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Any one else here struggling with ADHD? Looking for advice.
I have been studying for 3 months now and have been struggling significantly. Yesterday I was Diagnosed with ADHD and was prescribed Adderall which I am a bit hesitant to take. I am wondering if any one here has bee diagnosed with ADHD and either takes their medication or doesn't, and how it affects them when it comes to studying.
Also, are you going to ask for timing accommodations on the LSAT? Do you know if this affects our chances of getting accepted at a school or even a job in the future? How will this look on our record if we use accommodations?
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LSAC is legally not allowed to disclose whether an applicant had testing accommodations. It would be downright discriminatory if law schools were biased against one's application due to mental illnesses/disabilities. I haven't been diagnosed with ADHD myself but I had study mates who had it and they had accommodations. Unfortunately stigma views these things as people trying to get an "unfair advantage" but as someone who had accommodations due to severe anxiety (and took the Feb test w/o accom. and completely blanked out on the LG section - usually my BEST section), that's not true at all. I still had to bust my ass for the August exam. Having 50% extra time really didn't do much except provide me with the tools I needed to perform at my truest potential without being limited by my anxiety.
I probably rambled too much lol but I'm a big advocate for this, so whether you decide you want to get accommodations, I hope you do whatever you need to do your best on this exam.
The medicine will definitely help you focus 👌🏾
I am on medication for my ADHD and was recently approved for accommodations. Don't be afraid to ask for accommodations if you need them. I found my medication helps me focus and keeps me from having to re-read everything multiple times. Make sure to eat meals with plenty of protein before you take it. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for doing what you need to succeed!
I know numerous people who were prescribed Adderall specifically for LSAT studying. Almost all applied for accommodations. Some were accepted, some denied. They base it on more factors than just if you are prescribed ADHD meds. The pattern I noticed is that if you had testing accommodations during undergrad or in high school, it was granted relatively easy. If not, they were denied even with ADHD meds prescribed. (Presumably to weed out people who "all of a sudden" developed ADHD before the LSAT)
im not sure about the states but law schools in canada make you disclose if you've had accommodations or not...at least the ones I've applied to on the west coast...
Definitely seek accommodations! I was scoring in the low 140s at the beginning of my studying. Once I sought accommodations, the time pressure was less of an issue, and I began improving steadily. After almost 9 months of studying, I've learned to navigate the LSAT while still having focus issues and score 164 on my most recent PT. If the adderall helps you focus, take it, because focus is extremely important. Always remember that slowing down to read may take up less time and give better results than skimming, half-understanding, and skimming again.
I was told that LSAC uses a different test for people who receive accommodations and that the test is much harder for the basic reason of having more time. I was debating whether to request accommodations and how the law schools admissions view people who take the test with accommodations.
Sometimes I feel like I just want to take it, get it over with and mark whatever. However, I need a good score and to do my best.
I was diagnosed in 2013 (summer after freshman year of college) with ADHD, it definitely hindered a lot of my college experience, GPA and anxiety wise as well as other symptoms that play in our lives. Other factors also contributed to that as well, but as far as studying it took me a long time to figure out how I study and learn best. I found out having a routine helps me stay on task tremendously. I think I did not realize what worked best for me studying wise until last year! As others have said, do not be afraid to ask for accommodations, do not be afraid to see what the school is able to do for you in regards to accommodations or other things that may help you.
The medications helps me tremendously. From staying on task, keeping me from not buzzing around too much, to other things. I actually tried to not take it in October 2019- February 2020 to see if I "could live without it" and then it dawned on me that the Adderall is similar to anti-depressants, insulin, other necessary medications people need to function 100% as themselves.
So far I have found studying in the morning before work works the best, I have been getting up at 5:30/6am to get to Starbucks and study before I get into work at 9am. Then I work out after work, shower, eat dinner, relax a little bit, sleep and repeat during the week. Obviously if you work a different shift that may look differently for you! I have also found that working out/ getting some sort of exercise helps with endorphins and tiring myself out for the end of the day.
Getting the dosage of the medication right may also take a couple tries, so do not be afraid to tell your doctor what your thoughts are on it. Make sure you do not forget to eat, I always forget to eat lunch because I barely feel hungry until 1/2pm and then I'm hangry and do not forget to get enough sleep either!
For my parents it took a long time (until 2019) for them to realize there was actually something "wrong" with me and it was not just in my head like they thought. My dad had a car accident and his symptoms were exacerbated (I am curious whether from the concussion he had) and my mom is now like "oh wow, I see what you mean" because he should also probably be medicated.
@JusticeLaw woah really?! is that true? I did not know that
I'm definitely not typical....
but I think I am not a huge fan of extra time. It all depends.
Looking back at 5th yr econ and like my last lsat... Definitely, I'm way way better off
--ON NOTHING, on the day of the test, especially for LR and RC (which I'm better at).
Huberman, Stanford... and others have good supplemental recommendations. Obviously, I am not giving medical advice, I'm just saying various supplements helped me in work (all entrepreneurial) and in studying. Though, I've neglected the latter quite a lot recently. Still though, I hyperfocus too much on stims. Some other stuff helps me. Cannabis.
I have a dual disorder. I know everyone's against cannabis, but I have like 20 years of insomnia (not straight). I was really sick (not covid, had that too a few yrs later). Anyways, overcoming difficulty helps a lot. A digital task list and a written one. The latter I have slacked on a bit. I meditate, workout, then work/study. It is easier to keep this up, with a written plan. It is pretty hard with all the digital apps. Also blocking sites. Turning off the net even... a bit. Keeping screens out of my bedroom. For instance I was awake 2.25 days (not the best I know), However, as soon as I unplugged my computer I was able to fall asleep. Theanine, Valerian root... may be helpful. I also take a tiny amount of supplemental Li. I vary these and various other workout things but also go a couple yrs without any. They are all powerful. Watch what Huberman has to say about ADHD on youtube perhaps.
I am not sure if it hurts the score. Try to gameify the studying experience as much as you can.
I just got diagnosed and did my first two tests without accomodations, people who say it's an "unfair advantage", i literally went up 3 points with the accomodations. lol.
You do NOT get a different version of the LSAT if you have accommodations. That's a very wild idea to throw out @JusticeLaw . I've had ADHD for years and have been prescribed adderall since high school but have not always taken it because I didn't always need it. However, I can't study for the LSAT without it and if I do, nothing really sticks or it takes me an insane amount of time to understand the material. Accommodations are meant to help you get to the level everyone else is taking the test at, so I say try to get them. I also vote for taking your adderall because it'll help... a lot.
Just have to say it was so nice reading everything under this post. I felt like I was the only one that was dealing with this. Thank you all for sharing
I have ADHD and I chose not to take medication. I was on it for some time, but I found that rather than helping me, what it did was intensify my focus without intensifying my ability to choose on what I focused. I would focus intensely, but was equally or more prone to get distracted. There is something which has helped me greatly: meditation. Meditation is really all about learning to control your attention, and I am shocked that it is not the primary means for treating this disorder. It has been incredibly helpful. If you commit to your practice (~20-30 mins a day) it can be life-changing. I would advise that over medication. I felt that medication ultimately gave me less control over myself. Moreover, I feel that medication is a short term solution to a long term problem, and beyond that is not a remedy for the whole issue but rather fixes some symptoms while worsening others. Best of luck.