BEST LSAT STUDY SCHEDULE
In this article we cover what I feel is the best LSAT study schedule based on my own experience and my observations as an LSAT tutor and LSAT class instructor. Here we discuss how long and how hard you need to study for the LSAT to max out your score on test day, as well as what to do and when you need to do it.
The idea behind this study schedule is that you are doing everything you need to so you won’t worry that you’ve left anything on the table. Follow this schedule and taking the LSAT will feel automatic come test day.
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So first, how long do you need to properly study for the LSAT?
I believe that the optimal amount of time to study for the LSAT is approximately 3 months of intense LSAT preparation.
Intense preparation means at least 3 hours per day, 5-6 days per week.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO STUDY?
To do the intense amount of study required to max out your LSAT score, you need a ton of fresh LSAT questions from real preptests. Redoing problems you have done before is of very limited value because your brain will just memorize the solutions. Having enough fresh questions so that you don’t run out is truly essential to properly prep for the LSAT.
You are going to want to start by getting instructional materials. I tried almost all the stuff out there during my prep, and I’ve seen more as a tutor… but not matter how many new books come on the market, I continue to recommend Powerscore’s Bible Trilogy as the definitive source for LSAT Prep.
You will also need plenty of real LSAT preptests, so we also rely heavily on the ‘Actual, Official LSAT Preptest’ series, each of which contains 10 real, previously administered LSATs from past years.
Here is the full list of books we recommend:
- The Logic Games Bible
- The Logical Reasoning Bible
- The Reading Comprehension Bible
- The LSAT Superprep
- 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests
- Next 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests
- 10 More Actual, Official LSAT Preptests
- 10 New Actual, Official LSAT Preptests
- 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests: Volume V
- 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests: Volume VI
When I took the LSAT in June 2008, a 3 month schedule gave me enough time to (almost) fully exhaust the LSAC released prep tests that were available at that time. All of these are included in the list above. There are a handful more available now, also included in the list. If you must study over a longer period than 3 months, make sure you pace it so you don’t run out of fresh questions. This LSAT schedule can be followed while working ~40 hours a week, but may have to be elongated by several weeks or even a month if you are working a lot of overtime.
OKAY, SO NOW LET’S DO AN OVERVIEW OF THE ENTIRE LSAT STUDY SCHEDULE
Details on these steps will follow after the timeline:
- Step 1 (Day 1): Do a Cold Diagnostic using the first PT in The LSAT Superprep Your cold score might be painful, but quick like a band-aid do a test so you know what you are up against.
- Step 2 (Weeks 1-3): Start working through each of the Powerscore Bibles (LGB / LRB / RCB) and do untimed problems of the question type you are learning from The LSAT Superprep and the Bibles. I would start with the LG bible, then do the LR bible, then do the RC bible last. I advocate going through the Bibles kind of quickly on your first read and then returning to them throughout your prep as you encounter question types that give you trouble. Don’t obsess over whether you have memorized every point yet the first time through. Trust me, you’ll be able to practically recite passages from these books by the end of your prep. Also read through the instructional sections in the Superprep but remember that you want to stick with one method for diagramming, so learn and stick with Powerscore’s techniques from the Bibles. After you have finished the questions in the Superprep, move on to questions in 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests.
- Step 3 (Weeks 3-4): Continue working through the bibles. Now is the time to start experimenting with doing timed questions from remaining sections in your 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests. If you have finished this, move on to Next 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests. Start with timing individual questions for logical reasoning (1.5 mins each) and individual games and reading comp passages (about 8 minutes 45 seconds each). For now, don’t stop doing a question or passage if you pass the time, just note that you have gone over and finish it up. Once you start to get a feel for timing quickly move on (around the end of week 4) to doing whole timed sections.
- Step 4 (Week 5): As the mid-point of your LSAT prep schedule approaches, you should begin doing full timed sections regularly. It is okay to mix in some practice on individual questions as well. When doing timed sections, begin stringing sections together to begin building endurance. Around now, do a full simulated test using a fifth section borrowed from one of the older preptests that you have not done. It’s okay to take your score from the best four sections. Hopefully you have already seen big improvements from your cold diagnostic.
- Step 5 (~Week 6-Week 10): At this point is your LSAT study it’s time to take stock of how much material you have remaining and schedule your remaining prep. From here on out, the lion share of your study consists of simply doing timed sections and going over the answers to understand any that may have given you trouble. Schedule it out so you can do 3-4 full preptests a week the next 4 weeks. Do these every other day and review your answers. You can also start experimenting with fully simulating the test conditions on these tests. These full length test will mostly cover what you do on heavy study days. On in-between day (lighter study days), do more sections and careful review. On my typical in-between day, I would do 2-3 sections with rest and review after each section. Pull these sections from older tests. On these in between days, load up on more sections of whatever section type (LR/LG/RC) is giving you the most trouble. Also make sure to take a full day off from study each week.
- Step 6 (Week 10-12): In the final two weeks of your schedule you should be doing a full preptest worth of material most days. Still take a day off every week. Every other day, try to fully simulate LSAT test conditions. Do this by by doing three sections in a row, taking a break, then doing two more (to get the fifth section use one from an older preptest). Continue going over questions you got wrong or struggled with. It is critical in this period that you begin working forward through the most recent preptests- those from 10 New Actual, Official LSAT Preptests and also the recent individually published tests.
- Step 7: Keep following step 6. However, the final week is special because while you are prepping intensely, your focus should be on staying healthy and happy. This means eating right, sleeping enough, and doing exercise or whatever help keeps you happy. See this post on What to Do The Week Before The LSAT for detailed advice on managing the final week.
Always, always, always, do proper review of you questions. We have a full post discussing proper question review HERE. Now, lets take a closer look at some of the elements of this schedule:
The ‘Cold Diagnostic’ (Step 1):
A ‘cold diagnostic’ is a simulated LSAT test that you take before beginning your actual prep so you can see where you stand.
A diagnostic LSAT test won’t have much value for learning how to do the LSAT, but I recommend it anyway. Why? Because it gives you a great benchmark to see how you are progressing as your prep moves forward.
Just don’t be worried if your score is a little horrifying. Everyone scores far below their potential on their first test. The cold diagnostic is just for reference point and something you’ll be able to laugh about after you finally crush the LSAT!
How Many Hours a Day of Study? (Step 2 and Beyond)
I argue for being flexible here. Some days you will have a lot of juice in the tank and can study a lot. Other days you are just too tired and its not worth it. If you are having fun doing it and it doesn’t feel bad, then study for 6+ hours if you want to. Most days, you want to do at least 3 hours of study.
I used to alternate heavy and lighter days of test prep which I think helped combat burnout. So perhaps Monday, Wednesday, Friday I would do about 4-5 hours of prep. Tuesday and Thursday I would do 2-3 hours. Either Saturday or Sunday I would hardly do anything at all. The other weekend day I would make a big study day.
The big thing is to avoid over-studying or under-studying. Invert the above schedule so more days are easy days if on a particular week you are feeling burnt out.
Also, it is possible to have a full-time job while doing this prep so don’t worry that you can’t prep fully while handling work! See my discussion of balancing work and study here.
A Consistent Approach to Diagramming (Step 2 and Beyond)
The cold diagnostic is the only part of your prep that you want to be doing totally cold. After that, you want to start learning how to do LSAT questions from various instruction materials.
Doing LSAT questions well requires that you develop a consistent system for diagramming problems that contain formal logic, especially on the logic games section. I wasted a lot of time choosing between systems in various books. Learn from my mistakes and choose one quickly, because switching systems causes a major setback in your prep schedule.
For a longer discussion of the best LSAT prep materials check out my article on general LSAT strategy: LSAT Prep Books and Self-Study- How I Got a 177 on The LSAT.
Untimed Questions (Step 2)
In the first 1-3 weeks of your LSAT study schedule you are going to want to be doing mostly un-timed prep questions. Dabble in all 3 question types, so that you know where your weaknesses are, and drill that kind of questions more than the others.
The goal at this stage of the game is to get almost all of the questions right even if it takes a long time. Speed will start to build naturally.
When a certain kind of question isn’t going right, head immediately back to your prep books and see what they say on doing that question type. Logic games tends to give people the most problems at first. Don’t worry, it’s also the easiest section to see huge improvements on as you hammer it throughout your schedule.
When you are hitting a wall seek out advice on the question types giving you problems or better yet just ask me in the comments. As a tutor I pretty much dealt with everything so I should have an answer.
Doing Timed LSAT Sections (Step 3 and Beyond)
Somewhere around week 4 is when you start doing some full timed sections, giving yourself the standard 35 minutes to do a section. Early into your LSAT study schedule results may be mixed at first so don’t stress. Take a break between each section and review problems you got wrong and hard ones that you got right.
If you feel that you are struggling heavily with the timing of full sections, drop back some of the time and mix in timed individual LCR questions, games, and reading comp passages doing them the way you did in Step 2, which is noting the time but finishing the questions when you go over. It’s still okay to do some wholly untimed practice occasionally throughout the rest of your prep, especially on question types you are struggling with.
Don’t worry about doing multiple timed sections back to back with no breaks just yet- build your stamina later. Now is the time to teach your brain how to do the problems the best it can under ideal conditions. Take nice little 5-10 minute breathers between sections.
Don’t slavishly stick to an even mix of question types. If you are struggling with logic games or reading comprehension questions more, work more of those sections in to your schedule so that you see faster improvements there.
Your brain needs to see a lot of this stuff to start making new connections. Logic games particularly rewards studying it a lot, so have some days where you do games til your brain hurts. If you are still see letters and numbers whizzing around in your head when you go to bed, that’s a good indication that you were hitting games hard enough to that day.
Throughout your study you should always check back over questions you got wrong and questions you got right but found difficult. Make sure you understand why you got them right.
Doing Full LSAT Prep Tests (Step 4)
Perhaps around the midway point of your LSAT study would be a good time to hit a full simulated Prep-Test. You can start doing this sooner too if you think you have got to the point where it would be helpful (generally when you are completing most problems on time). I wouldn’t be crazy about simulating the precise conditions of test day just yet. Take a tiny breather in between sections with one longer break in between sections 3 and 4.
Do borrow an older section that you may have skipped at some point so that you are doing a total of 5 sections (skip 4-5 pts in first two compilations so you have plenty of spare sections to mix in). Take your four best section scores so that your feel good about the score and are motivated to keep going, but also note what your scaled score would be on the actual numbered prep test that you took 4 sections from.
I recommend doing about two full simulated prep tests a week from month one and two, and then upping it to three a week about two months in to your LSAT prep.
Tying It Together: The Final Two Weeks Before the LSAT (Steps 6-7)
By now, you are practically an LSAT machine. The last week is all about maintaining your skill while patching up any areas of weakness. Check out these ‘last minute’ LSAT tips for ways to make the final weeks count.
By the last two weeks or so of your LSAT study, you will be hitting a full prep test most days depending on how much material you have left. This is critical to building the stamina you need to focus all the way through on test day. The further you progress doing these preptests, the more automatic it should feel to sit down and focus hard on them.
Now is also the time to focus hard on making sure that your body and mind are in the best shape possible. This means eating and sleeping right as well as exercising. I’ve got a full write up on taking care of an LSAT machine (you) here.
Remember to take a day off for rest on the last day before the LSAT. This is key to let your brain recharge so it is ready to attack the test.
Making Adjustments (All Steps)
This LSAT study schedule is necessarily a little broad and has some built-in flexibility to allow tweaks. As such, you may have questions about what to do in your specific situation. Hit me up in the comments thread and I’ll be happy to help!
We have a lot more detailed advice about how to attack specific sections (LR/LG/RC) on this site so be sure you browse these posts. Good luck!
267 Comments
Hi,
I am currently using the Powerscore Bibles and everything is really clicking. My study schedule is 3 months so I am ready for the June LSAT. I was initially going to just go through the Bibles month 1 and then enroll in Blueprint’s course for the last 2 months of my prep. I am now reconsidering because I’m not sure if using two different sources will be the most effective study plan. Should I continue with this plan or instead purchase the Powerscore workbooks and just start working on practice tests?
Thank you in advance!
Hello, thanks for all the insightful information.
I have a question about the 2 month study plan vs the 3 month study plan.
I am writing the test in a little over 3 months, I want to get the 2 month study plan to leave myself one month strictly for practice tests. Is this a good idea? Or should I stick with the 3 month plan.
(I am also okay with studying for this test as if it was a full time job, up to 40 hours a week)
Hi Josh. I started studying for my LSAT a few weeks ago, got distracted with work, and am now ready to go at it again with full force. Lucky for me, my LSAT test is exactly 3 months away.
I noticed that you mentioned using the PowerScore Bible series of books. When I started studying a few weeks ago, I used the Princeton Review “Cracking the LSAT Premium” book.
My questions are:
1) What do you think of this book?
2) Is it a good idea or a bad idea to start with a new book?
At this point, I have forgotten most of what I’ve learned from the book. However, I did find the methods to be helpful to me.
Thanks,
P.M.
Hello,
I am eager and nervous to get started my studies for law school! I took your advice and already went and ordered and or rented the suggested books that you posted. I am looking to take the LSAT this upcoming June, and am heavily considering purchasing your 12-week study schedule. However, after already spending a good chunk of change on the books, I was hoping to better understand how extensive and through this plan is before purchasing. Again, I love your website, and am thankful for your learned wisdom. Looking forward to your reply!
Hello!
I am planning on taking the September LSAT (10 weeks away now) and I started prep about a month and a half ago. My work got busy for one week and has since slowed down, but now I’m falling behind in the 4-month prep schedule. What’s the best way to get back on track (and caught up) with the schedule without completely overwhelming myself?
