LSAT Prep
The LSAT was the scariest part of this whole process for me, right up until I understood one thing: it is a skill test, not an IQ test. Nobody is born good at it. You get good at it the same way you get good at anything, reps, honest review, and a plan you actually follow.
This is everything I wish someone had handed me before I started: how the test is built, how to attack each section, how scoring really works, and the study routine that moved my number the most.
As of the August 2024 test, the old Logic Games section is gone. The LSAT is now two scored Logical Reasoning sections and one scored Reading Comprehension section, plus one unscored section that looks exactly like the others. If a book or video still teaches Logic Games as part of the test, it is out of date, put it down. One more change is coming: starting with the August 2026 test, almost everyone will take the LSAT in person at a Prometric center instead of at home.
Here is the honest version. The LSAT is the single most important number in most applications, and it rewards preparation more than almost any test you have taken. That is good news. It means the work you put in shows up directly in your score.
What you are actually sitting for
| Piece | What it means |
|---|---|
| 4 sections | Three scored, two Logical Reasoning, one Reading Comprehension, plus one unscored experimental section you cannot pick out. |
| 35 min each | Every section is 35 minutes, with one break partway through. The whole thing runs about two and a half hours. |
| 120 to 180 | Your score comes from roughly 77 scored questions, with no penalty for wrong answers, converted to the 120–180 scale. |
- Logical Reasoning carries the most weight. Two of the three scored sections are LR, so it is about two-thirds of your score. A few more right answers there move your number more than anywhere else, that is where I spent most of my time.
- The experimental section is unscored, but you will not know which one it is. Treat every section like it counts, because as far as you can tell, it does.
- There is no guessing penalty. A blank and a wrong answer count the same, so never leave anything empty. Bubble something for every question.
- Argumentative Writing is separate and unscored. You do it online, on your own, in a proctored setting, and your score will not release until it is done. Schools still read it, so do not blow it off.
Dates, fees, and retakes
- The LSAT runs about eight times a year, August through June. There is no late registration, and sign-ups usually close around six weeks out, so plan ahead.
- The fee is around $253, and fee waivers exist if you qualify. Use them, that is what they are for.
- You can take it three times in one testing year, five times in any five-year window, and seven times total in your life.
- Almost every school takes your highest score, not an average, so a retake that goes well only helps. Still bring your best each time, because every score shows up on your report.