How much studying should I be doing a day?

[Ryans5]

I feel a little lost with the studying thus far. The damn powerprep type courses in my area keep getting canceled due to low enrollment do I'm having to go solo for a lot longer than I wanted. I have a few booklets I have been reading through but I don't think I have much room for improvement on the logical reasoning or reading comp so I've primarily focused on Logic Games. Needless to say I just really started getting into it and I'm doing like an hour a day. I really need to get into one of these courses or else I don't think I'll even take the LSAT. Taking the june 11th test (maybe)

[FalconJimmy]

I feel a little lost with the studying thus far. The damn powerprep type courses in my area keep getting canceled due to low enrollment do I'm having to go solo for a lot longer than I wanted. I have a few booklets I have been reading through but I don't think I have much room for improvement on the logical reasoning or reading comp so I've primarily focused on Logic Games. Needless to say I just really started getting into it and I'm doing like an hour a day. I really need to get into one of these courses or else I don't think I'll even take the LSAT. Taking the june 11th test (maybe)

What's wrong with an hour a day?  If you're really doing an hour a day, I'd say that's probably fine and you should go ahead with the 6/11.

[MikePing]

If you need, many of the companies offer an online version of the study programs.  Some come with personalized coaching (via telephone) as part of the package. 

I would recommend putting in at least 150 hours before test day.  1 hour a day is a good start.  The prep course will  make it easier.  If you need more material, get the powerscore books.   

[Thane Messinger]

What's wrong with an hour a day?  If you're really doing an hour a day, I'd say that's probably fine and you should go ahead with the 6/11.

Ever the contrarian, I'll say that one hour a day is way, way low.  If you're serious about law school, your LSAT is the hurdle, accounting for at least half of your admissions chances.  If you're serious about this hurdle, you need to spend as much time in preparation as you would spend in a real semester of study.

Thane.

[FalconJimmy]

Ever the contrarian, I'll say that one hour a day is way, way low.  If you're serious about law school, your LSAT is the hurdle, accounting for at least half of your admissions chances.  If you're serious about this hurdle, you need to spend as much time in preparation as you would spend in a real semester of study.

I agree with you to a degree.  I wasn't saying I thought an hour a day was optimal.  Just that if a person really is doing an hour a day, I don't see why they shouldn't sit for the June LSAT.

OTOH, I'm not sure I'd say that studying 40 hours a week for the LSAT is necessary, either.  Maybe for some folks, but honestly, the only thing I can see preparation helping you with is logic games. 

The rest of the test is essentially reading comprehension.  I guess if you need help with that, by all means, get help.  I just don't see how I could have improved my scores on the other three graded portions of the exam with any amount of prep.

Obviously, this is highly individual.

I do want to say that I agree with your general gist, though.  I probably could have scored 15 points higher if I'd just prepped for the logic games portion. 

I also didn't realize just how many scholarships are out there, even for people (like me) who do not have stellar undergrad GPAs.

So, yeah, study and prepare.  Whether that's an hour a day or 8 hours a day is clearly only a question of degree.

[Ryans5]

Well here is a question and I may start another thread for this one: I have option to take a lower rated course (Kaplan) or shell out the big bucks and go for a private tutor.

I figure the private tutor will be nice because we can focus only on the logic games, which is the only portion I'm struggling with. However at most I could afford 20 hrs and that would be about twice the cost for half the time.

Advice?

[FalconJimmy]

Well here is a question and I may start another thread for this one: I have option to take a lower rated course (Kaplan) or shell out the big bucks and go for a private tutor.

I figure the private tutor will be nice because we can focus only on the logic games, which is the only portion I'm struggling with. However at most I could afford 20 hrs and that would be about twice the cost for half the time.

Advice?

do you know anybody else prepping for the lsat?  you could each buy the powerscore bible and form a study group. 

[Ryans5]

Well here is a question and I may start another thread for this one: I have option to take a lower rated course (Kaplan) or shell out the big bucks and go for a private tutor.

I figure the private tutor will be nice because we can focus only on the logic games, which is the only portion I'm struggling with. However at most I could afford 20 hrs and that would be about twice the cost for half the time.

Advice?

do you know anybody else prepping for the lsat?  you could each buy the powerscore bible and form a study group.

Nope. All on my lonesome. I did buy the logic games bible on Amazon. It was $30 cheaper but still haven't gotten it yet. I'm currently in a Kaplan course, but it's the worst rated course of the four available. Two best were already canceled.

[FalconJimmy]

Well, get the powerscore book and work it.  You may feel better after a little while.

Sounds like you're like me:  the rest of the test is just reading comprehension.

I totally bombed the logic games, but ended up with a 159, which was enough to get into the school I wanted (4t, but local) and to get a scholarship.

You don't need a perfect LSAT.  It just helps... a lot.

[Morten Lund]

I'm with Thane here, and perhaps further down that road.

I took the LSAT in August/September, or whatever the fall offering was back in the day.  During the academic year prior to the test I spent as much time working on the LSAT as I did on any of my classes.  Then, during the summer break, I stepped it up.  I didn't do any summer school, and only minimal work.  Instead, I basically treated LSAT prep as a full-time job for the entire summer.  Perhaps not 40 hours a week, but probably in the 25-35 hours/week range.

My basic view on the LSAT is that it counts the same as your GPA, if not more.  You spent four full years working on your GPA - you owe it to yourself to spend the same amount of mental effort on the LSAT.  Take the LSAT very, very seriously.

As to whether there is benefit from studying - well, everyone is different, of course, but the LSAT strikes me as an eminently learnable test.  Perhaps not everyone is capable of acing it, no matter how much prep, but I believe most people could do very well if they took the time and effort to prepare.  I certainly saw massive improvement for myself during my studies.  And, given how even one or two more correct answers can move you much further up in the percentile ranking, I think it is worth fighting for those one or two extra points.


EDIT:  Special note on this:

the only thing I can see preparation helping you with is logic games. 

I disagree completely with this statement.  Prep is just as helpful for analytic and reading comprehension sections.  The analytical section is basically math riddles, and they keep using the same ones.  With sufficient prep, you could do this section in your sleep.  I view this as the most easily beatable section with enough prep.  Reading comprehension is the other end of the spectrum - it is about understanding how the testers think, and best way to do that is by endless preparation. 

Of course, if you buy my books you will understand how I feel about preparation in most things...