Thanks for your help!
Hi,
I’m currently working through the 4 month plan for the September LSAT but because of some set backs I’m really behind on my studying (only starting week 3 of studying when I should be on week 5). Do you think I should buy the 3 month plan and work off of that or can I still catch up with the 4 month plan I have?
Hi, I am planning on taking the Lsat sometime June or September one. I want to start now in April and not sure when exactly to take it since I will be out for two months in the summer. Do I start studying now in April and take it in June or do I choose September with a two month break? Will that effect me? I want to make sure what is the best study route so I can get the right study guide. I want the most time to study so if I take the one in September then which study guide plan do I choose?
Hi I recently bought one of your study schedules and was wondering where to find the drills specified in the schedule are they already in the lsat trainer or somewhere else
Hello –
All of the drills are accessed by using the links in the PDF. If you downloaded and printed, check your downloads for the PDF or log into your student account to reaccess the schedule.
The first drill link explains how to read the drill list.
Hello Evan and Joshua,
I was planning on taking the LSAT in June but now am considering rescheduling to September after researching how long I should study a bit more (previously everyone I had talked to mentioned that about a month of hard studying should be fine). The only thing is I am going traveling to Europe for about a month in June, and won’t be studying. Is it completely useless to go away and come back like that? Do you think it’s better to take it in June after studying hard for just over a month, or to take it in September having needed to take a month’s break from studying?
Your thoughts are appreciated! Thank you.
A month is not enough time to prepare in almost all cases. You should only take the LSAT when you are averaging or ideally, 3 points above your goal score.
Hey guys. I realized that in your study schedules you included the LSAT trainer book but left out reading and comprehension. In the amazon cart, you guys have the reading and comprehension book but not the LSAT trainer. So I am a bit confused and was wondering if you could clear that up for me if thats possible. Thank you!
Hi Mike –
The old editions of the schedules used the trainer, but 2016 and beyond editions do not. We have updated the schedules to go to PT80 and encourage a larger focus on review. This means more time is spent in the PrepTest phase of LSAT Prep and we wanted to use PrepTests in the early 50s for timed work. Based on student feedback we added in the RC Bible as well. Hope that helps.
Hi!
If I have 4 months of prep time, would you still recommend a 3 month plan?
3 months is the minimum plan we recommend. We offer schedules up to 6 months to accommodate everyone needs. More time with the LSAT is never a bad thing. Plus, if you are finding yourself mastering concepts quickly, you can move on allowing yourself extra time for the more challenging areas.
Hello,
I bought 4 of the books you suggested, the Superprep and the 3 bibles. I am thinking of starting the 4 month plan but I’m not sure if I have enough material for that so I’m not sure if I should wait and do the 3 month plan? The problem is that I’m living in Ecuador right now and I can’t buy those books here (I brought the 4 books in my suitcase). I tried to find some tests online but there isn’t enough for the amount that you suggest. Should I just follow the 4 month plan and just not do as many preptests a week?
Practice Tests are really important. You use the early tests to master how to do the problems through accuracy, and the later tests to acquire speed while maintaining accuracy so I would encourage you to work through all of the Bibles and try to order the PrepTests and if you are unable to, perhaps wait to test until you can get them?
I have not been able to find the LSAT Superprep Ebook available anywhere. Would there be a similar book that you may be able to recommend?
Hello,
Reading your articles has been a big help so far. And the schedules are really helpful as well. I just had a question focused on how to divide up the time, I suppose. I’m currently an undergraduate student and I’m debating between taking the LSAT in June or October. Would you recommend studying while I’m taking classes or wait until October and use the summer time to study? I know this is more individualized but I was just wondering if you had any advice.
Thanks,
Sarina
Your GPA is the most important thing to maintain (or improve) so do not study for the LSAT if it will impact your grades.
Is it not feasible to take the LSAT in June 6, 2016 if it will occur during my spring quarter finals week? Finals occur June 4th – June 9th. I started off this (school) year planning on taking it in June so that I would have the option of retaking it in October and have my applications in by November. Better yet this would give me the option of applying to law schools early in the summer.
After my first set of finals at a UC (I just transferred from community college), I don’t think I could handle finals + LSAT. I’m sure it is possible but I’m not sure if I would be at my peak mentally.
Is it beneficial to take the LSAT in June and apply early? I want to start law school Fall 2017.
Right now, after my first quarter at a UC, I have a 3.785 gpa (and I’m going to try my best to improve it). I work at a law firm, and I am going to start doing some sort of community service and join school clubs to broaden my resume. I also have an associates degree and transferred with a 3.82 gpa, if that matters. I’ve been playing with the LSAC books for a few months, just an hour or two here and there, the one time I sat down and took an old test timed I got a 160 score.
I want to ensure that I’m doing everything I can to make my application stand out.
Dear Evan and Josh,
I was wondering if you guys had any kind of schedule for a person with 8 weeks to study for the LSAT. I studied with Kaplan in the 6 weeks leading up to the December LSAT, and was doing well (mid-160s), but come test day I was up the entire night before due to an emergency… so I’m going to take it again in February. Anyway, I’d like to spend the next 8 weeks improving as much as possible. So, would you guys have any kind of advice/schedule for me? (I just started reading through the Power Score LG Bible right now, but I’m kind of concerned that it’s too late in the game for me to switch over to new methods, when I’m not encountering any real problems with my Kaplan methods.) Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Chris M.
Do you recommend taking prep tests with 5 sections to prepare for the long, draining day of testing? If so, where would you get the extra section, seeing that the LSAC’s prep tests have only 4.
Thanks,
John
I’ll spare Josh and Evan the need to reply. They said it earlier in the article, that you should reserve 4-5 older preptests so you have plenty of sections to mix into the 4 main sections from the current preptest you are taking.
Hi!
I recently purchased your 16 week study schedule. I got all my books from the handy “click to add these 9 books to your amazon cart.” However, the list, and therefore, did not include the LSAT Trainer. Is that extremely necessary since it wasn’t included in the list of 9 books that you recommend, but it is in the study schedule?
Thank you,
Sam
Hello!
My name is Emma Bean, and I’m considering retaking the LSAT. (Well, not considering, so much as I’ve been told I must. I’m in the first class of a 6 year accelerated degree program at the University of Kansas, and my LSAT score in June 2015 was 3 points below the required minimum, and the Dean of Law told me I have to retake and improve in order to remain in the program.) My score on the June test, as I mentioned, was 3 points below the program requirement, and about 4 or 5 points below my PT average. I’m not sure how to study best in order to improve by the requisite 3 points. I know a lot of what went wrong on my test day was nerves. I had a very bad games section, and it shook me, and disrupted my performance on the rest of the test. Another problem may be that I underprepared by a little bit. I took a class that ran from April to June, and studied a bit on my own before that, but overall, since my practice scores were above the number I knew I needed, I probably didn’t focus in as much as I should have. A combination of nerves and underprepares made this a less than ideal test. My question, though, is how should I go about studying to retake. Do I need the full 3 months, or can I aim for an October test date? What kind of study schedule should I create for myself? In my initial preparation I completed the second most and most recent LSAT Practice Test books, and a couple others from older books, for about 25 tests total, plus probably another 2 or 3 tests worth of practice questions assigned from my class.
Thank you so much for your help,
Emma
Hey,
I’ve been following your 12 week study program and I am on week 6. However, I have been struggling with LR and when taking my time have only been getting 14-15 correct. I haven’t started timing yet. I am worried that I am falling behind in this 12 -week program. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Hi, I’m currently studying for the October LSAT and I’m following the 12 week day to day plan I purchased from your website. I am working through the LSAT Trainer games section right now and find it hard to follow. Would it be detrimental to ignore this entire section of the book and focus solely on Powerscores method of diagramming games? The day to day schedule relies heavily on the trainer so I’m trying to make the necessary adjustments and was wondering if the trainer is significantly better than Powerscores? Thanks.
Hi all, just wanted to share my experience with this self-study schedule (as someone who just took the June 2015 LSAT). I followed this schedule pretty religiously, and also used all of the books that Josh and Evan recommend. I also took their other advice – I quit drinking for the two months leading up to the LSAT; signed up for and completed my first half marathon (so that I would be forced to exercise); and did as many practice tests as possible (35 full tests, as well as many individual sections). I reviewed every test carefully after completing it. I kept a detailed log of all of the questions I got wrong or had difficulties with. I also committed 15-20 hours per week of hardcore studying (while also working full time) for 12 straight weeks. I took the week before the LSAT off of work and did the most recent PTs.
My cold diagnostic score was 161. My June LSAT score was 180. I never thought I could have achieved this, and I owe a lot to this website (and Evan and Josh). Thank you to you both!
Wow! Congratulations! I have been meaning to get a study plan in place. How long did you study for?
I am currently working on week 2 of the 12 week study schedule. I noticed that my 2015 The LSAT Trainer by Mike Kim isn’t matching the 2014 schedule that I just downloaded. My book goes from Lesson 15: Diagramming Review to Lesson 27: Minor Question Types. The schedule shows that it should be Lesson 15 Diagramming Review to Lesson 16 LR:Answering Questions. Can you help me with this situation?
I am currently working on week 2 of the 12 week study schedule. I noticed that my 2015 The LSAT Trainer by Mike Kim isn’t matching the 2014 schedule that I just downloaded. My book goes from Lesson 15: Diagramming Review to Lesson 27: Minor Question Types. The schedule shows that it should be Lesson 15 Diagramming Review to Lesson 16 LR:Answering Questions. Can you help me with this situation?
Hi There,
I just purchased your 12-week study plan and noticed the recommended books on the actual plan are different from this article! I am wondering why the Reading Comprehension Bible is not listed for this particular plan. Thanks!
Hi,
Im planning on taking the LSAT in October so I’m beginning to restart studying now. I took a course with Kaplan last summer and unfortunately I didn’t really utilize the class as much as I should have and I think taking it with a different company would have been a better option. Anyways, with a lot of money already spent I’m trying to avoid buying the bibles if at all possible. I seem to be doing well with Logic Games and Logical Reasoning and am instead struggling a lot with improving my RC section. I took the test once already in February and got a 155 but I know with a lot of studying i can definitely improve on that a lot. I was wondering if you had any suggestions on how to really start tackling the RC section with the materials I have. I have plenty of prep questions and full length tests provided with the Kaplan materials i just don’t really know where to begin.
Thanks!
Mikaela
Hi, I’m about to begin prepping for the October LSAT. I was interested in purchasing your 16-week study plan. However, I noticed that on this page the 9 recommended books include the PowerScore Reading Comprehension Bible, but when I click on the link to purchase the study schedule, the RC Bible is replaced with the LSAT Trainer. I wasn’t sure if I should purchase both books or if I should purchase one book and not the other. If you could clarify this for me as soon as you can so I can get started, that would be wonderful!
Thank you!!
I have just purchased all of the materials to begin studying on the 3 month plan. I have some questions though. The powerscore books are the 2015 version. I understand the assignment but I can not find where I am suppose to locate the Drills. example: Flaw 52.1.2,6 Please explain for me. Thanks
Hello,
I just purchased your 12 Week LSAT Study Schedule and the first book on the list is the LSAT Trainer. This book was not included on the recommended list of books to buy or linked to Amazon with the other books. It was also not mentioned in your general three month study plan on this website. How necessary is the LSAT Trainer since you didn’t include it with the other recommended books? The first three weeks on the study schedule mainly consist of the LSAT Trainer. If it is completely necessary could you provide a link or at least the author of the book so that I make sure I buy the correct one? Also, the PowerScore LSAT Reading Comprehension Bible is not included on your 12 week plan. I am having a hard time distinguishing how the recommended books correlate to the “details” included for each week. So far, I am disappointed I wasted the $20 on the study plan when it is not actually a more detailed plan of what the overview of the 3 month LSAT schedule explains but has different books to use.
I have started my 3 month study regimen. I brought all of the books. During the weeks it says do drill 1 or 8etc. Where do I find the drills. I have the 2015 version of the bible and logic games. I’m a little confused on following the 12 week guide. Please help. Just need help on what I need to do next. I understand the assignment just not the details
Hi Josh and Evan,
I will have 13 weeks to prepare for the June LSAT. Should I get on the 12 week schedule and leave the last week for the upcoming preptest 72 and other stuff that I might want to work on, or should I get the 14 week schedule and catch up to it? Are there any differences in content bewteen the two or is one just more intense than the other? I’m living at home so I can prep for the LSAT full time, I want to make sure that I do everything I can to maximize my score.
thanks a lot for the website and the useful information.
Eddy.
Hi, I recently purchased the 14 week schedule and I noticed the materials section does not include the Powerscore LSAT Reading Comprehension Bible, but instead lists the LSAT Trainer. Your site includes the RC Bible and not the LSAT trainer in other areas of the recommended books, though. Should I not purchase the RC Bible and just stick to this list below to follow your 14-week schedule?
1. The LSAT Trainer
2. The Logic Games Bible
3. The Logical Reasoning Bible
4. The LSAT Superprep
5. 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests
6. Next 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests
7. 10 More Actual, Official LSAT Preptests
8. 10 New Actual, Official LSAT Preptests
9. 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests: Volume V
10. LSAT Preptest 72 (forthcoming)
I am a bit confused. Please let me know why this is.
Thanks.
I ordered 10 week schedule this week and I have the same question (s) about the LSAT trainer and RC Bible as Joe?? Please clarify.
Thanks
Just read through the 10 Week schedule found the answer to why the Trainer is now of the list of book. But didn’t see anything on the Reading Comprehension Bible; I assume we don’t need it. Also only one reference in the entire 10 weeks to the Superprep, and that is an optional lesson. Do I need the Superprep for the 10 week schedule?
