Discouraged and Looking for Advice.

MrJHGreen

Full disclosure, this isn't a post to vent. I'm genuinely looking for advice and hoping that people scoring better than I will be able to provide me with some tips, encouragement, advice, etc.

I graduated in 2020 with a bachelors and a 4.00 GPA (4.07 CAS). I then grabbed a master's degree because the job market was shit in my area and I was fortunate to go to a MUCH better known institution. I graduated in May of this year with a 3.59 GPA in the Master's program and received numerous scholarly awards. My softs are T-3 (Eagle Scout, Masters, President of school organizations, etc). I hope this isn't coming across as bragging. I just want to provide a little info about myself for assessment.

My problem, like many others, is the LSAT. I used a tutor for the beginning of my studies but we never PT'd. Expensive mistake. I registered for 7sage in December, took a diagnostic, and got a 149. For reference, the tutor was summer of last year, and the Diagnostic (2007 June) was in December. I stopped studying bc of the Master's and started again in June.

Now, after starting in June, my scores have been all over the place. I initially PT'd on Feb. 97' with a 161. Followed by a 160 on PT 36. "Amazing!" I thought. I was studying about a 2-3hrs a day. This was roughly a month ago.

Fast forward to the past two weeks. I went to a 153 (PT 60) to a 154 (PT70) to a 156 today (PT M2020). This is a drop in about 8-9 questions. I've been told that the tests have gotten harder overtime - I get it. I can't help but feel flabbergasted, frustrated, stupid, probably burned out, but most of all, disappointed. I have no one to blame but myself and I own that.

I originally was planning to take the test for August. My goal score is a 165-166. I haven't canceled but I probably will. Don't know what to do. I absolutely refuse to quit on this because being a lawyer and going to law school is what I want to do. Some might say, "okay, so just keep studying and take in October?" My problem is I'm starting a BITCH of a job in Early October that'll probably drive me into the ground (easy 80-90 hour weeks for 6 months out of the year / 50 for the rest). This is a job that I need because I'm trying to financially help my parents who are ill.

As the title says, any assessment/help/encouragement/thoughts are appreciated. I think I'll probably cancel and take a week off. I'm hoping I'm not too stupid for a 165.

oliver_ocean

Keep going, we are all in the same boat. I did similarly well out of undergrad ect. This test is brutal. Try not to beat yourself up over the jagged performance. Just keep learning, and practicing the content. Be a hardo on yourself to never give up, but give yourself a break here and there. One thing that is really helping me is to do more drills and other types of content in-between practice tests. Doing too many PTs gets exhausting and I found myself to focus too much on the scores rather than my own improvement. Hang in there you got this!

megzy217

I've been having a hard time too. I applied this past year and was waitlisted. 3.4 in undergrad with a 4.00 in my master's. I've fluctuated up to 156 and then down again. 7Sage is the only thing I can remotely afford. I've had to accept that I might need to delay applying again. I'm in my 30s, so I'm losing patience, but it's a journey. You got this. It's a long road, but it's worth it.

tahurrrrr

Sounds like you need to readjust your study strategy more than anything. Sorry if it sounds like I'm assuming you have bad study habits based on what you posted.

The hours put in studying mean nothing if you aren't doing it effectively. Are you really taking the time to let the CC lessons soak in completely? Are you taking the time to fully understand why the right answers are right and the wrong answers are wrong? Fluctuations are a natural part of studying, but if you aren't taking the proper steps in reviewing, you're going to continue not seeing the results you want.

Keep pushing and be fluid with your studies. A minor tweak can go a long way. Maybe you need to focus strictly on one question type for a while. Maybe you need to redo a part of the CC. I can't give you an exact plan of attack, but look in to changing your study patterns is my two cents.

Mo Schaaf

First of all, congrats on such an amazing undergrad GPA, thats wild! Also, score drops are common. Sometimes for a couple of weeks -- even three, our mental game is off and our scores drop.
I took the April LSAT and got a 159 even tho I was averaging 168 weeks prior but due to familial tragedy I was not in the right headspace, and therefore, my score significantly dropped. Taking some time off for me was completely necessary and it might be for you too.
A 165 is only too high of a score if you let it be that way. You can totally do it, especially if you got a 160 and higher on a couple of PTs already, those tests may be 'easier' to some people but they are still the LSAT, and the LSAT is hard lol. Some tests in the 70s are easier then some in the 50s and 60s, at least for me. Don't fret, you can do this dude! If taking some time off will allow you to get into a good mindset and get you ready for focused studying, then that is totally okay.

valeriehe

LSAT study has some speical and funny patterns. Sometimes, the more you learn, maybe it seems the lower score you get. That's because the nature of LSAT study reqiures most people to reformat their skills. On you way to a better score, you will be forced to relinquish old habits and adopt better ones.
So it is normal, not always (reasons vary from cases to cases), to see scores get even lower as you study more (temporarily).

The general trend for August and October exam is abstraction and nuance. To better target the trend. I strongly suggest to finish 80-89 pretest before your exam and especially starting after PT 85. Really study how nuance in answer choices make them incorrect.

Yes 80-89 are different from ealry PTs, but the fundamental skills are the same (your past study is helpful).

Hope it helps and best luck on your future exams!