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#vulnerablemoment Struggling for November
Hey y'all. This is not just a ploy for "atta girl". But feeling a little isolated in my study world. And a little freaked out for November test. I took my first test almost 2 years ago, finished college, started studying regularly last fall, but got sidetracked by getting married. Now 6 weeks out I have the time to devote like I wanted after balancing studying and life all summer. Discouraged with not making much progress on timed sections, drilling and BR'ing. So, diving into the 7sage community for thoughts/advice and hopefully I'm not the only one in this boat!
November or bust!
Comments
I picked up the Trainer and I think it and my terrible experience in Sept. really helped me change my mindset. I was pting, drilling, BRing before the Sept test and seeing little stable progress, although I kept convincing myself that my study strategies were sufficient. I recently realized that just because I was reaching a certain score range during each pt, that didn't mean I was comfortable with the test, which makes a whole lot of difference when it comes to progress. I've just read through the intro and RC section of the Trainer, but I think it's helped me to see that I not only need to analyze my skills and strategies, but also my mindset and processes. I also realized that I've been studying in a way that I should never settle for. I put so much emphasis on doing problems/games/passages after problems/games/passages that even though I reviewed and thought about how I could do better next time, I didn't think as critically as I should have about why I got something wrong, I focused more on the what. I thought that if I just did more problems and reviewed them I would get better, but this didn't help me consistently improve. I'm not sure if this makes any sense but I think what I'm trying to say is doing less can sometimes result in doing more when it comes to drilling. Try to do less problems, take one pt during the week, BR it, but do not take another one until you retrace your steps, try to remember what was going through your mind during each section, each question, each passage, and write down explicitly how you felt and your explanations for the answers. Repetition is key, not just for honing your skills but for solidifying HABITS that work for YOU. After your review, foolproof everything using the specific process that you think works best for you (this may take some trial and error, but review is a great time to figure it out) and keep doing them until your process is habitualized and you're getting the correct answers every time. Take it slow but take it seriously. This is what I plan to do to prepare for November, and I'm already starting to feel so much more comfortable with certain sections of the test than I did before because now I have a process to fall back on when I'm stuck in a section.
@Victoria. thank you! I also have the trainer and have found it to be helpful as well for wrapping my head around things that didn't functionally make sense. And that's the disappointing part; is that things are making more sense as I review the trainer and the 7sage CC for where i'm consistently weak. So the theory makes sense and as always with the LSAT, the application is the frustrating part and where it all falls apart.
I think the November or bust is where you're kind of feeling under the pressure. Delay until you're hitting your target score consistently. @victoria. gave you great advice, and I'd add to do the easiest problems with regards to drilling so you can recognize and understand the patterns that are going on.
I would also add you need to have a system to build on positive mental stability. That includes exercise and meditation. If you're exercising and meditating daily, you'll feel more composed. Furthermore, I also suggest placing less emphasis on the test itself. Where you end up isn't as important as where you want to go.
Are you discouraged because you don't know what to do to improve or because you know what you need to do but you aren't seeing as much improvement as you'd like?
@"Adam Hawks" the 'November or bust' was a little more tongue in cheek than seriousness. If I have to take January I will, I just don't want to! And know I am capable of being successful!
@Ohnoeshalpme It's more the latter, and sometimes after drilling or foolproofing something and not seeing improvement it's the former.
Yeah I’m totally there with you, the progress on this test is so slow at times. And the nature of PTs is “2 steps forward 1 step back” where you’ll score really well on a section or two but revert back to your old ways in another. It’s painful, but all you can do is put your head down and hope for the best in November.
I feel the same way and felt defeated after taking a practice test today. I improved on RC and LG but LR is not much of an improvement at all. Though before I really didn't understand the method and guessed a lot, this time I stopped from guessing and really took to heart how to attack questions, also thought I am being more strategic in just answering the ones I am good at. I ended up getting the same score from my old scores. Though it's comforting to see that some have reviewed over a year, it still doesn't make it easy to swallow that I didn't improve much after all the work I have done. I am taking a break and going to the gym. Just wanted to say that you are not alone and I feel you!
I think stress occurs most often for students like us when we place unrealistic hopes on things we know aren't likely to be possible. Don't think about getting a specific score. Just think about improving as much as you can, and getting a score that reflects that.
Do your best when studying, but try not to get hopeful or expectant of anything. Always know that you have things to fall back on, and try not to put all your emotional eggs in the November basket. 6 weeks is honestly very little time. In fact, I would say that you have 5 weeks, because we're not really supposed to study too hard the week of the test, so try to adjust your expectation accordingly. In general, depending on your weaknesses, I think it is possible to increase your score by 5 within the 5 weeks you have left, if you study a solid 5-6 hours a day. Remember, the LSAT process is a marathon for most people, not a sprint, so expect a grueling experience, and expect slow downs and slumps. Hopefully, by expecting them, you'll be able to handle them better.
We're all in it together. I'm at a plateau myself. I just tried a tutoring session though, and that might help me break my plateau. Maybe you can ask for a free consultation and see how that goes.
I took my first test in 2013. You are not the only one. One soon-marriage, baby, and two cross country moves later.. i'm still doing this. Good luck!
Just saying I'm with you too! Took it two years ago and didn't get what I hoped so I put the whole thing on hold. I'm dead set on November because I know I want to enroll next fall -- definitely struggling right now as I'm not seeing my scores improve much though I've been studying tons and feel that I really understand the material better now. I guess it is what it is and hopefully it all just clicks soon for all of us!