self studying...am I doing something wrong? SOS!

[maggie502]

Hi! I recently started studying for the June LSAT with the 6 month self-study plan, but I'm starting to get the tiniest bit dismayed with the whole process...I got a 161 on my diagnostic, including a total of 100% correct answers for LR - MBT questions and one LR section where I only got one question wrong. A few weeks in, though, and I almost feel like I'm regressing. I just finished going through chapter 2 (entirely MBT questions) in the LSAT Logical Reasoning Question Type Training book, and I got nearly 20% of the 108 questions wrong. I've been devoting at least 3 hours a day (usually more) to prep over the past few weeks, and it's super disheartening to see that, statistically at least, I'm worse off than where I was at the beginning of January.

As far as my actual studying techniques--I've been reading all required texts, taking notes, making flashcards, making my own study bible, doing all required drills, working through correct/incorrect answers, the whole nine yards. I know it's super early in the studying process (I've still got 4ish months until the real deal) and that I'll gain more information between now and then, but it's definitely worrisome to not see any substantial progress after putting in so, so much work up to this point. I don't mind putting in as much work as I am as long as I see some major results (I'd love to get 175+ come June), but I also don't want to continue along this trajectory and stagnate or even go backwards over the course of the next few months. Is this some sort of learning curve that lots of students run into, or am I doing something wrong?

Also, I'm currently working a full-time job, so I'm legitimately putting in as much time as I possibly can without going crazy or quitting work, neither of which are desirable options. Is there a more effective way to use the limited hours I have?

[Kristina Moen]

Hi Maggie!

Welcome to the Forum. It sounds like you have just begun your study plan. It is very normal to feel as though you are "regressing" at first, as you are thinking more deeply about the questions and trying new techniques and skills. Without training, most students rely on their instincts - and since most prospective law students are very bright, a lot of those instincts yield correct answers! However, what we want is for students to go beyond instinct, to truly understand what they're being asked and how to select the correct answer and how to eliminate the incorrect answers. On test day, most students experience nerves and other feelings that make it hard to rely on their instincts (second guessing themselves, misreading a question, etc.), and that's where the skills and techniques come in. The more you practice them, the more natural they will feel, and the easier it will be! However, it takes time and patience to develop those skills. Just like learning to ride a bike, it can be awkward at first. You might slow down or make a mistake using the technique, and so you didn't do as well as you did last week. But the goal here is do better on test day. So keep practicing and following the 6-month plan. You're well on your way! And keep using the Forum, we love to answer questions.

With your question about limited hours - the Question Type Training books and Bibles are an excellent use of your time right now. Full-length practice tests can come later. For now, you want to focus on mastering question types. It's just like when you are playing a song on a musical instrument. You might choose to focus on specific parts of the song, rather than playing the whole song over and over again. Eventually, you put all the parts together and you've mastered the whole song! Right now, you should be focusing on learning and practicing new skills and techniques. Eventually, you will add in full-length practice tests to build up your endurance and develop test strategy. Good luck!