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LSAT Vent
Alex Anyonymous
Member
Hello,
The first time I signed up for the LSAT I choked and didn't show up. The second time I made it halfway through the LSAT (Today) and choked and also left. I feel like a pretty big embarrassment right now and the LSAT depression has hit hard. It just stinks because I will have to choose a new career and I don't know where to even start as I thought being an attorney was what I was meant to do, but alas it was not. Anyways just needed to vent as no one in my personal life understands the toll that is has taken. Good luck to all of you! If anyone has any words of encouragement (i.e. you'll find what your meant to do!) that would be great.
Comments
Sorry to hear about your experience. It's not over yet! You can still do it!
If you don't mind my asking, what happened halfway through today? Was it just not clicking?
I choked 2 times real hard and thought my life was crashing down. Then I took some time off to really prep and got a 166 (taking for a 4th time in November). What it probably means, which was super tough and yet I’m so happy I did, is that you should sit out a cycle and prep for next summer. I think that will calm your nerves. I feel a lot of nerves come from desiring a score that hasn’t been properly prepped for (maybe not your case). You can still pursue the path you feel you are meant for...just 1 year later.
I’m so sorry, you must be feeling awful. I truly don’t think you have to give up on being a lawyer because of LSAT nerves though! All of us here would love to help you figure out how to beat those nerves. Agree with the above that you should maybe think about pushing back a year so that you can get extra practice in and work on your nerves. I’m sure we could help you come up with ideas on things to try and how to practice pushing through the anxiety. If your dream is being a lawyer, we’re here to help you find your way to that! Hugs to you.
don't give up! honestly, i'm the same way. my face starts to feel hot and i feel like i just got some horrible news and my body tenses during these tests. i also agree that you should push back a year and focus on helping yourself with your anxiety. that's what i did and it's been good. i even started an anxiety medicine that i really like. during one administered lsat i took, i drank water before my test and had to pee really badly. i couldn't hold it till after the 3rd section and had to use the bathroom during the test. i canceled my score the very next day. it was really insane. i couldn't believe myself. i even cried afterwards. don't worry. this test isn't just a bowl of cherries for everyone!!
@tekken1225 I just had an immediate anxious breakdown when I got the test. I started crying (silently) during the logic games and decided to leave because I could not focus on anything not even logical reasoning.
@Brittany-5 Oh man, so sorry to hear that.
That's terrifying to hear.
On a lighter note, if I sat beside a person on the test, and saw her silently crying, I think I may have totally freaked out. Haha.
Don’t give up. Were your PT scores close to your target score before you took the exam?
I'm so sorry to hear it didn't go well. If becoming a lawyer is what you want to do, don't let this test win. Take some time to reevaluate and get back to it. I know what it feels like to choke during a test, and it sucks but know that this community is here to help you get closer to your goals.
I can empathize with some of what you are feeling, as I had trouble getting into the "zone" on the first section and think it may have ruined my score. It certainly is demoralizing in the moment, but if you zoom as far out as possible, we have a lot to be happy about and thankful for. We both have had the gift of human consciousness today. It sounds crazy and out there, but this experience we have right now is awesome!! There are always going to be highs and lows, and without the lows there would be no highs. Despite being at a low right now, do your best to see the good in life. Watch the sunset, have some drinks and chat with friends, enjoy a good meal or ice cream, just enjoy something little. 2 months seems like a lifetime away until we get another shot at this thing, but I guarantee todays low will just become part of the story.
@Kermit750 . It;s not that I don't even want to try again its more like I have no idea where to even start from here.
A tutor can help with that.
@Brittany-5 Right now I think you need to take sometime off to decompress. Don't think about the LSAT, though I know this easier said than done. Then if you have a good sense of what you're weakness is I would start from there, otherwise, take your time and go through the CC again. Like others suggested, maybe consider pushing back a year to give yourself enough time to get comfortable with the exam.
I agree with @Kermit750. Take some much needed time off. Now is not the time to figure out next steps - you need a break. It will also help you emotionally to get off the LSAT train and onto something else. You've had a rough couple of tests - the bright side? You don't have a permanent score on record (assuming you cancel today). I think you should also take into account how much time you put into studying and what your PTs were and how badly do you want to practice law? All of that background matters too.
Come back to the boards after you take some time off and talk to us again. We are here to help. Good luck and, if you drink, take a shot of amaretto - my fave.
It's OK. You're not alone. Have you canceled yet? Just take it one day at a time and maybe see about a different test center the next time if that's doable. And maybe upgrade to a course that allows more access.
