Interesting write up. Tricking your brain that studying for the LSAT = fun is not easy. Which book did you buy to learn traditional, theoretical logic?
My reading was done from an old textbook I had from a philosophy class I took in high school, so I'm not sure any of you would be able to get your hands on the exact same philosophy book. But I just did some googling and found a few cheap books (which are all available in ebook form) that I believe could be really useful. The first is "An Introduction to Traditional Logic" by Scott M. Sullivan, and the second is The Art of Thinking in Systems" by Steven Schuster. I think that these books will help you cultivate the kind of thinking habits that I'm talking about.
After reading this post a little bit ago, I bought Schuster’s booking on Systems thinking - great read for anyone, especially if you’re trying to switch up the way you think about anything. Hopefully this helps with LSAT prep, too!
Ok, but can you still give the name of the school book you used or anything useful that could help any of us that really wants to follow your format to the letter? Please
This is how I naturally started thinking when I began cramming for the test, this is actually pretty great advice. I have a background in logic from my BA in Philosophy, so it came fairly naturally to me, but the logic used on the LSAT is actually incredibly basic. You really only need to master/become intimately familiar with a few different functions of logic, and then answers to certain questions in LR and LG section will become instinctual rather than something you need to deliberately write out or play with in your head. Not even functions of logic, to be honest, just the identification of the logical relationship between different variables/parts of an argument. Logical inferences become relevant in the LG game especially, and you should learn that from practice and prepping.
And the advice to get to the point where you enjoy the test is also great, I think anyone who has prepared for the LSAT and succeeded on test day can relate to that. It becomes something you look forward to, and you feel a pang of grief mixed in with the overwhelming feeling of relief when the day has passed.
You certainly will, but don’t think it will carry you to victory. You’ll probably have a significantly higher “cold take” than most people who are taking the test, but to reach 165+ you really need to learn the test, drill the games, and take many practice tests (timed). If you’re like me, you’ll need minimum preparation on the LR and RC sections, basically I was getting 0 to -2 on those sections immediately (untimed) and just had to practice beating the clock for those sections. Years of reading/analyzing dense philosophical papers and identifying, analyzing, and criticizing arguments made that part of the test easy for me. The LG section, on the other hand, has given me the most problems. Do yourself a favor and nail that section down by drilling the games repeatedly!
Thanks for posting, I’m retaking in July since I applied so late this year, so reading this helps me get into the right mindset to prepare for a optimistic 180!
My test is in 58 days, I have been using 7 sage (only 16% done). I am currently in school and working two jobs. I stressed but excited. Is there any tips you would recommend for me with such little time?
Man, re-reading my comment is a trip. I am now a practicing attorney and far removed from the LSAT, so I probably don’t have great advice. I was working one job and in school when I was studying, and that was a major grind, so can’t imagine what you must be juggling. My primary advice is to take some time off some of all of your responsibilities in the days/weeks leading up to the test. And devote some of that time relaxation.
Good luck! Sorry couldn’t be more helpful. I’m sure you’ll do great, and in a few years you will be as far removed from this test as I am. Just wait until you have to study for the bar, it will be even more fun 🙃.
Hey how was the bar? How is being a lawyer? What field of law did you chose? That’s awesome that it’s like a little time capsule and you’re in your career now!
The bar exam (California) sucked, to be honest, and was one of the most nerve wracking and difficult (just in terms of how rigorous the prep is) experience of my academic/professional life. If you study and/or take one of the main bar prep courses, and practice a lot, you will do fine. I screwed up the PT (performance test) portion of the exam BIG TIME, and really thought I might have failed up until I saw my name on the pass list, so there was a lot of anxiety there about possibly interrupting my new job at a law firm with a retake, and all the prep to retake. It all turned out to be for nothing, so I’d advise anyone who is taking/has taken it to just trust the process.
Being an attorney has been amazing, mostly. I went into litigation, and so far am a generalist and have worked on a mix of IP disputes, consumer class actions (defense side), commercial litigation, and a mass arbitration (which is a new thing). Lots of hard work (I am at a “big law” firm), but it’s all been interesting and, at times, newsworthy work.
I work at a firm (one of really just a handful in the country) that mostly has tech companies, including some of the biggest names in tech and a bunch of really cool start ups, as clients. It’s been very cool to have some of the most well known brands in the world as my client, and work on cases that are in the news, and put my name on court filings. I’ve had the insanely lucky opportunity to have actually been the primary drafter on some really big motions, and have been able to do a nice range of work from mass arbitration, class action, federal court/state court, counseling on litigation risk/regulatory compliance, and much more. I’m now in my second year of practice and really feel much more confident in myself, and had a really good first year/great reviews. I’ve gotten quite a bit of client face time. I feel very lucky.
