Coming back after a big study break

[glasann]

I studied nearly full time last year (and did your tutoring and course) from June 2020 to January 2021, ultimately getting practice tests into the mid 170s and feeling great about the test. Then in January I had to put down my study books. I'm only just now picking them back up in October and -- OMG -- to say I'm rusty is the understatement of a lifetime! Granted I'm on day 1 of the back-to-studying routine, but the first couple games I've just attempted were ones that would have taken me 4-5 minutes in January and are now taking me 15+ minutes.

How long does it typically take to come back from such a long study break? Hoping I'm not totally at square one. Any tips for reacquainting myself with the test?

Thanks!

[Jeremy Press]

Hi glasann,

First, I just want to commend you for coming back to your study plan in spite of the intervening time. Getting back into the swing of studying isn't easy, and I'm glad you're doing it! That said, you're likely not at square one in terms of knowledge of the test, and that's a great thing. What I mean is, you probably still know how to set scenarios up, how to diagram common rules, and how to arrive at common inferences. That's significant, and don't downplay it.

What you're noticing is a very natural decline in the processing speed of those various tasks. That happens to almost everyone when they take several months away from studying. I can't tell you exactly how long it will take you to recover your prior speed, but I can tell you that what you did before will work now. Do at least some games every day (even if it's not a full timed section). Review a game thoroughly when it takes "too long" to complete. And once you're satisfied that you understand the game as well as you can, make sure you add a "repeat" or two of the game to your study process. You want to push yourself beyond your initial take of the game, and the best way to do that is to force yourself to repeat the process, start to finish. Do that a day or two after your thorough review, so you're not just working through a "memorized" form of the game.

It will likely take a couple weeks to get back into the swing of things (maybe a little more, maybe a little less). If you find it's taking longer than that, it may be worth checking in with a tutor about what you're doing and what you could change about your study routine. And make sure in any case that you're taking advantage of the analytics PowerScore offers to identify areas of weakness and immediately target them for quicker improvement (https://www.powerscore.com/lsat/analytics/).

You'll get there with sustained, regular exposure to the sections and by using the processes of review and mastery you used originally. Keep at it--persistence is key, especially at this critical juncture of your studying. And let us know how else we can help!

Rooting for you!