Thanks
Hey Guys,
Just a thought/suggestion: I’m taking the June 2015 Lsat and have your 16 week schedule. On this page are the 9 recommended books, but missing is the Lsat Trainer. This Lsat Trainer is relied heavily upon in this 16 week schedule (and I presume the others as well, but possibly not.) Although the Lsat trainer is one of the recommended 10 books to purchase on the actual schedule, it isn’t listed here on this site. Luckily I’m preparing to start and have two weeks to still get it, but maybe it would be beneficial to add to this website along with the 9 other recommended books (as it’s done in the weekly schedule.) Just a thought, maybe there is a reason it isn’t, but also maybe it was an unintentional oversight.
Thanks guys,
Mark
Hi,
I’ve already taken an LSAT course and it got me pretty far but not to the point where I want to be, so I’m trying out your self study plan. My question is, should I approach the 16 week plan any differently, or should I approach it as if I were completely unfamiliar with the LSAT?
Thanks,
Andrew
Hello! I’m on your 12-week study program and it mentions the LSAT trainer. I’m just confused because in the books listed that I bought there was no LSAT trainer book. What is it exactly and where could I buy it. Thank you!
Hi Evan and Joshua,
I was thinking of taking the February test in 2015, but I am not sure if I have sufficient time to prep for that. As of now, my decision is to take the test in June 2015.
I would like to purchase the 9 books you recommended for LSAT prep, question is: would these books be good for 2015 June test or should I wait a bit for the books to be updated to 2015 edition? Ideally, I would like to start warming up slowly then pick up the pace as my mind is trained. So I would like some prep materials ASAP!
If you could enlighten me that would be great, thank you!
Lydia
These books will certainly be current through June. We list all the newest editions and no new ones are expected out anytime soon! Keep in touch!
Thanks! If there’s a 6 month study plan I would love to take that up, didn’t see it on the website though.
HI Joshua and Evan,
Would you be able to give me some advice on a study schedule based on my work schedule. I work full time, and it’s retail. So I sometimes don’t arrive at home until 11pm. Days range from 7am-5pm, 11am-8pm, 1pm-10pm. By then, I am so tired and can’t study. I do have Sunday and Monday off right now. I want to take the December LSAT, and I was thinking about just asking to be part-time to have more study time. Do you think that’s a good idea? Do you have any suggestions on when the best time would be for me to study? Would the ten-week study schedule be enough time for me to be prepared in December? I would love to participate in the Mastermind Study Group if I could and hear any advice you may have for me.
Joshua,
I’m planning to take the LSAT in December and will be taking following the 12 week study schedule, I’ll catch up the few days that I’ve missed. I’ve taken the Princeton Review twice in years past and I’m just going to take a different approach this time. Hoping this time things are a charm. What advice do you have for test-takers that are retaking the test? Should I push my test date back to Feb. 2015 or do I have plenty of time to study starting now? I really desire to knock it out of the park and feel at this point the PR again, may just be a waste of time. Please advise.
Yes, I generally think PR is a waste of time even the first time around… so it’d most certainly be a waste of time to prep with them a 3rd time!
Honestly, I think someone in your position would really benefit from our LSAT Mastermind Study Group. Evan and I are working with a small group of dedicated students. Members have access to our private forums, tons of extra lessons, weekly live Q&A sessions & a growing library of video guides. Every week we’re adding new material, but here’s a quick look at the lessons we’ve got so far:
Looking forward to seeing you on the inside!
[Click Here to Enroll]
Thank you for this wealth of information. I am planning on going to law school in 2 years, I am still in my undergrad. Is it worth starting to study now or will I be lost without the information learned in undergrad? I want to start studying now but am not sure whether it is better to focus during your last 6 months before taking it.
Thanks!
Eleanor,
If you’re planning on starting law school in 2016, then you’ll probably want to plan on taking the June 2015 LSAT… That way you’ll have the option to retake in Sept/Oct just in case & still be able to get your applications in early.
So even though you won’t start law school for another 2 years, you’ve really only got about 9 months until your ideal LSAT test date. Although 9 months is a long time to study for the LSAT, I definitely think that you could benefit by beginning to familiarize yourself with the exam now.
Dedicate maybe 5 hours a week or so to LSAT prep over the next 4-5 months then ramp up the intensity to 20-30 hours a week for the final 3-4 months of prep. Start with a cold diagnostic exam, then start working through the LSAT trainer first, then turn to the rest of the book recommendations once you’re finished with the trainer. Focus on developing strong foundational skills & don’t worry about speed/timing until 2-3 months before your test date.
I still think that it is very important to include about 3 months of high-intensity prep immediately leading up to your test date in order to hit peak performance on test day, but if you’re able to internalize some of the fundamentals over the next few months, you should have an easier time honing your skills during that final stretch.
I’ve taken Powerscore and now Testmasters. I am honestly feeling so discouraged. Testmasters is primarily focused on getting your money first and I’m not so certain that their product is necessarily all it claims to be or should be. Testmasters has not particularly helpful for students such as myself because after the class is over I can’t go back in the book and read over the lesson. Furthermore the way they designed the course is quite unhelpful in my opinion because they introduce a new concept every week and throw problems at you for the homework without really reviewing and showing how they build upon each other. I have to go online and look at Singh’s dated online videos. His student resources center also isn’t extremely helpful either and I just honestly do not know what to do to help myself. This experience has been so dismaying for me and I pushed back my testing date and I am struggling trying to figure out how to prep and what to do to improve. I am trying to figure out if I should even fork over the $700 dollars they are asking for to retain access to their online resources. I’m really on the fence about it. I do not know. Do you have any advice for folks such as myself who have taken the courses and have found them to be unhelpful?
Hey D,
Speaking strictly from my past experiences, the courses didn’t help me either. They’re organized in a one-size-fits-all format so not everyone had the same experience as the one sitting next to them. Personally, I had a terrible time because the pace was much too fast, the coverage of material was superficial at best, and the instructor, well, let’s just say he liked to hear himself talk. I’ve taken the LSAT once before (after the class I enrolled in), did poorly and I’m taking it again soon. On both occasions I’ve pushed back my test date. You’re not alone; many people feel the way you do.
If you didn’t do well in a classroom with someone’s instruction, maybe studying independently will reward you better. No one knows your study style better than you so before you throw in the towel (which I don’t recommend you do) try out one of the study schedules above. It’s definitely not $700+. Who knows–this might be the key to unlocking your testing potential.
I had the same experience you did lol makes me wonder if we had the same instructor. My instructor knows the material and is a pretty good teacher but lacks patience and be quite rude. The pace was not good for me at all. I am just miffed about the money. I am going to take the owners of this site’s advice and get myself some prep books. Are you using their twelve week plan? Is it working well for you? I’m trying to come up with a schedule for myself.
Ha, it’s possible, man. It seems to be a moderately common trait amongst LSAT trainers from test prep companies like Powerscore, Test Masters, etc.: instructors are advertised as LSAT juggernauts that scored in the 99th percentile yada yada, but that’s no indication whether or not they teach you how to conquer the test properly.
I’ve been perusing the site for a few months now learning all that I can and I for one trust Josh and Evan’s guidance on all things LSAT. I’m on their twelve-week schedule and from my initial diagnostic until now (about 3 weeks) I’ve jumped about 7 points on average, so I’m pretty pleased with my developments and hope to continue climbing the grading ladder. And for $20, the twelve week schedule is basically free.
That said, this is mostly my opinion and personal experience, so take it with a grain of salt.
Hi Joshua and Evan,
I’m set to take my LSAT in December and I’m interested in your 12-week study schedule. However, as of today, I should be starting week 2 (I was planning on giving myself a few days before the test to relax a bit and calm my nerves). Do you recommend that I still adhere to the 12-week study schedule or should I go with the 10-week?
Chris
Hey Christopher! Good news: I checked the countdown to the LSAT & it looks like there’s still 11 weeks & 4 days left until the December LSAT, so you’re only about 3 days behind pace right now, so it should be pretty easy for you to get caught up. I’d go with the 12 week version for sure!
Hi- can someone please explain the drills on the study schedule. I am a little confused. I have all the books.
I don’t want to miss anything. Im on week two of the 16 week schedule.
Thank you!
Hi Jen, there are instructions within the intro of the schedule. Say you should be doing LR questions from Preptest 52, section 1, questions 5, 7, and 13. That would be written as follows: 52.1.5,7,13. If you are doing games or RC, we won’t mention the section number because there is only one games section and one RC section on each PT. Hope that helps! If no, let me know and I’ll try to explain it more clearly! Best of luck and stay in touch.
Hi! Thanks for the great information, your site has been very helpful to me. I wish I had found it sooner!
I took the June LSAT and scored a 151- far lower than expected and desired. Previous to the June LSAT I self studied and read two of the Bibles. I am now finding it hard to motivate myself to study without a set schedule or curriculum to follow. I had originally wanted to take the October LSAT, but am now second guessing myself and thinking about purchasing 7Sage, and waiting to take the December LSAT. Will waiting until December hurt my chances of receiving scholarships and admission? If I do take the December opposed to the October LSAT, should I wait until January when I receive my results to apply? I will be putting myself through law school, so not receiving scholarships are my biggest fear if waiting until January to apply.
Hi Anna, applying in December is not going to hurt your chances much or at all this year. There are so few people applying to law school that they have plenty of spots throughout the cycle, as they are currently unable to get as many qualified applicants as they want. 7Sage is a solid choice, but we’d also love to have you in our Mastermind Study Group, so check that out. We really focus on the motivation aspect of prep, so it would likely help you out to work with us!
I am just starting my prep for the LSAT and have read that you both recommend to take the test first as a starting point. Where do I find the test to take before I start studying?
Thanks!
THere is a free LSAT that you can print available here: https://lawschooli.com/lsat-preptest-download-where-can-i-download-free-lsat-preptest-pdfs/
Good luck with your studies!
Hey Evan and Joshua,
I am planning on taking my LSAT in December. I will be in school full-time this upcoming Fall, enrolled in 5 classes. I wanted to see what you think the best time is to start prepping for the December exam? Also, it would be nice if I could take the 3-month prep and stretch it out to around 4 months. Any suggestions on doing that? Thanks again, guys. From the comments overall I am sensing that this is a great prep schedule for the LSAT!
Damir,
At your request we went ahead and created a 4-month premium LSAT Study Schedule: https://lawschooli.com/shop/lsat-study-schedules/4-month/
Let me know if you have any questions!
Hi,
I am a full-time employee and have a 1-year-old! The last time I was in school was in 2009 and now at the age of 30, I’m trying to go back to school and hopefully do law school. I have horrible studying habits but I’m willing to put in the work. My questions are:
1. Back in 2009 when i first did a [timed] diagnostic test i scored a 139… is that too low for a diagnostic test score? I feel that everyone who comments gets a much higher test score for their diagnostic. I will be taking another diagnostic test now – should that be untimed?
2. Also, because I had previously purchased prep courses through Kaplan and never took them, I am now offered with free online courses – do Kaplan and power score use the same techniques? I don’t want to buy the books and get confused later on.
3. With a baby and a full-time job, I don’t know if I can do such long hours of studying and if I do, they cannot be consecutive hours – is that ok too? let’s say I study an hour during my lunch at work, and also 2 hours after work, is that still as beneficial as studying 3 hours straight?
4. I would like to take the December test, which gives me 4 months to study, do you think that’s enough?
Thanks for your help! 🙂
Hi,
I was wondering how you would break the 14 week schedule up to 16 weeks?
Hi John. I’ll be releasing a 16 week schedule in a few days that modifies the 14 weeker. Reply to this comment when you see it go up and I’ll hook you up with a free copy since you already bought the 14 week one!
UPDATE: The 16 Week Schedule is now available!
Best,
Evan
Hey Evan,
I was wondering when the 16 week schedule was coming out? I wanted to start on it ASAP so i have a few remaining weeks before the actual test to go over my weak areas.
Evan,
I bought your 16 week schedule over a month ago, but due to awkward timing with when I started and work I will be taking the Dec exam vs Oct exam. The schedule has been extremely helpful and if all goes to plan I should complete it the second week of October.
Even if take 1-2 weeks off for vacation, that still gives me roughly 8 weeks before the exam to fill with extra practice (which given my anxiety, I will probably need). What do you recommend I do to fill this gap? I believe I will still have PT’s 41-50 to do and then 71-73. But after that I won’t have any more fresh exams. I can perhaps copy a few of the first ones and do drills with those. Anyway, I’m hoping for guidance on how to go about this as I’m sure you’ve had this question before.
Thank you immensely,
Camila
Hi gents!
Is it okay to follow only LSAT Trainer schedule and incorporate your exercises since I bought the 14-week schedule but for extraordinary circumstances, I will be able to study only for 12 weeks. Thanks!
Hello, I am so grateful I came upon your website as I find the resources to be invaluable . I started my prep course in June and got a cold diagnostic of 123 and after a couple of weeks in my course, I took my second diagnostic with a 130 today. I have improved however I find being an overthinker my enemy right now is timing, the tough questions in LR and RC as somehow Logic Games come naturally to me. I have spent countless hours looking through your website and I think taking a logics course will be a good idea along with a basic reasoning book I got lent to me by a family friend. I am currently taking Harvard Ready as my prep course which is supposed to be the best in the Toronto area and has really good materials.
My questions are:
Do you think it will be beneficial for me to buy the Bibles to use along with my course materials? My course uses real LSAT questions and provides us with a majority of the tests.
Do you have any advice for an individual who is starting out so poorly as opposed to those who only need to improve by 20 pts?