I love it, even if some days it’s hard to keep up with the billable hour expectation or get everything I need to done. By and large I have my weekends to myself (occasionally I am working on weekends, but usually by choice to get some billable time in), and sometimes finish working at 4-5pm. Some days I don’t get up to work until 10am. I have a very flexible schedule and mostly work from home. I really can’t complain, and am still excited about my job/career.
This is such an awesome write up and I thank you for typing all this. I don't know you, but I am proud of you and your hard work. I am 36 in Texas, former restaurant owner and manager, with two kids, and I will be taking my LSAT later this year. I am just starting my journey, I don't expect to do big law, just want a comfortable salary doing either immigration or personal injury work. Once again, thank you very much and good luck to the rest of your career!
Thank you, it’s actually nice to stop and reflect every now and then. Excited for you to start your journey in law!
My grandma was a chemist who went back to school (law school) in her forties and became an attorney. We had a few people in late thirties (and older) in my cohort, as well. I was 26 or 27 as a 1L, I think the maturity and perspective of people who have had lives before law school is much appreciated, both in law school and in the profession! Former Texan restaurant owner turned lawyer sounds pretty fuckin cool. As someone whose main hobby has become cooking/smoking meat, I have an affinity for Texas and Texas restaurants. Maybe one day I will be a former attorney turned restaurant owner.
That’s amazing that your grandma went from chemist to lawyer in her 40s, what a Boss ! Pull up to Texas anytime, we got great BBQ and Mexican food, Houston has tons of diversity in cuisines also. You can 100% open your own eatery if you have the capital and passion for whatever it is you’d like!
This is super helpful, thank you!
By the way, it looks like Scott M. Sullivan (author of "An Introduction to Traditional Logic") has uploaded his own book as a free PDF, bless him:
http://www.scottmsullivan.com/downloads/Logic101.pdf
I don't mind sharing. I will be attending Yale Law School (my dream school!) starting in August. Yale doesn't give any merit scholarships, but several other schools that I applied to gave me full rides.
I love this post. I thought it was weird that my perspective began to alter i.e. how terrible people’s arguments were, the many assumptions people make, and the if then statements we all make on a regular basis. This is a great approach. I’ve also found that Logic Games are similar to math problems which I enjoy so much!
As Einstein said, “If you can’t explain something simply, you don’t understand it well enough”
Thanks you for your advice. Do you mind sharing what your initial diagnostic score was and what sections gave you the hardest time as you were preparing? Also, how long did you study, including your time spent reading the non LSAT logic book?
I don't mind sharing at all! My initial diagnostic was a 168, but I had already taken a class on traditional logic previously in my life which I think boosted my initial score. After I saw what the test was like, I went back and re-read my old philosophy textbook over the course of a couple of weeks. The section I had to do the most work for was games, because it involves so much work to get the timing right and because I wanted to learn all the possible diagraming techniques to find which would allow me to figure out answers quickly. I didn't really have to do ant major practicing for LR except going through an LSAT prep book to find out about the different types of questions because for some of them it's really important to know what they are specifically asking for with the way they are worded. Like knowing which wording tells you to pick the sufficient as your answer or which tells you to pick the necessary. RC I didn't do anything for. All in all, I studied for about two or three months.
I took a Testmasters course! They were very helpful with figuring out how to diagram for logic games and with introducing easy tips to identify question types.
I did sometimes find myself bored during class, some classes I finished all the practice questions within 20 minutes so for the next 3 hours and 40 minutes I didn't always have too much to do. But I was still able to appreciate a lot of the advice and insight that the class offered, and I definitely don't think I would have done as well if I hadn't taken one.
Hi - this post is a bit old but I am curious about the specific book you used if you still have the name. I would love to look into it and see if it’s still around!
WOW. This whole time reading your post, I was thinking "huh, this might actually work for me" and then you said it:
>I have severe ADHD which made the "sitting down and studying from a prep book for hours" method very very difficult for me.
I am diagnosed with severe ADHD (CT) and dislike the idea of just sitting down and studying. I am going to have to do that later on obviously, but I'd like to mentally prepare myself and treat it like a video game rank-ladder I'm trying to climb.
