Finally Determining the Right Path

I got sick in November of last year, right when it was time to attack LSAT prep.  It was extremely difficult to concentrate – better long study for the December 2011 LSAT, so I postpone it for the third time – for June 2012.  

I got seriously ill in January of this year and again, I could not do anything but rest.  While resting I begin asking myself this question, “What is the career, not job, I want to retire from and will ascertaining a law degree help me do it?”  As I have stated many times before on this blog, my passion is policy.  My goal is to create policy that will assist undeserved communities obtain the “American dream.”  After doing extensive research, I know the answer to my question, “I want to create policy and no, a law degree will not hurt me from accomplishing that goal, but obtaining a PhD will get me to that goal more definitively.

So I will not be taking the LSAT.  I will be preparing to take the GRE in August.  Stay tuned as I revamp this website to travel down the path.    

 

Finally Determining the Right Path

I got sick in November of last year, right when it was time to attack LSAT prep.  It was extremely difficult to concentrate – better long study for the December 2011 LSAT, so I postpone it for the third time – for June 2012.  

I got seriously ill in January of this year and again, I could not do anything but rest.  While resting I begin asking myself this question, “What is the career, not job, I want to retire from and will ascertaining a law degree help me do it?”  As I have stated many times before on this blog, my passion is policy.  My goal is to create policy that will assist undeserved communities obtain the “American dream.”  After doing extensive research, I know the answer to my question, “I want to create policy and no, a law degree will not hurt me from accomplishing that goal, but obtaining a PhD will get me to that goal more definitively  

 

Finally Determining the Right Path

I got sick in November of last year, right when it was time to attack LSAT prep.  It was extremely difficult to concentrate – better long study for the December 2011 LSAT, so I postpone it for the third time – for June 2012.  

I got seriously ill in January of this year and again, I could not do anything but rest.  While resting I begin asking myself this question, “What is the career, not job, I want to retire from and will ascertaining a law degree help me do it?”  As I have stated many times before on this blog, my passion is policy.  My goal is to create policy that will assist undeserved communities obtain the “American dream.”  After doing extensive research, I know the answer to my question, “I want to create policy and no, a law degree will not hurt  

 

Finally Determining the Right Path

I got sick in November of last year, right when it was time to attack LSAT prep.  It was extremely difficult to concentrate – better long study for the December 2011 LSAT, so I postpone it for the third time – for June 2012.  

I got seriously ill in January of this year and again, I could not do anything but rest.  While resting I begin asking myself this question, “What is the career, not job, I want to retire from and will ascertaining a law degree help me do it?”  As I have stated many times before on this blog, my passion is policy.  My goal is to create policy that will assist undeserved communities obtain the “AM 

 

Finally Determining the Right Path

I got sick in November of last year, right when it was time to attack LSAT prep.  It was extremely difficult to concentrate – better long study for the December 2011 LSAT, so I postpone it for the third time – for June 2012.  

I got seriously ill in January of this year and again, I could not do anything but rest.  While resting I begin asking mys

 

Finally Determining the Right Path

 

The Road to An A+ on the LSAT

Two Saturdays ago hit me & it hit me hard.  It was an unwanted flashback to a time I never want to see again, but in the grand scheme of things, totally necessary.  It showed me that I was being lazy, unproductive, but most of all, about to lose out on the one thing that I have been striving to accomplish for a very long time.

After seeing my score & talking to my study partner & my boyfriend, I realized I have applied everyone’s method, but I must return to what works for me.  One thing that life has taught me is that everyone plays the game by their own rules & what works for you, might not necessarily work for me.  This is so true with me & this test.  I learn in parts.  I freak out when I am doing something & I don’t understand all of the reasons or procedures behind what I am doing.  To me, I have no measuring stick to judge whether I am correctly applying the rules by how they were meant to be applied.  This is why it takes me a good deal of time to pick up something new.

But with this test, it is not new to me.  I have just failed to understand the reasons behind many of the methods of why I should do things a certain way.  So now, I must start here to catch up.

One point that resonated with me was I need to tackle this test like a normal final from high school & college.  In high school, I was BADD!  I could go to class listen to the teacher, read over my notes (probably at most twice), & come in & ace the test no problem.  With standardized test, I used to study the math portion vigorously & every other section normal prep & do very well.  But these methods do not work here.  Why?  First,  I need to practice more due to the fact I am introducing myself to new methods of thinking.  Second, I am not making an A+ ( in this case, 180) my target grade.  Throughout my educational background, an A was always my target.  I cried so hard when I got my first B that I made myself sick.  So, why should I not reach for the same goal now?

I should at least strive for it.  Anything is possible with good old fashion hard work.  So I am striving for the 180, but also being realistic about my chances & what I can reasonably achieve in the amount of time I have left between now & test day.  I am ready to push back the test (again) if necessary.

So now, that I have been practicing regularly & know what I need to do, I am studying far more & better than before.  With me, it is all about eliminating everything to get to the something.  Now, more than ever, it is time to focus, practice, & realistic about my chances.  As I promised myself before,  I am only taking this test once by any means necessary.

