I no longer have the desire to do LSAT... Forum

[WilliamStrong]

I have been prepping for LSAT since last year. My first cold test score was 151, I jumped to 162 right before December 2013, 165 before February 2014. I then decided to take the June 14 test instead of Feb 14 to make sure I get a 170+, and I got a bunch of 166s and 167s during April/May of 14, with one 170. I then got a 160 on the real test.

Nothing about that score made sense. For all the sections, I got unusually large amount of wrong answers, and I had not gotten that bad of a score since December of last year. I also used to be completely exhausted after doing full length tests (5 section) in February, and I had enough energy to actually do a sixth section to build my endurance during May. I also was able to finish some of the sections with 2-3 minutes to spare. I really thought I was getting good at it.

I think a part of that problem is that I have a typical Chinese mother, the so called "Tiger Mother." She has been scolding me for not getting higher scores, for having taken this long to prep, and how so many other people can take the test in shorter times and get higher scores than me. She also scolds me for not accomplishing anything during the meantime, when it is clear that I had been prepping for LSAT. I remembered right before the June 14 test, I talked to a friend of mine, who was giving me encouragements because my mom yelled at me for not working hard again for getting a 164 shortly after that 170. You can imagine what it was like when I showed her that 160 June 14 score...

And now she is making me take the December 14 LSAT. And I do mean MAKING ME, since I now hate doing LSAT questions, when I used to enjoy it. I now also feel that I will never get that score that I wanted, no less thanks to my mom's constant reminder of how I did so badly on that June test after months of prepping.

I am planning to move out soon, going to a career path that she thinks will end me up in unemployment and poverty since it is not as high paying as lawyers and doctors. But now I really don't know what I should do with LSAT. I have done every single published LSAT question before June 14 test, and for at least 30%, twice. I had spent such a long time prepping for LSAT, with a dream of going to a top law school. But now it seems that I can no longer take it, as I neither enjoy it anymore nor have the mental energy to take it as seriously as I did before.

[Cogburn87]

Don't go to law school. It's really that simple.

[surf]

life is too damn short to please people. the sooner she realizes you will do what you want, I reckon she'll back off.

if you want to be a lawyer, go be one. go to whatever school you want to go to. if you don't, pursue that career path that your mom thinks will land you sleeping in a park.

my parents advised against law because a lot of their friends are in it and are miserable humans. I said idgaf and I'm doing it anyways. I know I'm not in your situation, but I think we can all agree we'll be dead in 60 or so years so get busy livin! /end biased life advice

[UnicornHunter]

Good for you. Sounds like law was your mom's dream for you, not yours. The good news is that if you decide you want to do law 5 or 6 years from now, law school will still be there.

[McAvoy]

Don't go to law school. It's really that simple.

[Wingtip88]

\I am planning to move out soon, going to a career path that she thinks will end me up in unemployment and poverty since it is not as high paying as lawyers and doctors.

Law school could "end you up" in unemployment and poverty.

If you don't really want it, don't do it.

As far as your mother's insufferable oppressiveness about this whole thing, ask her whether she's the one who will be making your student loan payments. I'm sure if she were aware of the financial reality of the overwhelming majority of law graduates from the last decade or so, she'd probably have a healthier, and much more sane, perspective on this whole thing.

Now could you get a higher score on retake? I believe you realistically could, but your mother's behavior is possibly going to make that more difficult than it otherwise would be. Is there any reasonable way for you to convince her to leave you alone?

[Arad]

Aside from the stereotypical TLS advice to not take the LSAT, I think you have some serious problems that need to be addressed, else wise they will inhibit your ability to be happy regardless of whether you take the LSAT and go to Law School or pursue a future of unemployment as your mother proclaims.

Ethnic parents (all parents really) have this tendency to "know" what's best for their children. It manifests itself in different ways in different instances, but for the most part it is out of love and a byproduct of their upbringing and misconceptions about society. While I agree that you should do what you want as others have said, I think it is more important that you resolve this issue with your mother. Sit her down and tell her how you feel, tell her you are trying your hardest and all you want to do is make her proud and that you do not need the extra stress. Trying your hardest should be enough for most parents.

