This installment of LSAT Diaries comes from Carly, who's studying for the LSAT while serving in the Peace Corps in Tanzania.In this LSAT Diary, she talks about the struggles involved in studying for the LSAT with shaky Internet access, getting food poisoning, and taking 17-hour bus rides with defecating chickens.
If you want to be in LSAT Diaries, please email me at LSATUnplugged@gmail.com. (You can be in LSAT Diaries whether you've taken the exam already or not.)
Please leave Carly some encouragement below in the comments!
Carly's LSAT Diary:
Habari za Masomo? [News of the studies?] I am 24-year-old Peace Corps volunteer living in Tanzania, teaching high school math and physics while simultaneously studying for the LSAT in December.
In the spring of 2009 I graduated from an Ivy League school without a job, but had applied to many teaching jobs and also the Peace Corps. Eventually I was offered an internship position teaching Biology at a private school, but still continued to complete my application for the Peace Corps (it takes over a year) because I wanted to finish what I had started. In the summer of 2010, after completing my application I received an invitation to serve. So, I quit my teaching job and decided to serve because I wanted to volunteer my time, see a different part of the world and figure out what I really wanted to do with my life.
The first few months of my service I did a little soul searching. After ruling out journalism (just because a grandparent says they think you are a good writer, does not mean you are one), paleontology and countless other potential careers I figured the best way to combine my interest in humanitarian work, challenges, environmentalism and international relations would be to go into law. Thus, my LSAT odyssey began.
Initially, I did mountain of research on careers, the LSAT and law schools. [I should add that thankfully they have these wonderful USB modems now, which means I have Internet access, albeit slow, out in the bush.] I originally planned to take the LSAT in October, but soon realized I would have to establish an international non-published test center for a hefty fee or travel to Nairobi, Kenya at which point I reset my sights on the December test. I figured I would take the extra time to study, save money and take the test, once, in Nairobi. Alas, now because of security concerns in Kenya, I had to have the December test center moved to Tanzania anyway.
So, you maybe asking, how have I gone about studying for the wonderful entity that is the LSAT… in Africa? Well, it has not been easy. Because printing is very expensive here ($.40 a page), especially when you are living on $120 a month, and so is the shipment of materials, so I decided early on to mainly use my Kindle and laptop to study. To date, I have only taken three PrepTests on actual paper and the rest I have taken off of my computer or my Kindle (which was recently lost/ stolen). I started by taking and reviewing early Prep tests (7-18) section by section. After a few tests I began to identify each question by type and would keep track of the types that consistently gave me trouble (Assumption questions you are my Everest!)
When the four-month mark hit, I downloaded Steve’s 4-month LSAT study plan (I am on a budget) and started to time myself during all of the sections. Around this time I also read A Rulebook for Arguments, which was extremely helpful. It allowed me to step back from the LSAT and realize that logic really does exists in everyday life, especially in Tanzania! Also, now that I am in the last month of studying I am focusing on slowing down and taking more time with questions (I have been finishing sections with, on average, five minutes to spare). I am working mainly on logical reasoning questions, as this is the section that gives me the most trouble. I’ve also made a habit of looking up unfamiliar words in LSAT questions and making flashcards because I have found the question usually hinges on them.
As with any journey there have been many setbacks, besides the lack of paper tests and a tutor. During this period I experienced countless power outages (many times I had no access to study materials because my laptop and/or Kindle was not charged), two nasty bouts of food poisoning and two trips to the dentist (due to rocks in my rice) which interrupted my study schedule, study sessions on 17-hour bus rides with screaming babies, defecating chickens and blown tires and countless more session while being subjected to my neighbor's loud Christian rock music.
I was/am also studying while teaching full days and 130 students, running a girls’ empowerment conference and writing a grant for a school library. If all of the above is not enough, I also have to do all of my household chores by hand (washing clothes and dishes) and make all of my meals from scratch (no frozen meals, refrigerator or oven here), which means less time to study. Despite all of this, I still feel fairly prepared for the LSAT in a month. I know that if I were at home in the States I would probably fare better on test day, but if I can successfully manage studying here, I am hoping I will not be in for the huge 1L shock.
So, what can I share with the other brave souls out there studying for the LSAT? Here are few pearls of wisdom I have picked up along the way, take them for what they are worth:
Firstly, you need to realize that you still have a life outside of this test. Yes, studying is very important, but do not forget to make time for your friends, family and for exercise! You are not doing yourself, or your test score, any good if you don’t get out of your bubble, see other life forms and move your body. Yes, make time to exercise! In the word of Elle Woods, “exercise gives people endorphins, endorphins make people happy and happy people just don’t kill their husbands” (still waiting for that logic to show up on the LSAT).