 

 

 

Another Change Made….

Before I started writing this post, I was thinking about what would be the best thing to share with you today.  I decided against sharing the boring stuff and decided to just inform you that I have yet changed my studying strategy, again.  The one thing I have learned is if something does not work after doing it several times, find another way to do it.  Now, I have to admit many people have told me to do what I am doing now countless times, but, I am the type of person that with some things I have to try on my own first – for instances with studying for this test.

Before I go any further I must RANT!  I now understand the importance of keeping what your plans are to yourself because people will constantly ask you about your progress.  My life has been on a constant roller coaster and I have not been able to dedicate the time and practice I need to doing questions.  The thing that bothers me the most is the people that are asking me the question, “How is the LSAT studying going?” are the same people who have been watching or listening to my roller coaster (aka LIFE) ride with amazement. I say this to say, I decided to spare you this story because I feel like you have read it all before.  BTW I wish people would stop asking that question now, so I can stop feeling so bad about not studying as much as I should.

NOW, I have had another epiphany.  Remember earlier, I posted that I get really frustrated when I was doing the questions and was not sure of the strategy I was supposed to use to answer the question.  Well, shortly after that, I committed myself to using the Powerscore Virtual Course and do all the practice / studying the way they have it outlined.  Well, that did not work.  Only because I am still getting hung up on what type of questions I am still getting wrong.

Well, now I have a study partner and last week we did questions together.  It was great!  I realized I knew more than I thought I knew.  Afterwards, we looked at a couple of the sections of the Arguments homework I completed and she told me the same thing I have been reading, hearing, and listening to since May.  She said doing the homework is good but it takes too much time to read all of the lessons when I need to use that time to just do the questions (unless it is Games, of course).  She reminded me that I just need to practice doing the questions, read over the explanations to the questions, and then redo the questions I got wrong.  With doing more questions & reading the explanations, I will begin to see the patterns and know how to answer the question.  So now I am waving the WHITE flag.

Everyone is right.  Some of this stuff is common sense.  The books and courses are guides and they should be used as such… GUIDES!  This test is just like any other standardized test – yes there is a way to answer the question, but until you do the questions and understand why you are getting the questions wrong, the strategy does not even matter.

So, I have started over again.  This time I am taking the tests I have explanations for and doing those twice.  I also have signed up to take two practice tests – one on October 29th & one on November 5th.  By November, I hope to be doing a practice test every weekend.  I might do one before October 29th, but I am not sure, but I will let you know.  

 

Back and Ready to GO!

OK, I am back again. Sorry for the long pause, but between moving and work, I had to take a step back to take a break. As I mentioned in earlier posts, I had a lot on my plate this summer, but hopefully, it has slowed down a little now.

During my break, I have taken the time to reflect on what I should do going forward since I have decided to take the test in December. One suggestion from a reader is that I should prepare all of my application materials now, so I can just hit send after I take the December test. Thanks for the suggestion and that is already underway. I have already talked to those who I wanted to write a letter of recommendation for me & they all said yes. One thing checked. I have been writing my personal statement when the mood hits me & I have another piece of the application process that is in the works that I am not at liberty to share (just yet!), so everything is coming along.

I have also discovered during this reflection time that I should change my study plan again. The videos from Powerscore really help me understand more clearly what I should be doing & reading the information in the books allows me to bring it all together. So keeping with the study path laid out in the virtual course syllabus, I will watch the videos, do the questions from each lesson & hopefully do a practice test every OTHER weekend for right now. Hopefully, by the month of November, I will be able to take a full length practice test EVERY weekend.

I realized I was really trying to do too much in a small amount of time. I still have to work and perform well at my job everyday (including some holidays & weekends) & practice test questions diligently. I need to start setting small reachable goals for practicing instead HUGE, IMPRACTICAL GOALS that often times leave me feeling discouraged. So now it is all about KISS = Keeping It Simple, Stupid!

So, I know how much homework I have left according to the syllabus (finishing homework for Lessons 1 & 2) and my goal is to get as much done as possible by Sunday. I hope to be able to finish these questions this weekend, so I can watch Lessons 3 & 4 videos. So stay tuned.

 

8 hours: Just Me & the LSAT

OK I am exhausted.  I worked this past Saturday and spent all of Sunday packing.  Today, for at least 8 hours will be devoted to the LSAT.  I am trying to work out a plan where I can take the LSAT in December because this summer was not as nice to me as I thought it would and I would like to complete a good portion of the homework and practice tests from Powerscore, if possible.  Watching the videos is the easy part, completing the homework in each lesson is hard due to the fact, I really don’t have the time.  My boyfriend believes after this move I will be able to focus more.  I really do hope he is right.

So, far I have completed lessons about the Arguments & Games section, so today, I will sit through the 4 hours or so video on Reading Comprehension.  I was able to watch a video this past Saturday that gave me some interesting things to look for in completing Must Be True Questions.  Now, I am more at easy and a little more confident that I will do well on this test, if I can take my time to practice and use their techniques.  Everyone, keep their fingers cross that I can work out my situation to take the test in December.