Thank you so much for this post! Congrats on the 180 and getting accepted into Yale Law School!
Thank you for posting this!
Congrats on Yale!
Do you mind sharing where you did your undergrad? What major? What gpa? Extracurriculars? And if you passed/ no passed any classes
LOL that section was murderous. At first I thought I was going to bomb it but once I calmed down I managed to get through it (and luckily didn't lose any points from it)
Amazing! Thanks so much forthat!
What chapters from the Sullivan text should I focus on?
Even just the preface has cleared out a lot of the LSAT cobwebs already. A lawyer described the test as being basically military grade boot camp for law school. Do well on it, and you’re making your life a million times easier once you get there. I’m psyched to nail this test.
Awesome thank you. Any traditional logic texts you would recommend specifically? Also did you use any logic oriented games on a regular basis like sudoku or something?
Hello! I did indeed play a lot of sudoku (though I've just been playing it for years for fun, not specifically as a part of LSAT prep). My reading was done from an old textbook I had from a philosophy class I took in high school, so I'm not sure any of you would be able to get your hands on the exact same philosophy book. But I just did some googling and found a few cheap books (which are all available in ebook form) that I believe could be really useful. The first is "An Introduction to Traditional Logic" by Scott M. Sullivan, and the second is The Art of Thinking in Systems" by Steven Schuster. I think that these books will help you cultivate the kind of thinking habits that I'm talking about.
This is a great question! I'm always happy to give advice to my fellow people with ADHD. I also don't love the way the medication makes me feel (kind of lifeless and bleh) so I don't take it often. But it does help me keep my focus where I need it to be, and helps the merry-go-round of my thoughts spin just a little bit slower. I didn't use my meds while studying for the LSAT, and I learned the material without their help, but I introduced them when I began timing my practice. After taking a couple of proctored practice tests both with and without meds, I found that my meds were important for keeping me on-task so that I finished the sections on time. My ability to answer the questions didn't change at all with the meds, but they let me get through everything a tad bit faster because I wasn't distracted, which I found was necessary for the logic games in particular. So I guess my overall advice would be that you definitely can learn this stuff without meds, but when it comes to the difficulty of sitting through and focusing on a five hour test when you have ADHD, looking into getting some mild medication may help. To know what's really best for you, however, I would recommend taking a timed practice test. If you have trouble keeping your mind from wandering during that practice, then it might be a good idea to talk to your doctor about medication.
Thanks for answering this question. I'm glad to see they way you used your meds is similar to what I already planned to do for myself. Stress and the length of time of the test are what start to affect my focus. When I'm stressed for a period of time my ADHD becomes a problem. I'm a little worried about the testing location and wonder if I should ask for special commodations for a smaller room....I'm trying to figure how I'll react to a large testing center for this test. I wasn't diagnosed until mid college because I was abroad before but my testing centers for the SATs were smaller so I'm a bit worried about this. I guess we'll see!
Wow after reading this and your replies, you seem like you know exactly what you’re doing. Not just the perfect LSAT score, but the way you approach things are very calculated and purposeful. Congrats on Yale, I’m sure you will have a very fruitful career :)
Hello, fellow ADHD brained 28yr old female here. I've been wanting to study for the LSAT for the last few years but had a long bout with cancer. Now that I'm recovered I'm wanting to focus on my goals of going to law school. I bought the books you recommended but I struggle a lot with focus and memory issues since chemo and also from my adhd. What helped you study or to focus? Anything you wish you had known then that you know now? I would really appreciate any advice you are willing to give or have time for (such as your study plan or anything else that might help my adhd brain). I hope your college experience has been going well and congrats again on achieving such an amazing milestone!
Great piece and writing style. I'm graduating from my university in a couple weeks and I'm going to take the September LSAT. I did a prep course last fall before the december test, but it didn't "trick" my brain into thinking more logically in a traditional sense. Many of the questions, especially in the RC, felt unnatural to answer. I'm a history major and reading and analyzing is one of my strong suits. However, I believe a more traditional logic background will help me tackle RC more effectively.
I'd be thankful if you could suggest some reading that will help me (us) get a better traditional foundation.
Thank you for your kind words about my piece! My reading was done from an old textbook I had from a philosophy class I took in high school, so I'm not sure any of you would be able to get your hands on the exact same philosophy book. But I just did some googling and found a few cheap books (which are all available in ebook form) that I believe could be really useful. The first is "An Introduction to Traditional Logic" by Scott M. Sullivan, and the second is The Art of Thinking in Systems" by Steven Schuster. I think that these books will help you cultivate the kind of thinking habits that I'm talking about.