I was aiming to take the test by September but realistically if I want to get a high score I think right now December is what I am looking at. I am a full time student and will possibly work however I think purchasing your schedule will be a good idea. I am trying not to get too frustrated and attempting to be optimistic considering I started prep at the end of June. Sorry for the essay any advice given to me will be truly appreciated.
-Sincerely a girl who has the GPA but needs the Score.
Actually I am mistaken my course gives me Preptest 1-70*
Hi, I’m studying for the September LSAT after having taken the June one last month. I received a 158, which was average for my PT’s during my last study period, but I want to improve. I downloaded your 12-week schedule, I purchased the materials, and I am ready to go. Any tips for how you may tweak the schedule for a retaker, or is it the same general idea?! Thanks a ton.
Hey guys 🙂 Okay, so here we go:
I juggle full time work and full time school and LSAT study. I just took the June LSAT and got a 134. I legit thought about jumping out of a window when I got that email.
Here’s my problem – I have to work and I have to take full time classes to keep up my scholarship. I have a 4.0 GPA but I didn’t really study for the LSAT because for lack of better terms – I don’t understand what I don’t understand… does that make sense?
I just bought your 14-week study guide and was wondering if I could space that out to 28-weeks so I can juggle everything AND dominate the December LSAT? Or do you guys have recommendations? I took an online PowerScore class but didn’t do any of the HW because I’m terrified to let my GPA fall and I really wasn’t “getting it.” Funny, considering I’m pre-law and can draft any legal document needed but cannot grasp the terms of logic apparently.
I really don’t know what to do here. Any advice? Am I crazy for shooting for a 150 at least??
did you go though your response sheet to determine what your problem area(s) are? It might help so you can focus your prep on the things you need the most help with and since you’ve already written you may not need to go through the basics of reading up on what the lsat is, what to expect on exam day, etc. and you can just focus on the meat & potatoes?
no I didn’t think of doing that, thank you for bringing that up! I’m going to check LSAC right now 🙂 I mean… my law professor told me to “focus on getting B’s this semester and take that extra time and focus solely on the LSAT.” ugh. im so disappointed with myself.
Hi,
Just wanting some help adapting the schedule to my needs. I have exactly 12 weeks until the September LSAT and already have some (not all) of the materials you recommend.
I am going to count my previous LSAT sitting as my “cold diagnostic“, which showed me what I already know — I need help with logic games (which is so counter-intuitive considering I tutor for symbolic logic and ended up with a 90+ in all my logic classes). I think my biggest issue is time and nerves causing me to waste time during the exam.
My LR section is strong with RC being average. Would you suggest a primary focus on the LG Bible when it comes to theory and learning, and always practicing full tests with two LG sections just in case?
I still plan on incorporating LR and RC so I don’t get rusty but ideally I would like to write my next exam and own the LG section, if not for score increase for my own sense of victory haha!
Any advice would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Hey Josh. I recently came across your site and find it well organized and I am considering following your schedule (however, I will be on a 2.5 month track for this upcoming September exam). I ordered most of your recommended materials, but I do have a question about the LSAT Trainer. I noticed that although it is on top of your recommendation list, you do not mention it in your week-by-week schedule. I’ve read great reviews about the Trainer, but I was wondering if it’s necessary if I have all of the other materials? Although I am sure it’s a great study guide, I’d be afraid that I would be cramming too much reading into my weeks considering how I have the other Powerscore books to focus on as well. Will I be fine without it keeping in mind I am on a 2.5 month schedule.
Thanks!
Hi,
We are planning to add the Trainer to the week-by-week schedule, however, obviously it’s totally possible to crush the LSAT without it. Josh and I prepped before the trainer existed and did fine 🙂 It’s totally okay to just use the Powerscore books and only bring in the Trainer if you are having significant difficulties improving at the half-way point of your study.
Hi Josh. Love all the information you provide. I’m taking the LSAT in September. I’m a bit nervous but I’m going for it. I’ll be a lot older than the others, I’m sure, but sometimes life throws curve balls and it takes a bit longer to get to where you are supposed to be. I’m 58. Funny because it sounds so old yet I feel so young. Go figure. Lately I’ve noticed a lot of negativity concerning my decision to attend law school. Some of my close friends laugh. I try not to let it affect me but I think it may. But…I am going, that’s for certain. My goal is to get hired with the government. I realize that a private firm would never invest their time and money in a person my age and I am o.k. with that…really. I actually understand. Hopefully the government will feel differently. My interests are with international law although I know that may change as I gather more knowledge. Any words of encouragement, Josh? Obviously you are an active go-getter or you wouldn’t have this site. I’ve been preparing for the test and by coincidence have all the training books you mentioned. I’d love to here from you. Thanks!! Dianne
Hi Dianne,
I wanted to make sure this get answered and Josh is on semi-vacation through the 4th, so allow me to answer. If it doesn’t send you into financial ruin, go ahead and do what you want to do. It’s doing what fulfills you that keeps life bearable at all. I really can’t claim to know anything about the employability of a 60+ year old law grad, so I would counsel you to do some heavy research. If the education is going to amount to a hobby rather than giving you an actual bite at a job, that might play heavily in your decision where to attend and at what price. Good luck and let us know how the prep is going!
I find seeing things in lists help. I did this for myself, but thought I’d share. Thanks for the great plan, I’m going to start using it now to study for the October exam.
– Alternate, somedays 4-5 hours, others 2-3 hours. Take 1 day off every week.
– 153 to 165 = took weeks, 165 to 175 = took 4 weeks
1. Day 1 = Do Cold Diagnostic
2. Weeks 1-3
– Work thru Powerscore bibles, LSAT superprep
– Work thru quickly, return to them later
– Choose one method for diagramming – preferably Powerschore’s techniques
– Then start on preptests – 1st with 10 Actual…
3. Weeks 3-4
– Continue through bibles
– Start doing timed questions from 10 Actual… then Next 10…
– End of 4th week – do whole timed sections
4. Week 5 (halfway)
– Do full timed secions
– String sections together for endurance
– Do a full simulated test
5. Week 6-10
– Do 3-4 full preptests/week. Do 1 every other day
– In between days: do more 2-3 sections
– Focus on what gives you most trouble
– Take full day off each week
6. Week 10-12
– Do full preptest worth of materials most days
– Every other day, full simulate LSAT test conditions. Do 3 sections, take break, then two more. Do most recent preptests.
– Be sure to be happy & healthy last week.
Thanks Dan!
We are actually putting out a day-by-day 14 week schedule tomorrow so check that out.
I can’t find it on this site. If you haven’t put it up yet, no worries. Looking forward to seeing it.
Hi guys!
Is it better to start studying with older preptest or newer preptest? I heard some people mentioned either of them but I really highly on your opinions.
Let me know what you think is best.
Thanks!
John
Thanks John! Start with older tests. 100% that’s better. You want to save the later ones for simulated practice tests as the test day approaches.
Thank you Evan for your fast response!
Thus, can I use the newer 2 months before the exam for timed full sections prep tests?
Thanks!
John
Hi,
I was just wondering when you do the cold test, should you do it under timed conditions?
Thanks,
Taryn
Yes, definitely. Be warned that it’s probably going to go horribly! It does for almost everyone.
Hello Josh and Evan,
I can’t thank you enough for all the great tips! Recently I took my cold diagnostic and am happy to report scoring a 150. I plan on taking the October LSAT, hopefully scoring at least a 168+. I am using power score as my main study company and have purchased, though not yet received, all the material you advised. I looked over the power score website and noticed two advanced courses for the Logic Games and Logical reasoning sections, costing 350 per course. Personally, I don’t mind studying without taking a full course but I would not mind a bit of extra help especially something along the line of a well structured syllabus, though I’m not sure if you’re well acquainted with the aforementioned courses. If so, do you think they’re worth it?
Best regards,
Emad
Hello Josh and Evan,
Thanks so much for all the tips you offer.
Any recommendations on studying for the LSAT and the GRE at the same time?
I would like to take the September LSAT and sit the GRE around the same time.
I look forward to your advice.
Kind regards,
Shoshannah
Hi Josh,
I am starting your LSAT study schedule but I am worried about studying on my own. How necessary do you think it is to take an LSAT prep course?
Thank You!
Hi I have the next 27 days to 100% commit to studying for the LSAT
what would be the best possible study schedule you’d recommend to get to 150 to 170?
thank you!
Hey guys,
I plan on taking the LSAT in October, which means I’ll start studying in July. I’ll be following your 3 month study guide religiously! The thing is I will be a college junior next fall, which I understand is early for someone taking the LSAT. Are there benefits to waiting another year to take it or am I ok to take it in October?
Thanks!
I have just begun my journey and am so happy to be here; THANK YOU for this valuable information!
Thanks Pamela! Good luck and work hard.
PrepTests 62-71 have been combined into one book!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0986045519/lawschooli-20
Hi Josh,
I studied for the LSAT from the end of July til December. I took the October test and cancelled my score, then I took the December test and didn’t do as well as I had hoped, so now I am taking it again in June. I stopped studying after my December LSAT until the end of March then I picked it back up again. I have 7 weeks til June LSAT, do you have any studying tips or a studying schedule you could share on how to raise my score and study the next few weeks?
Thanks
Jasmine,
Here are a few posts that should help:
Top 10 last-minute LSAT tips
How Can I Increase My LSAT Score in Under 30 days?
How did you learn to stay focused for the LSAT?
I scored a 155 on my first practice exam to see how I placed (untimed). I’m aiming for a 176 or above for the June 2014 exam. I’ve been following the study schedule diligently since the beginning of March and have been doing more timed sets working my way up to timed sections. I just took my first full practice test since March and scored a 151. While frustrating, I am determined to get the score I want. At what point do you suggest investing in a tutor? I have a little more than 6 weeks left before the exam, so is it now or never if I’m going to see the gains I want before June? Thanks for all your help 🙂
Hi,
I took practice test December 2007 and I am dissatisfied with my score of 130 with raw score as follow:
LR=26%
RC=22%
LG=26%
I didn’t take any full timed prep test since February though.
I know I was sick for 5 days and I volunteered 2 days a week the past 3 weeks and now, I will just do once a week or less.
Note that I’m now reviewing the entire materials and following your schedule. I just finished to ace basic linear and flaw questions.
Question for you:
We have 9 weeks left before the scheduled June LSAT. Do you think it is feasible to reach mid 160s before that so I can take the exam OR you recommend I take it in September?
Thanks!
Dave,
take a look at where you are scoring when you have a month left before the exam. If you are averaging more than 5 or so points below where you want to be, it’s generally better to postpone and try again later. Right now it’s just too soon to tell where you will end up.
Hello gents!
I took my first timed practice test and starting seriously to study 20/25hours a week. I took full-timed practice test December 2007 and I got 130.
I plan to take the LSAT in June and I already took a Powerscore course but didn’t open any books since February.
Do you think it is feasible to reach mid 165-168 by June or should I take the LSAT in September?
As always, thank you for your advices!
Dave
Breaking up your prep like that might have hurt. My general rule is that if you aren’t within 5 points of your strike zone a month out usually it’s better to call it off (provided you don’t think you’ve maxed out yet). I’m thinking you definitely won’t have reached 160ish come May, so going by that I would probably hold off until September.
Thank you for your sound advice!
Can I still send law school application in September before submitting the LSAT score because I know you recommend to send applications as early as possible? I plan to apply to UCLA/USC/Pepperdine and University of San Diego
Hello Josh and Evan,
Thank you so much for this helpful website! I just had a question about the Powerscore books. Do you recommend buying the accompanying workbooks along with each Powerscore book? Or, will doing LSAT PTs provide enough practice questions?
Thanks for the help!
Hi Katrina, sorry for the slow response. Here and there I miss a question because we get a lot of them. So my thoughts on the powerscore workbooks are that they aren’t technically necessary. You can do the work yourself by pulling out specific question types from the older practice tests and drilling yourself. However, the workbooks save you a LOT of time and effort. They also have problem explanations, so I think that makes them way more than worth the price.
Hello Josh & Evan,
I am planning to take the LSAT in October 2014. I came across your website while researching lsat study guides and ways to prep for the exam. I have lsat study guides from 10 years ago and I am debating whether to start studying from those books. I know I have to purchase new material but I’m not sure if I should start with the old material first or just study from new study guides. What do you recommend? Which company should I go to to order LSAT study material from? Hope to hear from you guys!
Hi Ms. LR,
You generally want to work from the older material to the newest. If by “old LSAT study guides” you mean old official LSAT prep tests, those will be fine to use. If they are old instructional materials (books that teach you LSAT techniques) I would say that books that old won’t be very good to learn from. Definitely get more recent study guides such as those recommended above. Those are the Powerscore Logic Games Bible, the Powerscore Logical Reasoning Bible, and the Powerscore Reading Comprehension Bible. We always link to Amazon because 99 times out of 100 that’s the cheapest place to buy.
Good luck on your LSAT prep. It sounds like you are just getting started, so definitely check out our beginner’s guide to the LSAT: https://lawschooli.com/getting-started-lsat/
Thanks Evan for your reply! Exactly what I was thinking about for the LSAT prep tests. Take, study, and review the old ones and move on to the more recent tests. As for the materials you recommended: will I be able to study on my own using the Powerscore Bibles you recommended or are their any prep courses that uses them? I know it depends on the person but not really sure what is best in preparing for the LSAT. My experience with the LSAT prep course in the past with Kaplan was not a favorable experience. What are you recommendations as go upon studying for the exam? My worry is that if I should have a question while utilizing the Powerscore Bible books who do I contact? Thanks a lot!!!
Thank you for your advice Evan!
