I am taking my diagnostic test tonight and I am suspecting it will be a little rough, as I have not taken a test like this in a decade. I am considered nontraditional as I graduated undergrad 10 years ago... and my understanding is that LSAT is weighed even heavier for non traditional students. Has anyone else heard this? Also any advise on studying as a nontraditional student? I have a full time job and I am finding that in the evenings it is really hard to study for long periods of time because I am just drained. Any tips? I am pretty much at stage one and I am prepared to dedicate 1-2 hours a day during the week and a little more on the weekend, but any tips would be great.
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I am over 10 years out from getting my Master’s (in Theatre!). My diagnostic was 141. I took that in December 2014. With the exception a few interspersed weeks of breaks to stave off burnout, I’ve been steadily studying since then (because I’m trying to get into UCLA (my wife already works there)). If I’m lucky, I’ll take the test for the first time this September, after 21 months of continuous study.
My advice: Studying for the LSAT is like making a Brisket: low heat and slow.
While there’s definitely a lot of information to take in at first (grammar, argumentation, logic, valid arguments, fallacies,etc..), the LSAT really is testing how you think (and how quickly you think).
That takes time. When JY suggests that people spend a year prepping, I think he’s assuming he’s talking to people who are fresh out of college 9or still in college).
If you’ve got cobwebs (and boy, I sure did), it’s going to take a while to clean them all out.
I’d find a way to love LSAT prep. Love being a critical thinker. Love doing logic games. Love reading difficult passages about things you’d probably never read about otherwise.
Luckily, you’re in the right place. 7sage is community teeming with great people. With 7sage, you’re not alone. You can watch some webinars, get a study buddy, join a BR call, chat more than you expect to (but more often because you need to) on the forums. I consider quite a few people on 7sage my friends. That’s something I didn’t expect when I started this.
Go through the curriculum. Look at the scheduler, but don’t let it run your life. Get done what you can get done. Do not set a date. Or if you do (because it’s the only way you can move forward--believe me I get it), prepare yourself for disappointment.
The rest you’ll figure out as you go. Trust me. I’m on plan Z.
Welcome aboard. Glad to have you.
I don't know of any general trend where you need a higher LSAT just because you're non-trad.
BUT GPA and LSAT are the two primary factors in admissions. So if your GPA is not as high for your target schools, it's worth compensating with higher LSAT (It's what I did).
You're in the right place at 7Sage. When doing the curriculum pay careful attention to what JY says about not taking PTs back to back and pacing yourself. A lot of type-As overdo it and then burn out. Also, make sure you get proper and consistent sleep - you need to be well-rested for the higher order thinking.
Finally, the fundamentals are important - there are a lot of helpful people on this board, but also - know yourself and how you function.
Contact me if I can be of help!
So here are my big ones:
Take your time in the curriculum. It's not about "finishing" the curriculum, it's about learning the logic.
Don't take PTs until you're ready. And don't lie to yourself about being ready. Getting those scores back can get addicting, so it's a real temptation. Just
don't.
Don't take the LSAT until you're ready. At first, it seems perfectly reasonable to set a date and plan to be ready by then. That's not how it works and you'll only pressure yourself into burning a fake before you're ready. You only get three and each one is invaluable.
When you get there, don't cut corners on your Blind Reviews. A lot of magic happens here, and if you don't do it right you are denying yourself so much opportunity.
Good luck on your diagnostic!
Plus I love how helpful everyone is, I have been watching the forums for a few days & that is def what sold me! thx again guys & gals!
I also would spend my lunch (and I hadn't actually taken a lunch in years) reading or watching videos. I found that extreamly helpful. Plus I had a 45 min commute and listened to LSAT videos or LSAT books instead of the radio.
When it comes to PTs you'll just need to find the time, but I enjoyed it as a break. You slowly have to shift your focus from work to studies. It can be a hard transition, and use your PTO wisely as you get close to your test date.
Try out a few different methods to see what works best for you!
I will take everyone's tips to heart. Thanks again.