Standardized test results change drastically based on your state of mind, as most retakers will attest to (familiarity with the LSAT makes everything easier). I would find it near impossible to be in the right state of mind with a mother like yours. For all you know, when this issue is resolved, you will be passionate about the LSAT/Law School again. Or maybe you won't, but regardless, someone from your background (family-oriented) is unlikely to be happy if you do not have a strong relationship with your mother.

I hope everything works out, but trust me avoiding the LSAT won't help because this issue will haunt you in some other way in the future, whether it be in the form of a damaged relationship with your mother or the continuation of her behavior.

On a side note, unless she is very successful, she really has no business acting in said manner.

[PeanutsNJam]

On a side note, unless she is very successful, she really has no business acting in said manner.

I'm not saying she's in the right, but I'm asian and come from a similar background, and now I understand why a lot of asian parents push their kids so hard. Everybody thinks their child is a superstar. In Western cultures, as long as you work hard and give a good faith effort to do your best, that's enough for parents. And that's how it should be. But in asian cultures, if you don't have the results or the objective stats to prove your superstar-status, you're a shame to your parents.

No joke, asian parents will shit on their friends' kids for not going to a top # undergard, where # is at or below their child's school's rank.

Mom 1: "Can you believe Mom 2's son only got a 163 on his LSAT?" while saying "You better score better than Mom 3's son, he got a 170 but he only goes to UIUC, you go to UCLA!"

Mom 3: "Can you believe Mom 1 and Mom 2's sons are struggling to get a 170? You didn't go to UIUC or UCLA, but you'll go to a better law school!"

[iluvcash]

On a side note, unless she is very successful, she really has no business acting in said manner.

I'm not saying she's in the right, but I'm asian and come from a similar background, and now I understand why a lot of asian parents push their kids so hard. Everybody thinks their child is a superstar. In Western cultures, as long as you work hard and give a good faith effort to do your best, that's enough for parents. And that's how it should be. But in asian cultures, if you don't have the results or the objective stats to prove your superstar-status, you're a shame to your parents.

No joke, asian parents will shit on their friends' kids for not going to a top # undergard, where # is at or below their child's school's rank.

Mom 1: "Can you believe Mom 2's son only got a 163 on his LSAT?" while saying "You better score better than Mom 3's son, he got a 170 but he only goes to UIUC, you go to UCLA!"

Mom 3: "Can you believe Mom 1 and Mom 2's sons are struggling to get a 170? You didn't go to UIUC or UCLA, but you'll go to a better law school!"

"Everybody believes their child is a superstar" dude...this is a great explanation. I'm not Asian, but I grew up with many Asians, studied the culture/languages, but I still didn't really understand this wanting to one up each other so much. Can I ask you, why? Why the need to want to one up each other and show off so much?

[eriedoctrine]

On a side note, unless she is very successful, she really has no business acting in said manner.

I'm not saying she's in the right, but I'm asian and come from a similar background, and now I understand why a lot of asian parents push their kids so hard. Everybody thinks their child is a superstar. In Western cultures, as long as you work hard and give a good faith effort to do your best, that's enough for parents. And that's how it should be. But in asian cultures, if you don't have the results or the objective stats to prove your superstar-status, you're a shame to your parents.

No joke, asian parents will shit on their friends' kids for not going to a top # undergard, where # is at or below their child's school's rank.

Mom 1: "Can you believe Mom 2's son only got a 163 on his LSAT?" while saying "You better score better than Mom 3's son, he got a 170 but he only goes to UIUC, you go to UCLA!"

Mom 3: "Can you believe Mom 1 and Mom 2's sons are struggling to get a 170? You didn't go to UIUC or UCLA, but you'll go to a better law school!"

This. It's even worse for med school since Asians get reverse AAed so hard it's not even funny.

[lawstud24]

On a side note, unless she is very successful, she really has no business acting in said manner.

I'm not saying she's in the right, but I'm asian and come from a similar background, and now I understand why a lot of asian parents push their kids so hard. Everybody thinks their child is a superstar. In Western cultures, as long as you work hard and give a good faith effort to do your best, that's enough for parents. And that's how it should be. But in asian cultures, if you don't have the results or the objective stats to prove your superstar-status, you're a shame to your parents.

No joke, asian parents will shit on their friends' kids for not going to a top # undergard, where # is at or below their child's school's rank.

