Adderall before the LSAT? Forum

[t14orbust22]

I know this might be kind of a shady topic but I think it warrants discussion. My friend who has a prescription for Adderall has seen me studying hard for the LSAT and suggested I use Adderall to improve my concentration and perhaps my test performance. I do not have a prescription for it myself though I have never been evaluated for ADD. As an aspiring future lawyer and someone with (what I'd like to think) are high ethical standards, I feel like taking Adderall without a prescription would at the least be kind of unethical and could at the most be considered cheating. But then I wondered if not taking Adderall might put me at a competitive disadvantage relative to those who do and wondered if other people take it or how common it is? I guess my questions are:

1) Would taking Addreall before the test technically be considered cheating by LSAC?

2) How many people study with or take the LSAT with Adderall or other mental stimulants that they don't have a prescription for?

Any input would be appreciated.

[S.Picquery]

I know this might be kind of a shady topic but I think it warrants discussion. My friend who has a prescription for Adderall has seen me studying hard for the LSAT and suggested I use Adderall to improve my concentration and perhaps my test performance. I do not have a prescription for it myself though I have never been evaluated for ADD. As an aspiring future lawyer and someone with (what I'd like to think) are high ethical standards, I feel like taking Adderall without a prescription would at the least be kind of unethical and could at the most be considered cheating. But then I wondered if not taking Adderall might put me at a competitive disadvantage relative to those who do and wondered if other people take it or how common it is? I guess my questions are:

1) Would taking Addreall before the test technically be considered cheating by LSAC?

2) How many people study with or take the LSAT with Adderall or other mental stimulants that they don't have a prescription for?

Any input would be appreciated.

Do not take adderall for the first time before an exam. If you're not used to it/it's not fixing something, I highly advise against.

[somedeadman]

1) Would taking Addreall before the test technically be considered cheating by LSAC?

Taking drugs that you aren't prescribed so you can have a competitive advantage over others? Yes, that's cheating.

2) How many people study with or take the LSAT with Adderall or other mental stimulants that they don't have a prescription for?

I don't think there are any statistics on this.

If you really do have ADD and want to take adderall, get a prescription.

In addition, do you really want to go to a school that you can't get into on your own merit?

[UHAlum]

In addition, do you really want to go to a school that you can't get into on your own merit?

Is the proliferation of Adderall abuse such that the standards driving acceptance are actually inflated from what they would otherwise be if people were taking the LSAT "clean"?

I have no idea what the answer is, but the OP doesn't seem to be looking for an unfair advantage.. More trying to understand the current environment. Based on what I heard/ saw during my UG, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that many abuse Adderall to improve their LSAT score.

But I really have no evidence, just conjecture.

[EDIT] And, since I'm still getting used to posting in a forum with a bunch of pre-law folks, I will clarify that when I say "abuse Adderall" I'm merely referring to using it without a prescription. There are, undoubtedly, many who have not been prescribed Adderall who have a more legitimate need than some who have been. But I agree with deadman - if you need it, go get it prescribed.

[somedeadman]

In addition, do you really want to go to a school that you can't get into on your own merit?

Is the proliferation of Adderall abuse such that the standards driving acceptance are actually inflated from what they would otherwise be if people were taking the LSAT "clean"?

I have no idea what the answer is, but the OP doesn't seem to be looking for an unfair advantage.. More trying to understand the current environment. Based on what I heard/ saw during my UG, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that many abuse Adderall to improve their LSAT score.

But I really have no evidence, just conjecture.

[EDIT] And, since I'm still getting used to posting in a forum with a bunch of pre-law folks, I will clarify that when I say "abuse Adderall" I'm merely referring to using it without a prescription. There are, undoubtedly, many who have not been prescribed Adderall who have a more legitimate need than some who have been. But I agree with deadman - if you need it, go get it prescribed.

He asked if not taking it would put him at a competitive disadvantage. So, he either wants to level the playing field or gain a competitive advantage for himself. I have no idea how many use adderall to study for the LSAT, nor do I know how prevalent it is in college. I will say this though; if one gets into a school because of an LSAT score earned by the use of adderall, one should probably get a prescription for they will most likely need to use it again.

