How long should you study for the LSAT?
Most people study for the LSAT for 10 to 16 weeks, about 150 to 300 hours in total. If you are within 5 points of your goal, 6 to 8 weeks can be enough. If you are 15 or more points away, plan 4 to 6 months. Take a timed practice test first, because the gap between that score and your target sets the time you need.
In more detail
Hours matter less than what you do with them. The LSAT tests reasoning, not facts, so you cannot cram it, and the score moves when you review your misses. For every hour of timed questions, plan about an hour of review. The range of 150 to 300 hours covers most people: the low end is for a small gain, the high end for a big jump or a first try from a low start.
Your weekly time sets the calendar. Divide your total hours by the hours you really have each week, as in the table. With a full-time job or a heavy course load, 10 hours a week is realistic, and that stretches 200 hours to about 5 months. Two to three hours a day on five or six days a week fits most schedules.
Pick a test date that leaves a later date open before your application deadlines, since you can retake. For the week-by-week plan, use the LSAT study schedule page instead of repeating it here. This page only sizes the time you need.
LSAT study time: total hours and weeks
| Total hours | 10 hours a week | 15 hours a week | 20 hours a week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 (within 5 points of target) | 15 weeks | 10 weeks | 8 weeks |
| 200 (5 to 15 points away) | 20 weeks | 13 weeks | 10 weeks |
| 300 (15 or more points away) | 30 weeks | 20 weeks | 15 weeks |
Step by step
- 1
Take a timed official practice test on LawHub and write down your score.
- 2
Subtract it from your target. The gap sizes your hours: about 150, 200 or 300.
- 3
Count the hours you truly have each week, then divide using the table.
- 4
Add two weeks of slack for a missed week or a lighter stretch.
- 5
Pick a test date that leaves a second date open before your deadlines.
- 6
Check progress every two weeks with a timed section. If you gain less than expected, add review time, not just more questions.
How StudyPDF helps
In StudyPDF, put your prep book chapters, notes and miss log into one course and set your LSAT date in the Plan tab. Tell it your hours per day and study days, and it lays out dated sessions up to the test, weak topics first. It builds flashcards for rules and traps, quizzes and timed practice exams from your own material, and tracks which concepts you keep missing. The free plan covers about 4 materials a week.
See also
Do it on your own course
Upload your lectures and ask Bo. Cited answers, plus flashcards, exams, and more built from your material.
More questions
Is 3 months enough to study for the LSAT?
For many people, yes. At 15 to 20 hours a week, 3 months adds up to about 200 to 260 hours, inside the usual 150 to 300 range. If your first practice score is 15 or more points below your goal, plan longer.
How many hours a day should I study for the LSAT?
Two to three hours a day on five or six days a week fits most people, which is 10 to 18 hours a week. Keep one day fully off. Short daily sessions beat one long weekend block.