Since I already have all materials and already read Powerscore Prep book, I will review them with your schedule.
Do you recommend for the first three weeks to do 1 week only LG, then the following LR, followed by the RC. Or to alternate all three for each week?
Thanks!
Hi JL,
I recommend that you just focus on LG until you are totally done with the PS logic games bible. After that, you can start on the Logical reasoning bible and while you are doing that, mostly practice LR questions, but also do some LG practice to keep improving your newly acquired LG skills. Do the RC bible last, and keep studying LG and LR questions while you are learning that stuff.
Hello Josh,
Do you have any recommendations regarding studying for the LSAT and GRE at the same time? I wanted to sit the June LSAT, but I have just started studying and will need to work overtime, so I am not entirely confident that I will be able to dedicate enough time to studying for the June session. I also have an early November deadline to apply to a program that requires the GRE, which means I will have to take the GRE shortly after the September/October LSAT. I am not a strong Math student, so I figure I will need to dedicate a fair amount of time to the quantitative section of the GRE.
Many Thanks,
Shoshannah
Hi all!
Your advices are so wonderful! Thank you for all this valuable feedback.
I took Powerscore class and finish it two weeks ago and have all 3 bibles.
For the next three months, do you recommend for me to study with the bibles and follow your schedule OR Powerscore course books + your schedule?
Many thanks!
Use whichever is more comprehensive. If I recall, the PS course-books have more practice questions, so I would probably use them. Ask your powerscore teacher what he/she thinks too.
I have a question on logical reasoning section of the LSAT. I know you mentioned to not read the questions before reading the passage in the Reading Comp section but does this apply to LR also? My weak points are the LR and RC sections and your site has helped me tremendously already just by reading your tips, etc. I have taken the Princeton Review and Kaplan prep courses but my score seems to stay around 152-155 range. I have worked thru the Powerscore bibles and I find these books to be much easier to learn from. My goal is to take the June LSAT. I’ve taken the LSAT once before and scored not so great. I have started your LSAT study schedule and I look forward to my score being much more appealing. Thanks for all the valuable information!
Question: How many months of preparation is needed to take the LSAT’S and get a high score? I am debating if I should take the LSAT’S in June or October of 2014. Admissions for next fall has a priority deadline of April 15, 2015.
3 months, like we suggest here, is a good minimum. However, you should only attempt it in 3 months if you are sure you can stick to the intense requirements of this schedule. Unless you want to get started right away, I would suggest taking it in October. You can study for four months that way, study about 3 hours on most study days, with 5 hours of study once or twice a week.
Hi there,
I recently just purchased the Powerscore trilogy along with the workbooks. I was just wondering what your suggestion would be on how to go about studying with them. Should I go through one book/workbook at a time? Or when I finish a chapter of one book go onto the next?
Over the summer I had purchased a Kaplan prep course and found it extremely unhelpful and could not understand any of their strategies. However, I have all of the materials left over as well as every LSAT ever given along with explanations.
Do you suggest that I use the materials in addition to the powerscore books or just use the actual tests themselves?
Thank you so much!
Victoria
Victoria, reread the schedule carefully as it answers most of these questions. I would start with the Logic Games bible and then move on to the Logical Reasoning Bible. You will need to do a ton of practice questions in addition to the bibles.
Don’t worry, we hate Kaplan too. It’s not too surprising that you found them unhelpful. If they gave you real LSAT preptests, those will be useful practice. Just ignore their instructional materials.
Hi Lawschooli,
I have Mike Kim’s LSATT, but apparently its meant to be used in conjunction with the 10 new actual LSAT book… which is problematic as according to the 3-month schedule you guys set up, we are supposed to save the 10 new actuals for nearer the end of the study plan, right before we start using our actual-from-the-past LSAT tests? what would you recommend me do? please help !
Hi Hannah. If you are using the LSAT trainer, you’ll can just omit the 10 new actuals from your later practice and head straight to the individual preptests. That’s probably the only way to fit this all into three months.
I would highly recommend that people look into renting books. I was able to rent the LR and RC bibles for half the price it costs to buy the books – and you don’t even have to worry about getting rid of them when you’re done with the LSAT prep – you just send them back. Very economical/efficient.
Hi Jessie. I’m wondering how this works. Did they give you a clean copy? Also, are you allowed to mark the book up when you rent?
Thanks for posting this, it’s very helpful. I scored 150 on my cold diagnostic and I’m very hopeful in regards to the study process. I like your choice of books, I found some PDF versions of them for free and some at the local library!
-YG
YG, I’d ditch those PDFs if I were you. LSAC is pretty aggressive about tracking stuff like that and I’d hate for you to be applying with a blemish on your record. There are three tests available free that are perfectly legal to use: https://lawschooli.com/lsat-preptest-download-where-can-i-download-free-lsat-preptest-pdfs/ Those are good to start off with, but you are going to need way more than 3 to prep right.
Hi! Thank you for your response! The free books I found were ebooks from my library but you’re right, I’m probably going to end up purchasing additional materials (the ones you listed are reasonably priced, thanks again!)…and those free tests are going to be very helpful, so thanks for those as well! 🙂
Hello,
Thanks so much for running this website it has been a huge help.
I ordered and have received all of the materials you recommended to study for the LSAT and I have 4 months until the June LSAT. I have a relatively light course load this semester and will have plenty of time to study in the evening. Do you have any 4 month LSAT study plan recommendations that use the books/tests you recommended? I am willing to put quite a bit of time into studying for 4 months.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Justin Jantomaso
I’m a really slow test-taker. I understand most of the concepts in the lsat but I’m just really slow. Can I realistically build up my speed without compromising my accuracy. I’m at a 149 right now and I want a 160 at least.
Hello,
I’m looking to start my prep for the June 2014 test. I’m currently working 40 hours, I have a full semester left of school (15 hours) and I wanted to know when was the 5 month study guide going to be posted?
Also, before I discovered this website I purchased a kaplan class that I already went to a few times (2). What do you recommend: should I follow the steps on this site? or keep up with their methods? I haven’t learned their methods yet but I was just perplexed to what to do now.
Thanks!
Eric
I’ll give myself a two week deadline to do a 5 month LSAT study plan.
As to the Kaplan thing, I really really hate their techniques. Is there any way you can get a refund? I just think you’ll be doing yourself a disservice going with them.
Hi Evan,
Any update re: the 5 month prep schedule? I would love to have one for the June 2014 LSAT! Thanks for providing such a great resource!
Hi SK
I keep putting this off because I am just not really sure how to best study for 5 months. I’m trying to see what people’s experiences have been with that. However, as long as you are studying something at least 4 days a week for 3 or more hours each of those days, my guess is you’ll be in good shape. Really, I’m thinking it’s going to look a lot like a slightly elongated version of this schedule, with maybe 10 more preptests thrown in.
I having a ton of trouble understanding a certain LR question (PT 12 section 1 #24) It is a Flaw question (titanium ink, Johannes Gutenberg, Vinland Map) which I am sure you encountered when you were prepping. The correct answer is A but I choose C because of Exclusivity fallacy (Blueprint terminology). I don’t understand why A is the right answer.
Looking at it now.
So I’m doing this problem and I’ve have yet to look at the answers, but I’m forming a pretty strong prephrase here. My thinking is that the presence of titanium provides very weak support the authenticity of the Gutenberg bible and the Vinland Map. In fact, the information just as readily (or more readily, even) lends itself to the opposite conclusion: that these are both printed at some other time. The answer will likely relate to that.
Now, looking at the answers:
(A) says something close to what my prephrase did, that the author’s analysis is flawed because the presence of titanium ink doesn’t really support the conclusion that these were 15th century texts, given that we know a lot of other 15th century books don’t have titanium. The passage author basically turned evidence against his hypothesis (titantium ink isn’t common in the 15th century) on it’s head and acted like it supported his conclusion, when it doesn’t.
(C) on the other hand goes to far. We have no idea whether or not it is unreasonable to draw conclusions from just a single element. That may work fine in some circumstances if you have more information. We just don’t know.
Remember that you aren’t supposed to bring outside information into the LSAT. The passage doesn’t talk at all about whether this method is an effective way to date texts. The answer isn’t going to relate to technical knowledge that isn’t provided in the passage.
Note that (A) is a complicated way of saying how the passage is vulnerable to criticism, however, that’s just how the LSAT works. Forming your good pre-phrase (or advance answer or whatever you want to call it) helps you cut through the difficult language and answer the question.
Hope this helped.
Is it really worth it to buy the Reading Comprehension Bible? I’m almost done working through the other two bibles, but reading comprehension is my strongest section and I’m wondering if it’s worth my money and time.
Laura,
If you have RC pretty much down already (average less than 3 wrong on each timed section) then I would say you can get away without it.
Thank you very much for the sound advice, Evan!
Best,
JL
Hi guys,
I’m starting now to study for the LSAT and took a diagnosis and score 136. Right now, I’m devoting my time for the LSAT and will start to take the Powerscore prep-course starting December 3rd.
I plan to go to UCLA/USC/University of San Diego or Pepperdine and I’m shooting for a 170 score.
The issue is I’m going on vacation December 19-December 25th and I’m planning to bring my books with me. I was initially planning to take the LSAT in February but I realized that you recommend studying for 3 months for the LSAT.
Having said that do you recommend to take the LSAT in June instead or to adjust your 30-day study schedule to a 60 day schedule by studying 4 hours daily?
Thank you for all your advices!
Jean-Lionel
JL,
That 30 day schedule is really for emergencies only. Really, no one should be using that unless they are way below where they want to be a month out. Wait until June and work off of this schedule. 2 months is almost always not enough time to reach your full potential.
Hello,
I’m currently a junior and not exactly sure when I should be taking the LSAT. I just purchased all 15 of the suggested items you gave and I was planning to take the test in June but now I feel like I should try it in February and June just in case I don’t do well enough in June. I was going to go for June and maybe October 2014 to take it but I felt like I would be late applying to schools if I waited til October to take it the second time if needed. Help would be appreciated!!
Liz,
You won’t be late applying after October–that’s early. School’s really don’t even look at applications until late October. Your original plan of taking it in June will be fine. I would stick with that. Take it in Feb and you will probably be a bit rushed at this point.
Hey Josh and Evan…thanks…Im done with about 10 odd PT’s going at the rate of 1 a day ..Im stabilizing in the mid 160’s but my problem is games… Im getting anywhere between a 14-18 on them…except when I slice an older section..I’ve got like 20 odd in those…should I drop testing for a couple of days and drill games???
Hey Nilesh good job. I would definitely spend a few days just hammering games. I know you are studying with 7 sage, right? I would watch the video explanation for each game after you do it. Make sure your techniques are spot on.
I believe a study schedule that details what should done each individual day leading up to the test would be helpful.
Hi there,
sorry if this has been answered already. Will there be any harm in buying the 2008 edition of the LGB as opposed to the most recent 2013?
I really recommend the new one. The game section has evolved quite a bit in the last 5 years and the new edition takes account of that. Be prepared to feel a little lost on the recent games otherwise.
This is great advice, just a few more questions.
I am in my first semester of Junior year. I was wondering when the best time for me to take the LSAT. Also, when the time does come around to take the test, are the above mentioned prep books going to be outdated (especially if I buy the package that you put up?) Thanks.
No Conner, they won’t be outdated. The LSAT changes only gradually over time. I would take it this coming June. You can study hard once school is out and that gives you opportunity to retake if need be.
Molly, I edited it to make it more clear. Yes, I am recommending do 5 (or 6 if you feel up to it) full preptests each week for the last two weeks. Don’t forget to review your tests properly as well.
Evan do you recommend that all the preptests be timed or can it be one preptest timed alternated with one full preptest worth of work even if it is not timed?
Once you get to step 5 I would be doing almost all your sections timed. On light study days you can do some untimed sections if timing is a big issue. Always finish a section even if you run out of time.
However, timed sections does not equal full simulated preptest. Reread the schedule carefully and you’ll see how much and when to do full simulated prep tests.
Hi Evan..I’ve done about 4 odd practice tests and I’ve noticed that my score is hovering around the 158-164 range but the prime reason for this is that on a couple of sections, I’m rushed…I invariably end up dropping around 7 odd questions in the RC and often guessing on some of the questions in the other two sections..I got a 158 on PT 49 but that was because I missed around 5 rc questions..guessed on an entire game and was rushed towards the end of one of the LR sections…how do I get my time down..Im sure if I get my time down I can get to the upper 160s at least and that is my goal…also its not that Im getting stuff wrong…in the 22 LR questions that I answered I got 20 odd correct… I just did not have time to attempt the others…also is this in your opinion solvable before the Dec test?
sorry I meant 22 RC not LR
Nilesh,
Certainly keep trying, but be prepared to push it back to Feb if you aren’t where you want to be in the week before the test. With games, try redoing some old games to get a feel for what’s it’s like to do them fast. That sometimes helps.
With RC, you just have to keep practicing and speed should build slowly. I don’t know your mental habits, but sometimes people spend too much time confirming an answer over and over again. Be careful about that. In your case, it might be better on RC to sacrifice a little accuracy in favor of speed. Experiment with that.
