Start Over vs. Review

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• 1 Like

  VegMeg55 Alum Member Inactive ⭐

  April 2015 587 karma

  If you have even the slight feeling that starting over would be better then I think that is what you should do. I understand the hesitence to do that since it is a very time-involved task, but the 'dart to the dart board' approach of picking a random question type to review will not serve you nearly as well. I've been in your position and did not want to start over, but I got frustrated with PTs since I was missing questions from every type and after starting over I realized I didn't have a solid grasp on the fundamentals and was quickly and needlessly exhauting fresh questions. Since you've dipped your toes into the LSAT pool, you're already more comfortable with it than a first-time prepper and the review will be easier since it's material you've already seen before. It doesn't need to be as comprehensive as if you were starting from ground zero, but going over everything will definitely help you indentify which areas are weaker. I'm in your exact position, and I'm contemplating pushing the test back until December as well with a potential of postponing law school another year. I totally understand what you're thinking/feeling right now, but expediency never outweighs being comprehensive, especially for a test like the LSAT. I wish you the best of luck!!!
• 1 Like

  nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  April 2015 7965 karma

  I have "started over" twice and do NOT regret having done so (I did this with the Trainer using Mike Kim's study/drill schedules, which you'll find on his website). Each time through I undoubtedly benefitted not only from re-learning the fundamentals, but also from the mental/emotional break of allowing myself to think of myself as "just starting out." I've more or less "started over" a third time with the introduction of the 7sage curriculum, but I think of this more as starting another chapter (the freshness remains intact, but I'm more conscious of the foundation upon which I'm building).
  
  Consider that every year you delay law school, the more of a favor you're likely doing for yourself as well as your future classmates. Every year marks a gain in maturity and life experience: two things that undoubtedly shift the balance of many (if not most) law schools in an overall much-needed direction. I'm grateful that the youngest I'll be when I start law school is 31 because I'm confident that by the time I've graduated (just shy of 34), I'll have a substantially more grounded way about me. I'd much rather work ≥70-80 hours a week and manage six-figure debt as a 35 year old than as a 25 year old. Much less likelihood of really stupid decisions at more advanced age.
• 2 Likes

  VegMeg55 Alum Member Inactive ⭐

  April 2015 587 karma

  @nicole.hopkins Beautifully said, as always!
• nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  April 2015 7965 karma

  D'aww I just write what I know!!
• 1 Like

  shine.on.me Alum Member

  April 2015 edited April 2015 463 karma

  @nicole.hopkins I like the idea of referring to it as starting a new chapter. It makes it sound more like I am building from the past instead of starting from scratch. It sounds like maybe all the time I've spent on LSAT prep has not been as wasted if that makes sense.
  
  I'm also glad that I waited for law school. But I'm getting impatient. You and I are also very close to the same age, I turned 30 in January. If I start law school next fall (2016) which is the absolute earliest I can start, I will be 31. I'm ready to get started with it. And dare I say, I hate my dead-end job in customer service. But my financial and personal situation may require me to have to bite the bullet. Law school will always be there. I need to realize "Vienna waits for you." I suppose another year might not be too bad start at 32 graduate at 35. It's a lot to consider. Thank you for your words of wisdom.
• nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  April 2015 7965 karma

  @shine.on.me said:
  It makes it sound more like I am building from the past instead of starting from scratch. It sounds like maybe all the time I've spent on LSAT prep has not been as wasted if that makes sense.
  

  The time (and the exertion that characterizes that time) has NOT been wasted. The apparent ROI might not yet be "in season" if you will—you might not be seeing the fruits of it yet.
  
  You're actually a year older than me—so yes, I 100% understand the eagerness to move forward. And I absolutely understand the situation you're in with work; I spent a lot of time over the past year bemoaning the fact that my current career path leaves most of my best gifts almost totally underutilized. Then it dawned on me that I should be grateful that I noticed that my gifts are being neglected at all (let alone that I have such gifts!).
  
  BUT. Like you said—law school will always be there and I suppose it's a matter of considering whether you really stand to lose anything by waiting a year. It would really be regrettable to rush forward at the expense of your "financial and personal situation" (those are large parts of my own intention to wait until Fall 2016 to apply). You can afford to take the long view (which is hard to do at age ≤25 sometimes) and it sounds like that's exactly what you're doing. And an extra year of wisdom and life experience never really seems to hurt, anyway :-)
  
  Another thing ... if you're able to join any of the BR groups, I highly recommend them—they are not only very encouraging (I'm going to assume you're not surrounded by a lot of people who are also super-prepping for the LSAT? I'm an anomaly in my social circles so it's nice to talk to people who understand what I'm going through in an immediate sense) but also extremely helpful. I don't plan to take until Oct/Dec and intend to make at least the Saturday sessions a part of every week until then (which will entail some retakes and skipping around—that's fine, no loss there).