how long does it take to finish an online lsat prep course

by Joe Lindgren III 4 min read

Frequently Asked Questions/ FAQs. How long does it take to prep for the LSAT? We recommend that most students spend between 150 to 300 hours studying for the LSAT, which is about 20-25 hours per week over a two-to- or three-month period.

How long does it take to prepare for the LSAT?

 · Instead, you will be given up to one year from the LSAT test to complete it online. It also runs for 35 minutes, so you have to prepare for this part very well in terms of organizing your thoughts in the most logical way possible. Moreover, this section is unscored, but it doesn’t mean that it is less relevant.

Why choose an online LSAT prep course?

In general, law schools recommend preparing for the LSAT from 3 to 6 months before the test date. This prep schedule allows information to spread out more naturally and lessons retained without much stress. With a minimum of three months, you should be able to: Understand the basic concepts of each LSAT section

How much to study for LSAT?

You are allotted 35 minutes to complete each of two separate Logical Reasoning sections. With each section consisting of approximately 25 questions, you have an average of only 1 minute and 24 seconds per question if you hope to complete every question. Note: The majority of students do not finish every question.

How can I self study for the LSAT?

It’s therefore important to err on the side of caution and give yourself plenty of time to prepare. Tip #2: Aim for 250 to 300 hours of LSAT preparation For most students, a three-month period of preparation (of approximately 20 hours per week) is a great goal. This is, of course, an estimate; most students are not all students.

How far in advance should you take an LSAT prep course?

To prepare for the LSAT, plan to spend at least 4-6 hours a week for at least three to four months prior to the test date. Think of your prep time as the rough equivalent of the work you'd do for a challenging 4-credit course, one in which you want to do as well as possible.

Is 3 months enough for LSAT prep?

For most students, a three-month period of preparation (of approximately 20 hours per week) is a great goal. This is, of course, an estimate; most students are not all students. To find out how much LSAT prep time you're likely to need, we recommend taking a practice LSAT to get a baseline score.

Are online LSAT courses worth it?

The answer is that they're worth it if commit and choose an option that won't break the bank. Many students think you need at least $1000 to sign up for an LSAT course. But in fact, companies offer well-structured, yet affordable course options for $799 (Princeton Review), $299 (Magoosh), or even free (Khan Academy).

Is 2 weeks enough to study for LSAT?

Two weeks before the LSAT, you should be completing, on average, at least one full Logical Reasoning section per day in 35 minutes or less. Not only is this the best way to prepare for the rigors of the exam, it also means that you will expose yourself to all the different types of question.

Is a 173 a good LSAT score?

A 170 puts you in the 97th percentile among all LSAT test-takers. Two of the top three schools, Yale and Harvard, reported a median LSAT score of 173, which would put you in the 99th percentile. Many people aim for scores in this range.

How hard is it to get a 170 on LSAT?

But what does it take to achieve that score? On the September 2018 LSAT, you would have to answer at least 89 of 101 questions to receive a 170. In other words, you can miss 12 questions, and still be above 97.4% of testers. Alternately, you can miss 11.88% of the questions but still be in the top 2.5% of scores.

Should I take an LSAT prep course or self study?

If at all possible, take a preparation course, as they can be very meaningful to your LSAT score. Even if you only get a two-point bump in your score, this investment is well worth the money and effort. Many people will tell you can do as well doing self-study as a prep course if you have enough discipline.

What is best LSAT prep course?

Best LSAT Prep Courses SummaryBest Overall LSAT Prep Course: Blueprint LSAT.Best LSAT Course Design: LSATMax.Most Immersive LSAT Prep Course: LSAT Lab.Best Value LSAT Prep Course: Magoosh.Best LSAT Live Classes: Princeton Review.The Safe LSAT Prep Pick: Kaplan.

Should I self study for LSAT?

Courses are great if you need the accountability of a class and you'd like someone to check your work and progress. Self-studying is great because you control your own schedule and can study according to your availability. Personally, I self-studied for the LSAT.

How many hours a day should you study for LSAT?