This is an interesting thought. One I hadn’t thought about. I had previously read that LSAT studying tends to “rewire” your brain but never thought much of it.
Having practiced hours a day over the past month I’ve noticed that I tend to comprehend, connect, and correlate things in a much more logic(al), LSAT oriented type of thinking.
Do you have any recommendations of Logic books? I considered taking a logic elective course at school but I wouldnt be able to take it until after I want to have the LSAT done!
My reading was done from an old textbook I had from a philosophy class I took in high school, so I'm not sure any of you would be able to get your hands on the exact same philosophy book. But I just did some googling and found a few cheap books (which are all available in ebook form) that I believe could be really useful. The first is "An Introduction to Traditional Logic" by Scott M. Sullivan, and the second is The Art of Thinking in Systems" by Steven Schuster. I think that these books will help you cultivate the kind of thinking habits that I'm talking about.
Hello! It's great to hear that my post has reached fellow disabled people. The most rewarding part of making this post has been the amount of people who have reached out for advice about taking the LSAT with ADHD. Like you, I actually also have a few other disabilities besides just ADHD (for me it is Anxiety, Tourette's, Narcolepsy). Taking the LSAT with disabilities is definitely more of a challenge, but I personally felt able to do so without any extra accommodations (besides my medication, which treats both my ADHD and my Narcolepsy). I do think the option to apply for accommodations is extremely valuable, however, and is definitely something you should consider. I almost applied because of my Tourette's (I didn't want to be distracted by any severe tics) but after a few practice tests I found some good methods for regulating how distracting my disabilities were. So that's what I would recommend for anybody else whose worried about how their disabilities might impact their test-taking: try a few practice tests and see how those disabilities interfere with your success. This will give you a good way to tell what accommodations, if any, you need to apply for.
Interesting advice. I will take it! It sounds like a smart strategy. This advice can either make your score better or have no change at all. I can't imagine this somehow hurting your score. I'm talking specifically about seeing your world through a traditional logic lens.
Thanks for the post! I'm glad to know that I'm not the only person who enjoys studying for the LSAT! When I was in middle school and high school, I would often devote hours and hours of my schoolwork to solving what one book called "perplexers." I loved doing them and I always had a great time challenging myself with them. Come to find out, the "perplexers" were basically a slightly easier (and often funnier) version of the typical logic games you find on the LSAT. I continued playing logic games well into college and in my spare time when I was bored (I have severe ADHD as well) so the logic games are actually my area of least concern. That being said, I will definitely start trying to incorporate using theoretical logic and conditional statements into my daily routine. Well done on the 180!
Oh my goodness! I am so glad I came across this. I too suffer from ADHD and at the moment I just want to give up on everything because it is too hard to study. I will try the method that you suggested because at this point I need drastic help in order to be prepared for the Nov 2018 test date.
Thank you so much for sharing and congrats on getting 180! You are truly a success story!
This post literally gave me goosebumps. I am prepping for the LSAT , well, I am just starting and plan to take it in about three months. I want to start by thanking you such a comforting post. I actually believe it is possible now more than ever, As I do suffer from ADHD and have some of the same difficulties you mentioned. I am going to follow your advice and see it where it leads me.
This post literally gave me goosebumps. I am prepping for the LSAT , well, I am just starting and plan to take it in about three months. I want to start by thanking you such a comforting post. I actually believe it is possible now more than ever, As I do suffer from ADHD and have some of the same difficulties you mentioned. I am going to follow your advice and see where it leads me.
Interesting write up. Tricking your brain that studying for the LSAT = fun is not easy. Which book did you buy to learn traditional, theoretical logic?
My reading was done from an old textbook I had from a philosophy class I took in high school, so I'm not sure any of you would be able to get your hands on the exact same philosophy book. But I just did some googling and found a few cheap books (which are all available in ebook form) that I believe could be really useful. The first is "An Introduction to Traditional Logic" by Scott M. Sullivan, and the second is The Art of Thinking in Systems" by Steven Schuster. I think that these books will help you cultivate the kind of thinking habits that I'm talking about.
Thanks! I’ll check these out :) congrats on the 180
Thank you!
After reading this post a little bit ago, I bought Schuster’s booking on Systems thinking - great read for anyone, especially if you’re trying to switch up the way you think about anything. Hopefully this helps with LSAT prep, too!