Hey Evan…thanks for the tip…I seem to be finding my balance though there is still a bit to go…back up from 158 to the 163 164 range…still missing some on the RC…but not a lot….though I find that Im thru the RC on the older practice fodder tests below 35 min..ie at times with 5 odd min to spare but on the newer ones…the last one I gave was 50 ( Im still running out of time though increasingly less so…only about 2 -3 questions in RC) are the newer RC passages longer? …Also I’ve been wondering…so I’m pretty much thru my course material with 7sage, have given 5 odd PTs and have worked thru pretty much all of the first 10 tests that LSAC makes available except the non-sequencing games…will be doing them next week…and still have a month to go…right now Im ironing out some chinks ie kinds of LR questions that I’ve been getting wrong more than others……that should all be done by mid next week latest..after that, should I hit the PTs at the rate of 1 a day -since that is pretty much all the material I will have left…Im guessing I can get about 20 more odd done and along with the extra 5th section around 25 …I guess between the 7 sage problem sets, the first 10 tests and thes I should have worked thru around 80 odd percent of the material that LSAC provides..plus thanksgiving is coming up so on some days I can even hit 2 tests…I know this is risky but I want to give it my best shot…
and I think that if I can do this then I’ll pretty much hit at least above my desired minimum on the LSAT..a lot of my friends at UC said they drilled as many test as possible during the last month…so I was wondering if I should do the same…oh yeah…they all swear by the non-drinking advice too!!!
Hi, Nilesh.
I wrote this with you partly in mind (though your scores aren’t terribly inconsistent) https://lawschooli.com/help-lsat-practice-scores-map/
Don’t worry about a little inconsistency. Over those 20 PTs things should even out and improve. You are on the right track. Keep attacking those PTs.
Editor’s Note: Question used for “Q and A” post, dated Dec. 17 2013
Hi Nilesh. Here’s my first response to your question below, but we also used your question and turned it into a full post, since I think a lot of people have similar questions. Check out the full post here: STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH LSAT LOGIC GAMES? TRY THIS…
Because the games section is your main obstacle, I’m really optimistic that you can continue to improve. RC is the hard one to improve, and you’ve got that down, so that’s something to be happy about. For LG, your brain likely just needs more time with these techniques in order for them to become true habit to the point where you are solving the problems quickly.
Certainly hold off on the decision until you see your score. That said, your situation counsels a June retake IMO.
I guess 7Sage doesn’t offer tutoring or I would say to stick with them. You might want to try to find an independent tutor who can teach with the 7sage techniques. However, that might be hard if you are outside a major city. I’m thinking of getting set up to do online tutoring myself, so that might be an option.
With regard to your future LSAT prep schedule, if you take a break for a month or two now, by the time you start prepping again, even Logic Games sections that you have previously worked through should be useful again. With another 3 months or so of prep I’d say you’ll be in fine shape by June. When you resume your LSAT prep efforts, be sure to maintain your LR and RC skills by working through sections you haven’t seen yet. Space these evenly throughout your prep in order to keep those skill sharp.
Thanks! Am definitely taking the test again in June.
Hi guys,
I got my LSAT score and as I predicted, I got between a 161 and a 166 – I hit a 163. As expected, I have a -9 in the games. My question is how do I go about wrt a retake…along with the 10 tests out of publication and the superprep, I have about roughly around 34 or 35 tests untouched…when should I start studying for June and what do I do? Also is it worth a retake? Evan you had counseled looking at the score before deciding… a 163 does not seem bad on the face of it but even a 7 out of the – 9 in the games section means a score of a 170 which could be a game changer. Also there seems a slight scope for improvement in the LR as I have a – 4 and a – 6 in both sections. I am personally inclined towards a retake in June.
Nilesh,
My advice remains the same: you should definitely try for a retake in June. I would take a break from studying until March. At that point, you want to hit all the games that you’ve already done over again, making sure you are doing the setups perfectly. Schedule those preptests that you haven’t done yet out evenly throughout the last two months before the test. Don’t obsess over every little aspect of what you do and when. All that matters is that you are getting in a ton of practice and doing proper blind review (to borrow 7sages term) on all of this.
Hi Josh and Evan,
According to Step 6,”In the final two weeks of you schedule you should be doing a full preptest worth of material most days. Still take a day off every week.” but for Step 5 you recommend to take 3-4 pts a week. Are you recommending to do 5 or 6 practice tests in the last two weeks before the test, one each day?
The week of the real test(I am taking February LSAT), when should the last day be to take practice tests? What days should I schedule my pts each week?
Thank you very much for your response!
Lionel
Okay so I moved my LSAT to February because I’m not scoring nearly as well as I would like to. I was also really stressing due to school and work. I’m planning about 15 hours of LSAT study time per week until I start taking practice tests. Do you guys think this is enough? Thanks!
That’s less than we recommend but since you have already been studying it might be okay. Do try to ramp it up a little in your last month.
Hi! I recently made the decision after much research to pursue law school. I won’t be graduating for another two years and didn’t plan to take the LSAT until 2015ish. I took a test out of curiosity (got a surprising 155!) and found I really enjoyed working on it. I read before you don’t recommend long, drawn out studying. Would there be any harm in buying the old editions of the PowerScore bibles and playing around with them during my down time until the real studying kicks in or should I just put all the books aside?
I would just puts the books aside. If you want to do anything between now and then, take a logic course at your school. In fact I highly highly recommend this. By the time you start studying for the LSAT, the core concepts will have sunk in already. It’s a huge advantage.
Hello gents!
At the step 2, when should we start completing the problems? Should we start doing them after we complete reading all 3 sections (LG, RC, LR) OR right after we finish studying each section?
Also, at this level is it fair enough to complete 3 tests per week in order to finish the 10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests by the end of week 3?
Thanks!
Lionel
Lionel,
You should do the drills and questions in the bibles as you read them. Just go through all the pages in order. Then do the superprep questions of that section type. So if you are doing LR first do all the material in the LR bible, then do all the LR questions in the superprep, then move on to LG. I’ll edit the schedule to make this clear.
That said, it’s not a big deal if you bounce around so long as you work through all this material before going on to anything else. However, we do think a methodical approach is best.
Hi Guys,
so its 6 – 5.5 odd weeks left to the LSAT and in the next couple of days, I will have finished going thru the prep material…and I’ve taken 3 tests…the diagnostic right at the start and PTs 46 and 47… I intend to take PT 48 tomorrow… I have another 17 odd PTs to go with my prep package and apart from my instructional material I have pretty much gone thru half the first 10 odd preptests (7,9 onwards) , using them as fodder for practice..I’ll probably go thru that set by the end of the week give or take a day or two…my question is, do I do all the latest tests in timed conditions or do a timed test every alternate day and use the ones that I can’t do timed (ie from PTs 46 – 66) as practice…also…is it ok during the last 3 3.5 odd weeks to take a test a day to build up stamina? Or will I be burning thru the tests? I intend to do test 69 two days before the actual thing.
Thanks for the advice on your blog. I bought the prescribed books from Amazon and LSAC. A word of advice for non-Americans doing the LSATs, order your books from Amazon because you’ll be able to track your package. LSAC does not have a tracking service.
Thanks a lot Samantha!
I’m going to add that to the post. We rec Amazon because it’s generally the cheapest, but that’s good to know.
Hi Joshua&Evan! Thanks for all your advice, which has only further solidified my intent to become a lawyer and aspiration to attend the best law school I can. Is it ever too early to start studying for the LSAT? I’m not going to be applying to law school for a couple more years but I was wondering if it was even marginally beneficial in raising my potential LSAT score so early on. I am focusing on my grades and ec’s right now, but feel like getting ahead in the prep game might help? Thanks!
Brenda,
Go by feel. If you think the concepts have sunk-in after just reading the chapter and doing the problems provided, then feel free to move on. If not, spend another session seeking out additional problems of that type from early preptests. Do remember that you’ll end up reviewing the bibles a lot usually, so it’s not necessary to have “mastered” each concept before moving on. The important thing is that you remember the techniques so that you have a good foundation to build on.
I looked over the study schedule and modified it alot to my own schedule and so its working for me but I do have 1 question. You guys suggest doing 3 additional problems for LG. Is this aside from the last few problems at the end of the power score bible? Or do those count? Thanks.
Hello Joshua and Evan! Your posts have been very helpful. However I am still having trouble. I signed up for the December test and I am wondering if I should re-register for February. I really need help. Previously I have taken Kaplan and Testmasters prep courses. I have purchased and competed the Powerscore bibles. My score has improved by three points and I have been actively studying since September which is embarrassing. I am nowhere near my desired score by the way. Not mention my time is terrible. I am studying about 5 to 6 hours a day, but I am wondering if I am studying smart enough? Because the improvement is minimal. I have taken numerous test and they have all within the same range. I am definitely stuck. More of your advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Samone
Samone,
Evan here. What kind of practice test scores are we looking at? Are you struggling with LR, LG, RC or all three? I’m also curious to know if you are properly reviewing questions before you look at the answers. Make sure you are doing this: https://lawschooli.com/reviewing-an-lsat-practice-test/
I think the issue was of timing…and then later on I started panicking…I didn’t have an analog watch and was using my cellphone to time myself…and then realized that I had 3 minutes to go and one whole passage to read…and the same thing happened with the first LG section…plus I hadn’t completed the material for flaw weakening and necessary assumption questions and it had been around 6 odd weeks since Id done some of the SA and MBT…I also rushed the 3rd LR section because I ran out of time on the earlier one…and ended up making a ton of careless mistakes….and guessed on one of the games because I hadn’t competed the type…all round bad management…I think it ought to be better in a week and definitely in two…I reviewed the test and I think there should be some improvement by the next test.
Nilesh,
Yes, it will improve. Really, chill a little. You can’t expect to improve until you’ve done a lot of practice tests. The first one is likely to be a disaster. Keep to the prep schedule and you will make progress.
Guys thanks a ton for your advice and the reassurance… I did my second PT today ..PT 47 and got a 159 scaled score…while its nowhere near where Id like it to be, it is an 8 point jump from my last score and I missed around 8 on the games and 8 on the second LR so I know where I need to focus…and I have close to 7 weeks and 18 odd tests to answer so it should get me where I want with the older tests for practice. Also..you post on drilling RC questions helped a ton…thanks once more!!!
No problem Nilesh. Just remember that you are going to see swings in your practice scores. It’s the average over time that you should be concerned with. Don’t get too concerned if any one practice test goes badly.
I rarely seem to have problems outside the test setting though…the other day I took a PT ( I think it was 7) and got 20 out of the 25 LRs correct.
This was my first prep test …before this I had a diagnostic so I have no idea where this is a typical score for me or not ..Im only going to be able to judge that around 2 prep tests later…but is was scary and I panicked.
Do I have time to remedy this? Im getting -8 odd on my LRs after weeks of going thru material…like I said… I don’t care if I don’t get a 170 …my ideal score range would be a 165- 170.
Nilesh,
Is that a typical score for you? If it was just an aberrant low score than that’s not too much to worry about. If that is your average then you certainly do have a long way to go considering you are taking it in December. Still, there’s no reason to panic. The withdrawal deadline to get a refund for the December LSAT is Nov. 4. I would prep until then and make the decision as that deadline approaches.
Are you not showing improvement anywhere? You might consider enlisting the services of a tutor who can figure out what your biggest issues are.
Guys…hi,
so I’ve run into a major roadblock while studying…I’m prone to panic easily but this time it seems legit…so I have exactly 8 weeks left before my test…I ran thru the material ofer the last 7-8 weeks and started my PTs today with test 46…and I scored a mark lower than my diagnostic on the scaled score as well as the raw score…here’s what happened…I ran out of time on the RC missing exactly 7 questions…ran out of time on one of the LRs missing exactly 2 questions…did worse then I expected on the other LR and did better than I expected on the LG..all in all I got a score of a 151 and a 62 on the PT…should I cancel my December test date?What can I do…Id really like to get my score at least to the high 160s but that seems impossible right now…any advice would be welcome.
Hi Josh and Evan,
There is one question (Preptest 10 Section 1 #18) that has been giving me trouble for some time. Any tips on sorting between information that is needed to answer the question and information that is meant to be a distraction? For this question, I tried to diagram basically everything and that consumed a lot of time and confused me(needless to say I got it wrong and chose D instead of E) How would you have approached this question(I assume you guys still have all the preptests available)? Thanks!
Hi Brent,
My books are all packed up for a move at the moment. I’ll try to find it ASAP. Is that in one of the compilations?
Yes. (10 Actual Official LSAT Preptests)
Hi Joshua. How do you figure to adapt your 3 month plan to a 2 month one? I’m taking mine in December. Did my ‘diagnostic’ today as you recommended to see where I’m at. Any detailed tips for an 8 week regimen would be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Evan here (co-author of the schedule). Just work harder and speed it up. Don’t omit to do any of the instructional stuff. If you don’t get to all of the preptests we recommend, make sure that you do the most recent ones as the test approaches. You still need to spend a significant amount of time doing untimed prep at the beginning, so maybe for you first 3 weeks do mostly untimed questions (unless you are getting them nearly all right sooner than 3 weeks, in which case you can move on to timed individual questions and then timed sections.
Hi Evan and Josh,
I was just wondering if it is better to complete each book (LG then LR then RC) in its entirety before moving on to the next book, or to work on them simultaneously? thank you
We both completed each one separately. My guess is it doesn’t make a huge difference, but it helps me to work on just one thing at a time when I’m learning new concepts.
Hello,
Due to work obligations I have only just started preparing for the Dec 7th LSAT on September 30th. Do you think that I’ve started too late to expect to achieve a good LSAT score?
Not necessarily. This schedule represents our view of the optimal schedule for maxing out your LSAT score. People can and do get great results with less time, though it may not represent their best. Also, generally the people who hit great scores without a lot of prep are very bright individuals. You might be one of them, but you won’t know your natural LSAT aptitude until you start prepping. Start now and see how it’s going. If you aren’t pleased with your progress a little more than a month from now you can reevaluate.
