The dreaded LSAT. It’s been a few years since I took the LSAT and it still is triggering for me. Elle Woods made it look so much easier to get a killer score. I’ve struggled with standardized tests ever since elementary school. I’ve always worked really hard in school and been able to get good grades, but standardized tests have always been so frustrating for me because I feel like they aren’t an accurate representation of academic abilities and potential. But regardless of my opinions, you have to take the LSAT to get into law school. And with a few exceptions, your LSAT score is going to determine which schools you will be able to get into. So it is very important to do as well as you possibly can. I wanted to share with you guys what I did to study for the LSAT and some advice I have for anyone who hasn’t yet taken it.

Give yourself plenty of time to study: The general recommendation is to study for 3-6 months. If you study for more than 6 months it is very possible that you will experience burnout. I studied for about 6 months, however for the majority of that time I was in college taking 18 hours of very difficult classes, on top of working and extracurriculars. I took the June LSAT the first time I took it, and looking back I wish I would have waited a few months because I would have had more time over the summer to study. Or I would have changed my class schedule and took less credit hours. You really have to look at how many hours you will be able to dedicate to studying, and plan accordingly.

Make a study schedule and actually stick to it: This is where I messed up. I would make a study schedule, but things would come up with school and I wouldn’t study as much as I originally planned. I would recommend underestimating how much time you will have so that you aren’t consistently studying less than you planned.

If you can afford it, take an LSAT prep class: I had signed up for an LSAT class, that ended up getting cancelled because not enough people signed up. This is my number one regret, because once you pay for a class, you’re going to go. Being there for a set number of hours forces you to study, and I really wish I would have done a class. I ended up doing about 5 tutoring sessions which was expensive, but it was helpful, particularly with the logic games.

Materials: Materials are pricy, but they are far cheaper than a prep class, so just be smart about which books you’re buying. I bought too many, and I would say that the PowerScore Bibles are BY FAR the best LSAT prep books. You can find these Practice Tests: Taking practice tests is so important, but you MUST take them timed and under test conditions to the best of your ability. At the beginning, I would take untimed practice tests, get a great score, then would be shocked when I took a timed test and did terrible. Make sure you time each section, take them all back to back, keep your phone away, etc. It might seem excessive, but I would recommend taking 20-30 practice tests before you take the LSAT.

Reviewing practice tests: There are a ton of materials on google where you can find answer explanations for old LSATS. I also really struggled with the logic games, so after a practice test I would look at explanations on Youtube, which really helped me because I tend to be a visual learner. After you take a practice test, give yourself plenty of time to rest and relax, then later go back and go through every question and figure out why you answered the way you did and why you got it right or wrong.

I hope you guys find these tips helpful! Feel free to leave a comment or email me with any questions.

Legal Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links. Basically this means that I make a small commission if you were to buy the products I link. All opinions are my own, and I would never recommend a product that I don’t love! This blog is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.