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Related Discussions
Feel like this is taking forever...
savanyu.emma
Member
I only recently decided to aim for law school (finished my BA in 2015 and decided in 2018 that I would try to write the LSAT). I have now been on/off studying for the LSAT and wrote it once already and got a 152. My plan is to write the test a couple more times to see what mark I can get and apply asap. But I am stressed that this whole process of getting a decent mark on the LSAT, getting together an application, finding people to give me recommendations (I don't think any of my professors even remember me), etc. is going to take another year or so. I am panicked that this is taking too long and I have this feeling that other people have done all this in way less time. Am I a total loser? Is it normal to take two years to get a decent LSAT mark and get together a decent application with decent recommendation letters? I will add that I am 28 so I also have a contributing feeling of being "old" or "behind" already...
I would love to hear about other people's experiences!
Comments
When all is said and done it will have taken me about 2 years. Granted I started last October as a sophomore in college, but don’t worry about it just go at your own pace
It took me a year and a half to get a 171 on the test and I was 27 when I started studying for it.
This is completely normal and you shouldn't feel bad about it at all. Your race is different than everyone else's!
I ended up at a great law school and am loving it. Just see it through, if it's what you really want to do it is worth the time investment!
I started stuyding full time in January thought I would be done with LSAT by June but now its July and I don't even know if I'll be ready in September. I was thinking the LSAT would be like the SAT, where you study 1 or 2 months and take it and do well. Its such a tough exam and it just feels like there is no end to this. I'm worried that this will end up taking so long that even if I achieve my dream score, I won't be happy because of the amount of time sunk. But to answer your question, you're not the only one. We just gotta keep going and hopefully it'll be over soon lol.
Thank you guys so much for sharing! I feel better already! Good luck with it all, you are all such hard workers!
Just to give you perspective, I am 46. Erase loser from your thoughts, you deserve to be treated the best by everyone but especially yourself. Keep pushing forward.
It took me over two years (and four takes!) to get to a 174! And to be honest the process is overwhelming, and it is difficult! But you can power through it and come out stronger. Like @"Best.Yet.2.Come" said, you have to treat yourself well, and that should be top-priority.
And you're not old at all, so don't feel like you have to rush.
Work hard, rest well, treat yourself right, and take the test when you're truly ready.
And to add, this community is here for you through the ups and downs! You're not in this alone!
No, you are not a loser. This sounds quite normal to me.
Hey, I started out with a 146 last year and it took me painstakingly long to reach high 150's and have stayed there for awhile now. I was studying full-time but decided to get a full-time job instead and shift my gears to have a stable income, have a peace of mind (back-up if law school doesn't work out in the next 2-3 years), and have a chance to meet other people. I am slowly starting to pick things up from where I was before and plan on taking it slow from here. Don't rush your process. It's a steady race; run at your own pace!!!
what law school are you attending?
Northwestern!
Whenever you end up going to law school it will be the right time. Whether it’s a year from now or 5 years from now.
Funny thing about life is that it all works out somehow. Take it from someone almost twice your age who is considering going to law school.
Yep. Around 2 years or so. I tried to study for this while working on college, with overloaded semesters and adding a minor in my senior year. I had to choose, because college work was eating me alive and I wasn't seeing improvements with my LSAT since I couldn't devote any time to it. I had to just completely drop it until graduation (this May). Was a good decision for my grades, but cost me time. In the end, that's all it really is: time. But, scholarships are worth money and time. A good scholarship can save you years, maybe decades, of loan payments. A couple years is worth it to me. This will take as long as it takes. I have goals, and I'm going to try and meet them.
Btw, I am 36 now. I know it seems like time is slipping away from you, being in your 20's, but trust me: it's not. You're doing fine. Just keep moving along until you're where you want to be.
This is truly lovely advice! Thank you!!
Thank you for sharing. I think your plan is a solid one. It is really true that the full-time studying makes the LSAT the 'be all and end all' and that is extra stressful and does not contribute to a joyful life haha. This definitely has been my experience thus far. I am going to try to find a similar balance in my life and process. Best of luck to you!!
Ure not old hey!Kim Kardashian will be in her 40s when she finishes up her law apprenticeship!
Hi! I too graduated in 2015, am 28, and am still studying for the LSAT. You are truly not alone. My advice is to really focus on what works best for you as far as getting your best score and when you are ready to attend instead of feeling like you are racing the clock.
I have been planning on attending since I was an undergrad and used to stress that I was way too far behind. Life happens and finding the time to study while working full time (I’m not sure your situation but that is mine) is a lot to take on. People from all backgrounds and all ages attend law school, so you won’t be alone at all. As a bonus, I’ve actually found my years experience working full time has actually helped me somehow — some things just seem to click a little better. I also think I’ll be a much better student when the time comes than if I had gone right out of undergrad. Long story short, just do what works for you and it will all work in the end! It feels like you’re behind but there are so many other people in the same boat. The extra stress also will do nothing to help you achieve your goal score.
Good luck and feel free to reach out if you ever need to speak to someone in your situation.
One of my lowest points of studying this past year has been when I felt like things were taking way too long, that no matter how much time I put it in, I wouldn't improve, etc.
I was told the same "just keep pushing through and you'll see improvements" and "trust the process" but it was really hard to believe in any of that in the moment -- it was difficult for me to swallow my pride in thinking that I should already have mastered the test. Sure enough, the gains do come, and are still slowly coming haha
The LSAT takes time, and though you may sometimes wonder if it's even worth it (and consequently go through existential crises here and there wondering if this is truly what you want to do), there must be something, whether it be conquering the test itself or knowing deep down that you want to have a legal education, that pushes you forward. So tap into that, and your support network, and keep on chugging along -- you'll get there eventually!
Also, in terms of time, sure there are fellow peers who went straight to law school and might already be first year associates or whatnot, but when you think about the course of a lifelong legal career, whether you start at 25 or 35 doesn't really matter that much!
Went on a mild motivation rabbit-hole and found this:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt
https://blog.spiveyconsulting.com/dare-greatly/