LSAT Test Day: 10 Tips for the New In-Person Test

As of the August 2026 test, the LSAT is back in test centers, run by Prometric, with a new on-screen interface. Most test-day advice online was written for the at-home version: check your webcam, clear your desk, test your internet. None of that applies anymore, and the new rules are stricter than people expect. Save this and reread it the week before your test.

The week before your test

1. Visit your test center once.

Drive or ride there at the same time of day you'll test. Find the building, the parking, and the entrance. Getting lost on test morning is the cheapest way to lose 10 points of focus before you've seen a question.

2. Practice on the interface you'll actually see.

The on-screen interface changed with the August 2026 test. Do your last few practice tests in LawHub so the screen feels routine on test day.

3. Take a full 4-section practice test at your test time.

Four 35-minute sections with a 10-minute break after section 2, starting at the same time as your real appointment. If you've only been doing 3-section tests, here's how to add the fourth.

4. Decide what you'll wear.

Comfort and layers, since you can't control the room temperature. When I took the LSAT, security wouldn't let my hoodie in, and I had to stash it in a park nearby. Check LSAC's current rules before you pick the outfit.

5. Pack the night before.

You need a valid government-issued photo ID (current, with a recent photo and your signature) and your confirmation number. Memorize your LawHub username and password, because you'll need them and your phone won't be available. Your phone goes in a locker, and you can't touch it at any point, including the break. Leave the smartwatch at home. LSAC's test day checklist has the full list of what's allowed, so read it once that week.

6. Take the day before off.

If you've put in the work, one more day of drilling won't move your score. Being rested will. Go to bed early, set 2 alarms, and skip caffeine after 3 PM.

Test day

7. Eat a real breakfast.

You'll be there for hours. A light breakfast runs out right around section 3. Here's what to eat, and what to have at the break.

8. Warm up at home.

Before you leave, redo 5 or 6 Logical Reasoning questions you've already gotten right. It wakes your brain up, and your first question of the day won't be on the real test. Once you're inside the test center you won't have any materials, so do this at home.

9. Arrive early, not too early.

LSAC says to arrive up to 30 minutes before your scheduled time. Check-in involves ID checks and a locker, so give yourself that full window.

10. Know the break rules cold.

You get 10 minutes between section 2 and section 3. You have to check back in with test center staff before the 10 minutes are up. Don't leave the test center, don't touch your phone, and don't talk about the test with anyone. Breaking any of those rules can get your score cancelled.

And then relax a little. The LSAT is a big deal, but it isn't a one-shot deal. If the day goes sideways, you can cancel your score shortly after the test (check LSAC for the exact deadline) or retake it.

Want the whole test on one page? Grab the free LSAT cheat sheet.

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.

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