BackgroundJust a little background for a moment, I am about to enter my third year of undergrad at a school with an 85% acceptance rate (
). I have a 3.95 and I am planning on taking the June 2017 LSAT. During these 5.5 months leading up to the test, I will be taking only 3 credits at school, with no job or rent over my head. It seems a bit lazy, but last semester I took 21 credits and worked 25 hours a week as well. I realize that this test will determine the rest of my life so I am treating it as such. Harvard is my dream goal and I will be applying September 2017. I am a soon-to-be ultimate member on 7sage and will self-study, I feel as if I could push myself more that way.
No IdeaMy problem right now is that I will have a decent amount of time to study (I realize this is a double edge sword). Nevertheless I am absolutely lost when it comes down to where to start and how to schedule a very efficient planner in order to really kill this test.
I hear many say that 5.5 months is too long, but I know myself, and I I've taught myself how to grind out work for hours. I think I will be ready, I just need a plan of attack.
Mindset?I was reading a great article about burning out and everything else that comes with the LSAT struggle, but I really believe that article (so mad I didn't save it) changed me. My goal is a 180 but I am not going try for perfection at first, or maybe at all, rather, I will strive to learn as much as I can from my mistakes and work on fixing my thinking. I hope this thinking is the right mindset, what do y'all think? Any advice on what a realistic mindset would be entering into this phase of studying?
Books? Order of Reading? Schedule?... AHHHHHWith this being said, I feel like I am mentally prepared to have the best experience I can while studying, I am just fearful of not knowing how to plan it. I read all these guides about what books to read, mixed options on what is better and what is not. But after reading them, I felt more confused than I did before I read them!
So.. really, where is the best place to start? Should I buy books now and start reading, or should I be reading in this 5.5 months I would be studying? How many hours each day is good? days a week? planned PT's each week?
Do I start learning all the sections at the same time of focus on one at a time?
Sorry for all of the questions, I just feel like a little clownfish fish in a vast LSAT ocean (Finding Nemo reference).
Thanks for reading and I'm excited to start this journey with everyone here.
Also, if there are any NEED to read articles or posts, I'd love to read your favorites!!
Comments
Also, with 7 days a week devoted to LSAT for this time period and with you experience, how long is the ideal amount of studying each day?
Cheers!
@Pacifico
I'll be on my way to P. Sherman 180 Wallaby Way, Sydney, hopefully. lol
Once you start PTing it will be very different since the limiting factor will be the length and depth of your BR. I recommend 2-3 PTs a week with excellent clean copy BR and then some limited drilling sprinkled in just to address any weaknesses.
I am excited to hear that the curriculum is engaging.
Thank you.
"Any advice on what a realistic mindset would be entering into this phase of studying?"
1) Set a goal that is necessary for your dream school and recognize that no LSAT score is ever sufficient for anything in the T14. If I were you I would make my goal a 173-175.
2) Do NOT study 7 days a week. A one day per week 100% break from the LSAT is necessary. A lot of people think they're special and they can ignore this advice because obviously being SO special and outstanding they are the exception to this rule.
There is no exception to this rule. Ignore this second piece of advice at your peril. And don't say I didn't warn you when diminished returns set in, should you assume the risk of doing so.
@"Cant Get Right" - Wow, I did not know some people study for that long to get a perfect score. But then again, what would be the use of this test if everyone received a 180?!
I appreciate the guidance on not adhering to a specific test date, I can see where it would help a ton. By the way, I love the profile picture!!
@"7Sage Admin" This will help tremendously in the planning of what order to study and take PT's in. What I am taking away from your experience is that the foundation is key and not to leave any material out until it is understood completely(:
@"Nicole Hopkins" The LSAT score range you gave sounds great! And I do not think I would be able to handle 7 without ending up in a psych ward shortly after lol, but I was thinking about 50-60 hours a week, what do you think? (I'll be taking 3 credits with no job) I am not sure if this is still a road to burning out, but as of right now I am taking 9 credits and working 60 hours a week as well, but I am sure LSAT hours wear on ones brain a lot more than work.
@"Dillon A. Wright" I will definitely do that, thank you.
Here is a question for all of you guys, if you would be so kind as to help me with it. Would you recommend I start with the CC now? I will be doing no LSAT from September to December as I am studying abroad, but I am not sure if it is better to finish it all consecutively or if it is better to review the material I read prior to leaving for school, when I return.
Thank you!
So about 3 weeks ago I got myself the 7Sage starter package. It was a world of difference from the myriad of LSAT prep stuff I had tried before it. I think the main difference and what makes it such a great tool for starting out, and every other phase of prep, is that it is an entire philosophy. My biggest problem with the prep books were that many of them seemed like disparate tips and tricks for attacking each question type... 7Sage gives you an entire tool box for everything you will encounter on the LSAT. And what I really love is how the lessons are set up. J.Y. is interesting to listen to and delivers his lessons with humor and references like Dragon Ball Z and Star Wars. It makes it a lot easier to apply the strategies for Strengthening and Weakening questions when you remember an analogy JY uses about strengthening Goku's energy beam....
It is also great because you can re-watch lessons, and they are broken down into smaller sub-lessons. This allows you the ease to go back and watch the exact part of the lesson you need should you need extra help.
And one of my favorite parts are the drills at the end of the lessons w/ video explanations!
There is something infinitely more helpful of seeing someone with the skills of JY solving the questions in real time. You really start to absorb the correct mindset. And that is something that is hard to get out of just using prep books.
And like @"Dillon A. Wright" said you can try it out free for 2 weeks. I knew within 5 hours that that 7Sage was a game changer and knowing I had that option made it feel like a safe decision.
And with that awesome GPA, I guarantee that if you put in the time, you can absolutely be accepted in Harvard Law School. Nicole is so right, aim for a 173-175 and I would bet anything your dream is yours!
Good Luck!
And you know what? I am also looking forward to the next few months. That is another thing I never thought I would say during this arduous LSAT prep process. But watching my 7Sage lessons on my rooftop, with the cityscape in the background, and a nice iced tea is what I look forward to every night. I think I can see Harvard from here, lol.
The way you are studying sounds very relaxing, almost like an LSAT and chill. lol.
Ehhh, I think I exaggerated how often I actually do that. I might do it 1-2x a week depending on the insufferable humidity. It is really nice though, once it cools down a bit.
And yes, yes... 180 *(insert prayer hands emoji)*
Buy all of your materials. You'll want to PT using prep tests 35+, so, be sure to buy those. You'll also want to drill with the older PTs, many of which can be found at a low cost on amazon (look for the "10 Test..." books).
Figure out which school you want to go to, and use their numbers to determine what you need to score on the LSAT to get in (this is your "target score").
Start with a diagnostic test (June 2007, which is available for free, online). Don't read too much into your score - it means very little.
Then, proceed with the core curriculum, and be sure that you're actually learning the material. This may take anywhere from 1-5 months. You won't find many people here who think that 5.5 months of studying is too much.
Once you've completed the core curriculum, start PTing and BRing. Use the analytics to determine if you need to drill a specific question type, RC, or if you need to fool proof the games.
Rinse and repeat until you have consistently achieved your desired score multiple times.
Do you suggest starting with the 7sage LR or should I start with another source? I believe if I purchase the Ultimate+ now, I will have the subscription for the time I need it, even after the break I am taking. I am getting the Ultimate+ regardless, but I am not sure if starting now is a fruitful option.
What are your thoughts?
And I saw somewhere you were able to get the pdfs, so not all that money was wasted! Those alone are probably worth everything you spent combined!