rough start

Aiesha G.

Hey guys! I'm still pretty new to the LSAT community but I was wondering if you guys could help me out here. I just became a mom 8 months ago, graduated undergrad a year ago with intentions of being in law school by now and I now work 12 hr night shifts as a respiratory therapist! Annnnd needless to say like the rest of u lovely people, I too still want to go to law school. Lol BUT I am having the hardest time. I do study But the only time I seem to be able to do that is inbetween my rounds at work around 2-4 am! I don't get a whole lot of studying done during the week but I do retain and practice the little bit that I do. Before my son was born I was a zen at studying. I would stop at nothing until the job was done no matter what! But now I can't put the same amount of effort in. I find it impossible to play with my baby during the day, work nights, wake up every 4 hours at night to feed my son on my days off with few or no naps, and still have the energy to study LSAT. By the time I get to it on my days off I am exhausted and I recap the same concept 300 times before I'm able to move on. I guess I just need encouragement...sometimes it feels like I'm moving so slow that I will never get there. I am saving up for my 7sage course (things keep getting in the way of me actually purchasing it smh) so right now I am using the kaplan premier book. Hopefully once I get my 7sage course I can save time and energy by not having to read such dry prose at 4 am. I guess I would like to know how you all do it? How can you lead normal lives and still devote time to the LSAT in an effective and time efficient manner?

mjjohns6

Have you tired 7Sage's LGs? You could probably get a head start on games by watching some of JY's video before purchasing the course. Hopefully soon your motivation will come back. Sometimes you need tht extra break. Spend time with your child right now because they grow up too soon and then you're going to miss it. When studying maybe read for 30 mins and take a break don't go straight into study mode at 2 am for 2 hours. You're tired too so don't over do it.

jdawg113

So you may not like this... but right now might not be the best time to be preparing for law school. Im not saying to give up on it or anything, but the amount (accidentally erased all my typing here -_- so this will be a quicker recap... sorry) of dedication this test takes is insane and doing it working FT is one thing, add a >1 yr old and I couldn't even imagine. Personally I would suggest to relax for a bit. Spend time with your family, keep saving up and when things become a bit more manageable time-wise then you'll have the $ saved up to jump right into the course + purchase whichever PT's you want/need. (maybe even buy those first from cambridge while they still have their old licensing for PDFs?) 7sage & law school isn't going anywhere, you don't wanna rush into it unprepared with a score that is less than your potential because of your hectic schedule with your son. You can even read though the trainer slowly while relaxing or whatever so you do get a head start so when you have the time to crush this test you do. just my $.02 again 7sage isn't going anywhere and neither is law school

nicole.hopkins

Couldn't agree more with @jdawg113 .

I'll be 31 when I start law school. Since you're fresh out of undergrad I'll assumed you're <25. Law school can happen any time. Your child's most critical developmental years happen only once, and the care you provide during those years will do much to shape his life *for the rest of his life.*

Please consider putting law school on the shelf for a few years. It will still be there and the legal market will likely be healthier if you graduate after 2020 or 2021. I remember thinking that delays of any kind would be fatal to my career when I was <25. Wow, I was really wrong. In fact I'm very glad I had no idea of wanting to go to law school until I was 28. What you will gain in maturity and perspective in raising a little boy and being in the real world for a few years will radically set you apart for admissions when the time is right.

clarissa.h

Hi Aiesha! First of all, let me say congratulations on graduating college AND on having your baby!! I would say... don't get yourself too psyched out. People make this test like it's super hard, and it's really not. It's testing the most basic ability to apply logic in two contexts - in the more straightforward context of bare-bones rules (Logic Games), and also in the more adorned (with language, or fluff as your English teacher might have said) context of parsing the "lawgic" out of text. I'm not sure what your weaker area between the two is, but if it's games - GREAT! That's easy to fix just by sheer repetition (see the Fool Proof method JY teaches, it gives you a consistent practice that works). If you're a bit shabbier in the other sections of the test, then I think one thing you could do is become a reader! Do tons of reading!! Of all kinds! Especially current events articles etc.

Anyway, don't give up, and don't postpone your career goal, either! If this is something you want to do, then you'll do it! It's just a few hours on a single day. Don't let that stand between you and law school. You've already done the hardest part - completed undergrad. You can find the time to prepare... even if it's a 20 minute sesh here and there, on your way to work, etc. Definitely watch JY's videos, too. They're quick, to the point, and very effective.

Good luck!

brna0714

Hey @"Aiesha G." ,

I just wanted to highlight something that's already been said here. Only you can decide whether now is the right time for you to pursue law school or not BUT... if you decide to continue studying, ditch that Kaplan book fast. Best case scenario- it's a waste of your time, worst case- it's actually going to end up being detrimental to your performance.

I totally understand not being able to afford the 7Sage course at the moment but please consider getting something like the LSAT Trainer (even Manhattan Prep). Especially since free time is at a premium for you at the moment, you need something that uses authentic questions. I can't stress this enough- find the nearest trashcan and chunk that Kaplan book in it (maybe a little dramatic but you get my point haha).

Either way, I wish you tons of luck!

blah170blah

Hi @"Aiesha G.", to answer your question as to how "we do it," the majority of LSAT tackers don't have all the obligations you do -- working a full time job, working more than 40 hours a week, working at odd hours of the day, and taking care of a newborn baby. That's a lot you have on your plate so it's no wonder you're going slower than the majority of studiers -- you have way more to do! I will echo the sentiment that, if your sole worry is being too old when you get to law school, it shouldn't. The median age for law school is a good 2-3 years out of college (24/25), meaning you have more students who didn't go straight through than K-JD candidates. That being said, only you know what's best for you.

