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It's hard to tell without knowing the specifics because people often study for the LSAT in one of two ways: they study for a certain amount of time and that's the score they end up with or they know what score they want and will study as long as it takes to get it. If you are in the latter group, I would start studying way before the test date to give yourself plenty of time.
I also work full-time (8am to 5pm). I'm finding that, so far, I have enough time to study, but I've really sacrificed on socializing, TV, and other activities. I'm also relatively young, and have no kids, etc. If it helps, this is my schedule that I follow religiously:
Monday through Friday:
Wake at 4:30am
Start studying by 5am until 6:30/7am
Then get ready for work and head out.
Return home form work about 5:30ish
Start studying by 6/7pm (depends how tired I may be feeling)
Study until 8/8:30pm
I go to bed around 9/9:30pm
Weekends:
Wake-up. The time changes. Often by 8am, but if I'm tired, I let myself sleep. Or else I feel too run down to keep the momentum going every week.
Study from 8 to 11
Go to gym. Eat lunch. Something other than studying.
Start again around 1 or 2pm. I will typically study until 4pm. Other times, I won't pick up studying again until 5pm. It depends of what I errands I need to complete.
For the first month, waking up that early was really difficult. But eventually I adjusted and now I actually love it.
My advice: Make a reasonable goal. Commit to putting in 2-3 hours of studying per day. It doesn't have to be all at once. An hour here. An hour there. Use the weekends to PT and recuperate. And also, ease into it if you have the time. I often even study during my lunchbreak just in case I'll feel too tired in the evening.
And if you're feeling too tired to concentrate, then listen to your body and take a break.
What also helps? A cheerleader. If you have someone in your life who can cheer you and help keep you accountable, ask them to. It's helped me so much.
Participate in the study groups here, too. It will help keep you accountable to complete PTs, lessons, etc.
I'm sorry to have written so much here! I hope it helps a bit. You're welcome to message me for any other advice or to simply have another cheerleader. if I can do it, so can you!
Yes, I think 1-2 hours a day is enough studying. 1-2 hours of quality studying is better than 10 hours of non-focused, poor studying when you're tired after work. Weekends you can do preptests and review. Weekdays study and do timed sections/drill.
All about quality over quantity!
I work a similar schedule and I have been studying 2-4hrs every evening and then ~6 hours each weekend day. I think 2-3 hours after work is more realistic as 4 hours really exhausts me the next day. I suggest writing out a schedule and sticking to it every week. And make sure to take one day off a week otherwise you will burn out.
My original attitude when I started studying was just "do a few hours every day after work," but I found that it burned me out. If I get home from work 30 min later than usual, take too long making dinner, take too long getting around to going to the gym, talk too long with my mom on the phone, then it's like past 8pm when I start studying and I'm not done studying until past 11pm and I'm really tired the next day.
So now I am writing out a schedule i.e. take Wednesdays off. Monday/Tuesday/Thursday wake up at 6:45 am, get to the gym at 7, do cardio until 7:45, get to work at 8:30, get home by 5:30, eat dinner and unwind until 6:30, study through 9:30pm, in bed by 11pm. Fridays - sleep in and do a quick work out immediately after work, eat dinner, start studying by 8pm, done no later than 11pm. Luckily I work ~15 min away from home so I can get started studying fairly early after work.
When I was fool proofing logic games I had no problem doing a lax schedule. I knew that every day I could get through 3 sets of logic games an be in bed by 11pm. I just fit that into my schedule however I could ie sometimes I would go to a yoga class after finishing 2 games and just did the last one after. Now that I'm going back through the CC that lax schedule isn't working as I'm not just mechanically going through LGs and I need to be more actively learning and taking notes etc.
Know your body and do what works best for you. If you're not a morning person, don't start waking up at 5am before work. If you know you're just gonna pass out on the couch getting home from work, study at a library instead. If you've played sports before, just think of this like athletic training and arrange it as such.
I don't even have a job and I'm jealous! I wish I could wake up at 430. I'm an awful insomniac. I get out of bed at 5-7 and run on my adrenaline until I crash at like 11pm-12am. And repeat.
I totally agree that the social life may have to take a back seat. I've mentioned this on other forums before but I recently turned 21 and I haven't gone out and gotten drunk and had real fun in over a year. It's something that you have to make sure your friends understand lol that you'll be MIA for a bit. When do you plan to take the test? I think working through the CC for two hours a night and studying during the early mornings before work sounds optimal. Then during the weekend you can PT and continue working through the CC, hone in on the fundamentals.
I had the same type of conflict and didn't know how to manage a full time job with parenting and the LSAT. It took about a month but I finally converted myself to a morning person which has been amazing! I get up at 5am with no alarm, which gives me a solid 1.5hrs to get work done, then I'll do a little at night to "refresh" what I worked on in the morning, then off to bed! I do believe everyone can find the time necessary, it just depends on how much you're willing to sacrifice!
@estouten25, How did you get yourself in this new habit of waking at 5? Especially in winter? I'm definitely willing to sacrifice but I just need some pointers on making the habit changes. What timezone are you in?
Winter made it a little more challenging being in western-NY, but still doable! I was used to waking up around 630 everyday, so for a week I set my alarm at 6am, then next week was around 540, following week was around 515, then finally 5am. For me, the most important part was making sure I am IN BED no later than 930, preferable around 9:15 or I'm a zombie for an hour after I wake up and its pointless to even get up that early. On the weekend's I don't set an alarm and just wake up when my body wants to in order to make sure I'm not behind on sleep (but usually this is before 6am anyways). Overall I think its pretty easy to adapt as long as you go slow and stick to the right bedtime! Let me know if you have any other questions on it, it definitely has been a great decision for me!
Sorry to point out something obvious but enough is subjective to each LSAT taker. What are your dream schools? How many months or possibly years are you willing to study for this exam? Depending on your diagnostic, your study methods, and your past education, it may take months or possibly years to study amply for the LSAT while studying for thr LSAT. Realize it is completely fine to study for exam over an extended period of time so long as you arent spinning your wheels
Hey there! I think it all depends on when you are trying to take the test and where you are in your PTing or diagnostic. Can you share some more info?
@estouten25, Yes, it's cold right now and not that it matters too much, but the groundhog voted for a few more weeks of this.
I improved today and expect to also improve tomorrow, though, and before we know it, it's going to be a habit. I hear it takes about three weeks.
@lsatplaylist
whoops! I'm not sure if this actually helps or not but I do take vitamin D right when I wake up. I don't see the sun as it is in the winter time but also because I heard it is suppose to be a very mild stimulate, and I want my body to "think" its actually get some sun
Great idea. It's very likely I don't get enough Vitamin D. It's going on my next shopping list.
The biggest thing is being willing to stretch your studying out, calendar wise. If you try to study 5 hours a day after work + weekends, you will get burnt out, quickly.
I worked 7 to 5, then worked out and ate, studied from 7 to 10ish most nights. Then I did about 5 hours a day on weekends, usually a PT sat then BR on sunday. It worked really well, but it did take me about 9 months to get the score I wanted.
I think it's important to k is your own strengths and study habits. Are you more effective grinding for hours at a time? Or do you want to split it up? Lots of people do an hour in the morning, quick hit at lunch and then another hour or so at night. Whatever is most effective for you.