2 full weeks of no work, no commitments. Schedule recommendations? How much is too much?

Comments

• GordonBombay Alum Member

  September 2015 456 karma

  If I'm not mistaken somewhere in the core curriculum JY recommends not taking more than 3 Pt's per week. Personally the max I have taken is 3 per week and I think that's about as much as I could handle without getting burned out.
  
  I would keep it at three, and make sure you do a really thorough Blind Review of the test before you grade it. I recently started printing out a fresh PT to use for Blind Review and really find it more beneficial. Also would recommend watching video explanations of questions that gave you trouble after you BR and Grade. This process should take quite a bit of time, especially during the course of your first 10 or so PT's.
  
  If you do the three PT's per week with thorough BR's and don't get burned out then I would say use that extra time to focus on doing extra timed logic games sections, or timed LR specific drilling.
  
  Good luck with your prep!
• Pacifico Alum Inactive ⭐

  September 2015 8021 karma

  Have you not taken any PTs yet? I would say 2-3 per week is the best rate for most people, but that's not really going to do much for you for October and I would highly recommend postponing until December if you're only now going to start doing PTs.
• harrismegan Member

  September 2015 2074 karma

  I am currently taking 2 new PTs a week and 1 retake of an old one. I would say that's probably enough!
• 1 Like

  nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  September 2015 7965 karma

  @Pacifico said:
  I would say 2-3 per week is the best rate for most people, but that's not really going to do much for you for October and I would highly recommend postponing until December if you're only now going to start doing PTs.
  

  Yes

  @splitterhopeful said:
  Should I still stick a 3-per-week test limit or would 5 not be unreasonable right now?
  

  My opinion: there is no way for you to take 5 tests a week, BR them properly, take care of yourself, and not burn out. Even in 2 weeks. No no no. More is not more above a certain threshold. It sounds to me like you have time to do 3 tests if you want to, definitely 2, BR them until you have mastered them, eat some iced cream, watch some Suits, go for many walks, have fun with friends, mow the lawn, get your hair did, etc. There is no reason to sacrifice every hour of your time off to the LSAT. It is not worth it and you will not get return on investment above a certain number of hours; I'd say 40 hours of real study is a HARD maximum. Anything beyond that is probably silliness.
• ddakjiking Inactive ⭐

  September 2015 2116 karma

  IMO 3 a week should be a max even with a completely free schedule. Burn out is too real.
  
• 1 Like

  splitterhopeful Alum Member

  September 2015 340 karma

  Thank you to all of you folks for your words of wisdom. I've set a hard limit now of 3 tests or 40 hours. Rest of the time will be chillin'. The problem is when I'm working, my work days are typically 10-11 hours and I'm just too drained to take a PT at that point. And so I feel a lot of pressure to do PT's when I have full days off.
  
  I've taken 6 PT's at this point. I've BR'd at 180, 180, and 178 on the last 3 tests, but I've only scored 165, 163, and 163 taking them timed. It's just so frustrating because I can do the work, just not fast enough... and I'm guessing the only way to get faster is more PT. I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm going to have to set my sights on December, even though I really really wanted to apply as early as possible.
• nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  September 2015 7965 karma

  @splitterhopeful said:
  I've set a hard limit now of 3 tests or 40 hours. Rest of the time will be chillin'.
  

  You better make sure that chill time is CHILLLLLLLLLLL ...

  @splitterhopeful said:
  I've BR'd at 180, 180, and 178 on the last 3 tests, but I've only scored 165, 163, and 163 taking them timed.
  

  Are you checking whether you got the Q's wrong initially, before BR?
• splitterhopeful Alum Member

  September 2015 340 karma

  @nicole.hopkins said:
  @splitterhopeful said:
  I've set a hard limit now of 3 tests or 40 hours. Rest of the time will be chillin'.
  

  You better make sure that chill time is CHILLLLLLLLLLL ...
  I'm currently slurping on a chocolate milkshake... does that count? xD

  @splitterhopeful said:
  I've BR'd at 180, 180, and 178 on the last 3 tests, but I've only scored 165, 163, and 163 taking them timed.
  

  Are you checking whether you got the Q's wrong initially, before BR?
  

  Nooo, absolutely not. I "get it", I'm just slow like turtle.
• nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  September 2015 7965 karma

  @splitterhopeful said:
  I'm currently slurping on a chocolate milkshake
  

  GREAT START
• rdelamat Member

  September 2015 47 karma

  @splitterhopeful I'm in the exact same spot. Scoring low 160's and BRing 175+. Would be nice to hear what people have done to fix this problem.
• splitterhopeful Alum Member

  September 2015 edited September 2015 340 karma

  @rdelamat said:
  I'm in the exact same spot. Scoring low 160's and BRing 175+. Would be nice to hear what people have done to fix this problem.
  

  How many PT's have you taken?
• rdelamat Member

  September 2015 47 karma

  7 or 8
  Maybe we just don't have enough tests under our belts?
• Pacifico Alum Inactive ⭐

  September 2015 8021 karma

  Take more PTs... You ideally want 20-30 at a minimum unless you're a 170+ diagnostic unicorn.