Thanks for the reassurance… I was panicking because I had heard that games often turned out the easiest portion of the LSAT and so were there for the taking. I was studying of 7sage’s curriculum for its basic course..my plan…which is by and large on track – was to finish the entire curricular material by October the 5th LSAT and and then devote the time between then and the next LSAT exclusively to tests and drills on individual sections.
Also since I’ve been prepping for 6 odd weeks now, should I start hitting the tests while completing my syllabus side by side..it will take another 2 odd weeks to finish but isn’t it high time that I started hitting the tests..or should I start stringing together timed sections for LR and RC till I finish the LG portion and then hit the tests?
Nilesh,
What kind of schedule are you working off of?
I hope this doesn’t come off too blunt, but you need to relax. You shouldn’t expect to see much improvement until you’ve done a lot of games.
Let me know if you haven’t improved some after you’ve done half the published games that are available (so like all the games in preptests 1-35). If your schedule tells you to start doing timed tests, just start regardless of where you are scoring.
Dear Josh and Evan,
5 – 6 odd weeks into my test prep and while I have a fair idea of LR (baring parallel flaw and flaw descriptive weakening questions) and RC, I just hit logic games earlier this week with simple sequencing and spatial sequencing games and I’m having plenty of problems doing them..its like the worst phase of my prep…this is the time that my confidence is taking the worst battering because I always end up missing something in the diagram or neglecting to look at some condition in a proper way…I really don’t know what to do and I’m kind of hitting the panic button here…ideally Id like to start answering tests in a couple of weeks because I would have gone thru the whole syllabus and would have 2 whole months to devote just to practice tests – but this is kind of holding me back and giving me no end of grief…what do I do?
I might add to that that I have got just 1 game 100% right and there are numerous games where I have been getting only 2-3 right out of 5 or 6 questions. ( I’ve done about 8 to 10 odd game sets) – more problems in the spatial sequencing so far…and there isn’t one game not one, where I haven’t taken a ton of time!!!
If I want to go to Law School in Fall 2014, is it a bad idea to take the LSAT in February 2014? I just decided to go to Law School (this week) and I don’t know if I have too little time to prep for the Dec LSAT or if I should push it to February 2014. I’m frantically searching online for any advice about the LSAT; your blog was recommended on another site.
Abbie,
Take a look at this post: https://lawschooli.com/february-late-take-lsat-applying-following-fall/ — The short answer: some schools do accept Feb. LSAT scores, others don’t. Furthermore, many seats in the incoming class (and most of the scholarship money) will have already been given out by the time you get your LSAT score back and finally submit your application. You’ll have a better shot at scholarship money and a real shot at getting into better schools if you wait and apply until the following year. Hope this helps.
Quick question: do you happen to know what site lawschooli.com was recommended on? Thanks!
Hello Josh and Evan. Love the website it was very helpful in my decision to go to law school. I recently took the pre diagnostic test as your schedule suggests and am now going through the Logical Reasoning book. I have a two parter question: 1) How important is it to read through every explanation of the correct/incorrect answers to questions that I eventually practice? If the question was fairly obvious, is it still worthwhile to go through the explanations?
My second question is you mention how the initial run through of the bibles should be quick in the beginning so you can examine certain sections more closely. As the bibles are up to 500 pages in length, should I ignore the mini drills and just read through the meat of the books explaining the types of arguments, etc.?
Thanks!
Nick,
It’s not important at all to read through explanations on every question. For one thing, some questions are so easy you wouldn’t benefit at all from it. Really, you only need explanations for when you are unable to understand why an answer choice is correct or why any wrong answer choice is wrong. If you are reviewing questions properly (reviewing hard questions before you look at the answers. A full discussion of this here: https://lawschooli.com/reviewing-an-lsat-practice-test/), you’ll need explanations only infrequently as you get better at the LSAT. Still, it’s great to have them when you hit frustrating questions. We talked about our favorite explanations recently: https://lawschooli.com/where-can-i-get-recent-2010-2013-lsat-questions-and-answers-need-explanations-for-each-answer/
Don’t ignore the mini-drills. They are a great start and help concepts sink in. By reading through it quick, I mean you don’t need to linger on everything and obsess over whether you have memorized it.
Good luck with everything!
Hello Josh and Evan,
Thanks for this post and for the work you’ve put into this website. It is extremely refreshing to know that with a commitment to prep, anyone can do well on the LSAT.
I am considering writing the LSAT next year. I am hoping to write in October 2014. I plan to dedicate April-August to LSAT prep as I will be doing little more than taking a summer class.
While this is quite a lot of time for prep. I cannot see myself having more than an hour or two a day to prep between September and October. Is this likely to affect my score after the close to 5 months that I’m hoping to dedicate to prep? Thanks again for your work on the site.
Andre,
You should be able to make that prep schedule work. Just try to make sure you find time to take quite a few full practice tests in the weeks leading up to the exam. Your test-taking stamina needs to be in peak shape by LSAT test day.
Thanks for the kind words and let us know how things are going when you start!
Evan
Hi Josh,
This is a loaded question. I am currently taking a class with Blueprint. I am preparing for the December LSAT but the course is intended for the October LSAT. The course is finished with teaching new material and the remaining classes are two review days and two more practice tests. I will have access to the videos, textbooks, and additional official practice problems for all the lessons in the course when I am preparing for the December LSAT. How should I incorporate the videos, textbooks and official practice problems into the study schedule(Should I refer to/do them after a practice test for certain types of problems I have difficulty with? Is it ok doing practice problems untimed to reinforce good technique?) Also, I am considering getting tutoring hours. How should I time these tutoring hours during the week to get the most benefit(after a practice test?) and what questions should I ask during these sessions? As far as practice tests as concerned, there are about 15 total practice tests provided to me that don’t use homework problems. I have gone through four of them so far( I also plan on buying the 3 February tests from LSAC). Would it be worthwhile to take full length practice tests that might contain homework problems I remember? Or would it be better to do those practice tests are timed sections(If this is the case, how should I divide up the 12 practice tests I will have remaining after my course is over in two weeks)? Thanks so much for your help!
BP Student
While this study schedule is a good guide, the most important thing is that you set yourself a rigorous schedule with all the materials you have and stick to it. Your ideas for using them are perfect. Tutoring right after a practice test is a good idea as well. Tell the tutor what practice test you will be doing and they will be happy to go over it with you.
Just schedule the completely fresh tests you have for the very end of your prep. Do at least two, probably three full-timed tests a week in the last month. The twelve should cover that. Use the ones where you have seen problems for individual time sections and any full timed tests you do before the last month.
Good luck. It certainly looks like you are putting your all into this which is what Josh and I did. Stick to it and you’ll likely see great results!
Josh and Evan,
I’ve read plenty of times (including on this blog) about the importance of doing untimed sections before moving onto timed sections. At what strike rate do you think it’d be appropriate to make that move?
For example, i’m doing untimed LR sections now and am not getting more than 1-2 wrong while take a a good 40-45 minutes to do so. Is it time to step it up?
Yeah, that seems like a fine point to start adding the time element (remember when starting out to finish the questions even when you go overtime. The schedule describes how to do this).
Hi Joshua,, thanks so much for this guide it should be extremely helpful. Do you recommend focusing on questions by type. In example, LG- games types. LR- weaken, strengthen, etc.?
Hi Brenda,
Evan here. That is a fine approach when you start out. Don’t go overboard, but do seek out some questions of each type after you learn the techniques, so as to reinforce the skills. The Powerscore workbooks are great for this: http://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-Logic-Workbook-Powerscore-Preparation/dp/0980178282
I know they say softs never matter…but I just worked at the White House as an intern and I am going on a Fulbright. I want to take the LSAT for the first time before I leave, so my test date would be December. If i buy your suggested books and start on Monday doing 20 hours a week, think I can get the bump? I’m not a stranger to the lsat prep…I took a very poorly taught course that met once a week and also did some PTs on my own when I thought I would take it in June. My diagnostic (cold) was a 155 and after one week I hit a 162. My PTs generally lingered from 160 at the lowest to 167 at the highest but I’d say average was a 162. Is 2.5 months enough? Should I supplement with a Powerscore course?
Well, those are certainly good softs. Self-study should be fine, preferable even. You are likely a pretty self-directed individual and shouldn’t have trouble sticking to a schedule. 2.5 months should be enough especially if you have plenty of time to devote to it.
I don’t know why the LSAT freaks me out so much but it totally gets in my head. Probably the prospect that a 5 point jump at the right spot can mean the difference between rejection, bare admission, or a full ride.
I put the stuff in my cart at amazon. What do you recommend for scheduling in terms of PTs? 2 full a week with 5 sections plus corrections? (I’ll pull from the oldest book since I went through most of those exams like 6+ months ago.
Other than those two a week which are 4-5 hours each, 3 hrs 3 days a week doing drilling and the bibles? Also should I still take a cold diagnostic?
Also when you consider time devoted to studying does taking full PTs count? Or do you take those PLUS those 4-5 hours 2 days a week SORRY for all the questions you guys are great.
Yes, the time doing PTs counts as prep time.
Remember that you aren’t doing full simulated PTs at the beginning of your LSAT prep. Build to that. 2 a week plus review is probably a fine pace from the time you get to the middle of your study on. By the end, you will be doing at least two full simulated prep tests a week (three is okay if you feel like it) plus plenty of other timed sections sections.
Best of luck!
Hi Guys,
So I’ve run into this problem, I’m trying really hard to balance my LSAT Prep with my PhD responsibilities and the thing is that on week days, I can’t get more that a 2 to 2.5 hours of work done max – and my degree of receptivity depends on when I’m prepping…It’s mostly better in the morning, when I’m not jaded by the day’s work. This is slowing my prep down… in all honesty, I had anticipated this so I had started studying for the December test some 3.5 to 4 odd weeks earlier ..and I’m thru about 60 – 70 % of the LR syllabus, have gone thru reading comp strategies and practiced that too…but have not yet started LG or timed tests and I can’t work under timed conditions.
What do you suggest I do?…to top it all, I think some of the earlier lessons might be in need of revision :/ the good thing Is that I’m not getting may wrong…the odd 1 or 2 questions at max in the LR exercises (if at all) and 3 odd wrong out of 27 in the RCs but I’m still taking time to do them!!!
Nilesh,
Honestly, I think you’ll be fine with that level of prep given that you started early. Do try to get in occasional days where you do more than 3 hours of prep. Also, that sounds like a fine point to be at accuracy-wise. Stick with the morning prep and see how things are going once you start doing timed questions.
Another great article. I’m in a bit of a bind at the moment. I was planning to go for the October sitting but feel I can improve my score substantially if I go for December instead (as 3 months of prep is, in your estimation, ideal). However, I must confess that I have gone through several prep tests in the past and have only about half a dozen remaining (all recent). You mention that it is ideal to go through as many fresh problems as possible but I don’t see how this can be a realistic possibility for me for the next three months. That’s the only thing that’s got me thinking about going for October. My LSAT instructor said that a large part of writing this exam is just being in form and I’m afraid that 3 months may be too long of a wait for someone that has already gone through several of these prep tests (albeit, not in the correct way). Is there still a way to improve over a 3 month span while going through old problems?
Unfortunately, this is the problem that everyone eventually runs up against if they don’t do it right the first time. If you do the December LSAT, there isn’t a lot you can do besides save those 12 preptests for the month leading up to the test. It should be enough to get you back in shape. Old problems do have studying value, particularly the games.
Here’s what I would do: don’t do anything until two months before the test. At that point, start going through old tests. The best strategy for using old tests is to pretend you are teaching them to someone else. Don’t look at the answers to a problem until you can fully describe the reasons why your answer choice is right and why the other ones are inferior. Schedule those 12 fresh tests for yourself at evenly spaced intervals throughout the last 3 weeks before the test.
Yes, I was concerned about all this. Should I just go for the October sitting? I have about 5-6 prep tests remaining and can’t see myself stopping and starting again two months before the December sitting.
Yeah, I would just go for it in your case. You can always try for the boost on a retake if need be. Don’t worry about having to retake should that be necessary. These days admissions deans hardly consider at any lower scores that an applicant may have.
Yeah, good call…though this is actually my third try 😉 Wish me luck.
Hi,
I have just started your study schedule to write the LSAT in December. I have purchased most of the books that you recommended, and was wondering if you think the workbooks for the LGB + LRB are important to purchase as well.
Thanks!
Yeah, I think the powerscore workbooks are a great idea when you are starting out. Not strictly necessary but still a good way to reinforce the skills you pick up in the Bibles.
Hi! I have found your website so helpful! Thank you for all of the advice.
I noticed in this article you emphasized the importance of using the same diagramming technique. I purchased Blueprints LG book and love it… I haven’t completed the book yet, but it has already helped me to improve my scores on logic games. (I was -7 on my cold diagnostic and I have been -3 on each of the two practice tests I took, one a week ago and one today.)
I also have the LR bible, so I am wondering if combining that with the Blueprint methods will cause problems. Thanks for any advice you have!
Hi Bnonymous,
You are fine sticking with the Blueprint book for logic games techniques. That’s the only other book we recommend for learning them: https://lawschooli.com/lsat-prep-book-reviews-the-blueprint-for-lsat-logic-games/ It’s a great alternative and a fun read.
Do you have any advice and a recommended study schedule for a retaker? I scored a 153 on the first administration and I’m looking to retake this October.
I’ve been prepping for 2 months but I haven’t seen much improvement. So far, I’ve worked through the Powerscore LGB/LRB and the Manhattan LG/LR/RC books. I also did all the logic games from PT’s 1-40 at least twice. I also completed some of the Cambridge LR packets for question types like Flaw, Strengthen, Assumption, and Parallel Reasoning.
