June 2027 or August 2027 LSAT? 4 Questions to Pick Your Date
Take the LSAT when your practice scores say you're ready, and let the format fall where it falls. Since LSAC announced the August 2027 format change, I keep hearing the same plan from students: "I have to be done by June." Most of the people saying it aren't scoring where they need to be yet. For them, rushing June is the expensive mistake, and the format change is the cheap one.
Here's the fact that should settle it. LSAC equates every test form, so a 165 in June 2027 and a 165 in August 2027 are the same 165 to every admissions office. You aren't scored against the people in your room, and the new layout doesn't come with a new scale. The only thing that moves your score is how many questions you get right. Sit in June before you're ready and you get a June score you'd be applying with, in a format you happen to know.
The 2027 calendar
| Test | Dates | Format |
|---|---|---|
| January 2027 | Jan 13 to 16 | Today's |
| February 2027 | Feb 12 to 13 | Today's |
| April 2027 | Apr 8 to 10 | Today's |
| June 2027 | Jun 9 to 12 | Today's, the last one |
| August 2027 and after | LSAC hasn't posted them yet | New |
Dates are from LSAC's test calendar. The new layout (Reading Comp first, 6 passages in 52 minutes, then 2 Logical Reasoning sections of 32 questions in 45 minutes, unscored questions inside each) is from LSAC's October 26, 2026 announcement, and I broke it down by test date here.
So the calendar gives you 4 more chances at today's format. Whether you should take one of them comes down to 4 questions. Go in order. The first one settles it for most people.
1. Where are your practice scores next to your goal?
Average your last 3 to 5 timed tests. Use the average, because that's the score you'll actually get. Put it next to the score the schools you want really take.
At or above the goal: you're ready. Take the format you've practiced for, which for almost everyone reading this in 2026 means June or earlier.
Below the goal: keep studying, and let the date follow the scores. If that's August, it's August. I've been coaching the LSAT since 2005, and the students who regret a test date are almost always the ones who sat before they were ready. I can't think of one who regretted waiting until their average said go.
2. Which cycle are you applying in?
| You're applying for | Your test is probably | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2027 | January, February, April, or June 2027 | Today's |
| Fall 2028 | Summer or fall 2027 onward | New |
| Not sure yet | Whenever your scores are ready | Whichever that is |
Fall 2027 applicants test by June, and the change passes them by. A lot of fall 2028 applicants test in summer or fall 2027, in the new format. If that's you and you've already put in months, none of it is wasted. The question types in August 2027 are the question types in the PrepTests you own now. Your timed sets get longer, and that's the whole adjustment.
3. How many attempts do you want?
Two shots at today's format means testing by April and again in June, which only makes sense if your scores are ready in spring. One June shot with a backup means the backup is August, in the new format, and that's a fine plan. LSAC limits attempts per testing year and over your lifetime, so check the current numbers on lsac.org before you count on a third sitting.
4. Do you fade late in the test?
Open full tests you've already taken and compare misses on your earlier Logical Reasoning section with your later one. A steady gap, say 4 misses early and 7 late, test after test, is a fade.
A fade costs more on the new test because the sections run longer. Time per question is the same as today, so the extra cost is minutes of focus in a row, and passages 5 and 6 of Reading Comp land right where focus drops. If you fade, that's a real point toward the format you know. It's also something a few weeks of stamina work fixes, so it shouldn't decide this by itself.
What that adds up to
- Ready now, could take either: today's format, by June.
- Not ready, planning June anyway: stop. Study to your average, then book. August at your goal beats June under it.
- June, with a possible August retake: decide in May from your practice scores. If a retake looks likely, start new-length sets in spring, and the day after June switch every timed set over. Don't wait for the June score to decide.
- No date yet: keep building skills on today's PrepTests. If you end up testing August or later, move your full timed tests to LSAC's new-format tests when they arrive on LawHub in February 2027. You're not behind.
Already have a score? How I'd pick your retake date
Your official score tells you how one morning went. Your practice average tells you where you are, so that's what picks the retake.
Say your last 5 timed tests were 156, 159, 157, 160 and 158. That's a 158 average. Your goal is 165, and your official score came back 156. I'd skip any test less than about 10 weeks out, because you'd need to climb 7 points by then. It could happen, but I wouldn't pay a registration fee betting on it.
Aim for the next test after that, and make its registration deadline your check-in. For April 2027, that's February 25. Look at your last 5 timed tests that week. If they average your goal or better, register. If you're 1 to 3 points short and still climbing, register anyway and withdraw before test day if you're not there. If you're further off, skip it and aim for the next date. June works the same way, and if June slips too, your next test is August or later, in the new format, on the same scale.
Before you trust your average, run one full timed test exactly like the real day: the layout of your test date, your real start time, phone in another room, breaks timed to the minute, no pausing. If you usually pause for texts or let breaks run long, your average is probably a little high. If the real-conditions score comes in 3 or more points lower, use the lower number. That gap may also explain part of the official score.
One more check: write the date next to each of your last 5 tests. If your 2 newest are your 2 best, your average undersells you a little. If your 2 oldest are your best, something slipped, and I'd find out what before registering for anything.
Practicing the new length before February
You can build the new shape from tests you already own. 3 current Reading Comp sections hold 12 passages, which is 2 sets of 6. For Logical Reasoning, take one full section and add questions from another test until you hit 32, then run it in 45 minutes. Full tests go Reading Comp first, then LR, then LR, with 2 real 10-minute breaks. Our free practice test in the August 2027 format runs exactly that order if you'd rather not assemble it, and every question comes with an explanation.
The drill I'd start with: a 6-passage set with your hardest passage in slot 2, so you can watch what happens to passage 3. On the new test, the passage that rattled you might not even count. The one after it might.
Want a second opinion on your date? Book your free LSAT tutoring lesson.
Frequently asked questions
When is the last LSAT in the current format?
June 2027 (June 9 to 12). Every test through then keeps today's 4 sections of 35 minutes with a separate experimental section.
When is the first LSAT in the new format?
August 2027. LSAC hasn't posted the exact dates yet. Reading Comp comes first, then 2 Logical Reasoning sections, with unscored questions inside each.
Should I take the LSAT before August 2027 to avoid the new format?
Only if your practice scores are already at your goal. The scale and the skills are the same in both formats, so testing early to dodge the change doesn't raise your score.
Does a June 2027 score count the same as an August 2027 score?
Yes. LSAC equates every form, so scores are comparable across test dates and formats.
Is the new LSAT harder than the current one?
LSAC says no: same question types, same difficulty mix, same time per question. The sections run longer, so stamina matters more, and stamina is trainable.
Can I take both the June and August 2027 LSAT?
Yes, within LSAC's limits on attempts. Decide on the retake before June, and switch your timed practice to the new section lengths the day after the June test.
For the short list of what to study in either format, grab my 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.
Enough reading. Try a question. Free LSAT drills, 1 at a time, explained the second you answer. Start free drills