Secondly, during the logical reasoning section I found that my brain has to work like a thesaurus. I need to be looking at words in the stimulus and finding corresponding words among the answer choices. This usually helps me narrow down the right answer to two choices, which is much better than five.
Thirdly, stick to a schedule. It is very easy to put off studying when you do not have anyone or anything keeping you honest. I find it especially easy here to do other things besides study, (i.e. convincing myself that I deserve to take a study break then watching Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time). Once I started the 4-month plan, I found I could not make excuses for myself and eventually took pride in the fact that I was able to sit down, focus, and feel like I was actually making progress. Lastly, if your brain is really not in “LSAT Mode”, do not force it. There have been days I only answered 10 questions correctly on a section. I decided to put the pencil down and walk away rather than beat a dead horse, as my father would say. Remember: sometimes your brain needs a break!
The last year has been an interesting ride and studying for the LSAT has only made it more so. Hopefully by this time next year I will have rocked the LSAT, been accepted to a law school (with the help of a kick butt addendum), completed my service as a volunteer and learned a little something more about myself and the world along the way.
Safari njema! [Good journey]
Photo by swiv
Carly's LSAT Diary:
Habari za Masomo? [News of the studies?] I am 24-year-old Peace Corps volunteer living in Tanzania, teaching high school math and physics while simultaneously studying for the LSAT in December.
In the spring of 2009 I graduated from an Ivy League school without a job, but had applied to many teaching jobs and also the Peace Corps. Eventually I was offered an internship position teaching Biology at a private school, but still continued to complete my application for the Peace Corps (it takes over a year) because I wanted to finish what I had started. In the summer of 2010, after completing my application I received an invitation to serve. So, I quit my teaching job and decided to serve because I wanted to volunteer my time, see a different part of the world and figure out what I really wanted to do with my life.
The first few months of my service I did a little soul searching. After ruling out journalism (just because a grandparent says they think you are a good writer, does not mean you are one), paleontology and countless other potential careers I figured the best way to combine my interest in humanitarian work, challenges, environmentalism and international relations would be to go into law. Thus, my LSAT odyssey began.
Initially, I did mountain of research on careers, the LSAT and law schools. [I should add that thankfully they have these wonderful USB modems now, which means I have Internet access, albeit slow, out in the bush.] I originally planned to take the LSAT in October, but soon realized I would have to establish an international non-published test center for a hefty fee or travel to Nairobi, Kenya at which point I reset my sights on the December test. I figured I would take the extra time to study, save money and take the test, once, in Nairobi. Alas, now because of security concerns in Kenya, I had to have the December test center moved to Tanzania anyway.
So, you maybe asking, how have I gone about studying for the wonderful entity that is the LSAT… in Africa? Well, it has not been easy. Because printing is very expensive here ($.40 a page), especially when you are living on $120 a month, and so is the shipment of materials, so I decided early on to mainly use my Kindle and laptop to study. To date, I have only taken three PrepTests on actual paper and the rest I have taken off of my computer or my Kindle (which was recently lost/ stolen). I started by taking and reviewing early Prep tests (7-18) section by section. After a few tests I began to identify each question by type and would keep track of the types that consistently gave me trouble (Assumption questions you are my Everest!)
When the four-month mark hit, I downloaded Steve’s 4-month LSAT study plan (I am on a budget) and started to time myself during all of the sections. Around this time I also read A Rulebook for Arguments, which was extremely helpful. It allowed me to step back from the LSAT and realize that logic really does exists in everyday life, especially in Tanzania! Also, now that I am in the last month of studying I am focusing on slowing down and taking more time with questions (I have been finishing sections with, on average, five minutes to spare). I am working mainly on logical reasoning questions, as this is the section that gives me the most trouble. I’ve also made a habit of looking up unfamiliar words in LSAT questions and making flashcards because I have found the question usually hinges on them.
As with any journey there have been many setbacks, besides the lack of paper tests and a tutor. During this period I experienced countless power outages (many times I had no access to study materials because my laptop and/or Kindle was not charged), two nasty bouts of food poisoning and two trips to the dentist (due to rocks in my rice) which interrupted my study schedule, study sessions on 17-hour bus rides with screaming babies, defecating chickens and blown tires and countless more session while being subjected to my neighbor's loud Christian rock music.
I was/am also studying while teaching full days and 130 students, running a girls’ empowerment conference and writing a grant for a school library. If all of the above is not enough, I also have to do all of my household chores by hand (washing clothes and dishes) and make all of my meals from scratch (no frozen meals, refrigerator or oven here), which means less time to study. Despite all of this, I still feel fairly prepared for the LSAT in a month. I know that if I were at home in the States I would probably fare better on test day, but if I can successfully manage studying here, I am hoping I will not be in for the huge 1L shock.