If you study 5 days a week, that means you'll need to study for the LSAT for approximately 4 to 6 hours a day. On a 4-month schedule, your aim would be to study for between 15 and 22 hours every week, which comes out to between 3 and 4.5 hours per day, if you study 5 days each week.

Is 4 Months enough to study for the LSAT?

With approximately four months until test time, you should spend at least 10 hours a week studying. Ideally, one to two hours a day should be spent on studying. Four months may seem like a long time, but once you start studying, the time will move quickly. The LSAT is not a test you can simply cram for.

How do you get a 175 on the LSAT?

Hitting Harvard: How to get a 175+ LSAT scoreKnow what you don't know. One of the best signs that you're ripe for improvement is the ability to tell when a question isn't going well. ... Know the questions you missed. ... Know what's wrong with all four answer choices. ... Know how much time a question takes. ... Know the test.

How long is the LSAT?

The LSAT is 3 hours and 45 minutes long. This time includes a 15-minute break that's given halfway through the exam. The exam has about 100 multiple-choice questions in total. Each section has more questions than you'll be able to answer in the given time block, so you're not expected to be able to finish every single one.

Does the LSAT count up correct answers?

The exam is positively marked, meaning The LSAT only counts up correct answers and won't penalize you for unfinished or incorrect answers. Accuracy is important, so don't allow yourself to work so fast that you can't answer questions correctly.

What are the sections of the LSAT?

The LSAT is broken up into six 35-minute sections with a break between the third and fourth sections. The six sections are: 1 Logical Reasoning (or Arguments) 2 Analytical Reasoning (or Logic Games) 3 Reading Comprehension 4 Experimental (different on each exam) 5 Writing Sample

Can you save questions for later?

Saving questions for later probably isn't the best strategy, however. They intentionally give you more questions than can be answered in 35 minutes, so what you save for later probably won't be answered at all. Since your score is based on correct answers, guessing on the questions you aren't certain about won't hurt.

Is there an experimental section on the LSAT?

Every LSAT exam has an unscored experimental section . This section contains new questions that will appear on future exams. However, there's no way of knowing which questions those are or which section is the experimental section. But, it's possible to guess which section might be the experimental one on your exam.

How long do you have to write an essay?

You'll have 35 minutes to write an essay to show your ability to make an argument based on facts and support the argument throughout the essay. This section is also unscored. Once the test is complete, a copy of it will be sent to the schools you're applying to.

What is the first step in law school?

Passing the LSAT is the first step of your law school journey. Make sure you're prepared as you head into it. If you've studied diligently and can go into it knowing what to expect, then you can be confident you'll give the best account of yourself and secure your place to study law. Good luck!

How Long to Study for LSAT - Different Plans, Pros & Cons

Ask anyone who has completed the LSAT with flying colors: "How long does it take to study for the LSAT." Their answers would most likely be an average of 300 hours within a span of four months.

The Crash Course: 20 Hours per Week for 4 Weeks

If you don't have much time to study for the LSAT, you can still take this exam seriously by going through a grueling four weeks of intense studying.

The Minimum: 2 Months or 100 Total Hours

Perfect for students who had a full course load, but are ready to commit their school break for LSAT reviewing, this plan involves 100 hours of studying within 2 months.

Recommended: 150-300 Hours Over 3-6 Months

In general, law schools recommend preparing for the LSAT from 3 to 6 months before the test date. This prep schedule allows information to spread out more naturally and lessons retained without much stress.

The Maximum: 6 Months or 500 Hours

Those who have all the time in the world wouldn't have to worry about deciding how long to study for LSAT. However, 6 months should be your maximum duration of LSAT prep. Anything beyond this is overkill.

Determine Your Personal Schedule for LSAT Prep

At the end of the day, personal preference will reign supreme in figuring out how long do you need to study for the LSAT. Some students can easily retain loads of information in one go, while others have to learn a topic a couple of times before it sinks in. Both ways of learning are perfectly OK.

How long does the LSAT test take?

All things considered, the testing day will generally be between four and five hours long. The LSAT is comprised of five sections, ...

How long is the LSAT?

As of June 2019, the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) consists of exactly 2 hours and 55 minutes of actual testing time. However, when calculating how long the LSAT takes, don’t forget to include the breaks and administrative tasks. For example, the check-in process and the proctor’s instructions often take well over an hour.