Despite all the work I’ve done (plus all the prep I did for my 1st attempt), I’m still scoring in the same range. I’ve taken 10 full PT’s to supplement all the bookwork/drills. But my range is still 152-158. A typical breakdown is -5 LG, -17 LR, and -10 RC.
All my mistakes make so much sense after thorough test review, but it seems like I still keep missing questions.
What should I do from now until October? I can study full-time. I’m currently taking time off from my job and will be returning after the exam.
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Jason,
That LR score is clearly where you need the most work. I would start over fresh by getting a full grasp on conditional logic. You might start here: https://lawschooli.com/conditional-reasoning-for-the-lsat/ Are you in school still? It might be a good idea to do a basic logic course or find one online (try coursera https://www.coursera.org/course/intrologic) Stick with the powerscore diagramming methods of course when you do LSAT problems, but feel free to learn whatever techniques the course suggests as well. This stuff has to become second nature if you are going to improve.
Also, you might try going back to doing a significant amount of untimed prep again, especially on LR and RC. Really try to learn how to understand a question on your first pass. That means not going to the answer until you are sure you’ve done everything you can to understand the problem on your own.
As far a general schedule stuff, just keep doing all the lsat problems you can, but don’t do too many full timed tests until you start seeing improvements in your accuracy doing untimed questions and individually timed questions. It seems like you progressed to doing too many timed tests too quickly for you. Here is how I recommend doing question review. https://lawschooli.com/reviewing-an-lsat-practice-test/
Also, here is my general retaker advice in case anything in there helps you:
https://lawschooli.com/retaking-the-lsat/
Best of luck and let me know how things are progressing in a few weeks.
Hello – your guides have been extremely helpful in starting my LSAT studying process! Thanks so much!
A question: I could have sworn that last week or so I saw a post about a 5-month study schedule in addition to the 3-month schedule. Do you have any tips on that? I’ve ordered the 15 books from your recommended list and plan to study from September to February.
I’d love your thoughts.
We don’t have a five month LSAT prep schedule yet, but I will work on one. There shouldn’t be anything too revolutionary on there- it will just be more or less a drawn out version of this with some extra tips on how to make less intense, more spread out prep more productive.
3 or 4 months is probably the ideal length of study unless you have an intense job or a heavy schoolwork load, in which case 5 might be appropriate.
Hey there guys… I’ve just started my prep a few days ago with 7sage for the December LSAT and am quite frankly loving the material. What I wanted to know was since I’m starting to get comfortable with their method for diagramming and all, can I still use the Powerscore bibles if only for the questions or do you use the bible primarily for the methodology…my reasons for wanting to use the bible are that the questions will be arranged together by type so I can use 7sage techniques to drill the specific question type.
Nilesh, sorry I missed this. Yes, feel free to stick with 7sages techniques and just use the PS bible for general advice/practice. Usually I recommend always sticking with one companies method, but if the PS approach to anything feels way more intuitive you might add it to your arsenal as long as it doesn’t create confusion.
When do you recommend taking practice diagnostic tests? I’ve hear the one should take a full, timed practice test once a week, but not do them more often that that. Is that a good idea? Should I be taking them more frequently or less frequently, or is once every week fine?
It might be okay to do only one full, simulated one a week (meaning one where you try to duplicate test conditions as closely as possible), but I would really recommend at least two full simulated tests a week in the final month of your prep. Nor should that be the only prep you are doing: As it says in the prep schedule above, from the midpoint of your study (week 6) onward you should have 3-4 days a week where you do a full preptest worth of material. On in-between days just do 2 or 3 individual sections. Also remember to take a full day of each week from LSAT prep.
Hey Evan and Josh,
I am really glad to have stumbled upon this blog/site. I’m coming back from a year abroad in September and will look to tackle the LSAT in December.
I’d been working full time and didn’t really have to the time to study consistently, mostly an hour a day maximum, maybe 3-4 days a week. However, I felt as if I wasn’t really absorbing it as well as if I had simply sat down for 3 months and went after it like you said in your plan.
Do you guys think this is normal? I’m not saying cramming for the LSAT is a good idea, but that sometimes you need to study for a larger block of time to absorb things.
Anyhow, thanks again for the advice.
@Michael
Evan here: there’s a little bit of disagreement about in the prep world about the proper length/intensity of an LSAT study schedule. However I think that LSAT prep is just like any thing else- you do it better if you do a lot of it in a day. Chessmasters play chess all day. Tennis champions play tennis for big blocks of time. To me, it’s seems intuitive that the LSAT is the same as everything else: the ideal is intense study. That’s been borne out by what I saw as an LSAT tutor/teacher.
And yes, it’s fully normal to need a lot of time before things start improving. I was about two months into my study before games really clicked for me. You just need a lot of time and repetition to build those new connections in the brain.
Mind you, sitting down for 5 hours straight in not the ideal. Take plenty of little breaks in your study schedule.
Good luck and keep in touch. Hope you had fun abroad. I’m going to China for a month in September and I can’t wait.
You’ve got to be kidding me. I’ll be returning from about 8 months in China and a month in Accra, Ghana. I took a job helping facilitate communication between the two countries.
Unfortunately, I’ll be returning September 7th, but feel free to ask about places to eat and drink with other expats.
But anyhow, thanks for the advice, I’ve found this blog very helpful and will be looking to use it as a helping hand throughout the process.
You’ve got to be kidding me. I’ll be returning from about 8 months in China and a month in Accra, Ghana.
Unfortunately, I’ll be returning September 7th, but feel free to ask about places to eat and drink with other expats.
But anyhow, thanks for the advice, I’ve found this blog very helpful and will be looking to use it as a helping hand throughout the process.
Oh nice I def might need some recommendations. Thanks my dude we’ll keep it up.
Hello, I planned on taking the October LSAT and applying to schools soon after to make it in before the early admission deadline because I know my 3.2 GPA isn’t exactly competitive so I thought this would give me a better chance to get into my top schools. But if I only do okay on the October LSAT and plan on taking it again in December… should I wait to apply until after December or will the schools also see my December scores before they make my decision?
I hope this makes sense…
Thanks!
@Caitin.
Don’t worry about whether you apply in October or December. It shouldn’t make much difference with things as they are (applications to law school are so far down numbers wise that there are plenty of spots open in December).
Focus on following this LSAT prep schedule and doing the best you can on the LSAT. When did you start studying for the October exam? Are you improving? Generally, you want to keep studying until then but cancel the exam and reschedule for December unless your practice scores are in the range you want already.
I started studying July 9. I started with the Logic Games Bible and really improved and felt really good about it..missing only 1-2 questions in the entire section. I moved on to the Reading Comp Bible next and just recently finished the book but I feel like I didn’t improve at all..missing 2-5 questions in each passage so it has got me feeling not so good. Should I continue working on practicing reading comp or just go ahead and continue on to the Logical Reasoning Bible?
Hi…I just started studying about a week and a half ago. I plan to take the LSAT in Oct, so I’m hoping I’m not starting too late. I just started taking a prep course class and was wondering if I still need to get the bibles? The class I’m in already comes with diagnostic tests and lesson books, is that all I need? Or should I also get the bibles? It is taking me so long just to get through the material assigned in class, that I’m wondering if I’ll even have time for the bibles. But if I should have them, I would like to know so that I can make time to incorporate them into my class study schedule. Thank you in advance!
Chelsea, which prep course are you taking? Tell me both the company and the specific package you bought and I’ll take a look at what they give you to study.
I’m taking the Test Masters prep course. They came with their own test masters lesson books and tests.
Also, I was wondering if I started studying too late. I started studying last week and while I am doing about 6 hours a day, I still won’t have the full 3 months like you recommended. If not doing 3 months is bad, I was thinking I should then maybe take the Dec LSAT instead, but then that’d be 4 months of studying…do you think that is too much? I don’t want to burn myself out before I even get near the test date.
@Natasha
No, it really shouldn’t be much of a problem to delay taking the LSAT because right now applications to law school are down so much that there are plenty of spots left in December. I wrote about this recently in my post on rolling admissionsL https://lawschooli.com/when-should-you-apply-to-law-school/
Now might too early to decide whether you should delay until December. You still have a lot of time to improve (although you are getting a bit of a late start). If you are feeling able to commit to prep right now, keep at it following this schedule for a few weeks and see if you improve. If you don’t really see much improvement a month from now, then heavily consider delaying the test.
I encourage you to consult us again at that time and we’ll be happy to provide advice based on where you are at. Best of luck!
Hi … It’s been about a week since I’ve started my prep … I’m going through the bibles right now and doing questions as soon as I get one chapter done … Yesterday I went through the ‘Must be true’ questions and I’m having a lot of problems when I’m actually solving the questions … Initially I was thinking about giving the test in October, but now I’m wondering whether I should just give it in December … Will that be a problem if I want to apply to law schools and start in September ’14 … Do you think I should stick with the October test even though I’m not able to do many questions properly right now … Will increasing the months I study going to be a better option … Any help that you provide will be greatly appreciated …
Hi-
I’m taking my lsat this upcoming February. I am planning to self study and then take a class around December if I need it. Will this type of schedule work for me? I am a junior so I am going to have classes and such. I just wanted to take the lsat earlier than June so I can retake it in June, if needed, so I can begin to apply in the fall of 2014.
Thanks for your help!
@carlin
Yep, this prep schedule should really be fine if you are in school. I did it while working full time (not more than 40 hours a week though). If you can, you may want to reduce club activities and other extra stuff, just so you don’t have too much going on to juggle with your schedule. Also, take a basic logic course this fall if you have some space for electives.
That is good thinking taking the Feb LSAT and applying the following year. I think more people should take advantage of the February LSAT that way.
Keep in touch!
Hi again-
I just tried to mimic the test conditions and take my cold diagnostics the best I could, even though I was more distracted that planned, I got a 140. Is it realistic to desire a 170?
Yes Carlin, it is realistic to desire a 170. Realistically, It’s not always possible and it takes very hard work to give it your best shot. Don’t think too much about the 140 diagnostic. As I said on my recent post on cold diagnostics, they don’t tell you very much. Check it out here if you want: https://lawschooli.com/taking-a-cold-lsat-diagnostic-exam/
@Nilesh
Evan again. I just wrote a post for you about why you shouldn’t worry about your diagnostic score: https://lawschooli.com/taking-a-cold-lsat-diagnostic-exam/
152 happens to be exactly what Josh got on his cold diagnostic. Don’t worry about that- stick to a rigorous schedule and that score will be a distant memory. You have way more than enough time to register improvements.
I haven’t looked at 7sages stuff, but they have a good reputation. If you do want to check out the powerscore stuff, just get the Logic Games Bible. I really think everyone should read it because it’s just that good.
Otherwise, you appear to have a good study schedule worked out. Stick with it and expunge that diagnostic score from your mind for now. Feel free to do extra prep on top of whatever your company assigns you. I don’t know about 7Sage, but most companies don’t assign enough practice IMO.
@Nilesh
Evan here: there is definitely no reason to rebuy any prep questions you already got through the course. Ask them if they can provide a list of which preptests they got these extra questions from. That way you can get some more pts if you feel you need it (only buying preptests with questions they didn’t use).
There is no harm in adding extra material to any LSAT prep schedule as long as you don’t get burnt out doing too much.
Which company are you going with? A lot of the better ones have methods that are very similar to powerscores. As such, it may not be too too worth while to get the bibles. That said, I always think the logic games bible is worth a read, if only for the drills.
Hi and thanks for the prompt response…I’m planning on going with 7sage… I plan to take the LSAT in December so I have some time till then…that is also necessary because I will be prepping along side work/study… my plan was to start mid August, finish the LSAT complete course which has video explanations and 6 prep tests (not time-bound) by the October 6th LSAT deadline, upgrade to the ultimate course which has more practice questions and 28 more tests and then, in the 2 months remaining, drill the what I learnt during my prep by doing the remaining tests time-bound, while referring back to the additional practice questions in order to reinforce the concepts that I fudged up on. As you suggested, I did take the diagnostic and scored horribly on the June 2007 pt with only my reading comprehension section going ‘somewhat’ ok (if that at all) with 20 out of 27 correct ..the LG and LR sections were a disaster and I ended up with a scaled score of 152. I’m kind of demoralized and right now wonder if this much time will be enough to register any improvement.
Hi Josh…thanks for providing this schedule.. if Im going with an online prep course, would it still be advisable to do pick up the materials that you recommend…my course has all pretty much 50 hours of recorded lessons along with hundreds of questions per LSAT component type and 34 of the real LSAT prep tests available. My only reason for asking is that if I do go with the bibles, and the teaching methodology is different, I might get confused. best.
@Stephanie it is totally fine if you are still studying the bibles for longer than 3 weeks. I will edit the schedule to make this more clear.
Generally, I advocate running through them pretty quickly on the first pass and then returning to them as needed when you encounter problem types that you find difficult.
I would do the LG and LR bible first before you do the RC. Best of luck and feel free to ask if you need any clarifications.
Are the prep books from 2011- 2012 (latest on Amazon appears to be from December 2012), still going to be good resources/relevant for a test in 2014? Or should I plan to wait until the 2013 books are released and study from those?
Everything on Amazon should be the newest edition. The Powerscore Logic Games Bible is the only one that has been updated recently, and the link here with bring you to the new revised edition. They will all be relevant, so you’re good to go!
Hi,
I’m on your three month studying plan because I found it easy to adapt to my own LSAT prep for the October LSAT. I am currently in the Step 2 section. I am in my first week and I’ve found that I am spending a lot of time with the logic games bible. I’m concerned that I won’t have enough time to spend on the other bible in the three week timeline so my question is, how much time would you recommend to spend on each bible (or LSAT section) in Step 2?
Thanks.