Most people starting their LSAT prep tend to have the same basic questions. This post is my attempt to answer some of the most common ones.
What is the LSAT, and what's on it?
The LSAT is the Law School Admission Test. It contains 4 scored sections: 1 Analytical Reasoning section (Logic Games), 2 Logical Reasoning sections, and 1 Reading Comprehension section. There's a 5th unscored experimental section of any type mixed in, and you won't know which section is the experimental until later. There's also an unscored Writing Sample.
What are Logic Games?
"Logic Games" refers to the Analytical Reasoning portion of the exam. Logic Games are logic puzzles containing several variables. These variables can usually be represented by letters. Most games contain rules that impose conditional relationships between the variables. After giving you all the rules, the game will contain 5-7 questions based upon that scenario and rules. Each Analytical Reasoning (Logic Games) section contains 4 Logic Games, giving you an average of 8 minutes, 45 seconds to complete each "game." In order to solve the game within the time limit, it makes sense to learn a solid diagramming strategy.
How much time do I have for each section of the exam?
All sections of the exam are 35 minutes long. This includes scored sections, the unscored experimental section, and the unscored Writing Sample. This means that you have an average of 8 minutes, 45 seconds, to complete each Logic Game and Reading Comprehension passage because there are four of each per section.
I saw you mentioned PrepTests a few times on the blog. What are those?
They're LSAC's (Law School Admission Council's) cutesy name for previously-administered (actual) LSAT exams. They're the best source of LSAT questions for studying.
I already got an LSAT book. I went to the bookstore and got LSAT for Dummies and---
Please don't scare me like that. LSAT for Dummies doesn't use real LSAT questions. You should only use books that contain real LSAT questions. With
dozens of real LSAT exams,
there's no need to use fake questions.
If there are dozens of real exams, why would an LSAT book use fake questions?
Because LSAC charges a large sum of money to companies for the right to reprint past exams. Most companies choose to avoid the fee and simply write their own questions for their retail books.
What's wrong with fake questions?
1. Real LSAT questions are written by people with
backgrounds in philosophy. As a result, the questions are written with a degree of tightness that is extremely difficult to match. Real questions are heavily-vetted before test-takers even see them. They're also administered as part of the exam's experimental section before they are administered as scored questions. They're simply held to a higher standard than those written for the typical retail prep book.
2. Fake questions can be constructed to demonstrate the "effectiveness" of techniques that would be ineffective on real questions.
3. Fake questions can actually be real questions in disguise (tainting recent PrepTests).
How do I know if a book uses real LSAT questions?
Believe me, if a company has paid the fee for the right to use actual LSAC-written questions, they'll brag about it on the cover. (Contrapositive: If they haven't bragged about it on the cover, they haven't paid the fee. Assuming they're not breaking the law, this means they're not using actual LSAT questions).
Here are a few books I've reviewed that don't use real LSAT questions:
Barron's LSAT Prep Book Review
Kaplan LSAT Prep Book
Princeton Review LSAT Logic Games Workout
Where should I get PrepTests?
They're available on Amazon. Amazon's the best place to buy them, and it offers the fastest shipping. Here's a
big list containing every LSAT PrepTest. Out of the books I recommend, bookstores tend to stock only
10 Actual Official LSAT PrepTests (the oldest book of 10 exams). I suspect this is because it has the most official-sounding name. Some bookstores carry all the books of 10 exams, but I've never seen a bookstore stock individual PrepTest booklets.
Which LSAT prep books DO you recommend?
They're all listed in my
Best LSAT Prep Books post.
How long should I study for?
There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but a minimum of
3 months is ideal.
I only have two months until my exam date, and I haven't studied at all yet.
Then you'll have to seriously buckle down in order to get into the LSAT mindset. No distractions. If you work full-time or are in school full-time, you should strongly consider postponing the exam until a later test date."
Which section of the exam is hardest?
Most students find
Logic Games to be the most difficult at first. However, it's the easiest section to improve upon because it contains the fewest question types. If you create a solid diagram for each game and make the inferences, you've just netted yourself 5-7 questions.
Reading Comprehension is the most difficult section to significantly improve upon.
Logical Reasoning contains the greatest number of question-types.
The bottom line: the hardest section is different for each person.
Whenever you talk about Logical Reasoning on the blog, you talk about the stimulus and question stem. What are those?
"Stimulus" refers to the short paragraph that starts each Logical Reasoning question. It's typically anywhere from 4-13 lines long and usually contains an argument.
"Question stem" refers to the 1-2 line part that comes right before the 5 answer choices.
How much should I study for the Writing Sample?
How to Prepare for the LSAT Writing Sample contains everything you need to know. It'll take about 5 minutes to read.
Which month's test is hardest?
Please see "
Hardest LSAT: Feb, June, Oct, or Dec?"
I was thinking of taking a course because it'll force me to study. If $1,500 doesn't force me to study, nothing will!
How do you expect to get through law school if you can't buckle down and study for the admission test? With regard to discipline, the only thing a course can do is make you feel guilty for not doing the homework. It may force you to go to class, but it won't force you to study outside of class. Despite your fantasies about the LSAC being a picnic, it's not. You will have to put in the bulk of your prep time outside of class.
If you want help sticking to your commitment to take the LSAT, use a site like
StickK, which will donate your money to charity if you don't follow through. You can also form an LSAT study group on Craigslist.
I want to do well and am committed to studying. Should I take a course?
One big concern with courses is the lack of credentials provided about instructors prior to signing up. You should have the option to switch instructors if you don't like yours, no questions asked. I'm not necessarily saying you should skip courses altogether. Some students prefer courses over private tutoring. However, private tutoring can be more efficient (more personalization/flexibility) and serve as a supplement to self-study.
What are your thoughts on LSAT prep courses?
Please see
LSAT Prep Courses vs. Private Tutoring.
How do I reach you?
I love hearing from students. You can email me at
help@lsatunplugged.com
Can I have more LSAT FAQ?
Sure! Here are some more
LSAT FAQ.
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Also see
Is Ten Hours in a Single Day Too Much to Study for the LSATs?, and the
About the LSAT Video by LSAC.
This post is Part 3 of the "Secret PrepTests" series. The series starts with "The Case of the Secret LSAT PrepTests."
