LSAT Diary: Fighting Discouragement

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Ashley's LSAT Diary:

Day 1: D-day. This is the day I will take a practice test timed. All the way through. My score on this test will determine if I even register tomorrow for the LSAT. My prof, who is also my mentor, has told me to focus on my life and problems, because there is no way I can focus well enough to significantly warrant the stress of studying. But I say I'm super woman! My only issue is that even though I may be ready by Test Day, I have a court date two days before the test, which I have to fly back home for. I am very hard pressed. The hardest thing is studying when I could be sleeping because I'm tired, or working because I'm broke. Or filling out court documents and getting paperwork together because I'm going through a bankruptcy, and cannot afford a lawyer.

Result: I scored a 158 (considering I haven't slept the last few days, that's pretty good). But not good enough for me. So I took another test an hour later. 165. Good, but meh. At this point I'm seriously contemplating taking a year off to study for it. That, and it gives me an excuse to go ahead and play volleyball professionally overseas. Did I say that I was also an athlete? Forgot to mention that one...

Note to self: Work on logic games. I keep running out of time. I get stuck on the little things, like missing a word, or missing an entire question (yikes!). This problem is really starting to worry me...


Day 3: I took the day off. Hell, I took TWO LSATS in one day (why? Because I am crazy and a perfectionist. I should stop doing that). I need to process. Or maybe it's really that I'm feeling defeated. But I'll be honest....even though I officially took the day off, I still found myself analyzing arguments, be they advertisements, CNN, cartoons. I can't help it! But I have learned that quality counts. So, even while I am not prepping, I can practice by simply analyzing arguments people make, and reading between the lines. Being a philosophy major, it comes naturally; a huge plus in my favor. I just need to learn to turn it off every once in a while (as if that will happen).

Problem area: I still find that the logic games give me trouble. I keep running out of time reading and re-reading the questions. I am missing most of the ones I get wrong in this section alone. So I think I will focus more on this section than any others. It's the little things, like the implicatinos of certain orders, that may have bearings on other questions, but I am failing to see this. I am getting better at organizing my thoughts, but, by and large, the single most important factor in my success or failure in this area is the set up of each question. I need to set up quicker, more efficient and helpful diagrams with which to solve my problems with. A work in progress. Patience is a virtue.


Day 4: Oh the agony. The carnage! (How's THAT for melodramatic?). I initially decided to study only the GRE today. Initially. But I got so frustrated with the vocabulary, that I decided to take an LSAT so that life would make more sense. A 168. Not bad after 2 months of off and on, not-so-good prep. But I've seriously considered taking a year off to study for it. I mean, why the rush? Why am I willing to let myself perform at less than my best? There are far too many pros that support me waiting. I can get the fee waiver if I still need it. I can apply to NYU. I can take a prep class for it (if I save enough, even two!). I can get my sleeping regulated, my mood stabilized, and my family situation under control. So why the rush???

Then it hit me: I am running FROM my current situation. So, I have decided not to do anything until my main focus is running TO something. Less desperation, and more determination. So, with that decided, I'm kicking back. Sure, I may be doing ok score-wise, but I just know that with a prep class and some real, consistent prep, I will be walking on water score wise. As such, that is one less thing on my shoulders. Besides, I can even live a little in the mean time, and get all my shit taken care of.

But that doesn't mean no prepping though. There are still PrepTests to be taken! Scores to be analyzed! Sections to be scrutinized! Bring it, comparative reading!


Day 5: Realized the added bonus of taking a year off is that I could either go play overseas volleyball (but with a bunch of intense training from now until then), or work and take French or Latin (or both!), as I will need fluency in those for some of the schools I am looking at. A part of me is afraid that if I take the year off, I'll be stuck here at home. But I have made it up in my mind that I will only be stuck if I choose to be. Besides, things are looking up for us so far, and it looks like losing our home is actually a blessing.

But enough about the crap in my life. Honestly, I feel good about my testing, simply because of the very obstacles I am going through. I KNOW I will do much better after some things are fixed, and after prepping. My only concern is my logic games (Yep, you have heard enough about those already). I do fine everywhere else. In fact, more than fine. I am losing most of my points in this section alone. I pretty much averaged about 2 wrong in the logical reasoning section, 4 in reading comprehension, and about 6 in analytical reasoning (yikes!). So, more focus on Reading comp and analytical reasoning is a must.


Day 6: I had to proctor an SAT today at work. So I figured that would be a great time to take a practice test, even if the times are off. No matter, I'll just stick to the times as best I can. So far, four days without sleep and counting. But I did it anyways. Probably not a good idea, but it's good to see what it would be like if for some reason I get no sleep and cannot take my sleeping meds the night before. 167. Not bad. But damn those logic games! They are the most fun part of the test, and yet the bane of my existence. I have found that my performance on this section is heavily dependent on the exam. There have been some that I found were easier than other exams. So, note to self: analyze which types of logic games you find easier, which you find more difficult, and why. Another advantage to waiting a year.

Anyways, I think that if I can fix that problem area, I will be fine. I thank God I'm a philosophy major. A lot of this stuff just comes easier because of that fact.


Day 7: Considering my recent decision to wait a year, my prep today was rather leisurely. I did a few reading comprehension questions to warm into it. Also, I did a couple comparative reading questions, but the SuperPrep book I am working from only offers some of these in the introduction pages, and not in the actual PrepTests at the back of the book. I will need to get some newer PrepTests that have more comparative reading explanations and questions. It isn't difficult for me, but I would rather be as prepared and as familiar with this question type as I am with the others. But I am going to get my things and such ready to move back to dreary Seattle. But I love Seattle, and I love my school there as well. And now, given my recent decision, I can focus more on my school work and life situation so that I can get everything in order before I take that leap into law school. Things may not be great now (in fact, downright ugly), but I know that through time and patience and some serious work and help, I can make it through all of this. I just have to be patient, and swallow my pride and ask for help when I need it.

I hope you all have enjoyed this blog, or at least learned a few things. I certainly have. I thank you for reading. I hope your journeys in the LSAT are a lot easier than mine. Take care, and good luck to all.

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