Definitely ditch Kaplan. I would recommend the LSAT trainer for you over Manhattan (even though I prefer Manhattan for LR over LSAT Trainer) because I believe that the set up of the book is really conducive to your needs. Make it a point to read a chapter or two a day. The progression of the book really helps you understand what the test is actually testing and forces you to start with the broader concepts first (like flaws), before getting into the nitty gritty. I would then recommend getting Manhattan LR and RC to really hone in on specific question types.

emli1000

I agree with @jdawg113 because I mean law school can wait but the time you spend with your baby now won't last forever. Soon he will grow up on you. Also, a copy of the trainer will help you prepare for the LSAT in LR/RC before you enroll in 7Sage.

Pacifico

As one of the few older people (I'm 31) on here with a kid (one more coming in August), I think what most of the childless crowd doesn't realize is that there is no good time to focus on anything for yourself once you have kids, so you might as well do it now just to get it over with. The younger your kids are the less they will remember how much you were around and they can learn at daycare if need be. My son just turned one and so I will have a one and a two year old with two dogs and a cat by myself when I start law school because my wife will still be in the military and likely deployed when I start law school. I've been able to study for the LSAT during my last deployment and even now as I wind down my military career this summer. I am currently working hard to balance studying for the LSAT with a military schedule, finishing my masters degree, studying project management to get my CAPM, taking care of our son, spending time with my wife and our pets and so usually I study what I can for the LSAT during breaks or downtime at work and when everyone else has gone to sleep. I set myself up nicely with my terminal leave but once my second son is born I plan to only take one PT per week leading up to the October LSAT (and then I can still fall back on the December LSAT if need be).

I'd say ditch the Kaplan book immediately and as soon as you can get the 7Sage starter pack, just opt for that, you shouldn't need more as you'll need to buy PTs and the like now. As others have mentioned, you can get started on some LG stuff now if you want using the free explanations. If you can't afford the LSAT Trainer yet just go to the website and read all the free stuff you can. In fact, I'd read all the free tips on there and here (including everything in the free curriculum) that you can find until you can get the 7Sage starter program. Once you can do that just make a realistic schedule for yourself, bust your ass and remember you're doing this not just for yourself, but for your family, so it makes any up front sacrifices more than worth it. If you need any help or have any questions feel free to PM me anytime and I'll be more than happy to help. If you really want this, now is the time to do it because life will carry you away with lots of other things and it can be hard to go back, especially once you're a parent. Good luck and hang in there!

visualcreed

I wish I had thought of going to law school while on deployment, that would have been an awesome time killer. Anyway, My view on this whole LSAT law school thing is ask yourself what you want at the end of the day. In another post someone who was struggling wanted to get into a top-20 school which means getting a pretty decent score and an even better score if you don't have a good GPA and backstory. However, if you're just trying to get into the local law school who doesn't really look for a high LSAT then now is as good a time as ever. Most law schools take a 155+ and I believe thats doable really fast. There's no use going for a 180 and putting off law school for a year if thats all it takes, at the end of the day the LSAT only gets you in. Of course, if you're planning on going to a top school than yeah, you have to put the time in to get that score. At that point, why do you want to go to a top school? Has it been a lifelong dream? Do you want to work for a certain firm? Whatever it is, you just have to know what the plan is and why and adjust accordingly.

For me, I'm in the military, I also have a freelance programming and web development clients to deal with along with helping a non-profit organization. My goal is to get into the local law school because I plan on living here after school and thats the best way to get into the local industry. They aren't looking for a 170+, heck they're not even looking for a 160+ probably. I want to do the best that I can but I know its more important to bring home money for the mortgage and pay my bills. I'm lucky enough that I've been able to understand a bit of this LSAT stuff so even though I continue to push for a higher score I'm not worried about it, LSAT studying is not my primary focus. That's my take on it and I encourage you to figure out your priorities and go from there.

Aiesha G.

Thank all of you so much for the encouraging words! I truly appreciate each of your perspectives. I have thought this through for a while and I'm not willing to push it back anymore. this is just something I have to do for myself u know? As a new mom, I feel like I'm no longer myself because EVERYTHING I do is for someone else. I was such an ambitious go getter type person and I haven't been that same person for a while so that I could put my son first. But as time goes by, I'm starting to understand that bring a mom doesnt necessarily mean that I have to be less ambitious. It just means i need more flexibility in my plan, meaning I cant be as hard on myself if I cant do this as fast or devote as much time as u all can. however, that is why in the beginning of Jan this year I said my goal would be to get into law school by next fall which gives me room for other things. I am 25 and may not have a ton of life experience but if I don't know anything else I know that life can always and will always get in the way if you let it! Kids are a big deal and my son will always come first. However, I also know that the longer I wait to do this the harder it will become. That is just the reality of it and I am sure those of you with kids can back me up on this one. I work PRN which allows a LOT of flexibility in my life although I normally work full time hospital hours because I need the cash! The requirement is really only once every 60 days so if I need to really buckle down when its close to test time I can always opt to take a break from work for a while. Since some of you asked, I would like to go back to GSU where I graduated. I need at least a 158 and plan on my first LSAT attempt in Dec. I plan on purchasing my 7sage course june 1st ( yaaaaay finally lol) and I will stop using the kaplan book since most of you suggested that. I actually got through logic games and the foundation building chapter and I thought it was ok. Why do y'all hate it so much? Lol.

brna0714

My biggest complaint Re:Kaplan is that rather than using authentic LSAC questions, they are using questions they've created. Why study with fake questions when there are so many real ones out there?

Also the support is out there, you can search TLS and other places and find countless stories and people who took their course/used their materials/whatever and still scored a desperately low score. Not the case with 7Sage.