So, what can I share with the other brave souls out there studying for the LSAT? Here are few pearls of wisdom I have picked up along the way, take them for what they are worth:
Firstly, you need to realize that you still have a life outside of this test. Yes, studying is very important, but do not forget to make time for your friends, family and for exercise! You are not doing yourself, or your test score, any good if you don’t get out of your bubble, see other life forms and move your body. Yes, make time to exercise! In the word of Elle Woods, “exercise gives people endorphins, endorphins make people happy and happy people just don’t kill their husbands” (still waiting for that logic to show up on the LSAT).
Secondly, during the logical reasoning section I found that my brain has to work like a thesaurus. I need to be looking at words in the stimulus and finding corresponding words among the answer choices. This usually helps me narrow down the right answer to two choices, which is much better than five.
Thirdly, stick to a schedule. It is very easy to put off studying when you do not have anyone or anything keeping you honest. I find it especially easy here to do other things besides study, (i.e. convincing myself that I deserve to take a study break then watching Pride and Prejudice for the umpteenth time). Once I started the 4-month plan, I found I could not make excuses for myself and eventually took pride in the fact that I was able to sit down, focus, and feel like I was actually making progress. Lastly, if your brain is really not in “LSAT Mode”, do not force it. There have been days I only answered 10 questions correctly on a section. I decided to put the pencil down and walk away rather than beat a dead horse, as my father would say. Remember: sometimes your brain needs a break!
The last year has been an interesting ride and studying for the LSAT has only made it more so. Hopefully by this time next year I will have rocked the LSAT, been accepted to a law school (with the help of a kick butt addendum), completed my service as a volunteer and learned a little something more about myself and the world along the way.
Safari njema! [Good journey]
Photo by swiv
I love this. This is ridiculously germane for me. I'm leaving for the Peace Corps in a month. I had originally planned on taking the test in December - before my departure date, but now I'm hesitant.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to decide whether or not I will have time to prep during pre-service training (or in the time immediately after I'm assigned my site location). If you can shed any light on this, that would be extremely helpful. Also, I noticed that there was a large fee for taking the test at a non-disclosed international center - I'm assuming that's what you were referencing above. I don't really understand what a non-disclosed testing location truly entails. If you could clarify that, it would be highly beneficial.
Thanks, GL, and crush it next month!
Hi GL! So glad that you found the entry relavent! The amount of time you will have during training and the first few months of service depends on your sector. Training varies by country, but if you have to learn a language you will probably not have time to study.
ReplyDeleteAs far as international testing, the test is given at the normal times during the year obviously, but you would have to see if there is a test site near you. If you have to leave your country of service be aware that you may have to get a visa to travel and PC permission.
If a test is non-disclosed, like the LSATs given internationally, it just means that the test is not released (i.e. you do not get to see the questions or answers). The international LSATs are also different tests from the ones given in the States on the same date (FYI).
A non-established test center is one that you pay to have set up. I was pretty upset because the test is only given in June in Tanzania. And although I will be taking it in the same location as the June test I still have to pay the fee to "establish" a test center.
Let me know you have anymore questions about the LSAT or the Peace Corps. Best of luck with your service. I am sure you will have a wonderful experience!
Carly
Ah, I will definitely have to learn a new language. I leave January. So given that fact, when would you advise me to sign up for the test? There is a testing site within my country (in the capital). I'm assuming that it would be the standard $139 if I took the test at that location. So, given what you know about pre-service training, day-to-day responsibilities, and (possibly) teaching responsibilities, should I be looking at a June test date or a Sept/Oct? If it helps, I'm shooting for a score in the upper 170s.
ReplyDeleteAgain, good luck! And I hope you get a fantastic score in a few weeks. I'll be rooting for you!
Hi GL, I am going to bet that you are not going to want to study during training and you will probably not have time. Between language and technical training your plate will be full. If your training is like mine, you will only have Sunday free and that time is usually spent participating in home-stay family activities. After training you will use the first month or two to integrate into your community and will probably not have a chance to get a solid amount of studying in everyday. Given the above, I would advise you to take the test in September/October. I assume, you only want to take the test once and you are looking to score in the 170s, so give yourself enough time to study and to factor in set backs, (i.e. being sick, traveling, working, etc.). Depending when you COS, which I assume will be some time in early 2014, you could also wait to take the LSAT later into your service when you are into a routine. Again best of luck! Hope you have a great experience!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, where are you going? I leave in January, too!
ReplyDeleteCarly,
ReplyDeleteI give you so much credit for taking the time to study during your PC service. I just finished up my tour as a PC volunteer and tried studying, but the endless excuses of putting this off piled too high until I finally decided to wait till returnign to the states to prepare.
Anyways, good luck on the exam!