How many sections are there in the LSAT?

The LSAT is comprised of five sections, with 35 minutes allotted for each. There is a 15-minute break between the third and fourth sections during which you can use the bathroom or eat a snack from the one-gallon Ziplock bag you are allowed to keep under your chair. The five sections, administered in a random order, are:

How long is the LSAT logic section?

How Long is the LSAT’s Logical Reasoning Section? You are allotted 35 minutes to complete each of two separate Logical Reasoning sections. With each section consisting of approximately 25 questions, you have an average of only 1 minute and 24 seconds per question if you hope to complete every question.

How long is analytical reasoning?

Analytical Reasoning (Logic Games) The Logic Games section, which you get 35 minutes to complete, consists of four “games.”. This means that you’ll have 8 minutes and 45 seconds to complete each game.

Why is the LSAT essay written at home?

The administrators of the LSAT changed the essay from one written at the end of a long day of testing to one written at home for two main reasons: Firstly, a typed essay is more legible than a hand-written one .

How long is the logic game?

The Logic Games section, which you get 35 minutes to complete, consists of four “games.”. This means that you’ll have 8 minutes and 45 seconds to complete each game. Each game consists of a scenario that presents a hypothetical situation, followed by several rules that set the parameters of how you can manipulate the scenario.

How to prepare for LSAT?

Students who realize their LSAT goals do so because they learn systematically from their own mistakes and devise strategies for avoiding such errors in the future.#N#Whatever your method of preparing for the LSAT, it’s important to understand that analyzing your performance will take up a good portion of your time. For every three-hour practice exam you take (and you should plan to take several), plan to spend around four or five hours reviewing your responses and identifying patterns in the errors you make.#N#The same holds true for any homework assignments your LSAT course instructor or tutor may assign you. Set aside study time accordingly; a twenty-minute drill might take you thirty or even forty minutes to assess and reduce to notes for future reference.#N#You’ll need to do this work even—especially—if you receive test reports indicating, for instance, that you struggle with Inference questions or certain types of games. Such reports, while helpful, won’t tell you why you’re having difficulty with those types of problems. They also won’t tell you how to improve, or how that relative weakness should alter your overall strategy. You’ll need to do the analysis. That work is itself part of an effective LSAT prep strategy. It’s also something that an effective teacher or tutor can unpack with you so that you can identify and then overcome LSAT challenges.

Is LSAT preparation intensive?

Light preparation over a lengthy period may not be intensive enough, while serious work over many months may lead to burnout. You’ll want to strike a balance between intensity and duration. Ideally, you will also want to keep your non-LSAT workload to a minimum during the integral stage of LSAT prep. Consider the valuable time you spend preparing ...

Why is studying for the LSAT important?

Studying for the LSAT is a critical rite of passage for future lawyers. Most law school admissions committees give LSAT scores at least as much weight as undergraduate GPAs—effectively rendering this single test as important as all the college exams you’ve taken combined! Accordingly, every aspect of your LSAT preparation needs to be planned ...

What does the LSAT test measure?

Unlike most examinations, the LSAT requires no outside knowledge beyond a good command of the English language. Rather than assessing your mastery of a particular subject matter—as most college exams and standardized tests do—the LSAT measures your ability to think logically and analytically. In fact, your formal education, life experience, and general knowledge can each serve as an impediment on the exam if you don’t know how to suspend them when needed.

Why do students realize their LSAT goals?

Students who realize their LSAT goals do so because they learn systematically from their own mistakes and devise strategies for avoiding such errors in the future. Whatever your method of preparing for the LSAT, it’s important to understand that analyzing your performance will take up a good portion of your time.

How long does it take to study for the LSAT?

How long does it take to study for LSAT on average is a misconception based on some mythical “industry standard.”. The test prep companies say 3 to 6 months. But, it depends on how many hours per day you study. Essentially, if you properly study 5-6 hours per day, within 3 to 4 months you may see very serious results.

What does it mean if you don't see progress on the LSAT?

If you do not see any progress between the first diagnostic test and the second one, it means you are doing something wrong. You should see at least some improvement.