[dabigchina]

Adderall isn't going to improve testing performance. if anything I can see it hurting performance.

[anonanonny]

Some years back I knew several people in my LSAT prep course taking Adderall to supposedly improve their focus/performance. I never took it and simply forced myself to be disciplined enough to study for hours on end. The drug doesn't improve your intellectual ability. I would advise against using it for many reasons: it's not your prescription, you're not used to it, and you can do well without it if you work hard and stay disciplined. You can't (or certainly shouldn't) rely on Adderall for LSAT studying or taking the LSAT. There will be many times in your life as a law student and lawyer where your discipline will be required to get you through. You can do it!

Good luck! And for what it's worth I did better than every single person in my class who used Adderall "for an advantage." Of course, this is anecdotal, but I suspect it doesn't help that much with performance.

[somedeadman]

Adderall isn't going to improve testing performance. if anything I can see it hurting performance.

If one is anxious, definitely. I think it would help with stamina though.

With that said, it's not like adderall is a magic bullet for learning LSAT concepts, especially if only taken for D-Day

[dabigchina]

Adderall isn't going to improve testing performance. if anything I can see it hurting performance.

If one is anxious, definitely. I think it would help with stamina though.

With that said, it's not like adderall is a magic bullet for learning LSAT concepts, especially if only taken for D-Day

I've been told that it has a tendency to make you focus on unimportant details and take longer than necessary on some problems. I could see both actively hurting.

[dg1090]

I attended a top 5 undergrad. A LOT of people used adderall, if not on test day then at least to study. I couldn't give a percentage but I'll say that I was surprised to learn how many, especially some folks I'd never suspected.

I'd speculate that it's more helpful when trying to rote memorize as opposed to critical thinking tasks, but if you already have the lsat basics down then I could see it being helpful. I absolutely don't condone using it for anything outside of diagnosed issues. But there's a tangible benefit if the user has a handle on it, as evidenced by its prevalence across a lot of schools. Personally I'm scared to mess with my brain like that, even once. I'd rather rely on natural ability 100% of the time.

[sethnoorzad]

Why not:

1) get a prescription

2) try a PT on it and see how it goes

[Voyager]

Adderall can absolutely give a competitive advantage... but you need use it regularly to get used to it and understand how to dose yourself etc.

I had several law school friends use it when studying in law school to help focus. They all did very well.

Taking it for the first time right before the exam is going to most likely cause you problems, however. Don't do that.

Otherwise: go get some drugs and experiment as part of your study plan. Whatever it takes to win.

I've never used that stuff before, so the above comes second hand only.

[Colonel_funkadunk]

In addition, do you really want to go to a school that you can't get into on your own merit?

this is kind of a ridic statement. if someone has concentration issues and uses adderall to remedy that it's still their own merit.

[Voyager]

In addition, do you really want to go to a school that you can't get into on your own merit?

this is kind of a ridic statement. if someone has concentration issues and uses adderall to remedy that it's still their own merit.

I'll take it one step further: who wants to WIN? "merit"? Whatever it takes to get into the best school possible, man.

I'd just make sure you know what you are doing.

I'm with the good Colonel.

[Voyager]

and I'll reiterate: a substantial portion of your law school classmates will be on something like Adderall/meth/coke/stimulant to help with studying.

And they will do well.

[waldorf]

I know this might be kind of a shady topic but I think it warrants discussion. My friend who has a prescription for Adderall has seen me studying hard for the LSAT and suggested I use Adderall to improve my concentration and perhaps my test performance. I do not have a prescription for it myself though I have never been evaluated for ADD. As an aspiring future lawyer and someone with (what I'd like to think) are high ethical standards, I feel like taking Adderall without a prescription would at the least be kind of unethical and could at the most be considered cheating. But then I wondered if not taking Adderall might put me at a competitive disadvantage relative to those who do and wondered if other people take it or how common it is? I guess my questions are:

1) Would taking Addreall before the test technically be considered cheating by LSAC?

