How long did you study for the lsat? Forum

[emkd26]

How long did you or would you recommend studying for the LSAT?
If you don't mind sharing, also, how much did you raise your score from your initial diagnostic score?

I just took my first diagnostic yesterday with a score of 165, 86 raw, stringently timed. I am just trying to figure out whether to start studying now for October or to wait until August or if this is enough time to prep for October.

Thanks all.

[Mr. Pancakes]

i think 3 months is pretty standard, but some don't need this much time.

[DaRascal]

I was studying on and off since January and once the spring semester ended (I'm now a rising senior), I turned it on for the last month.

Unfortunately, my PT average was 165, however, I feel good about Monday because I was moving so quickly and efficiently. I had never worked with that kind of purpose and urgency on PTs.

[cc.celina]

My first diag was exactly the same as yours, taken like ~middle of the summer of 2011. Between then and May 2012, I bought the LG bible, maybe read some of it, and took maybe one or two practice tests - aka basically nothing. Around May 20, I picked up the books big time and studied about 4-6 hours a day till June 9. By then I was PTing where I wanted to be (175+, about one-third 180s). I think I did fine on the June test. I don't think studying any more would have gotten me into a better law school. If I get my score back and it's a 165, ignore this advice.

But really, a lot of people will tell you to study a really long time. If you don't need that much, which you probably won't with a relatively high diag score, don't use it. At the same time, be careful you don't underestimate. I'd say, study a bit early this summer, see if you can get one or two timed PT scores around where you wanna be (familiarity does WONDERS) and if you're approaching it comfortably, no sense freaking out - you'd risk burning out, and that would be worse.

[CardozoLaw09]

My first diag was exactly the same as yours, taken like ~middle of the summer of 2011. Between then and May 2012, I bought the LG bible, maybe read some of it, and took maybe one or two practice tests - aka basically nothing. Around May 20, I picked up the books big time and studied about 4-6 hours a day till June 9. By then I was PTing where I wanted to be (175+, about one-third 180s). I think I did fine on the June test. I don't think studying any more would have gotten me into a better law school. If I get my score back and it's a 165, ignore this advice.

But really, a lot of people will tell you to study a really long time. If you don't need that much, which you probably won't with a relatively high diag score, don't use it. At the same time, be careful you don't underestimate. I'd say, study a bit early this summer, see if you can get one or two timed PT scores around where you wanna be (familiarity does WONDERS) and if you're approaching it comfortably, no sense freaking out - you'd risk burning out, and that would be worse.

I've been pretty familiar with the LSAT for over 2 years but have never really "studied" for the LSAT. Prior to this June administration I regrettably studied only a month and a half; I'll find out in 3 weeks whether that was sufficient but I doubt it given the overall strangeness of the exam.

[emkd26]

My first diag was exactly the same as yours, taken like ~middle of the summer of 2011. Between then and May 2012, I bought the LG bible, maybe read some of it, and took maybe one or two practice tests - aka basically nothing. Around May 20, I picked up the books big time and studied about 4-6 hours a day till June 9. By then I was PTing where I wanted to be (175+, about one-third 180s). I think I did fine on the June test. I don't think studying any more would have gotten me into a better law school. If I get my score back and it's a 165, ignore this advice.

But really, a lot of people will tell you to study a really long time. If you don't need that much, which you probably won't with a relatively high diag score, don't use it. At the same time, be careful you don't underestimate. I'd say, study a bit early this summer, see if you can get one or two timed PT scores around where you wanna be (familiarity does WONDERS) and if you're approaching it comfortably, no sense freaking out - you'd risk burning out, and that would be worse.

So basically just take my time leisurely working through stuff this summer and in August/September start doing practice tests to really sharpen the skills. Perfect. Exactly what I was looking for.

[dowu]

It will be 1 year for me come this October - I've been working full-time and also moved a few times. Coming from a low diagnostic of 140 (Kaplan center probably screwed this number a bit due to terrible testing conditions), followed by 2 148's in a row, I'm finally beginning to reach the 165 barrier. Hopefully by October, I'll be able to beast a 170+.

[Clearly]

I studied about a year, it took me a long time to get decent at this test. Diag=154 PT average=174...waiting on real results, although I'm starting to think I choked on this June test

[VasaVasori]

.

[boblawlob]

deleted

[dowu]

Definitely do not wait until August if you want that 180.


Took Diagnostic February 2010 and June 2010.
Took Prep Course from Late July 2010-Oct 2010.
Took Oct 2010 LSAT.
Took Prep Course from Mid July 2011 to Sept 2011.
Took Oct 2011 LSAT.
Very on and off studying from Late Oct 2011 to February 2012.
Hardcore Self study from March 2012 - right before June 2012 LSAT (withdrew).

Right now I am just reorganizing my notes before I begin another round of intense studying to break that 170 barrier.

So it will have been 18 months of studying by the time the OCT 2012 LSAT comes around. Having said that, I'm not like most people who can study for 5+ hours a day. That's too much for me to just sit down and study.

LOL, you've been fighting this test for quite a long time.

[cc.celina]

I'm not like most people who can study for 5+ hours a day. That's too much for me to just sit down and study.