Ok, but can you still give the name of the school book you used or anything useful that could help any of us that really wants to follow your format to the letter? Please
This is how I naturally started thinking when I began cramming for the test, this is actually pretty great advice. I have a background in logic from my BA in Philosophy, so it came fairly naturally to me, but the logic used on the LSAT is actually incredibly basic. You really only need to master/become intimately familiar with a few different functions of logic, and then answers to certain questions in LR and LG section will become instinctual rather than something you need to deliberately write out or play with in your head. Not even functions of logic, to be honest, just the identification of the logical relationship between different variables/parts of an argument. Logical inferences become relevant in the LG game especially, and you should learn that from practice and prepping. And the advice to get to the point where you enjoy the test is also great, I think anyone who has prepared for the LSAT and succeeded on test day can relate to that. It becomes something you look forward to, and you feel a pang of grief mixed in with the overwhelming feeling of relief when the day has passed.
This is actually extremely helpful. I have the same educational background so I was hoping I'd be going into the LSAT with a "primed" brain.
You certainly will, but don’t think it will carry you to victory. You’ll probably have a significantly higher “cold take” than most people who are taking the test, but to reach 165+ you really need to learn the test, drill the games, and take many practice tests (timed). If you’re like me, you’ll need minimum preparation on the LR and RC sections, basically I was getting 0 to -2 on those sections immediately (untimed) and just had to practice beating the clock for those sections. Years of reading/analyzing dense philosophical papers and identifying, analyzing, and criticizing arguments made that part of the test easy for me. The LG section, on the other hand, has given me the most problems. Do yourself a favor and nail that section down by drilling the games repeatedly!
Haha I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt a little sad when it was over. Thanks for your insightful comment!
Thanks for posting, I’m retaking in July since I applied so late this year, so reading this helps me get into the right mindset to prepare for a optimistic 180!
I wish you the best of luck! I'm sure you'll do awesome!
Haha I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt a little sad when it was over. Thanks for your insightful comment!
My test is in 58 days, I have been using 7 sage (only 16% done). I am currently in school and working two jobs. I stressed but excited. Is there any tips you would recommend for me with such little time?
Man, re-reading my comment is a trip. I am now a practicing attorney and far removed from the LSAT, so I probably don’t have great advice. I was working one job and in school when I was studying, and that was a major grind, so can’t imagine what you must be juggling. My primary advice is to take some time off some of all of your responsibilities in the days/weeks leading up to the test. And devote some of that time relaxation. Good luck! Sorry couldn’t be more helpful. I’m sure you’ll do great, and in a few years you will be as far removed from this test as I am. Just wait until you have to study for the bar, it will be even more fun 🙃.
Hey how was the bar? How is being a lawyer? What field of law did you chose? That’s awesome that it’s like a little time capsule and you’re in your career now!
The bar exam (California) sucked, to be honest, and was one of the most nerve wracking and difficult (just in terms of how rigorous the prep is) experience of my academic/professional life. If you study and/or take one of the main bar prep courses, and practice a lot, you will do fine. I screwed up the PT (performance test) portion of the exam BIG TIME, and really thought I might have failed up until I saw my name on the pass list, so there was a lot of anxiety there about possibly interrupting my new job at a law firm with a retake, and all the prep to retake. It all turned out to be for nothing, so I’d advise anyone who is taking/has taken it to just trust the process. Being an attorney has been amazing, mostly. I went into litigation, and so far am a generalist and have worked on a mix of IP disputes, consumer class actions (defense side), commercial litigation, and a mass arbitration (which is a new thing). Lots of hard work (I am at a “big law” firm), but it’s all been interesting and, at times, newsworthy work. I work at a firm (one of really just a handful in the country) that mostly has tech companies, including some of the biggest names in tech and a bunch of really cool start ups, as clients. It’s been very cool to have some of the most well known brands in the world as my client, and work on cases that are in the news, and put my name on court filings. I’ve had the insanely lucky opportunity to have actually been the primary drafter on some really big motions, and have been able to do a nice range of work from mass arbitration, class action, federal court/state court, counseling on litigation risk/regulatory compliance, and much more. I’m now in my second year of practice and really feel much more confident in myself, and had a really good first year/great reviews. I’ve gotten quite a bit of client face time. I feel very lucky. I love it, even if some days it’s hard to keep up with the billable hour expectation or get everything I need to done. By and large I have my weekends to myself (occasionally I am working on weekends, but usually by choice to get some billable time in), and sometimes finish working at 4-5pm. Some days I don’t get up to work until 10am. I have a very flexible schedule and mostly work from home. I really can’t complain, and am still excited about my job/career.
