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Jen's LSAT Diary:
When I decided once and for all that I was going to take the LSAT, everyone seemed more than willing to voice their input as to how I should go about things.
“You’re taking the LSAT? Oh, so you’re going to take a prep course right?”
“Oh, the LSAT? So are you going to take the test in June or October?”
“Wait, you’re actually going to try and take the LSAT in the middle of your college semester?”
Despite everyone’s (obnoxiously incessant) input, I decided to forge my own path on this one and go about the LSAT in the way I felt most comfortable. From the beginning, I knew I wanted to take the test in February. I’m a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, and planned on going abroad the summer between my junior and senior years. I knew I didn’t want this to get in the way of studying for the LSAT (who am I kidding, I didn’t want my study abroad experience to get bogged down by the constant nagging of studying), so this pretty quickly ruled out both the June and October tests. December was too late for my liking, so I opted for February (hey, who can turn down a generally easier curve?).
Once the test date was set, I had to figure out how in the world to go about studying. About 98% of the people I talked to about the test stressed taking prep courses, given the importance of the test. Personally, these courses just weren’t an option for me financially. Also, I wasn’t sure that learning from someone else was the best method of studying for myself. So, against all odds and to the dismay of almost everyone I spoke with, I chose to self-study.
I was incredibly concerned with the idea of studying once my semester started, and didn’t want my GPA to drop as a result. Therefore, I allotted myself an excessive amount of time – nine months, to be exact – to master the LSAT. I started studying the May before my February test, as soon as spring semester of my sophomore year ended.
As the summer wound down, I started looking at PrepTests and taking those. I made an agreement with myself that I would take one PrepTest per week once the semester started to stay sharp, and then I would study hard over Christmas Break, and resume the one test per week strategy when spring semester started. And surprisingly, I stuck to it! I watched my PrepTest scores rise as I became more familiar with the tests themselves. I worked endless problems over Christmas, took a few more practice tests in January (I highly recommend taking tests the three or four Saturdays before your actual test to familiarize yourself with how the actual test day will feel), and suddenly test day was here!
Test day was big and scary and intimidating… but, in all honesty, no different than any other PrepTest I had taken. I credit my comfortable familiarity on test day with the prep I did. I don’t regret self-studying at all – come test day, I felt more than ready. If you’re going to self study, I can’t stress enough the need to hold yourself accountable – it’s easy to skip a PrepTest for something more fun (pretty much anything) but the key to self-studying successfully is to make a plan of action and stick with it all the way.
Best of luck on the LSAT, and happy self-studying!
Photo by bobaubuchon
This is why I chose to take it February. I didn't want to have to take the exam right after final exams, and I knew February would give me the chance to devote winter break to LSAT prep.
ReplyDelete9 months is an insane amount of time to study for the LSAT
ReplyDelete