Studying, Working, and Personal Life Balance

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• 2 Likes

  blah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 3545 karma

  Hey Kristen! A lot of people will tell you that the LSAT should be a super high priority that is worth forgoing your personal life for (at least in the interrim). If you can make the LSAT as equal of a priority as work and studying, I think that's the ideal.
  
  That being said, what's even more important is to allocate a manageable number of hours of studying you should do per day and stick to it. If that means you can squeeze in 3-4 hours a day, do it. If that means going through one LR section (~25 questions), one LG section (4 games), and one RC section (4 passages), do that. The point is that you need to figure out the sweet spot for you. Don't get down on yourself if you aren't sleeping 3 hours a day because you're working, studying, partying, and going to school full time. However, in order to write the June test, I would say you should try to allocate at least an hour a day during the week, and work longer hours on the weekend, with the goal of trying to average ~10-20 hours a week.
• 1 Like

  Julia L Alum Member

  February 2015 354 karma

  Hi Kristen!
  
  I can really relate. I also have a full-time job at a law firm, graduated undergrad a couple years ago
  
  It is really hard to carve out time. But it's doable! Once you figure out your priorities, you just have to follow through with discipline. For me, I knew that I get really drained throughout the workday, and I don't have the energy to study for something as rigorous as the LSAT after work. So I've actually forced myself to wake up a few hours before work and use that time to only study for the LSAT (I started doing that at the beginning of 2015). That way when I come home after work, I can just unwind and chill, and go to bed early. Saturdays are also great for focused LSAT study time (I use my Saturdays for practice tests and blind review).
  
  To be honest, yes my personal life has suffered for this season. But I've still managed to find time here and there to hang out. You just have to remember that it's not forever, it's just for a few months. And your friends should understand!
  
  Hope that helps. Clarify and stick to your priorities until June
  Julia
• 1 Like

  jdawg113 Alum Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 2654 karma

  soooo yes, Social life is barely existent while working FT and trying to properly study unfortunately... When your time is so restricted you want to make sure you use the time you do have in order to prep. If you are too tired from work try getting up and moving during, sitting for long periods of time does cause you to be tired later in the day. Also see about waking up early to study before heading to work that way you can do less after or even just go right to sleep or something.
• 2 Likes

  Kristen B Member

  February 2015 388 karma

  Thank you so much for the advice guys! Through reading your comments, I understand that I really need to re-prioritize things within my life, and moving forward the LSAT will be high on my priority list (which I am ok with since it will only be temporary). I also love the idea of waking up early before work to study; I don’t think my mine can handle studying rigorous material after a long day. So, I will try out this schedule tomorrow morning. Wish me luck, *fingers crossed*. Also, good luck to you all on this law school journey.
• 2 Likes

  jdawg113 Alum Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 2654 karma

  also dont expect messing with your sleep schedule to instantly work out, you very well may be tired from going to sleep early and waking up early as its abnormal for your body... just a thought to keep in mind
• 1 Like

  blah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 3545 karma

  ^^ This is a really excellent point.
• Kristen B Member

  February 2015 388 karma

  Yes! Great point. So you’re saying eventually my body will adapt? Because I know I won’t be happy having to wake up that early. I usually leave for work around 7:30 am, which means I might have to wake up around 5am to study.
• 2 Likes

  Julia L Alum Member

  February 2015 edited February 2015 354 karma

  Yeah, it's like adjusting to a new time zone. I'm a major night owl, and I had to really train my internal clock. I leave for work at 8 AM, but I wake up at 5 AM now. The first week was really hard, my body felt really tired and confused. But after that it adjusted pretty well
• 2 Likes

  emli1000 Alum Member Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 3462 karma

  Usually waking up early and using your weekends to fully commit to studying is what has helped me manage my time wisely. A personal life? What's that? Lol.. Remember to take a day or 2 off during the week to give yourself a break and not burn out. You can do things on these days that you enjoy and that will take your mind off of the LSAT.
  
  
• 1 Like

  jdawg113 Alum Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 2654 karma

  I woke up at 7 to leave my house at 8, as it got closer I started waking up at 5ish to study a bit and on some days workout with a little studying, eventually it becomes easier bc you are used to it... I still wake up at 5am every day to workout, and just go to sleep by 10:30 the latest, at first it is weird bc you don't feel ready for bed by then bc you're normally up much later but after a bit it becomes habit and your body is used to shutting down at that time and suddenly you struggle to stay up past 11 lol
• 1 Like

  CallMeJazzy Alum Member

  February 2015 65 karma

  It's been my experience that you have to give something up. Contrary, to popular belief you cannot have it all. I'll just second and third (and forth) a lot of what has already been said. You'll be finished with the LSAT in June--just go ahead and make it a priority until then. For me that means getting my sleep schedule back under control so that I can wake up early to study (I can't study after work either). Necessairly, that means that I have to go to bed earlier now. I look to be in bed by 11 so that I can be up by 7 (I don't go in until 11am). That gives me time to get 2-3 study hrs, get ready for work and then come home and unwind/cook before bed. One day out of the week I schedule in an hour to work out (usually Tuesday) and do a light study day. Saturday and Friday are my heavy study days and then I catch up on housework for Sunday. If you'd still like to have a social life, I'd try having meals with friends/families and just learning how to say no. It sucks for a little while but it's going to feel so damn good to kill the LSAT that I just keep telling myself that it'll be worth it. I've been slacking off lately, but while I was sticking to this schedule (for about 3-4 months last year) my score jumped 11 points over my first diagnostic. Gotta put in work to see results--but thank sweet, baby jesus (in his little baby manger) that the result do come!
• harrismegan Member

