LSAT Diaries: The 20-Something Receptionist

This installment of LSAT Diaries comes from Rosemary, a 28-year-old receptionist in Washington, D.C. She has some great advice below on getting started with your LSAT prep.

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Rosemary's LSAT Diary:

I have a confession to make...I'm a test retaker. Yep, that's right. Once wasn't enough, so I'm studying for the LSAT again. Sure, I’m not happy to be in this position, but this time around I have a better idea of what I’m getting into and the time commitment that studying for the LSAT entails.

So what went wrong? Honestly I was naïve about the time commitment needed to prepare for the test. I took a well-known prep course and attended all the class sessions, but I didn’t do the homework outside of class. After 15 weeks, my test scores barely budged. By the time I realized my predicament it was too late to change dates, and I had to choose between not showing up for my test or canceling the score. I chose to cancel the score basically because I could experience the test-taking process first hand, which would hopefully help me when I retook the test.

I don’t like the position that I’m in, but my previous experience has made me more determined to take the time to prepare so that I can retake this test in 4 months and move on with my life.

This time around I know that I need to be better prepared from the beginning and the first step is developing a study schedule that fits my life. I’m currently in my last 6 weeks towards my bachelors, taking 2 evening classes while working full time. Since this week I needed to focus on midterms, I decided to get some of the housekeeping out of the way, so I can get off to a good start the first week.

1. Make a study schedule.

I’m using Steve’s 4-month LSAT study plan as a template and making adjustments as needed. I’m using a calendar I can access from my phone and home in order to keep track of the assignments I have each week. Because I still have 6 more weeks of schoolwork, having a master calendar allows me to balance my LSAT study schedule with upcoming papers and exams.


2. Define a study space.

Everything I’ve heard about studying for the LSAT says that it’s best to study in an atmosphere as close to your actual testing experience as possible. I know from past experience that my test site conducts the tests in large lecture halls with tables. I dug out my LSAT prep books, both the ones recommended by Steve along with the practice books I used from my prep course, and set up my dining room as my LSAT zone.


3. Register for the LSAT.

There are only two locations in my area that administer the test and if both of those locations fill up the next closest test site is 200 miles away. So because I like to always be on the safe side I took five minutes out of my day to register and pay for the LSAT at the same testing site that I took the test at last year.

Photo by bdorfman