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How to study for LSAT during academic year?

citizenkanyecitizenkanye Member
edited August 2016 in General 74 karma
I was just setting up my schedule for the academic year and realized that once I take out hours for lectures, studying, work, etc, I'll have roughly 10 h/week left for studying the LSAT.

I plan to take the LSAT in June 2017. Is spending 10 hours a week (plus a lot more during winter break) from September to June enough of a time commitment to ensure that I get a score that reflects my maximum potential?

I was thinking that I'd take one PT per week, do a thorough blind review, and then spend the rest of my allotted LSAT study time doing drills focusing on my weaknesses + reviewing parts of the Core Curriculum again whenever I need to. I've already read The LSAT Trainer and I'm going to be finished with the Core Curriculum in a couple of weeks, so I think I'll be in pretty good shape to start PTing by September.

Any advice will be very much appreciated!
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  • AlexAlex Alum Member ⭐
    23929 karma
    @citizenkane said:
    I plan to take the LSAT in June 2017. Is spending 10 hours a week (plus a lot more during winter break) from September to June enough of a time commitment to ensure that I get a score that reflects my maximum potential?
    I think 10 hours a week is enough for one PT w/ BR and maybe some drilling/review. So I guess it all depends on if this is enough for you to hone your skills and make sure you do your best in June.

    My advice would be to just worry about reaching your test goal. If it is a 172, then don't take the LSAT until your last 5-10 PTs are averaging out to be around a 172. If that isn't by June, then perhaps give yourself the summer to prep and then take next September?

    Then again, June 2017 is a long ways off, and even with ~10 hours of prep a week, you might very well reach your maximum potential by then. It is just so hard to say that X amount of hours is sufficient for you to reach that goal.
  • citizenkanyecitizenkanye Member
    74 karma
    If you don't mind me asking, how long does it generally take you to do a PT and then BR? I estimated that the PT would take ~3.5 h, the BR ~2 h, leaving about 4.5 h per week for drills and reviewing the core curriculum. I haven't actually done a complete PT yet though, so maybe I'm wildly underestimating here.
    My advice would be to just worry about reaching your test goal. If it is a 172, then don't take the LSAT until your last 5-10 PTs are averaging out to be around a 172. If that isn't by June, then perhaps give yourself the summer to prep and then take next September?
    This is great advice! It makes me feel a bit less stressed about everything haha. I think I'll get a solid feel for where I'm going by December, which should make it easier for me to decide whether or not to postpone to September. Thanks for your response, you are super helpful!
  • Nanchito-1-1Nanchito-1-1 Alum Member
    1762 karma
    @citizenkane Make sure to prioritize schoolwork before anything and try and build a good relationship with your professors for those lors. Additionally you dont have to take a pt a week, take it when you feel ready, and be open to postponing your test date until you hit your target score multiple times.
  • citizenkanyecitizenkanye Member
    74 karma
    @nanchito You're completely right. I've set aside the vast majority of my free time for studying, and I'm definitely going to stop studying for the LSAT for a couple of weeks during midterms and finals. It's going to be a bit of a balancing act this year, though, what with the LSAT and work and all. We'll see what happens. I'm glad this forum has such a positive focus on target score over test dates!
  • AlexAlex Alum Member ⭐
    23929 karma
    @citizenkane said:
    If you don't mind me asking, how long does it generally take you to do a PT and then BR? I estimated that the PT would take ~3.5 h, the BR ~2 h, leaving about 4.5 h per week for drills and reviewing the core curriculum. I haven't actually done a complete PT yet though, so maybe I'm wildly underestimating here.
    Haha, you are going to hate me for this, but again, it depends. I think your estimates seem pretty accurate though. My BR's tend to take a bit longer because I use blank copies and don't just BR what I circled, but rather re-do the entire test untimed and make sure to allocate extra time and attention to the ones I did circle. It take a bit longer, but in the end I truly believe it is worth it. I too haven't done a full PT since my diagnostic, but I know many high scorers that used this method and i payed dividends.
    @citizenkane said:
    This is great advice! It makes me feel a bit less stressed about everything haha. I think I'll get a solid feel for where I'm going by December, which should make it easier for me to decide whether or not to postpone to September. Thanks for your response, you are super helpful!
    Exactly! Once I began focusing on my score and not an arbitrary test date my stress went from being dis-stress to eustress overnight. Now I am stressed about the LSAT, but a lot more of that stress is excitement about learning this test. This prepping for this test actually makes me FEEL smarter. It doesn't feel as useless as when I studied for the GRE, for example.

    :) Thank you! Always here and happy to help...
  • citizenkanyecitizenkanye Member
    74 karma
    @"Alex Divine" said:
    My BR's tend to take a bit longer because I use blank copies and don't just BR what I circled, but rather re-do the entire test untimed
    Damn, doing the entire thing again? That does sound like it would pay off but that would bump up BR time to 4 hours or more. I'll try the method out anyway, though, it sounds like it may be worth it.
    @"Alex Divine" said:
    This prepping for this test actually makes me FEEL smarter.
    Amen! Happy studying :)
  • Nanchito-1-1Nanchito-1-1 Alum Member
    1762 karma
    @citizenkane said:
    BR time to 4 hours or more.
    I've spent days BRing. It takes however long it takes. It's quite tedious but it's soooooooo worth it. I've jumped up 15 points since my first pt.
  • citizenkanyecitizenkanye Member
    74 karma
    @nanchito Wow, that is amazing. I'm definitely going to try it out.
  • Ron SwansonRon Swanson Alum Member Inactive ⭐
    edited August 2016 1650 karma
    @citizenkane I took the June '16 LSAT and did the bulk of my studying during my last semester of my senior year in college. Idk how your class schedules work/what courses you need to take, but it was incredibly helpful for me to have days off during the M-F week by taking a class online.

    I had classes M, W, Thurs, and Tuesday/Friday off. This enabled me to devote Tues and Sat mornings to PTs.

    On my class days, I would do 1 or 2 timed sections either in the morning or at night, depending on what I had going on/ my energy levels.

    Obviously you're pretty far out from your exam date, but I'd recommend really mapping out your days and taking a methodical approach rather than just tossing LSAT study hours into an already busy schedule. Helped me tons in keeping organized and not feeling like I was always intellectually switching gears.

    Regardless, good for you for having the long range approach, that's how people tend to see the biggest gains overall
  • citizenkanyecitizenkanye Member
    74 karma
    @"Ron Swanson" I'm glad I'm not the only one on here who is studying for the LSAT while still in undergrad! A lot of people on 7sage seem to have taken a year or more off to study, which is a great idea but unfortunately it doesn't work out for everyone.

    I have class five days a week this semester :/ I do have a couple of empty mornings though, which is great.
    @"Ron Swanson" said:
    I'd recommend really mapping out your days and taking a methodical approach rather than just tossing LSAT study hours into an already busy schedule.
    Yep, that's exactly what I'm in the process of doing right now. Thanks for your response!
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