LSAT · Planning guide
LSAT study plan: a guide and a free planner
Law School Admission Test.
Make a week-by-week LSAT study schedule from your own dates and hours.
Open the LSAT Study Plan Generator →What the LSAT exam is
The LSAT is the admission test used by law schools in the United States. The multiple-choice portion has four 35-minute sections: three scored and one unscored. The scored sections are two Logical Reasoning and one Reading Comprehension; the unscored section can be either type and can appear anywhere in the order.
There is also LSAT Argumentative Writing: an unscored writing sample of 50 minutes — 15 minutes of prewriting and 35 minutes of writing — taken online, as early as 8 days before your multiple-choice test date.
LSAT format
| Logical Reasoning | 2 scored sections · 35 min each |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 1 scored section · 35 min |
| Unscored section | 1 section · either type · anywhere in the order |
| LSAT Argumentative Writing | 50 min (15 prewriting + 35 writing), online, unscored |
| Writing availability | Opens as early as 8 days before the multiple-choice test |
Source: LSAC — LSAT test format · Last verified: October 12, 2026.
Weight your hours toward Logical Reasoning
Two of the three scored sections are Logical Reasoning, so the planner starts from a 2/3 LR, 1/3 RC split. Adjust from your diagnostics: if Reading Comprehension is your weaker area, shift hours there — the weights are a starting layout, not a verdict.
Work in 35-minute timed sections early and often. Timing is the skill the LSAT tests under the content, and it only develops under the clock.
Build up to full practice tests
The default plan schedules four practice tests of 3 hours in the second half of your period. Take them at the same time of day as your real appointment when you can; scoring consistency across different times of day is itself a skill.
Because one of the four sections is unscored and can appear anywhere, always treat all four sections as scored. Train for a four-section day, not a three-section one.
Do not forget the writing sample
LSAT Argumentative Writing is unscored but required, and it opens 8 days before your multiple-choice date. Schedule one or two 50-minute practices — the planner includes an optional writing row — then take it early in that window so it is done before your final review week.
Study that survives a job or classes
LSAT skills fade faster than they build, so five 1-hour evening blocks beat one 5-hour weekend session for most people. Put your longest block the day before a day off, and let the re-plan button absorb the weeks when work wins.
Be honest in the weekly-hours grid. If Tuesdays are late meetings, give Tuesday 0 or 0.5 h — an optimistic grid just moves the shortfall into a red feasibility line later. A plan that fits your real week is better than a heroic one you will quietly abandon by week three.
Blackout dates are for the days you know are gone: travel, weddings, finals. Enter them before building the plan so the hours spread across the days that remain.
LSAT planning questions
How many sections are on the LSAT?
Four 35-minute multiple-choice sections: three scored — two Logical Reasoning and one Reading Comprehension — plus one unscored section of either type that can appear anywhere in the order. LSAT Argumentative Writing is separate.
What is LSAT Argumentative Writing and when do I take it?
An unscored 50-minute writing sample — 15 minutes prewriting, 35 minutes writing — taken online. It opens as early as 8 days before your multiple-choice test, so plan to finish it before your final review week.
Should I split LSAT study time 50/50 between LR and RC?
The scored exam is two Logical Reasoning sections and one Reading Comprehension section, so the planner defaults to 2/3 LR and 1/3 RC. Shift hours toward whichever your timed sections say is weaker.
Should I prepare differently for the unscored section?
No — you cannot tell which section is unscored, and it can be either type anywhere in the order. Treat every section as scored.
What if I miss a week of LSAT prep?
Press ‘Re-plan from today’: completed work is kept, everything missed is redistributed into your remaining days, and you see exactly what changed before you commit.