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Working Full Time and Studying for the LSAT (oh and getting married next month)

OnTheLevelOnTheLevel Alum Member
in General 26 karma

Hello fellow LSAT studiers/7sagers, gust wanted to hear peoples thoughts on study habits for full time workers and those who are also married and studying. What are some of the schedules people stick to, study habits, or ave. hours one may put in weekday vs weekend? Also any guidance on ensuring your spouse gets attention while also giving you space and support one may need for studying for this crazy exam? Any guidance or advise on these topics would be much appreciated!

As for me, I intend on sitting for the January LSAT. I started studying at the beginning of this month and have been putting in 2 to 3 hours a week day (Mon - Fri) and 5 to 8 hours btwn Sat. and Sunday (aiming for 10 to 12 hours a week). Is this enough time?

-Thanks!

Comments

  • macklynkingmacklynking Free Trial Member
    36 karma

    I'm not married but live with my boyfriend of three years, so the relationship balancing act still applies. To be honest, one of the things that helps me the most is that he LOVES to play videogames and can do it for hours. I think he usually feels guilty about playing but because I also had to study, it created hours of uninterrupted time where he was happily playing away and I was doing my LSAT thing. Or he would utilize the time to reconnect with his friends, play soccer, or do his own work (he's a teacher too, so his work comes home with him). To be honest, I think it was good because it helped him understand the amount of work (and frustration) the LSAT is. Additionally, we've started doing logic games together. He's a math teacher, so he likes the idea of incorporating these into his classes, so we'll sit down, time ourselves on a game, and then talk through our thinking (often with a beverage in hand). I LOVE this because it's not as stressful as studying, we get to connect, but it helps me articulate and explain my thinking around LG.

    Finally, with working full-time, it's tough but you'll adjust to the new norm. I've been teaching and working on my Master's while studying for the LSAT, so I know the grind. Lots of advice I've heard that helps is studying before work and fitting in what you can at breaks and after. I have lots of other advice but this comment is long, so feel free to DM me :smile:

  • OhnoeshalpmeOhnoeshalpme Alum Member
    edited July 2018 2531 karma

    Big question - Why are you taking in January?

  • 702 karma

    Hello!! I'm actually getting married on the 27th of this month so it's coming up fast. I honestly just gave my mom a list of things that I need to get done and she's is working on it, thank God. I don't think I would be able to work and study and plan a wedding without her. I'm extremely lucky that I have someone who would do that for me.

    I think that is more than enough hours to study for the LSAT. I probably study about 3-4 hours a day sometimes more depending on how I'm feeling. I also take one day off a week. After I take a practice test I do not do any other LSAT related things that same day. The week that I'm getting married I'm taking the July test on that Monday haha so yeah that kinda sucks. Also, my fiancé is an accounting student so he just got done taking a summer class so he knows what it's like to be studying for something all the time. After I get married, I'm probably going to take that week off from studying and then start studying for the September test. Best of luck to you on your wedding day and more importantly, the LSAT!

  • Leah M BLeah M B Alum Member
    8392 karma

    Well, I can't speak to the relationship aspect (suuuuuper single lol), but my schedule of studying while working was typically that I would try to study during my lunch break (and then eat while I'm working). On weekdays, I'd put in about 2-3 hours. Typical routine was come home from work, make dinner, relax a little, then study until 10pm. After suffering some burn out, I also made sure to take at least 1 weekday evening completely off from studying. On the weekends, I'd do a PT on Saturday and nothing else. Sundays I would BR the PT, and also nothing else. If BR took more than about 3-4 hours, I'd stop and finish it on Monday instead.

    I made sure that on my off days (1 or occasionally 2 weekdays, and then Sat and Sun after PT or BR) I did something intentional that would rejuvenate me. That was typically making plans with friends - hitting a happy hour, going to a movie, etc. So I'd imagine you could do a similar thing but just being really intentional about spending time with your partner.

    So, that means I typically studied about 16 hours a week on average. I made concessions in certain areas, knowing that I have to reserve my bandwidth for studying. Things like cooking went out the window. I tried to stay healthy-ish, but relied a lot on frozen food. Anything I could microwave was great lol. So if there's any things that you can outsource to your partner, that would probably be really helpful. Things like meal planning, cleaning, etc. Anything that would help you to reserve your energy for studying when you can. It's going to be a sacrifice on both of your parts, but obviously it won't get much better once you're in school either. It sucks, but if both of you are on the same page with knowing that it's just going to be tough for a few years, that's probably the best thing you can do.

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