2) How many people study with or take the LSAT with Adderall or other mental stimulants that they don't have a prescription for?

Any input would be appreciated.

I used to have a prescription for it, but it doesn't interact well with another medicine I have to take, so I don't take it anymore. Here's what I'll tell you from personal experience:

1. Do NOT take it for the first time on test day. It can have severe side effects, especially if you have never taken it and/or don't really need it to concentrate normally. They include: severe dry mouth (to the level that it would be a distraction for me), frequent urination (due to the dry mouth and the fact that it is a diuretic - which would obviously be a distraction during the LSAT since you have to go awhile without a bathroom break), and increased heart rate, anxiety, and even a loss of concentration if you take too much and it just completely makes your mind race.

2. I went to a large state school where drugs were fairly common and the party scene was huge. I was very shocked when I came to college and saw just how pervasive the use of Adderall was among the successful students so that they could stay up later and study more efficiently. So yes, it's common, but that doesn't make it the right path for you. I'm not going to get on my high horse and tell you not to use it, but if you're going to do so, start with a low dosage, use it on a few practice tests, and see how it affects you before you risk taking it on the real thing. You don't want to end up sitting there with your mouth feeling like the Sahara and your heart racing at a million beats per minute. Preferably, if you think that you actually have concentration issues, see a doctor and get a prescription.

[stego]

I do not have an ADD diagnosis but I do have a prescription for Adderall (or rather, got a prescription for it once, to take on an as-needed basis, and still have a few pills left). My two earlier LSAT takes (without Adderall) were slightly lower than my last two takes (with Adderall on test day). Granted, I studied more for the last two takes than I did for the first two. I did not use Adderall to study for the test.

[pancakes3]

If you're asking about drugs on the internet, you shouldn't be taking drugs

[cd1945]

Not a good idea, try Felix Felicis instead.

[Jetlife]

and I'll reiterate: a substantial portion of your law school classmates will be on something like Adderall/meth/coke/stimulant to help with studying.

And they will do well.

I can understand Adderall and coke but meth? That's crazy.

[stego]

and I'll reiterate: a substantial portion of your law school classmates will be on something like Adderall/meth/coke/stimulant to help with studying.

And they will do well.

I can understand Adderall and coke but meth? That's crazy.

it does seem crazy but tbf meth is a stimulant and is chemically similar to adderall

https://www.quora.com/Are-Adderall-and-meth-the-same

[Voyager]

and I'll reiterate: a substantial portion of your law school classmates will be on something like Adderall/meth/coke/stimulant to help with studying.

And they will do well.

I can understand Adderall and coke but meth? That's crazy.

it does seem crazy but tbf meth is a stimulant and is chemically similar to adderall

https://www.quora.com/Are-Adderall-and-meth-the-same

Adderall basically is meth.

I had one friend for sure develop a super serious business coke habit. That friend consumed $40,000+ in powder over 2 years.

Ended up at a V10 with excellent grades.

[somedeadman]

In addition, do you really want to go to a school that you can't get into on your own merit?

this is kind of a ridic statement. if someone has concentration issues and uses adderall to remedy that it's still their own merit.

If they've been diagnosed with add/ADHD, then yes. Otherwise no. It's pretty simple.

[dabigchina]

and I'll reiterate: a substantial portion of your law school classmates will be on something like Adderall/meth/coke/stimulant to help with studying.

And they will do well.

I can understand Adderall and coke but meth? That's crazy.

it does seem crazy but tbf meth is a stimulant and is chemically similar to adderall

https://www.quora.com/Are-Adderall-and-meth-the-same

Adderall basically is meth.

I had one friend for sure develop a super serious business coke habit. That friend consumed $40,000+ in powder over 2 years.

Ended up at a V10 with excellent grades.

Adderall is not basically meth. Not defending off label use, but this statement is ridiculous.

Saying Adderall is basically meth is like saying Vicodin is basically Fentanyl. Both should not be abused, but one is orders of magnitude more potent than the other.

[albanach]

21 U.S.C. § 844.