The “everyone” question
These questions are so common, and so complex to answer, that they deserve their own page:
“Josh, I plan to write the ______ LSAT, when should I start studying?”
“How many months should I study?”
“How do I juggle my busy lifestyle with my study schedule? Is it possible?”
“How do I avoid burnout when I study?”
It depends…
I want to help you answer all of these questions today. But first, you need to ask yourself: who am I? A sprinter, a strategist or a balancer?
The Sprinter: 6 weeks
This test-taker thrives under pressure and starts studying intensely for the LSAT just 6 weeks before their test date. With a tight deadline looming, their focus is on mastering the essentials.
- Logical Reasoning, mastery: 2 overlapping days to master each subskill.
- Logical Reasoning, speed: another 2 overlapping days to start timing your sections in increasing difficulty and measuring your score.
- Reading Comprehension: the same pattern, mastery first and then speed.
- Practice tests: intersperse all of this with 4-6 full practice tests, plus time to enter and analyze your scores from each one.
Commitment: aim for at least 15 hours of study per week.
If that sounds a little intense, then consider spreading things out.
The Strategist: 3-4 months
The Strategist has a more flexible timeline, starting their LSAT journey a few months before the test date. Their strategy is to achieve a top score by:
- Months 1-2: Mastery. Focus on learning concepts.
- Month 3: Speed practice in sections.
- Month 4: Endurance with full practice tests.
You get the idea. It’s the Sprinter’s plan with each skill stretched from 2 days to 4, with 1 day overlapping.
The Balancer: 6 months
Balancing various commitments, the Balancer starts preparing 6 months before their test date, with an average of 5 hours of study per week and room for self-care alongside studies.
At a glance
- Sprinter: 15 hrs/week, 6 weeks
- Strategist: 10 hrs/week, 3-4 months
- Balancer: 5 hrs/week, 6 months
Check in and adapt
No matter which schedule you pick from the outset, you must review your results as you go. You might find that you’re mastering one skill much faster or slower than others. How can you tell? Start tracking your results by question type.
I designed a spreadsheet that automates this. Enter the question type and whether you got it right or wrong, and it tracks your level of challenge with each question type across all your tests. That way you know how much effort to pour into different parts of your study. Download it free here.
Want a study plan built around you?
One-on-one LSAT tutoring is $80 CAD per hour, online by video call. Send me your test date and target score and we’ll work out the right timeline together.
