To the full-time workers.. Forum

[redecember]

How difficult is it to study after a full work day and how many hours a week do you usually study?

I'm currently studying for the June test and I'm deciding if I should take on a part-time or full-time job. I have undergraduate loans to pay and I wont be in law school till Fall 2014 (that is if I do well in June). I'm a little worried that if I take a full time job I won't be able to study as much as I want to for June, but that extra money would be really nice. Also, to all the gym rats, are you able to manage all these obligations comfortably? Suggestions? Thanks in advance.

[bizzybone1313]

Don't get a job until your done with the LSAT. You won't ever make a bigger mistake than if you do that. You will never do anything more important for your career than study for the LSAT.

[MKC]

Don't get a job until your done with the LSAT. You won't ever make a bigger mistake than if you do that. You will never do anything more important for your career than study for the LSAT.

TITCR. Seriously. This test is worth about 3 times your entire undergraduate career for law school purposes. A few points can be worth tens of thousands of dollars. Studying is now your job. Don't fuck around.

[eyfl]

There are still lots of people here who did work full time while prepping. So if you really need to work - it is possible to combine these two (I was doing ~2 hours per weekday + ~4 hours during the weekend; I did put the gym on pause though). Obviously it's better to have more time at hand (i.e. not working)

[cinephile]

Don't get a job until your done with the LSAT. You won't ever make a bigger mistake than if you do that. You will never do anything more important for your career than study for the LSAT.

This is the dumbest thing I've heard this week. The LSAT is NOT the be all and end all. It's just a test. You can spare a couple of hours to drill various sections each night, maybe do a full practice test each Saturday for a couple of months up until the test. Do not give up an opportunity for full-time employment just for the chance at a test that may or may not help you in your future.

FWIW, I every person I know took the LSAT while employed and not a one regrets it.

[Keasbey]

I took the October 2012 LSAT and worked 24 hours a week from mid-August on. Even that was very difficult. After working 8 hours a commuting home I found my PT scores to drop on work days. While it can be done, I would try and avoid working while studying.

[WhiteyCakes]

Don't get a job until your done with the LSAT. You won't ever make a bigger mistake than if you do that. You will never do anything more important for your career than study for the LSAT.

This is terrible advice. Study early, study late, grt it done. Putting your life on hold for one test is stupid and lazy

[dingbat]

I worked an average 60 hours a week, and I was fine. Discipline, motherfucker

[northwood]

I studied and worked 50 hours a week. its very do-able, and there are resources here to help assist you. Just remember that it may take you longer to get prepared for the test ( so if you are taking it in June, you should start now), and you shoudl also consider taking it in OCtober, if you arent where you want to be by the withdraw date. While the test is Hugely important for admissions, and does impact scholarships, if you do end up not going, or decide to do something else, having a job is more important, because you dont have to explain well, I quit my job to study for the LSAT, but im not going to law school now. ( granted this might not be a big deal, but it could possibly be interpreted as you not being sure you want to stick around for a while).

Just be prepared to cut down on your social life until after the test.

[WhiteyCakes]

Discipline, motherfucker

TCR

[Spritzpiggy]

I worked full-time while studying for the LSAT and still got a 174. I covered my TV with sticky notes to prevent me from being tempted and studied diligently after work and on weekends. I only did this for less than two months so considering your test is in June you should be fine.

And +1 to the above post

[Dee32]

I've been preparing for the June administration for about two weeks now. So far I enjoy preparing for the LSAT much more than I did when I was in college. Studying for the LSAT while working keeps me balanced and ensures that when I do study I give my prep 100% focus and effort, because I know that nights are the only times I am going to be able to hit the books during the weekdays. I work 60-70 hours/week (or more, but recently closer to 60) as a paralegal at a V5 in NYC. I generally try to make it home around 8 or 9 and devote a couple of hours to solid prep. Weekends when I am not working are also generally devoted to prep. I'm not foreseeing any problems come June due to lack of preparation. If you really want it, you can make it happen nearly regardless of your schedule. I think how you prepare is much more important than how often you prepare. As another poster mentioned, it is all about discipline.