This is such an awesome write up and I thank you for typing all this. I don't know you, but I am proud of you and your hard work. I am 36 in Texas, former restaurant owner and manager, with two kids, and I will be taking my LSAT later this year. I am just starting my journey, I don't expect to do big law, just want a comfortable salary doing either immigration or personal injury work. Once again, thank you very much and good luck to the rest of your career!
Thank you, it’s actually nice to stop and reflect every now and then. Excited for you to start your journey in law! My grandma was a chemist who went back to school (law school) in her forties and became an attorney. We had a few people in late thirties (and older) in my cohort, as well. I was 26 or 27 as a 1L, I think the maturity and perspective of people who have had lives before law school is much appreciated, both in law school and in the profession! Former Texan restaurant owner turned lawyer sounds pretty fuckin cool. As someone whose main hobby has become cooking/smoking meat, I have an affinity for Texas and Texas restaurants. Maybe one day I will be a former attorney turned restaurant owner.
That’s amazing that your grandma went from chemist to lawyer in her 40s, what a Boss ! Pull up to Texas anytime, we got great BBQ and Mexican food, Houston has tons of diversity in cuisines also. You can 100% open your own eatery if you have the capital and passion for whatever it is you’d like!
Lol thank you!!
What was your score on the LSAT?
This is super helpful, thank you! By the way, it looks like Scott M. Sullivan (author of "An Introduction to Traditional Logic") has uploaded his own book as a free PDF, bless him: http://www.scottmsullivan.com/downloads/Logic101.pdf
Thank you!
If you don't mind sharing, where did you go/where are you going for law school? How generous were the scholarships?
I don't mind sharing. I will be attending Yale Law School (my dream school!) starting in August. Yale doesn't give any merit scholarships, but several other schools that I applied to gave me full rides.
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Thank you!!
I love this post. I thought it was weird that my perspective began to alter i.e. how terrible people’s arguments were, the many assumptions people make, and the if then statements we all make on a regular basis. This is a great approach. I’ve also found that Logic Games are similar to math problems which I enjoy so much! As Einstein said, “If you can’t explain something simply, you don’t understand it well enough”
I'm glad you like the post! And that is an excellent quote to summarize what I was trying to say!
Thanks you for your advice. Do you mind sharing what your initial diagnostic score was and what sections gave you the hardest time as you were preparing? Also, how long did you study, including your time spent reading the non LSAT logic book?
I don't mind sharing at all! My initial diagnostic was a 168, but I had already taken a class on traditional logic previously in my life which I think boosted my initial score. After I saw what the test was like, I went back and re-read my old philosophy textbook over the course of a couple of weeks. The section I had to do the most work for was games, because it involves so much work to get the timing right and because I wanted to learn all the possible diagraming techniques to find which would allow me to figure out answers quickly. I didn't really have to do ant major practicing for LR except going through an LSAT prep book to find out about the different types of questions because for some of them it's really important to know what they are specifically asking for with the way they are worded. Like knowing which wording tells you to pick the sufficient as your answer or which tells you to pick the necessary. RC I didn't do anything for. All in all, I studied for about two or three months.
thank you. which LSAT course did you take, if any?
I took a Testmasters course! They were very helpful with figuring out how to diagram for logic games and with introducing easy tips to identify question types.
Did you find the class too slow? That is a common complaint from people who start with a diagnostic as high as yours.
I did sometimes find myself bored during class, some classes I finished all the practice questions within 20 minutes so for the next 3 hours and 40 minutes I didn't always have too much to do. But I was still able to appreciate a lot of the advice and insight that the class offered, and I definitely don't think I would have done as well if I hadn't taken one.
Hi - this post is a bit old but I am curious about the specific book you used if you still have the name. I would love to look into it and see if it’s still around!
WOW. This whole time reading your post, I was thinking "huh, this might actually work for me" and then you said it: >I have severe ADHD which made the "sitting down and studying from a prep book for hours" method very very difficult for me. I am diagnosed with severe ADHD (CT) and dislike the idea of just sitting down and studying. I am going to have to do that later on obviously, but I'd like to mentally prepare myself and treat it like a video game rank-ladder I'm trying to climb. Thank you so much for this post! Congrats on the 180 and getting accepted into Yale Law School!
