not, write down your takeaways. Whether it’s the stuff that worked well or the stuff you want to figure out how to improve for next time, that information is invaluable. If you take the test again, this info is unique to your specific experience and you can use it to guide your future prep. It’s super important you do this! I’ve found it invaluable.

Best of luck tomorrow! I’m proud to say I took the LSAT three times - I’ve been both disappointed with my score and I’m grateful to have scored in the 99th percentile on my final take. I respect the time and work you’ve put in and I know you’re putting yourself on the line. It’s not an easy thing to do - I’ve been there. I get it. I’m rooting for you.

If you have any questions before or after the PT, feel free to reach out to me

I'm really beginning to feel defeated. I started off with a diagnostic of 140 and have been practicing only my scores has dropped to a 139 and then to a 138 as of my latest prep test tonight. I'm seriously just considering taking the GRE which will lower my options of schools to choose from and take all of my top choices out of the running. I just cannot seem to conquer the LSAT and I hate that this test is the most important part of the law school application process! I can do the actual work but when it comes to tests, I struggle big time.

Hi Everyone,

I took my first timed diagnostic today and I scored a 140. LR was by far my best section (still guessed a couple due to timing) and I basically guessed my way through the entire LG section (haven't learned this yet). On reading comp, I was also a little constrained by time, which forced me to guess a couple of questions as well.

Considering that timing was an issue, on top of that I had absolutely no idea how to approach any of the LG, I believe that a 140 is not an awful first take at the LSAT. I am sure, when I start learning LG and further strengthen my RC AND LR, I will be able to increase my score significantly.

Even though a 140 is not ideal, do you guys think a score in the 160s is possible in the future?

Idk what’s been going on, but lately, I’ve been doing phenomenally well in the past weeks on PTs, been nailing in the 170s. Some of them were tests I’ve seen before but in the past that usually hasn’t meant too much. I was getting my reading comp score down to the -1 to -4 range. More often around a -3.

My last few tests were:

165 on PT 82

177 on PT 83

164 on C2 (-9 RC!!!)

168 on PT 84

171 on PT 85

Now today I took the first three sections of PT 86 and I’m tracking at a 167... with a -7 on RC . With the June Test tomorrow, I’m just bugging out. I’m thinking of finishing PT 86, and then trying to review the RC and LR, and then reviewing the RC on C2. The other part of me wants to just stop and shut down, maybe go to the gym and sleep super early. Not sure if this is burnout, stress, or just a fearful truth that maybe I just suck at this.

Other things I can think of are maybe for C2 I got nailed because I had spent 5 or so hours doing BR straight right before it. I also haven’t eaten breakfast today so maybe that could be hurting me too. Idk.

Anyone with burnout experience have any input?

on the LSAC website is says writing is typed and separate now? How do I do that? And does it still not count for the score?

I took the June 2017 Official Test and got a 154. Sine then, I studied like a madman and then I got a 164 on the March 2019 Official Test. So, after almost two years of intensive prep, this 180 feels pretty sweet. I'll be taking the July test soon.

The biggest difference between this practice test and any other test I've taken was me trusting my instincts and almost being on auto-pilot throughout the entire test. I was very rarely consciously thinking while taking this test, but I was mostly just reacting to the questions presented in front of me.

Obviously no incorrect answers is ideal, but I just took my first PT and I was curious about understanding how to see my potential given each section breakdown.

For example, I've heard logic games are something that can be quickly improved upon - but does anyone have insight into LR and RC. For example, is a cold ~75% in RC a good base - or is there typically not much improvement in that section given reading comprehension is something learned for years

In other words, are there any markers for a base in certain scores indicating a range people should (and should not) be aiming for? I guess I just want to be realistic in my expectations of what I should be aiming for, but I don't know what one should expect in terms of improving section by section (as opposed to people generally saying they've improved ~8-10 points overall).

Hi All,

I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I feel it's important to lay out everything in order to provide accurate context.

Essentially, I've had quite a lengthy LSAT journey so far (although nothing compared to some other brave and determined 7sagers) and I've sort of hit a wall and am hoping to get some of y'all's thoughts.

I started studying for the LSAT while I was in college about two years ago. My first diagnostic score was a 148, which I know is quite low. My target date was last June (June 2018). Since I was studying while being in school, which made my studying schedule not very consistent, I couldn't take it in June, so I had to reschedule to July. That ended up being a bad idea since I started an intense internship in July and ended up having to work and study at the same time. I then rescheduled to September, but once I started school and one of the most intense semesters, I had to yet again reschedule. Essentially, I've rescheduled sitting for the LSAT about 4-5 times. I just graduated from college and my last semester was incredibly academically intense, so I took a break from the LSAT and as soon as I graduated about 3 weeks ago, I started studying again. Currently, I'm PT-ing in the mid 160s. One of my biggest issues is that when I take timed individual sections, I do incredibly well on them! I average -0/-1 on LG, -1/-3 on RC, and -3/-4 on LR. But when I sit down to take a practice test, I do significantly worse. In other words, if I combined the latest 4 sections I took individually, my score would be in the mid-170s, but my practice test scores are mid-160s.

At this point, I'm feeling quite burnt out. Truth be told, I've been feeling burnt out maybe for the past 5-6 years. I went to a top high school, then a top college (top 10), I graduated with not one but TWO majors, a minor, and a certificate, all while taking classes in three additional languages. I founded and ran many organizations while in college, I wrote articles for a national newspaper, did a radio show, did a bunch of prestigious internships in the US and abroad, studied abroad, ran a big organization outside of college, and did a lot of other things. I graduated with a 3.87 GPA (but if you add in the A+s, my CAS GPA is a 3.92). I was even busier in high school (like I was a competitive pianist/violinist, karate champion, etc etc). And to be perfectly frank, I haven't had more than one or two weeks off (during which I've definitely worried about and done at least SOME work).

My plan is to take one or two years off to work before starting law school. I'll most likely be starting my job in late August/early September. But at this point, I'm not sure if I should sit for the July exam. Should I take a break, maybe a whole month off and just not do ANY academic work but instead relax and start studying again in July? Another issue is that I want to do a dual degree (JD and MPP), so I have to also take the GRE at some point (for admission into a government school to do the MPP), which is why I'll probably give myself two years instead of one before doing the dual degree. I just REALLY wanted to get the LSAT out of the way because I'm so done with it. But I also know that if I sit down and actually study thoroughly and intensely (because frankly these past two years, my studying has not been intense enough since I was always simultaneously busy and burnt out lol, just always pushing through the mental fatigue), I can score in the mid 170s on the actual exam. I feel I still have room to improve, and I've already made about a 15-20 point jump (from 148 when I first started to consistently mid-160s).

If anyone has any similar experiences or just generally has some advice, suggestions, recommendations, anything, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know! I'd love to hear all your thoughts, even if they're harsh or direct or anything. I'm used to making my own decision, but I also really value others' opinions.

Again, sorry for the length of this. Happy to answer any questions if it would help understand my predicament better. Thank you 7sage for being the best community ever!

I'm interested in joining a study group for the November 2019 LSAT, but I'm not sure how it works or what it means. Do we just meet and chat or is there a curriculum....?