Mom 1: "Can you believe Mom 2's son only got a 163 on his LSAT?" while saying "You better score better than Mom 3's son, he got a 170 but he only goes to UIUC, you go to UCLA!"

Mom 3: "Can you believe Mom 1 and Mom 2's sons are struggling to get a 170? You didn't go to UIUC or UCLA, but you'll go to a better law school!"

"Everybody believes their child is a superstar" dude...this is a great explanation. I'm not Asian, but I grew up with many Asians, studied the culture/languages, but I still didn't really understand this wanting to one up each other so much. Can I ask you, why? Why the need to want to one up each other and show off so much?

As a child of a stereotypical Chinese mom, my personal experience is that their pushing is their way of showing their love and their belief in your potential. Trust me, as an Asian, it is much better to have parents who push you because they believe in you, than parents who tell you to do whatever you want because they think that your future is hopeless/no longer worth their time.

As for wanting to one-up each other, I don't think that's universal at all. My parents rarely compare me to others, and most of my asian friends would say the same. Coming from a 80+% Asian community where education is highly emphasized, I think we are quite representative. I've asked my own parents about it, and it seems to be their way of motivating their children - because of how they were motivated in their childhood. So I would say that the primary goal of having a successful child is not to be able to brag to other parents (although admittedly, some asian parents do care more than they should about this), it's for the sake of the child.

[Dr. Nefario]

I have been prepping for LSAT since last year. My first cold test score was 151, I jumped to 162 right before December 2013, 165 before February 2014. I then decided to take the June 14 test instead of Feb 14 to make sure I get a 170+, and I got a bunch of 166s and 167s during April/May of 14, with one 170. I then got a 160 on the real test.

Nothing about that score made sense. For all the sections, I got unusually large amount of wrong answers, and I had not gotten that bad of a score since December of last year. I also used to be completely exhausted after doing full length tests (5 section) in February, and I had enough energy to actually do a sixth section to build my endurance during May. I also was able to finish some of the sections with 2-3 minutes to spare. I really thought I was getting good at it.

I think a part of that problem is that I have a typical Chinese mother, the so called "Tiger Mother." She has been scolding me for not getting higher scores, for having taken this long to prep, and how so many other people can take the test in shorter times and get higher scores than me. She also scolds me for not accomplishing anything during the meantime, when it is clear that I had been prepping for LSAT. I remembered right before the June 14 test, I talked to a friend of mine, who was giving me encouragements because my mom yelled at me for not working hard again for getting a 164 shortly after that 170. You can imagine what it was like when I showed her that 160 June 14 score...

And now she is making me take the December 14 LSAT. And I do mean MAKING ME, since I now hate doing LSAT questions, when I used to enjoy it. I now also feel that I will never get that score that I wanted, no less thanks to my mom's constant reminder of how I did so badly on that June test after months of prepping.

I am planning to move out soon, going to a career path that she thinks will end me up in unemployment and poverty since it is not as high paying as lawyers and doctors. But now I really don't know what I should do with LSAT. I have done every single published LSAT question before June 14 test, and for at least 30%, twice. I had spent such a long time prepping for LSAT, with a dream of going to a top law school. But now it seems that I can no longer take it, as I neither enjoy it anymore nor have the mental energy to take it as seriously as I did before.

I feel your pain, I almost gave up after my 160 in June after having PTed 168-170 four straight tests

[ltowns1]

I have been prepping for LSAT since last year. My first cold test score was 151, I jumped to 162 right before December 2013, 165 before February 2014. I then decided to take the June 14 test instead of Feb 14 to make sure I get a 170+, and I got a bunch of 166s and 167s during April/May of 14, with one 170. I then got a 160 on the real test.

Nothing about that score made sense. For all the sections, I got unusually large amount of wrong answers, and I had not gotten that bad of a score since December of last year. I also used to be completely exhausted after doing full length tests (5 section) in February, and I had enough energy to actually do a sixth section to build my endurance during May. I also was able to finish some of the sections with 2-3 minutes to spare. I really thought I was getting good at it.