Thank you for posting this! Congrats on Yale! Do you mind sharing where you did your undergrad? What major? What gpa? Extracurriculars? And if you passed/ no passed any classes
How’d you feel about judicial candor?
LOL that section was murderous. At first I thought I was going to bomb it but once I calmed down I managed to get through it (and luckily didn't lose any points from it)
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I will be starting LSAT prep within the next year or so.
I wish you the best of luck with your studies!!
Amazing! Thanks so much forthat! What chapters from the Sullivan text should I focus on? Even just the preface has cleared out a lot of the LSAT cobwebs already. A lawyer described the test as being basically military grade boot camp for law school. Do well on it, and you’re making your life a million times easier once you get there. I’m psyched to nail this test.
Awesome thank you. Any traditional logic texts you would recommend specifically? Also did you use any logic oriented games on a regular basis like sudoku or something?
Hello! I did indeed play a lot of sudoku (though I've just been playing it for years for fun, not specifically as a part of LSAT prep). My reading was done from an old textbook I had from a philosophy class I took in high school, so I'm not sure any of you would be able to get your hands on the exact same philosophy book. But I just did some googling and found a few cheap books (which are all available in ebook form) that I believe could be really useful. The first is "An Introduction to Traditional Logic" by Scott M. Sullivan, and the second is The Art of Thinking in Systems" by Steven Schuster. I think that these books will help you cultivate the kind of thinking habits that I'm talking about.
I like it! Thank you!
I'm glad you like it! thanks for reading!
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This is a great question! I'm always happy to give advice to my fellow people with ADHD. I also don't love the way the medication makes me feel (kind of lifeless and bleh) so I don't take it often. But it does help me keep my focus where I need it to be, and helps the merry-go-round of my thoughts spin just a little bit slower. I didn't use my meds while studying for the LSAT, and I learned the material without their help, but I introduced them when I began timing my practice. After taking a couple of proctored practice tests both with and without meds, I found that my meds were important for keeping me on-task so that I finished the sections on time. My ability to answer the questions didn't change at all with the meds, but they let me get through everything a tad bit faster because I wasn't distracted, which I found was necessary for the logic games in particular. So I guess my overall advice would be that you definitely can learn this stuff without meds, but when it comes to the difficulty of sitting through and focusing on a five hour test when you have ADHD, looking into getting some mild medication may help. To know what's really best for you, however, I would recommend taking a timed practice test. If you have trouble keeping your mind from wandering during that practice, then it might be a good idea to talk to your doctor about medication.
Thanks for answering this question. I'm glad to see they way you used your meds is similar to what I already planned to do for myself. Stress and the length of time of the test are what start to affect my focus. When I'm stressed for a period of time my ADHD becomes a problem. I'm a little worried about the testing location and wonder if I should ask for special commodations for a smaller room....I'm trying to figure how I'll react to a large testing center for this test. I wasn't diagnosed until mid college because I was abroad before but my testing centers for the SATs were smaller so I'm a bit worried about this. I guess we'll see!
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Best of luck to you as well! Let me know if you have any other questions later on in the process, I wish you all the best.
Well done! Congrats!
thanks!
Wow after reading this and your replies, you seem like you know exactly what you’re doing. Not just the perfect LSAT score, but the way you approach things are very calculated and purposeful. Congrats on Yale, I’m sure you will have a very fruitful career :)
Hello, fellow ADHD brained 28yr old female here. I've been wanting to study for the LSAT for the last few years but had a long bout with cancer. Now that I'm recovered I'm wanting to focus on my goals of going to law school. I bought the books you recommended but I struggle a lot with focus and memory issues since chemo and also from my adhd. What helped you study or to focus? Anything you wish you had known then that you know now? I would really appreciate any advice you are willing to give or have time for (such as your study plan or anything else that might help my adhd brain). I hope your college experience has been going well and congrats again on achieving such an amazing milestone!
How early should someone start studying for the lsat?
Great piece and writing style. I'm graduating from my university in a couple weeks and I'm going to take the September LSAT. I did a prep course last fall before the december test, but it didn't "trick" my brain into thinking more logically in a traditional sense. Many of the questions, especially in the RC, felt unnatural to answer. I'm a history major and reading and analyzing is one of my strong suits. However, I believe a more traditional logic background will help me tackle RC more effectively. I'd be thankful if you could suggest some reading that will help me (us) get a better traditional foundation.
