Should I take a year off?

aydee.gonzl

Hi everyone,

I am new to the 7sage community, and desperately need advice. I am graduating this December with a 3.97 GPA. I began studying for the LSAT this past February by reading the PS bibles (all three) until the beginning of May. After that I moved onto the PS workbooks, which weren't as helpful as I hoped. Even though I felt like I wasn't ready, I still went through with the June exam, and scored a 147 (so embarrassed). After I received this score I convinced myself that I didn't have enough time to practice, and just needed to drill more. This was a mistake. I kept practicing problems (timed and untimed) and getting the same results.

About a month ago someone recommended to check out the games explanations on 7sage, which I did. This was probably the best decision I have ever made. I have already seen improvement on this section. The problem is I am scoring -13 on LR sections, which I know means I haven't learned the fundamentals. I am thinking about purchasing a course from 7sage, and hopefully retaking the June 2019 LSAT. I just keep wondering if I am making the right choice?

For those of you who have enrolled in the course, how long have you been studying for the LSAT? Did you take time off to study? If anyone wants to share their own journey on studying for the LSAT and the application process I would really appreciate it! I need all the advice I can get. Thanks.

Rigid Designator

In my experience the perfect balance was part-time work whilst going through the CC and nailing fundamentals through drilling. This took me months and months but with concerted effort it could be done in half a year or less (to a high standard). Once you are in the stage of doing one PT a week and reviewing, with maybe some targeted drills, I found it best to go back to (essentially) full-time work. This arrangement means you avoid the LSAT becoming your raison d'être, which will only hurt you in terms of the stress it puts you under.

aydee.gonzl

@"Rigid Designator" thanks! Another quick question, in your experience do you think I should purchase the course now and work through the CC while I am still in school (taking 15 hours) or wait until I graduate this December and then begin to work through the CC?

Rigid Designator

@"aydee.gonzl" said:
@"Rigid Designator" thanks! Another quick question, in your experience do you think I should purchase the course now and work through the CC while I am still in school (taking 15 hours) or wait until I graduate this December and then begin to work through the CC?

If you feel very confident that it won't impact your GPA then sure, why not. Just don't burn yourself out in the process. It's like weightlifting or running, the best thing to do is be steady and consistent over a long period of time; rushing and burning out is almost the worst thing you can do.

Leah M B

Honestly, I think signing up for 7sage and taking in June 2019 sounds like a great plan. Especially since the LG videos have been so helpful, I think you are going to flourish with the course.

I started out with the PS bibles. The only one I got all the way through was LG. It helped me some, but in other ways it led me to be even more confused. After a month or 2 of doing that, I signed up for 7sage and it was a world of difference. The lessons are so good, and even at times entertaining. And the discussion board here is a fantastic resource for whenever you have questions.

Personally, I started out with a 155 and got a 168 on the official test. This was about 9 months of studying total, the 1-2 months first with PS and the rest with 7sage, while working full-time. Since after December you could have a lot more free time, I think you'll really thrive.

I think you could probably start on the cc while in school. But just remember to keep your grades up!! That is by far the most important thing. If your schoolwork were to suffer at all, forget about the LSAT. It'll always be there. But once school is done, there's nothing you can do to increase your GPA. That's very important to keep up.

samantha.ashley92

Your current GPA could really help you get into some schools where your LSAT score is below or at the median. I wouldn't sacrifice that!

Ohnoeshalpme

I have been studying for 11 months and once I am done it will have been 13. In all that time, you might think that I am totally prepared and mentally ready to take the test but that's just not the case. There are always areas where I see major potential for improvement. If you are honest with yourself in this process there will be areas that you know you need to work on and that you know you are capable of improvement. It's all about focusing on these problem areas over long periods of time and not giving up on the process. There are so many people that have come before us that have succeeded and failed in the same ways that we have in the same curriculum that we have. All of these people who succeed say the same things. At the end of the day it comes down to determination and hard work. There is no quick fix or silver bullet. For many the only true solution is a long-term motivation and perseverance.

With a GPA that good, you are sitting on a winning lottery ticket. You can write your way into almost any school in the country. All you need to do is kill the LSAT. I believe that anyone, no matter their performance in the past, is capable of doing well on this test. You just have to accept that the process will be long, arduous and painful. If law school is truly your goal and if your purpose is to succeed as a lawyer then you cannot let yourself be beaten by a test. There will be harder obstacles to face. I know it seems daunting to devote such a long time to a single test but you can do it.

Kyle....

I studied for the LSAT for about 10 months beginning last October through this July. I made a commitment to studying for at least 2 hours each weekday and roughly 4-7 hours each day on the weekend while also working full time. Also, I had already been out of college for more than 2 years by the time I decided to start studying for the LSAT.

Through that time studying I found that it's really just repetition again and again and again that taught me to master the logical reasoning and logic games sections. When I saw I was consistently getting one type of problem wrong (i.e. flawed pattern of reasoning), I would take time to focus on those exclusively with the 7Sage question bank tool.

That sweat equity helped me get a 169 on the June test, and a 175 on the July test. Work hard and don't give up! (And take care of yourself too).

aydee.gonzl

@"Kyle...." @Ohnoeshalpme @"samantha.ashley92" @"Leah M B" @"Rigid Designator" thank you all for your encouraging comments. I think waiting for the next cycle is the best thing I can do. I will definitely be purchasing a course from 7sage. Thank you all once again!

samantha.ashley92

@"aydee.gonzl" sounds like a good plan! And I would recommend getting the best course you can afford. The ROI with scholarship money is amazing.

eRetaker

Studied while doing working full-time for 7 months and was best decision I've made. It really made me learn how to prioritize things in life and balance myself. Even if you aren't taking time off to study, I would still recommend you work for a year or two to really freshen your mind before law school.