Disclaimer: As mentioned above, I also studied for the test one other time (for June 2011), in college, so by the time I started studying for this June's administration I already had I pretty solid foundation with many concepts on the test as well as a deep familiarity with the content. I think this definitely helped me when I picked up the books again despite a pretty hectic work schedule.

[alwayssunnyinfl]

I worked about thirty hours per week and was taking a full course load when I studied and got in the 170s. I thought it was helpful to have a life outside of the test to force me to relax and not take myself too seriously.

[drive4showLSAT4dough]

I studied about 20 hours a week while working about 45 hours a week. I drank very little during the time I was studying. I spent less time with my friends. But, I managed my time between work and studying very well. The result was that I pulled my score up significantly.

[shntn]

How difficult is it to study after a full work day and how many hours a week do you usually study?

I'm currently studying for the June test and I'm deciding if I should take on a part-time or full-time job. I have undergraduate loans to pay and I wont be in law school till Fall 2014 (that is if I do well in June). I'm a little worried that if I take a full time job I won't be able to study as much as I want to for June, but that extra money would be really nice. Also, to all the gym rats, are you able to manage all these obligations comfortably? Suggestions? Thanks in advance.

I managed to do pretty well studying while holding down a full-time job. It required some Saturdays dedicated to studying, but it was a small price to pay.

[Theopliske8711]

I'm doing it now. It's certainly not easy, but it's doable. The LSAT should be studied over a period of several months. For many people, not working in the meantime is not an option. I wish I could devote a full-time to it, but I also enjoy having the money to relax and be able to have a life. It certainly makes things a bit easier. I can afford a gym to help with stress, occasional nights out. All of this is, I think, quite indispensable if you are going to study in a rational way.

[StylinNProfilin]

If you want it bad enough you can make it work. I worked 50-60 hrs a week and still managed to get my gym time in 5 days a week, 168 in October.

[thisiswater]

I worked 50 hours a week, went to the gym regularly and still saw friends some and got a good score. Honestly it's all about discipline. I brought packets to work and drilled during lunch, I did full prep tests every weekend and sections at night after work.

[wtrc]

I work full time, about 40-45 hours a week plus a commute. Fortunately, I was able to get the LSAT basics down when I studied for it in 2011, so now it's just drilling and PTs on weekends and some evenings. It's tougher, but it's doable. Having 4+ months to prepare makes it doable. As long as you allocate your time well and don't cram, I really don't think it's a problem.

[shntn]

I worked 50 hours a week, went to the gym regularly and still saw friends some and got a 178. Honestly it's all about discipline. I brought packets to work and drilled during lunch, I did full prep tests every weekend and sections at night after work.

This.

[smallpotato]

I was a few years out of school, working 50 hours a week at a demanding office job, and took a course two nights a week in the evening for 3 months. I studied during lunch breaks and weekends, probably around 15-20 hours a week, with a practice test every week. I scored 174 on my first try. My PTs were lower, I think because I was so tired from work. However, a little discipline for a few months and a good night's sleep go a long way.

[Skill Game]

Theoretically it makes sense to not work and just study for the lsat. But in reality you would probably go crazy from doing that all day every day. So a job can give you a good ballast

[shntn]

Theoretically it makes sense to not work and just study for the lsat. But in reality you would probably go crazy from doing that all day every day. So a job can give you a good ballast

Yeah I would have been much less motivated if it had been all I had to do with my time.

[francesfarmer]

I worked 50 hours a week, went to the gym regularly and still saw friends some and got a 178. Honestly it's all about discipline. I brought packets to work and drilled during lunch, I did full prep tests every weekend and sections at night after work.

+1. Studying for the LSAT didn't really hurt my social life except in that my friends got sick of hearing about my latest PT scores

[Theopliske8711]

It was the opposite for me. I liked to keep my LSAT studying personal, but everybody kept hounding me. If I could recommend one thing to people: do not tell people that you are studying for the LSAT or when you plan to take it.