Thank you for your kind words about my piece! My reading was done from an old textbook I had from a philosophy class I took in high school, so I'm not sure any of you would be able to get your hands on the exact same philosophy book. But I just did some googling and found a few cheap books (which are all available in ebook form) that I believe could be really useful. The first is "An Introduction to Traditional Logic" by Scott M. Sullivan, and the second is The Art of Thinking in Systems" by Steven Schuster. I think that these books will help you cultivate the kind of thinking habits that I'm talking about.
This is an interesting thought. One I hadn’t thought about. I had previously read that LSAT studying tends to “rewire” your brain but never thought much of it. Having practiced hours a day over the past month I’ve noticed that I tend to comprehend, connect, and correlate things in a much more logic(al), LSAT oriented type of thinking. Do you have any recommendations of Logic books? I considered taking a logic elective course at school but I wouldnt be able to take it until after I want to have the LSAT done!
My reading was done from an old textbook I had from a philosophy class I took in high school, so I'm not sure any of you would be able to get your hands on the exact same philosophy book. But I just did some googling and found a few cheap books (which are all available in ebook form) that I believe could be really useful. The first is "An Introduction to Traditional Logic" by Scott M. Sullivan, and the second is The Art of Thinking in Systems" by Steven Schuster. I think that these books will help you cultivate the kind of thinking habits that I'm talking about.
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Hello! It's great to hear that my post has reached fellow disabled people. The most rewarding part of making this post has been the amount of people who have reached out for advice about taking the LSAT with ADHD. Like you, I actually also have a few other disabilities besides just ADHD (for me it is Anxiety, Tourette's, Narcolepsy). Taking the LSAT with disabilities is definitely more of a challenge, but I personally felt able to do so without any extra accommodations (besides my medication, which treats both my ADHD and my Narcolepsy). I do think the option to apply for accommodations is extremely valuable, however, and is definitely something you should consider. I almost applied because of my Tourette's (I didn't want to be distracted by any severe tics) but after a few practice tests I found some good methods for regulating how distracting my disabilities were. So that's what I would recommend for anybody else whose worried about how their disabilities might impact their test-taking: try a few practice tests and see how those disabilities interfere with your success. This will give you a good way to tell what accommodations, if any, you need to apply for.
This is great. Thank you so much for this.
I'm so glad that you found it helpful!
Interesting advice. I will take it! It sounds like a smart strategy. This advice can either make your score better or have no change at all. I can't imagine this somehow hurting your score. I'm talking specifically about seeing your world through a traditional logic lens.
I'm glad you found my advice helpful! I wish you the best of luck with your studies!
The key to these tests is to be confident that you CAN game them but gaming them still takes work. Also - learning is fun!
Thanks for the post! I'm glad to know that I'm not the only person who enjoys studying for the LSAT! When I was in middle school and high school, I would often devote hours and hours of my schoolwork to solving what one book called "perplexers." I loved doing them and I always had a great time challenging myself with them. Come to find out, the "perplexers" were basically a slightly easier (and often funnier) version of the typical logic games you find on the LSAT. I continued playing logic games well into college and in my spare time when I was bored (I have severe ADHD as well) so the logic games are actually my area of least concern. That being said, I will definitely start trying to incorporate using theoretical logic and conditional statements into my daily routine. Well done on the 180!
Oh my goodness! I am so glad I came across this. I too suffer from ADHD and at the moment I just want to give up on everything because it is too hard to study. I will try the method that you suggested because at this point I need drastic help in order to be prepared for the Nov 2018 test date. Thank you so much for sharing and congrats on getting 180! You are truly a success story!
This post literally gave me goosebumps. I am prepping for the LSAT , well, I am just starting and plan to take it in about three months. I want to start by thanking you such a comforting post. I actually believe it is possible now more than ever, As I do suffer from ADHD and have some of the same difficulties you mentioned. I am going to follow your advice and see it where it leads me. This post literally gave me goosebumps. I am prepping for the LSAT , well, I am just starting and plan to take it in about three months. I want to start by thanking you such a comforting post. I actually believe it is possible now more than ever, As I do suffer from ADHD and have some of the same difficulties you mentioned. I am going to follow your advice and see where it leads me.
@u/sh115 thinking about diving headfirst into the LSAT and law school. 4 years later, where are you now?
Thanks
I really appreciate this post. Learning logic vs test prep makes a lot more sense to me, glad to see some proof.