What is the LSAT?

Like any standardized test, the LSAT provides admissions committees the closest thing to an objective standard by which to compare law school applicants. While GPAs might not accurately reflect a student’s abilities, and statements of purpose can be so subjective, the LSAT is the one thing that every student will have in common.

How many sections are there in the LSAT?

As we’ve mentioned above, the LSAT exam really has five 35-minute sections. We’ll give a brief overview of each one and discuss what kinds of LSAT questions you can expect.

1. BluePrint LSAT Review Course

Blueprint ensures that their prep course will help you succeed by only hiring 99 th percentile scorers on the LSAT. Their personal experiences are invaluable to students looking for LSAT scores high enough to get admitted to the top law schools— so you should definitely consider this prep course if that’s what you’re interested in doing as well!

2. LSATMax Review Course

LSATMax offers a comprehensive set of materials designed to help you increase your LSAT score. They do so via a wealth of well-designed study materials designed for all learning styles.

3. The Princeton Review LSAT Prep Course

The Princeton Review is a much more traditional prep course. They use official LSAT materials as part of their curriculum, resulting in an experience that’s close to actually taking the LSAT itself. Using this LSAT prep course will help you familiarize yourself with the testing experience long beforehand.

4. Alpha Score LSAT Prep Course

AlphaScore provides excellent self-study materials designed to be accessible for any student. That’s why their course is accessible on any device— mobile or otherwise.

5. Kaplan LSAT Prep Course

Unlike the other courses on this list, Kaplan focuses heavily on live content. Most of their offerings come from their live online and tutoring courses. Students gain access to 32 hours of core classroom instruction which is enhanced by an additional 180 hours of live online video lessons.

6. Magoosh LSAT Review

Much like The Princeton Review, the Magoosh LSAT prep course that focuses heavily on content pulled from previous exams. It comes with 10 practice exams and 7,000 official LSAT questions— with full video explanations for each answer. They’ve also got over 200 logic game explanations.

7. Wize LSAT Prep

Wize has all of the benefits you can get from a typical online course, but you can also regularly talk with your instructors during office hours.

Starts Well Before the Test Date

If your target score range is way above where you’re currently scoring, taking an earlier course might be your best bet. Early courses are particularly advantageous if you don’t think you can complete all your homework while also taking additional practice tests in the course of your study.

Closer to Test Date

Taking a later course offers you the obvious benefit of having the material “fresh” in your memory. This is best for students who can’t take an earlier course but is able to devote more time to LSAT prep in a short period of time. A later course also gives you the opportunity to study on your own before classes begin.

Can you really raise your score that much?

First off I don’t care how well a Harvard law student did on the LSAT when he sat down to take the actual exam. The first time he took a practice exam he more than likely scored no greater than a 155. No one starts off scoring a 170 on the LSAT, it takes months of dedicated study time and practice.

Self-Study or Take A Course?

Student’s preparing for the LSAT examination take one of two roads, either they elect to take a course, whether that be online or live in person or they focus on self-study, and purchase prep materials such as the LSAT Bibles. You can check out an in-depth comparison of various LSAT prep books here.

My Experience

When I first began prepping for the LSAT I asked current students and attorneys if they had an opinion on what study materials were worth buying. Every single law student I talked to had taken a course and highly recommended it. I researched various courses, forums and articles to decide on what course I wanted to go with.

The Self Study Option

There are a lot of excellent LSAT self-study materials out there right now. I felt like I could do better after my December LSAT score came in so I decided to take it again in February. This time I stuck to self-studying and researched the best materials available for the LSAT.

Things to Keep In Mind with Taking a Course

I must caution you that purchasing an LSAT prep course will not make it any easier to study. Learning how to breakdown logic games and make inferences with arguments is a process, and your brain is going to hurt, A LOT. What they can do is speed up the rate that you learn, and help you focus on the right strategies.

Conclusion

Taking an LSAT prep course is an expensive decision, well not all that expensive when you think about how much law school will cost. Courses can be a very helpful tool though, and help you prepare for probably the toughest exam you have ever taken. The difficulty with choosing a course is that they are not all created equal.