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Last minute life decisions

hginhgin Alum Member
in September 2018 LSAT 8 karma

Hi there,

I'm stuck in what to do before the clock strikes midnight tonight. I have taken 10 PTs within the last 2 months and am scoring between 157-163. I have done the whole 7Sage course and have completed the LG and LR Bibles (have seen a significant improvement on LG). I want a 170+ and I think I can get that with more time and a big life decision.

I think I am being held back by some psychological pressures. Right now I am working on a political campaign. Up until 3 weeks ago, I was working 60 hours per week, but then dropped down to 30 hours a week to study for the LSAT. My score has not improved and I think I have hit a road block. I know that many other people work full-time, but campaigning for a nationally recognized House race is quite demanding and requires constant attention beyond scheduled hours.

Bottom line, I really need a 170+ and I think I can get that if I eliminate a major stress factor in my life. Should I quit my job, eliminating the possibility of a LOR from a congressman, and focus on the LSAT for November OR just take it tomorrow and see what happens even though I am certain I will not get my target score?

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Comments

  • OhnoeshalpmeOhnoeshalpme Alum Member ⭐
    2531 karma

    First things first, don’t take it tomorrow. If you’re sure you won’t hit your target then it can only hurt you.

    Second, you don’t have to quit your job if you’re willing to delay a cycle. It sounds like you still have some significant ground to cover with your score if you want to be above 170 and it’s fairly unlikely that you’ll be able to make it there by November in any case.

    If you won’t delay a cycle then you probably should cut back on your campaign job as much as possible or get rid of it altogether. If you really want to score 99th you need to invest some serious time and energy.

    Also, consider getting a tutor consultation and talk with them about this issue. They are going to better diagnose your abilities and your needs than any of us can from a post alone.

    Ps - a LOR from a congressman is definitely a plus but it’s not going to be that big of a boost imo.

  • ecarr_12ecarr_12 Live Member
    edited September 2018 187 karma

    If you are confident that you won't score a score that reflects your actual potential on the LSAT, do not take it tomorrow. Coming from someone who has multiple scores and a similar story of divvying up her time working for campaigns/government offices, if you can avoid the possibility of having multiple scores, do so. I also do not think it is necessary to full out quit your job. Cutting your hours in half, as you have done, should be sufficient. I personally am able to hold myself more accountable to my studying when I have work and know that I have X amount of hours each day to get it done.

  • Pride Only HurtsPride Only Hurts Alum Member
    2186 karma

    So I havent hit the 170s yet but I was also stuck in the high 150/low 160s and managed to break through my plateau. Also I totally agree with everything said above ^. I would add that you're definitely taking too many PTs if your score hasn't improved. What is you BR score? If you're BRing in the 170s then at least you know you have the fundamentals down. If not, unfortunately you'd need to go back and relearn some stuff. Personally, when I was stuck in the high 150s I went back and revisited a lot of the CC. I found that I kinda skipped/skimmed things like referential phrasing and valid arguments so relearning these concepts helped me a lot. I also focused on drilling Flaw, Strengthen, Weaken, PSA and Sufficient, and Necessary Assumption questions. After that I re-foolproofed my logic games because I was still shaky on LG and only after all of that did I take another PT. It's all about knowing your strengths and weaknesses. If you cannot diagnose the problem then you absolutely cannot expect to make progress. BUT! I don't think it's impossible for you to score a 170 in november. You would need to diagnose your issues asap and start attacking them one at a time. Skipping properly and time management alone increased my score a few points so be sure to watch webinars on all of that. (There are also great webinars that focus on specific question types. Those were great for me.)

  • studyingandrestudyingstudyingandrestudying Core Member
    5254 karma

    I agree with the above comments--probably take it later.

  • JaejaebinxJaejaebinx Alum Member
    104 karma

    I was supposed to take the test tomorrow but I just withdrew because I know I won't be scoring what I wanted (170s). I know it's a hard decision considering a lot of things, but 1) I didn't want a bad score on my record and 2) I know it will hurt my confidence if I bomb it knowing that I'm not ready. Although submitting applications after the November test isn't as early as doing so before Thanksgiving, it still isn't late.

    I've also finished the 7Sage CC and have done some practice exams. I felt like I needed a different perspective for solving problems, so I decided to order the LSAT Trainer which I'm excited to get into.

    I hope you get to a decision that you feel good about tonight. Chin up, you can do it!

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