  February 2015 2074 karma

  Hi! Okay. I am in a similar boat. I work at a law firm full time as well. I tried to cram full time studying in with my full time job, and my LSAT mark for December was a sad 155. I honestly can say that, although I'm glad for having been through the experience, it truly is better if you take the time to fully learn the fundamentals and not go insane just trying to hammer out material. You need to let the material breath into your system and absorb, which is something that only time will allow. I can say now I have a better grasp of concepts having gone through the course for almost a second time.
  It is possible. I don't know what your diagnostic is. Maybe it's in the 160s and all you have to do is bump it to the 170s. Which seems possible in the allotted time frame.
  IF you're at the prep test stage and your mark is a lot lower, sign up for June and see how the tests go closer to. If you're consistently on the higher end of your target score, then you should probably write it. If you're not even touching your target score, then maybe you should schedule for October. Waiting isn't THAT bad, and if you work full time I KNOW how hard it is to work 8 hours and come home and have to study for 6-7. It's horrible.
• shine.on.me Alum Member

  February 2015 463 karma

  I'm in a similar boat as well. I took the LSAT in September but did not do well. My score was a 145. In hindsight, I wish I hadn't taken it or cancelled my score. But as always hindsight is 20/20. I agree completely that it is better to take all the time you need and put it off if needed. I'm already up to the the mid-150s. Last BR score was 160. 7 Sage is amazing because I can go as slow as I need to and I can study when I have the time. I never thought I would be scoring a 160 even on BR this early in my prep.
  
  I'm not a morning person. I leave for work at 7AM to get to work by 8:30 AM. I have a long commute through heavy traffic. I tried getting up early one morning to do a drill but it didn't work for me. I work in a call center. And most mornings its slow enough that I can take care of a few lessons in between calls. As long as I don't neglect my calls, my boss doesn't care. Right now, I'm trying to study an hour a day and study hard on the weekends. But its hard to resist the urge to crash when I get home. I think the answer is you have to dedicate yourself to this. And its really not that long. I don't have a social life either but I didn't really have one before I started prepping for the LSAT. Working full time and studying for the LSAT simultaneously sucks but it's going to be so worth it.
  
  Anyway, I'm rambling. I wish everyone the best of luck. :-)
• Kristen B Member

  February 2015 edited February 2015 388 karma

  Wow, thanks again for such great insight everyone! This morning I tried the waking up early to study system. To be honest it was extremely difficult, and I kept hitting the snooze button. However, I know it will get better as time progresses. Also, I do feel a little pressured, because in response to your statement @harrismegan ^^, my LSAT diagnostic score was pitiful. What I found was that I was running out of time, so I know my problem starts with pacing. However, I am still hoping to raise my score significantly. I just wonder if it’s realistic to raise my score from 10-15 points. So my question is, for those who have been studying for a while, how much improvement have you seen since your diagnostic test score?
  
  Thanks Again, you guys are helping to relieve a lot of my LSAT anxieties.
  
• Kristen B Member

  February 2015 edited February 2015 388 karma

  @CallMeJazzy ^ I am in the same boat but I am hoping to raise my diagnostic score as well. That’s such great progress. Also @Shine.On.Me, you improved you score so much!! Over how long of a period did it take you? I must say that really motivates me to not give up, because after my diagnostic score I started to question if law school was even for me. Part of me Would like to take the June LSAT score so I don’t have to wait a whole year to go to law school, but I know for that to happen I will have to really dedicate myself. However, as Megan notes I am ok with taking the LSAT at a later time if I don’t feel completely ready.
  
• 1 Like

  shine.on.me Alum Member

  February 2015 463 karma

  @Kristen B I started studying in May 2014. My very first diagnostic was a 140. I think. I used PowerScore all summer to study for the September 2014 test. I slacked off too much and didn't study effectively and winded up with a 145. That was actually the low end of my PTs at the time. My highest PT in the first round of prep was a 151, not certain if that was timed or not. When I got my score, I considered whether or not law school was for me as well. But I regained the confidence and decided that law school was for me. My most recent PT was a 153 and BR was a 160. I never expected the 160 this early and really it didn't take much for me to get there. LR it was mainly being able to parse through the grammar and logic easier that helped with improvement. And the 160 is largely the result of LG being a very strong section for me but timing being an issue. On BR I generally get all the points on the game I did not have the time to get to in the timed run. RC is to a certain extent a timing issue as well. I still have a lot of work to do but I am chugging along. This improvement is really motivating me.
• 1 Like

  Allison M Alum Member Inactive Sage

  February 2015 810 karma

  My advice, in no particular order:
  
