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1 Like
Need encouragement
Has anyone else been really discouraged by their inability to figure out this test?
Please give me some stories of what it was like when you weren’t so good and what changed and what it’s like now!
I had a really frustrating experience. I was working for probably 15+ minutes on a grouping games with chart problem set in the CC. I was really struggling, couldn’t figure it out, couldn’t make any inferences.
My roommate who has never seen an LSAT question in his life was interested in what I was doing and I gave him a copy of it and told him I was struggling. He figured it out in under 10 minutes.
This really hit me disproportionately hard.
Comments
I totally understand that feeling! I would study for extended periods of time and feel like I got nothing out of it. It was only when I'd go for a walk or the gym afterwards that I could let all the info digest. Suddenly, I'd realize a simple/fundamental nugget.
Logic games require good practice, and with it you'll get there. Don't worry about your roommate's attempt, because the way they might have gone about it might not be good for actually tackling four games. You'll get the hang of it, get faster, and do better.
My progress in studying did not follow a linear, consistent pace. But take satisfaction in that you're getting there and will be there come test time.
You got this!
You got this! Just stay consistent and be kind to yourself. The score that matters is on test day. In addition, the score doesn't determine your intelligence. It's a learning process and you have time to master it. Have a positive attitude, do positive affirmations and meditate, it helps a lot. I believe in you, good luck!!
@mattnaw Hang in there. I'm going through the same feelings you are. I left my job to devote all of my time studying for this test and every day I think to myself "what have I done?".
Every day it gets easier but some days are more difficult than others. Sometimes taking a break, getting some exercise, or eating helps but sometimes it doesn't and I try not to stress out about it. I know that's easier said than done, but I don't want to get LSAT fatigue, so if I'm not getting it that day, I just go on to something else or stop completely and try again the next day.
I have no plan B and I'm screwed if I cant get what I need to get into law school in the fall so that is my motivation to not lose sight of the goal.
Hang in there, dude but don't take your eye off of the prize. Nothing in this world worth having comes without some effort.
@mattnaw, Definitely been there. Right there with you. I take breaks and sometimes this helps.
I completely understand the frustration. I am in the middle of fullproofing and sometimes I find myself taking forever on certain games. I have learned that this whole test is a process and if you are consistent you slowly see progress. There are some games that are cake and other take others to learn . Don’t give up, one day this test will be a bad memory when you are in law school. In the meanwhile make sure you give yourself a rest day and some breaks while studying, it works wonders .
I also want to put in an endorsement for the ThinkingLSAT podcast. They talk about a variety of student experiences and how people have gotten past obstacles.
Trust me you're not alone. I felt like quitting a couple of days ago. I've been out of school for 10 years and I haven't even gotten deep into the course, (I'm only on the second week) and I'm already extremely overwhelmed and I'm just having a hard time in the LR. You'd think trying to pick out what a conclusion is would be simple, but nope not for me. Anyways sorry this isnt about me, lol, but yeah, my point is you are not alone. Its actually a little comforting to know I'm not going crazy and I'm not the only one that's feeling this way.
How long have you been studying for? I studied for abour 2 years to make the 20ish point gain from my diagnostic to my final score. I have definitely felt like you but with enough practice and with proper guidance from the likes of JY and other brilliant minds on 7sage, you will be able to develop a better sense for the exam. Rome wasn't built in a day and likewise the LSAT will take much effort and time for mere mortals like us
Thanks guys! Really kept me encouraged to not give up today.
@westcoastbestcoast I’ve been studying for a couple months, I work full time. I’m still going through the core curriculum. Thanks for the perspective, it helps.
After work today I sat down with the same two games from the problem set, they still took me a long time but I figured them both out without watching the videos, it was a big boost to my morale.
Obviously need to improve but realize I have plenty of time and it feels good to know that I figured these games out!
Thanks again!
Don't be too hard on yourself. Similar situation happened to me. My husband happened to pick up some of my logic games and figure it out himself. What the heck!!! But when he went through Reading Comp, it was a different situation!
Everyone has strengths and opportunities. I used to suck at Logic Games, but through repetition and a lot of time reviewing, I was able to get better at them with time.
Keep your chin up! You got this!
One of my roommates did this to me all the time, but he couldn't really explain anything or apply the lessons of one question to the next. It's like learning to play the piano versus being able to play one thing that you memorized one time. One is a skill, the other is a parlor trick. You're developing a skill which is a much slower process.
You'll get them in the end. The logic games are not so much hard as something most of us are really inexperienced in.
Think about how much time you have spent reading in your life compared to doing something like logic games. Even Logical Reasoning is thoroughly embedded into our culture. People argue all the time and they are usually trying to be logical.
Your roommate probably happened to have more experience with something like the LSAT(maybe he is the kind of twisted person who heard "I'm struggling with these logic games" and thought fun!). He might have had a natural advantage too. My sister could do them at will. But practice will get you there and the foolproofing method is pretty close to foolproof.
@"Seeking Perfection"
Yah my roommate is a computer science guy works at a software company so I’m sure he’s got a lot of experience with formal logic.
After he looked at it he literally said “I love these things! Can I write on this?!”
So yes he is one of those twisted people
I second this! Coming from a profession where we are in it for the long game, you discover that it's about falling in love with the process. Process of what? Perfecting our craft. Falling in love with the process of perfecting our craft? Falling in love with the process of achieving something at a level of near perfection. To achieve that, you have to be incredibly disciplined about approaching your practice (in this case study) sessions. I don't want to spew too much of music jargon but most of us practice the basic scales and technical exercises for thousands of hours over the course of years (learning to read music in different keys and clefs, mastering the right and left hand technique, being able to hear the intonation at pin-point accuracy, etc.). As I've seen, those who lack solid understanding of these fundamental skills have very weak foundation to be able to join any kind of orchestra at a professional level (aka get a job) let alone be admitted to good music schools. The point is, it's crucial to master the basics for any kind of skills because, in the end, they will all come together to serve a single purpose (playing music or acing the LSAT). You can't ace the LG section without having a solid understanding of how Lawgic works just as you can't play the Rachmaninoff's piano concerti on the piano without being able to play a simple c major scale. Yes, I know, music jargon.
I think most of us have 'that friend' who is able to tackle the most difficult LSAT questions with such speed and accuracy that you become incredibly discouraged about your own abilities. I'm not denying the existence of natural talent but just know that almost all of the so called 'geniuses' you see don't happen overnight. It's the product of years of dedication, discipline, and focus (or, I guess in the context of the LSAT, months??).
It's probably a good idea to take some time off when you are feeling really frustrated to reassess the situation and keep in mind that only person you need to outperform is the person you were yesterday. Trust the process, trust yourself; it's easier said that done but it will come to you.
@mattnaw All the time. I pass tests with ease, and always have. This? I walked into my first LG sample and was like:
This test doesn't measure things you can memorize. It doesn't measure things you ever learned in high school, and maybe not in college unless you took some courses in Logic. It is very much a unique creature. It felt utterly deflating to do as poorly as I did the first time around encountering this. Sure, the RC passages are similar to what we've seen before, except here, they're on PCP or something.
But, it also drives me. It's a challenge, and I must defeat it. I will defeat it. It's just a matter of time.
And you will, too.