Everyone is different, but here are a few things I did to improve and stay in a decent head space:

FIRST FEW MONTHS: When I was just starting out during the first few months, I almost only focused on the CC and drilling. While I wasn’t ready for the test (at all) during these months, I built a strong foundation, especially with logic, that continues to help me today. I took a few PTs, and they went up sometimes, but there were a lot of highs and lows. Some tests I only went up by 1, some tests I went down by 5. It definitely felt demoralizing at times, but I knew that if other people had gone from the low-150s to mid-170s, then I could too. Basically, knowing that other people have gone through this same experience and made it out fine has been huge for me.

LG FOOLPROOFING: I had been studying fairly consistently since January, and when my classes started again in March, I knew I couldn’t put in the same amount of time I was used to. So I pretty much just did what I could. Before I started PTing again, I knew my LG could still use a lot of work, and I knew that foolproofing could get me to -0. So I foolproofed probably 10 games in the week before I started PTing again, and I then continued foolproofing 3-4 games/day. After the initial week of LG foolproofing, I started taking 1 PT every week. In the beginning, I made a wrong answer log for LR with explanations for why the correct answer was right and every other answer was wrong. This was really time-consuming, and I only did this for about 3 tests, but I do think it helped me consciously try to understand every mistake I now make. My PTs during this time improved by a few points with the help of LG, but I didn’t like that my score pretty much depended on going -0 on a section. I didn’t realize until a few months later when I got a tutor what I had been doing wrong for LR and even RC.

MENTAL BREAK: At this point, my spring classes had ended, and I was starting my summer classes. I was feeling pretty burnt out after finals, so I decided to take a week off from the LSAT. Did my score go up after my break? No. Actually, I’m pretty sure it went down. But even so, I needed that time off because I knew I couldn’t keep studying without a clearer head. I went back to taking 1 PT/week, and I saw some improvements, but again, not the kind of gains I was looking for.

BLIND REVIEW: At the end of June, I took a PT to see if I was ready for the July test. Nope. I scored way lower than my target. So I decided to push back my test, and I finally caved and got a tutor. I honestly don’t think a tutor is necessary for everyone or even most people, but mine helped me realize mistakes in my approach, which is what made the investment worth it to me. My biggest takeaway? Blind review. Blind review every single practice test; you need to know what you don’t understand, and if you don’t get 180 with unlimited time to think through every question, then there’s something you don’t understand. I had never taken blind review seriously before, and I wish I had listened to JY in the CC.

PT SCHEDULE: In July, I continued taking 1-2 PTs/week (sometimes I didn’t take any), but I blind reviewed everything. I saw my consistency increase, and it always felt amazing when I saw a 180, even though it was just my BR score. Knowing that I understood the concepts enough to score a 180 in BR motivated me to try to score that high on a real PT. By August, my summer classes were over, and I dedicated most of my time to studying. I now take about one PT every other day, and I BR either the next day or sometimes the same night. I never BR immediately after the test because I need some time away so that I can look at the questions with fresh eyes. I still have the occasional dips in my score, and this is where my mindset change has helped me the most.

MINDSET: Going into the August exam next week, I’ve been trying to think of ways to stay levelheaded so that I’ll treat the test like any other PT. Basically, I’ve realized this: my score on the LSAT literally doesn’t matter. I know that’s probably weird to say on a 7Sage forum, but it’s true. Do I want to go to law school? Yes. Do I want to be a lawyer? Yes. But at the end of the day, these are just things that I want; I don’t actually need them to happen to be happy or to have a good life. Like most everyone who’s putting in the time and effort on this site, I know that I’m capable of working hard and achieving goals, and I know that this can translate well into any other job. No matter how I score on this test, and no matter if I apply to law schools this cycle or not (I’m still undecided), I know that I’ll be okay either way. Worst comes to worst, I take a gap year, which pretty much every school recommends doing anyways. There are people in the world worried about clean water or hunger or war; meanwhile, I have the privilege to worry about a test that can only help my future. This thought really humbles me and puts things into perspective. The LSAT really isn’t do or die, even though it can feel that way. No matter what, your mental health and well-being will always be more important than this test.

HOBBIES/STAYING SANE: This post is getting crazy long, so I’ll try to finish up. Basically, I picked up two hobbies since my studying (and also quarantine) started: baking and watching movies. I’ve baked probably 20+ recipes at this point, and they’re almost all things I never thought I could make before, like tiramisu, multilayer cakes, and panna cotta. Spending a few hours each week building my baking skills and proving to myself that I can do things I never thought I could has surprisingly been a huge confidence booster. It’s given me time to detox and something to look forward to every week. The same goes for movies: I’m watching movies I’ve always wanted to watch but for whatever reason kept putting off, and it’s rewarding to finally understand what sets certain films apart from the rest. This is all to say that I’m doing things in my free time that are rewarding and make me feel good. I also deleted all of my social media apps, which frees up a lot of time and also helps me feel better about myself.

tldr; Everyone feels demoralized at some point when they’re studying for this test. When you feel this way, you need to slow down or take a break. Engage in a hobby, spend time with family, meet up with friends — whatever positive thing you can do to make you feel good about yourself. When you study, make sure you BR and fully understand your mistakes. Keep foolproofing LG. And understand that this test isn’t the be-all and end-all; you’ll have a life after this test no matter how you score. Just try to keep things in perspective, and I fully believe that sooner or later you’ll start to see the improvements you’re working so hard for.

interested! In the same boat as you