  - Register for the 7Sage course, if you haven't already. My score jumped massively after working my way through the curriculum. A 10-15 point jump is certainly possible.
  - As others have said, work out a study schedule that's realistic for you. It may be that you can't carve out enough time to study for the June LSAT, which isn't a failing on your part -- it's just the way it is.
  - If you're not scoring near your goal score by the date change deadline, postpone to October. Remember: a high LSAT score could be the difference between a low- or mid-tier school without scholarships and a top-tier school with. In the long run, you'll be much, MUCH better off waiting for that great score than rushing into a crappy one.
  - I got a lot done over my lunch break. I actually looked forward to studying at that time, because it was a nice change of pace from my regular work.
  - Remember that maintaining some semblance of a personal life will help you manage test-induced stress. You can't work effectively if you're not happy and healthy.
  - Our brains need plenty of sleep in order to assimilate all of the new knowledge we're forcing into them, so don't sacrifice a full night's sleep in order to study.
• 1 Like

  harrismegan Member

  February 2015 2074 karma

  "you'll be much, MUCH better off waiting for that great score than rushing into a crappy one." this is solid advice and completely true!!
• Kristen B Member

  February 2015 388 karma

  
  @shine.on.me I feel our situations are very relatable. On my diagnostic test I took a week ago, I scored a sad 144. At first I was feeling very discouraged, but I noticed that my main issue was not being able to finish in time. This seems to be an issue with you as well, but I am hoping with practice that my timing will improve. But your story is very motivational, and I know now that there is still hope for me. Congratulations on your improvements!!
  @AllsionM, thanks for the great encouraging advice. I also like the idea of studying during my lunch break. My goal is to commit 2.5 hours a day to the LSAT during the week. I get an hour-30 min. lunch break so if I use my hour to study (and eat of course) I will only have one more hour to go, which I will cover before I go to work. This schedule sounds “idea” but we will see how things work out in reality. Also, I understand now that it is important not to rush into LSAT. I will gage my progress to decide when I think it’s best to take the LSAT as you and @harrismegan stress.
  
  Thanks again for such great advice.
  
• 6 Likes

  Jonathan Wang Yearly Sage ⭐

  February 2015 6874 karma

  The advice given here is solid; take it slow, do things the right way, and don't worry about how long it takes you.
  
  One thing I want to stress - your ability to finish a section on time is directly linked to your competence with said material. Thus, your problem is not speed. It never is. Your problem is understanding, and recognizing this is key because it shifts the entire paradigm. Don't practice with the intent of 'going faster' (how do you practice that, anyway?) - that's counterproductive and will likely lead to some pretty nasty bad habits and questionable 'shortcuts'. Practice with the intent of learning the right way to do things, and the speed will come. Always remember that 13/13 is better than 12/25.
• 1 Like

  Kristen B Member

  February 2015 388 karma

  @"Jonathan Wang" You are definitely right! Once I gain a better understanding of the material, I believe my speed will increase. So I am hoping that consistent practice will get me there. Yet, when I am not under the pressure of time I seem to get a lot of questions correct, say if I am doing drills or so forth. Also, I am still able to get the questions done in a reasonable amount of time, but still not fast enough for the actual LSAT. But, for now I will focus on speed; instead, I will focus on gaining an in depth understanding of the LSAT. Cause as you say, speed will come.
  
  Thanks!!
• 3 Likes

  [Deleted User] Free Trial

  February 2015 578 karma

  Study study study study study for the LSAT.
  
  If you don't need to support your family or can live off of what you have saved until June, quit your job and study.
  
  
  LSAT is 80% of the admission decision. Therefore, lsat should be your new best friend/boyfriend/girlfriend. You live, breath, sleep lsat. The reward at the end will be worth a lot more.
  
  There is no social life or personal obligations in the 180s lsat taker world.
• 2 Likes

  emli1000 Alum Member Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 3462 karma

  ^ so true. & it'll be the same once we get into law school. This prep is just preparing us for what's to come.
• 1 Like

  Ben Schnell Alum Member

  February 2015 54 karma

  Here's what I did while working. I get an hour for lunch and I still need to eat, but within that hour I always gave myself 35 minutes to do a logic games section. I quickly got done all of them. When you're done? Start over. Logic games are perfect for lunch because even if your coworkers ask you to do something, its the kind of thing you can pause. As long as you pause your time. Reading or LR is a little harder in that respect.
  
  I tried to always get a couple hours in each night. If you find yourself too tired, then try to do it in the morning as everyone said.
  
  Weekends are your time. You can't spend the WHOLE weekend training but I usually got started around 10am and finished around 4-5. That's a solid day of work. Between the logic games at lunch, an hour (or two) each night, and 15hrs over the weekend, you're looking at 30hr weeks. That's plenty. You can cut down your Sunday studying a bit and still have put in a lot of time.
  
  I definitely tried to maintain a social life. I didn't have THAT much time to dole out but I'm a big pub trivia fan and that kept me sane. Make sure you get some exercise in too (I usually tried to spend at least 5hrs a week on this still). You need to keep some semblance of a normal life or you'll crash.
  
  After a month or two you'll get used to it and you'll start to recognize what you're learning and when you are learning best.