But, when I got this email from LSAT Blog reader Diane, I saw a lot of myself in her:
I plan to follow your suggestion and do every single prep test. (I have privilege to study for LSAT full time- no job, no school, and I hope to use this chance to maximize my LSAT score, as it's my last option to compensate for my poor gpa standing.)
Anyways, in case like this- I am curious, how many hours should students like myself (English as second language, who doesn't have genius IQ- needs to put extra effort in studying to catch up with other competitive students, who is not a fast learner but hard worker) put into LSAT studying per day to achieve LSAT score 169-170?
I've been researching and found this forum where I saw students who only put like 3 month while attending school/working full time achieving over 170 even with completing only 30-35 prep tests. Are these students extreme cases? Or is LSAT that unchallenging.
*** MY RESPONSE ***
When you're thinking about my story, you've gotta remember that I only did every exam because:
A. There were fewer exams back then.
B. I was friggin' insane!!!
Maybe you're insane, too. I don't know.
But, still-
Dozens of exams have been released since then!
I don't suggest you do every single exam - that's just what I did....
when I went about things the WRONG way!
You don't even need to complete the majority of released LSAT exams in order to prep. Using just the most recent couple dozen gives you more than enough practice material.
As for how much to study...what is *enough*...
Doing 30-35 exams in 3 months sounds like it could be trying to do too much work in too short a time period, especially if they have other obligations. This leads to burnout. That's exactly what my LSAT study plans are meant to help you avoid.
Re: how much work YOU need to do per week, given that English is your second language, and you can study full-time, I'll tell you what I tell everybody:
It's impossible to say - everyone is different and I haven't worked with you personally. Do what you feel is necessary, but don't burn yourself out.
But if it were me....I'd make the LSAT my only focus.
As you know, it matters much more than any other factor in admissions. (And it usually takes more than 3 months to reach your fullest potential, whether you're studying full-time or not.)
You're lucky that you can study full-time because it means:
*** you can reduce odds of burnout by getting enough sleep, exercise, and relaxation ***
This is HUGE. Put in all the time you can - there's no magic number.
If I could do it over again while studying LSAT full-time, here's what I'd do now:
(This also works for anyone using my day-by-day study plans.)
*** Steve's Ideal (and Kinda Boring) Daily LSAT Routine ***
Wake up 6AM
Meditate
Drink coffee/tea
Workout
Breakfast
Study for a few hours
Lunch
Study for a few hours
Take care of errands, go for a walk
Dinner
See friends / relax
In bed by 10-11PM
******************************************
Not the most exciting - reminds me of warriors in the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta (well if you replace studying with training for battle)...
But it shows you can get studying done while still doing other stuff.
This does NOT involve going to the library for 12+ hours/day and doing nothing else for 3 months.
You can work out, exercise, see friends, relax, and get enough sleep, and still study 5-6 hours each day. (More than that isn't effective anyway.)
Yes, the LSAT is challenging (obviously).
It's just that 5-6 hours/day and 30-35 PrepTests is ENOUGH.
Question is:
What do you DO with those 5-6 hours and 30+ PrepTests?
Take test after test measuring your results?
Or review in detail, analyzing where you went wrong, and what to do differently next time?
Those of you using my LSAT prep materials already know the answer :)
And for those of you NOT lucky enough to study for the LSAT full-time, check out my article on:
How to Balance LSAT Prep with Work and School ---->
Very truly yours,
Spartan Steve
P.S. Reach out and let me know what your biggest LSAT problem is right now. (If enough people ask for something, it usually happens.)
Recommended Resources:
1. LSAT Courses
The best of my LSAT material with exclusive access to attend my Live Online LSAT Master Classes + Q&As, and on-demand video lessons you can watch anytime. Plus, LSAT study plans to keep you on track. Save hundreds of dollars with an LSAT course package.
2. LSAT Day-By-Day Study Plans
Preparing for the LSAT is confusing. There are dozens of prep books and practice tests out there, and 1,000+ articles on my website alone. When, and how, should you use them all? These super-specific study plans give you a clear plan of attack.
3. LSAT Cheat Sheets
Based on what I'd typically do in college: read what the professor emphasized and condense it all onto a single piece of paper. It gave me a quick reference, making things a lot less threatening and a lot more manageable.
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