6-Month LSAT Study Schedule / Plan

6 months is enough time to prepare for the LSAT if you follow a steady, moderate schedule instead of cramming near the end. This 24-week plan splits your time by month: Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension drills early, review and catch-up weeks in month 4, then timed, full-length PrepTests with a simulated experimental section in the final 2 months.

6 months is more than enough time if you stick with a regular, but moderate, schedule. I’ve reviewed all books and PrepTests mentioned below.

This 24-week schedule is intense. Follow it only if you’re studying for the LSAT full-time, or if you’re able to study for several hours each weekend. You might have work/school/life obligations that make this impossible. If that’s the case, skip some of the “re-do” and “review” weeks, and complete the rest at a more relaxed pace.

Month 1:
Review my relevant articles on Logical Reasoning and complete some Logical Reasoning from PrepTests 52-61 ordered by difficulty during the first 4 weeks, untimed.

Week 1: Complete 20-30 of each question type below:
Must Be True + Most Strongly Supported, Necessary Assumption and Sufficient Assumption

Week 2: Complete 20-30 of each question type below:
Strengthen, Weaken, Parallel Reasoning, Flaw in the Reasoning

Week 3: Complete 20-30 of each question type below:
Main Point, Fill in the Blank, Point at Issue

Week 4: Complete 20-30 of each question type below:
Resolve the Paradox, Method of Reasoning, Role of a Statement, Principle

Month 2

Week 5: Complete 20-30 of each question type below:
Except, Evaluate the Argument, Cannot Be True, Interprets to Mean, Logical Force & Others

Week 6: Complete any Logical Reasoning section in older exams of the types that give you difficulty. Complete a few timed sections of Logical Reasoning. Review.

Week 7: Continue Logical Reasoning work from Week 6. Complete a few timed sections of Reading Comprehension

Week 8: Continue Logical Reasoning work from Week 6. Complete a few timed sections of Reading Comprehension

Month 3

Week 9: A brief return to Reading Comprehension: Complete any LReading Comp in older exams of the types that give you difficulty (untimed), then complete several timed sections of LReading Comp. Review. Complete a few timed sections of Logical Reasoning.

Week 10: Complete Logical Reasoning work from Week 6 with additional question-types and complete a few timed sections of Reading Comprehension.

Week 11: Read my articles on Reading Comprehension and complete several sections of Reading Comp from PrepTests 52-61 (untimed). Complete a few timed sections of Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension.

Week 12: Complete several timed sections of Reading Comp from older exams, as well as some timed sections of LR.

Month 4

Week 13: Catch-up and review week. Re-do Logical Reasoning sections from PrepTests 52-61. Try to solve them more quickly.

Week 14: Catch-up and review week. Re-do the Reading Comprehension sections from PrepTests 52-61. Try to solve them more quickly

Week 15: Catch-up and review week. Re-do the Reading Comprehension passages from PrepTests 52-61 that gave you trouble. Complete timed sections of all types.

Week 16: Complete the 3 tests in LSAC’s SuperPrep (timed) and review the explanations. Although the explanations are technical, it’s good to learn how the test-makers think. Identify weak areas

Month 5

Week 17: Re-read my articles on Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension about question-types still giving you trouble. Complete a recent LSAT PrepTest under timed conditions. Review.

Week 18: Use my Logical Reasoning categorization to do question-types in older exams that still give you difficulty. Review. Complete a recent LSAT PrepTest under timed conditions. Review.

Week 19: Catch-up and review week. Do Reading Comp passages about your least-favorite topics, as well as a few timed sections of LR.

Week 20: Complete 3 recent LSAT PrepTests under timed conditions as 4-section exams. Review each exam on alternating days.

Month 6

Week 21: Complete 3 recent LSAT PrepTests (timed). Splice in sections from another to simulate experimental sections. Review each exam on alternating days.

Week 22: Complete 3 recent LSAT PrepTests (timed). Splice in sections from another to simulate experimental sections. Review each exam on alternating days.

Week 23: Complete 3 recent LSAT PrepTests (timed). Splice in sections from another to simulate experimental sections. Consider using one section to create a 6-section exam for extra practice. Review each exam on alternating days.

Week 24: Complete 3 recent LSAT PrepTests (timed). Splice in sections from another to simulate experimental sections. (Again, consider using one section to create a 6-section exam). More thoughts on how to simulate the experimental section in this article. Review each exam on alternating days.

Finally, rock the LSAT on Test Day.

Frequently asked questions

What should I study first when prepping for the LSAT?

Start with Logical Reasoning question types in month 1: Must Be True, Necessary and Sufficient Assumption, Strengthen, Weaken, Parallel Reasoning, and Flaw questions, worked untimed from older PrepTests before you move to timed sections.

When should I start taking full LSAT PrepTests?

Save full, timed PrepTests for months 5 and 6. Earlier months build up Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension by question type, then months 4 through 6 add review weeks and full timed exams with a spliced-in experimental section.

Is 6 months too long or too short to study for the LSAT?

6 months works well if you can commit a few hours on weekends and more some weeks, but it's not required. If your schedule is packed, skip some of the review and re-do weeks and go at a more relaxed pace. Already took it once? Use the retake study schedule instead; it skips what you've already learned.

Watch a related lesson

I've written free explanations for every question in LSAT PrepTest 159, 158, 157, 156, 155 and 154, with the right answer and why each wrong answer fails. All LSAT explanations are here.

Enough reading. Try a question. Free LSAT drills, 1 at a time, explained the second you answer. Start free drills