@lsatplaylist no apparently you can't cancel until the day after
I've only recently opened up about this, but on my Sept 2016 test, I felt so much pressure and anxiety that I was physically ill afterwards. It started creeping up in my stomach right as the writing sample began. I spent the entire rest of the day and all night vomiting. I was so well trained for how to take the LSAT though, that in spite of that level of anxiety, I scored a 170.
There is a level of training and preparedness that can be achieved from which one can overcome something like this. It's a VERY high level, the path to it is long and arduous, and there is absolutely no guarantee of ever getting there. But it does exist, and there is a next step if you decide later that you want to take it. For now, eat ice cream and watch movies--old favorites are best. Save the big life decisions, either way, for a bit later. It's a legitimate decision about where to go from here, but you don't have to make it now. Give yourself some time.
Trust me, I know how you feel! The week before the exam I was having anxiety attacks, I couldn't sleep, I was trembling and worried all the time. It got to a point where I couldn't sleep at night and I STILL forced myself to study. It was hard to withdraw since I prepped so hard all summer but I'm so glad I did. I've taken almost a 2 week break and it's so much better to recognize your limits. If I sat in at that exam, I definitely would have pushed myself mentally and strained my well-being. You come first, the LSAT isn't going anywhere. Another 2 months won't do anything but refine and improve your studies. Go with the flow and take time for yourself. Studying is only part of the equation, your ability to be fully "there" and conquer the test takes mindset and your physical presence. We'll crush it!
I'm sorry you're dealing with so much anxiety throughout this process. I'm a realist, so I'm not going to tell you that everyone can do this with enough determination, willingness, etc. I REALLY wanted to be a neurologist. I'm not a calculus person, and I got a C in a chem class, so I know I'll never get into med school. Everyone told me that I could get in if I really worked at it, but I just don't have strengths in anything related to upper-level math. And that's ok. I'm going to give you my unsolicited opinion based on the few things I know about life:
When it comes to the career change thoughts, I think it depends on what type of law you plan on doing. If you plan on representing someone in court, you have to be able to get through the nerves and perform at your best. You can get better at that, but improvement has to happen. If you plan on doing other types of law that don't usually require you to do things like that, I'm sure you have the potential to be amazing. You are clearly driven and passionate, and that means a lot.
The thing that I would really think about is getting through law school itself. It is highly competitive and requires you to do some crazy hard things. In some classes, your final may be the entire grade. I have struggled with immense anxiety my entire life, and I have questioned whether or not I am fit for law school many times. If I can't get this next layer of anxiety chipped off by the time I'm supposed to go to law school, I'm going to delay and go to therapy until I'm ready. So I'm 100% not judging you AT ALL. I really, really feel you on the anxiety piece. I just think that you should take a short break from the LSAT and think about your future life in law school and as a lawyer. Does it seem achievable without self-destruction and panic attacks? If so, go all out.
Hi Brittany,
I read your post and I can definitely relate. It made me sad to read that you said that you would have to choose a new career just because you choked on the LSAT. Just because there is an obstacle in your way doesn't mean that you have to give up entirely.
Law school will be hard and if you are quitting so easily then maybe you're right- this isn't the right path for you. If this is something that you truly truly want then you should fight for it no matter how long it takes. Look at all of the other students who have taken the LSAT multiple times and they finally got the score that they wanted and now they are in law school. I'm sure at times they felt like they couldn't do it as well.
If you really want to go to law school keep practicing and take a bunch of practice tests. Come test day it will seem just like another practice test. If you still feel like you are super anxious then maybe you should talk to someone. I wish you the best of luck
.
I had terrible anxiety the first time I took my official LSAT. I messed up majorly during my second section and didn't get to half the questions. I thought about not returning after the break and cancelling my score. I'm glad I didn't. I think I needed that experience to learn how to approach it the next time.
The second time I studied for the LSAT I decided to focus more on mindfulness and started meditating. I took multiple practice test until I was comfortable with my score and the process of taking it. I used to get very anxious when starting a new section so I practiced and took deep breaths until that feeling dissipated. I did so much better on my second attempt.
Repetition can be a good way to ease your anxiety. If you practice enough you will be able to think through the questions even when you are anxious. More importantly, try to focus on being kind to yourself when you choke. I think mindfulness would make a big difference for you. Try to keep your thoughts positive. A key part of your performance on LSAT is how you manage your thoughts. The LSAT can be very intimidating. Even top scorers get nervous, but they are able to set their nerves aside to focus on the test.