I think a part of that problem is that I have a typical Chinese mother, the so called "Tiger Mother." She has been scolding me for not getting higher scores, for having taken this long to prep, and how so many other people can take the test in shorter times and get higher scores than me. She also scolds me for not accomplishing anything during the meantime, when it is clear that I had been prepping for LSAT. I remembered right before the June 14 test, I talked to a friend of mine, who was giving me encouragements because my mom yelled at me for not working hard again for getting a 164 shortly after that 170. You can imagine what it was like when I showed her that 160 June 14 score...

And now she is making me take the December 14 LSAT. And I do mean MAKING ME, since I now hate doing LSAT questions, when I used to enjoy it. I now also feel that I will never get that score that I wanted, no less thanks to my mom's constant reminder of how I did so badly on that June test after months of prepping.

I am planning to move out soon, going to a career path that she thinks will end me up in unemployment and poverty since it is not as high paying as lawyers and doctors. But now I really don't know what I should do with LSAT. I have done every single published LSAT question before June 14 test, and for at least 30%, twice. I had spent such a long time prepping for LSAT, with a dream of going to a top law school. But now it seems that I can no longer take it, as I neither enjoy it anymore nor have the mental energy to take it as seriously as I did before.

I'm African American and my mother is the total opposite. She just wants me to do whatever makes me happy, and she wonders why I work so extremely hard on this test. When I think about it, she's a great balance to me because my mindset would be closer to your mothers even though not completely. I won't stop on this test, to the point where it has harmed my health. However, at the end of the day I tell her the same thing, I think you have to tell your mother. I do it because it's what I want. I've always been a strong willed individual and I have never hesitated in telling my parents or anyone else how I feel in a respectful way (and sometimes disrespectful way lol) I still love and appreciate all they have done, but I have to stand up for myself and what I want to do. I hope you find the strength to do whatever you feel is right for you whether that's take the test again, go to law school, or do something else. It's your life, and you will have to live with the consequences of your decision ultimately. Once you've made that decision, I hope you find the courage to tell your mother YOUR truth. You can do it brother, you need only to realize it. Go live your dream!

[whitespider]

And now she is making me take the December 14 LSAT. And I do mean MAKING ME

You're a grown adult. Your mother can't make you do anything.

Don't go to law school. It's really that simple.

[nlee10]

And now she is making me take the December 14 LSAT. And I do mean MAKING ME

You're a grown adult. Your mother can't make you do anything.

Don't go to law school. It's really that simple.

If the parents are still financially supporting the OP, then mom/dad could.

[whitespider]

And now she is making me take the December 14 LSAT. And I do mean MAKING ME

You're a grown adult. Your mother can't make you do anything.

Don't go to law school. It's really that simple.

If the parents are still financially supporting the OP, then mom/dad could.

Then he's not being forced to take the LSAT, he's being forced to finally cut the cord.

[PeanutsNJam]

I'd take the lsat for ~3 months of free room and board and home cooked meals any day.

[pancakes3]

I'd take the lsat for ~3 months of free room and board and home cooked meals any day.

Seriously. The struggle gets so much more real when you have to pay rent. These are high school problems.

[robertrulez]

I'm Mexican and I wish my mom pushed me like your parents did. Who knows where I would be. Though it does give me great pleasure to know that what I've done was done because I wanted to do it

[Lying Lawyer]

life is too damn short to please people. the sooner she realizes you will do what you want, I reckon she'll back off.

Not necessarily. In some cultures parents will never back down and will never accept you as grown up and your own person. I can sympathize with the OP. I am a hispanic male in my mid 30's. I run my own small business. I flip houses. I flip several a year and do very well for myself. My mother is still mad at me that I don't have a law degree or medical degree. She still says "I settled" by not getting a masters and doing what I did. I haven't even told her that I am studying for the LSAT. I don't want to hear it if it doesn't go well. I studied and took it a few years ago. I didn't score as well as I wanted so I was going to study again and my wife got pregnant so I put it away. I still get bitched at by my mom that I gave up on going to law school. Then when she's done, then my father starts. In some cultures they don't back off. They get on your case more if you don't "succeed."

[AReasonableMan]

It's odd she looks at each practice score. Involved parents ask about broad ranges. Most don't know anything except what their child says their goal is, and whether they reach it. In all likelihood the being overly involved is counterproductive for what she wants (you succeeding despite a difficult economy).