I think this is what it comes down to. Can you lock yourself in the library for 9 hours one Saturday to get LG down? (guilty.) Or do other obligations/endurance issues mean that you're only able to devote a couple hours every weekend to it? If you're the latter, don't necessarily wait around. I was lucky enough to be working only part-time during the 3 weeks I studied, and am well accustomed to studying for huge blocks of time without break/having zero social life before big tests.

[emkd26]

I'm not like most people who can study for 5+ hours a day. That's too much for me to just sit down and study.

I think this is what it comes down to. Can you lock yourself in the library for 9 hours one Saturday to get LG down? (guilty.) Or do other obligations/endurance issues mean that you're only able to devote a couple hours every weekend to it? If you're the latter, don't necessarily wait around. I was lucky enough to be working only part-time during the 3 weeks I studied, and am well accustomed to studying for huge blocks of time without break/having zero social life before big tests.

I am. Not unknown for me to pull 12+ hour studying stretches with no problem. Also to my advantage, my fiance is studying for his PE exam until mid-October so it's not like I'm missing much if I disappear every weekend.

[NoodleyOne]

I studied for six weeks, and really wish I had another month to study. I cold diag'd at 158, and my last three PTs were an average of 174, but I felt (and feel) with the extra time I could have been a consistent 178-180 PTer. If I don't hit 172 on the test (will find out soon), I'll be retaking in October.

[danitt]

Six weeks for the December test and 5 months for the June retake (because obviously the six week treatment was shit).

[Bildungsroman]

I think maybe six weeks. Raised my score 8 points from my diagnostic.

[TheRainMan]

3 weeks. Cold diagnostic of 170. Was consistently hitting 177-180 the last two weeks. And yet, do not feel as though I crushed the real LSAT in June.

[phillykid]

Since September 2011. I put in about 2-3 hours per week from then until late April. Then started about 20 hrs per week from early May until I wrote the June LSAT.

Intial diagnostic: 150

Diagnostic in December 2011: 158

Last 15 prep tests before June LSAT: 164 average

Did about 35 pt's all in all. I think I did every games section about 2x

[CardozoLaw09]

3 weeks. Cold diagnostic of 170. Was consistently hitting 177-180 the last two weeks. And yet, do not feel as though I crushed the real LSAT in June.

Cold diagnostic of 170? Holy shit...

[dowu]

3 weeks. Cold diagnostic of 170. Was consistently hitting 177-180 the last two weeks. And yet, do not feel as though I crushed the real LSAT in June.

Cold diagnostic of 170? Holy shit...

Seriously. I wish I could just test at that level. I don't know how some people are so capable of great scores of the bat.


Either that, or they're blowing smoke.

[sequins]

3 weeks. Cold diagnostic of 170. Was consistently hitting 177-180 the last two weeks. And yet, do not feel as though I crushed the real LSAT in June.

Cold diagnostic of 170? Holy shit...

Seriously. I wish I could just test at that level. I don't know how some people are so capable of great scores of the bat.


Either that, or they're blowing smoke.

Meh - I studied for round 2 hours before the real thing (just did a practice test) and got 167 in the real thing - My PT was 170ish too- (I'm usually good at this diagnostic tests thing - scored full or nearly full on sats/gre as well w/o any prep)

I think the main thing is having solid reading/vocab. I didn't miss any questions on the reading/vocab sections so that's basically 75% of the test done with. The 'Logic' sections I don't think is really studyable beyond learning a few diagramming techniques. So yea - I'm guessing the main difference between people who have to study a lot or well...don't is with vocab/reading sections. I'm not sure about LSAT studying - but seeing my friends study for SAT's or GRE's and I'd say a good 90% of their effort was in learning vocab - so if you're good on that and have a decent reading speed then learning a techniques for logic games isn't going to take you that long. It also depends on your goals. If you definitely want HYS and need that 180 then yea you can put in 9 months of hardcore studying to bump yourself up those last few points =P
But like you've probably found out in every college class - it takes 100X more work to get those last few points from an A- to an A than it is to get from a B+ to A-

[bdeebs]

I also had a high diagnostic and felt fairly comfortable with the test. I had all the time in the world, so I dicked around for 6 months before getting into the nitty gritty studying. I enjoy the test, so it wasn't that horrible for me, but I'd guess that it added 200 hours of study time that I didn't actually need. If I had to estimate an ideal timeline for myself looking back, I would probably spend a warm up month of 30 hours dedicated to learning the basics of the test (question types, conditional logic, games setup, etc) and becoming halfway familiar with a couple practice tests. Then another 50 hours of untimed intense practice to iron out my approach, discover the patterns in the test, isolate and eliminate weaknesses, and figure out timing. This might use up 10 practice tests. Then the real meat of the process would be taking timed practice tests and reviewing those. If there was a particular area that was giving me trouble, I'd drill that area before taking my next timed test. I'd probably spend 150 hours doing this.

[boblawlob]

deleted

[jgloster]

Studied for a grand total of a week, and took two practice tests that came out to around 160. Not sure what I'll get on the real thing.

[TheRainMan]

3 weeks. Cold diagnostic of 170. Was consistently hitting 177-180 the last two weeks. And yet, do not feel as though I crushed the real LSAT in June.

Cold diagnostic of 170? Holy shit...

Seriously. I wish I could just test at that level. I don't know how some people are so capable of great scores of the bat.


Either that, or they're blowing smoke.