Set a 16-Week LSAT Study Plan for Beginners

Perhaps the biggest misconception that prospective law school applicants have about the LSAT is that the exam is similar to the SAT or the ACT . In fact, the LSAT has two distinguishing characteristics .

First, it plays an immensely larger role in the law school admissions process than either the SAT or ACT plays in the college admissions process . Second, it is much more difficult and requires much more thorough preparation.

This article will outline a typical 16-week LSAT study plan for a student who has no prior LSAT preparation. Before we get into specifics, though, I want to share an important principle that underlies this plan: you cannot cram for the LSAT.

The LSAT tests a law school applicant's ability to think logically and synthesize certain specific types of information quickly, not any knowledge of facts or vocabulary . This requires weeks of steady preparation, not a huge number of hours in a short amount of time. By beginning your preparation early and working steadily each week, you will put yourself in the position to maximize your score when you take the real thing.

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Weeks 1 and 2: Initial Diagnostic

The first step in your LSAT preparation is to get an understanding of your natural strengths and weaknesses. To do this, I recommend taking four to five real LSAT tests and completing the four scored sections . There's no need at this point to worry about the writing sample or the unscored experimental section .

To simulate the test experience, take the first three sections consecutively, making sure to spend exactly 35 minutes on each section, then give yourself a 10 to 15 minute break . Next, take the fourth section, again giving yourself exactly 35 minutes to complete the section.

I recommend taking these tests in a quiet public space such as a public or university library. On test day you will likely be in a room with many other people, so taking practice tests with a bit of white noise in the background will best simulate test day.

After you have taken these tests, analyze your results to understand which section types -- logical reasoning, reading comprehension and logic games -- you're naturally good at and which will need a greater amount of your attention. Most students find that the logic games section is initially the most difficult.

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Weeks 3-7: Learning the Methods

Now that you have become familiar with the test and have a basic sense of where you should focus your attention, it is time to learn the strategies and techniques required to master each section of the test. Almost all students need some form of outside help to maximize their scores.

This outside help generally takes three forms: group classes, one-on-one tutoring or self-study with guide books. If your diagnostic tests indicate that you find all three section types challenging, then a comprehensive group class is likely your best option. If, however, you find yourself strong in one or two section types, a more tailored approach is more appropriate.

Whichever form of help you choose, focus on learning strategies and techniques for each section type and question type, starting with the section type that you identified in your initial diagnostic. To practice these techniques, you should do individual questions, games and reading comprehension passages. Hold off on resuming full, timed practice tests until w eek eight .

Week 8: Midcourse Diagnostic

It is time to reassess where you are at and change course if necessary. Take two more full, timed practice tests and repeat the diagnostic process you followed at the end of week two .

If you continue to have difficulty in the areas that you identified initially, you may need to try a different method of learning the necessary techniques. If you have improved, it's time to further strengthen the areas that are your natural strengths.

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Weeks 9-12: Refining and Introducing Practice Tests

Use the information from the midcourse diagnostic to identify where you should next focus, and learn the techniques relevant to those areas. In addition to continuing to learn techniques, you should begin to take one to two full, timed practice tests per week.

Weeks 13-16: The Final Countdown

At this point , you have internalized all the techniques you need and have begun to take full, timed practice tests. Now that the test is near, you should shift your preparation to practice tests, taking three per week for the final four weeks of the exam.

Just as important as taking practice tests is using those tests to continue to improve. You should plan to prepare for approximately 15 hours per week , equally divided between taking practice tests and reviewing those tests. In your review, you should focus on all the questions that you got wrong and the questions that took you longer than three minutes to answer, but got right .

This process of taking and reviewing practice tests will both prepare you for the test-day experience and reinforce all the techniques you learned in the earlier phases of your preparation.