The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) forms an essential part of most law school applications. You can prepare on your own, but many students find it difficult to know where to focus their attention. An LSAT prep course solves this problem by guiding you step by step through each section of the exam. There are plenty of options available to New York residents, and the right course for you depends on how you learn best. We put together this guide to the best LSAT prep courses in New York City to help simplify your search.
Our research team compiled a list of 26 LSAT prep courses and tutoring companies that operate in the New York City metropolitan area and evaluated them based on their accessibility, study materials, student support and overall comprehensiveness. We also took student opinion into account by reading reviews and speaking to law school students who had taken each of the courses. In the end, four companies stood out above the rest.
Blueprint was our favorite because of its comprehensive courses and excellent tutoring options. You may prefer a different company, though, so we recommend exploring all of your options before making a decision. You can start by reading the full reviews of our four finalists below.
A Full List of Every LSAT Prep Course in New York City Worth Considering
Our six finalists are listed below followed by the other 20 companies we considered. Click on the links to visit the company websites and to see what we had to say about our top picks.
The 7 Best LSAT Prep Courses in New York City in April 2024
| Rank | Company | Pricing Info | Get Started | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. |  | Blueprint LSAT | $1,599 | Go To BluePrint LSAT |
2. |  | LSATMax | $1,895 - $10,895 | Go To LSATMax |
3. |  | The Princeton Review | $799 - $3,999 | Go To Princeton Review LSAT |
4. |  | AlphaScore LSAT | $389 - $789 | Go To AlphaScore LSAT |
5. |  | Kaplan Test Prep | $799 - $1,999 | Go To Kaplan LSAT |
6. |  | Magoosh LSAT | $199 - $499 | Go To Magoosh LSAT |
7. |  | Manhattan Prep | $799 - $1,999 | Go To Manhattan Prep LSAT |
Full Reviews of the Best LSAT Prep Courses in New York City
1. Blueprint LSAT Review
Best for technology and affordable tutoring.
Blueprint LSAT hosts live LSAT prep courses in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island, but it’s best known for its self-paced program. This 88-hour video course teaches you the core material in a fun, engaging way and follows that up with adaptive homework sets to reinforce key concepts and strategies. In-person courses include access to these materials as well through your web browser or the company’s iPhone app. Unfortunately, there is no live online course, but you can sign up for online private tutoring. Blueprint LSAT has the most affordable tutoring of any company on this list, and you can start with as little as two hours.
What to Expect
The Blueprint LSAT online course includes 88 hours of engaging online video taught by 99th percentile instructors, three textbooks and a higher score guarantee. It also comes with 19 full-length practice LSATs, six of which are proctored as part of the course. It’s a subscription-based program, so you can use it as long as you need and cancel it when it’s done. The in-person courses are a flat rate and include all the resources from the online course, plus 112 hours of live instruction. These courses are only taught at certain times during the year, and you can view the full schedule on Blueprint LSAT’s website.
Blueprint LSAT’s true strength lies in its adaptive learning technology. As you work through the practice questions, the program will analyze your results and determine where you need more review. The new practice questions and drills you see will focus on these areas to help you master those tricky subjects. The practice tests are the ultimate measure of your progress. You can take these online or print them out. Take a picture of your answer sheet with the Blueprint LSAT app when you’re done and your results will automatically be uploaded and graded. You can view detailed analytics that show you how well you did on each type of question and even break down individual questions to show you which part, such as difficult terminology, is giving you trouble.
All Blueprint LSAT students can reach out to one of the company’s trained instructors at any time via email. If you want more immediate help, you should consider enrolling in private tutoring. This can be done online or in person — either way, the cost is the same. You can start out with as little as two hours of tutoring for a reasonable $350. This is a good choice if you only need help with a certain question type. For a more comprehensive review of the material, consider going with a 10-, 20- or 30-hour package. You’ll save up to $34 per hour this way.
Pros and Cons
- Pro – Adaptive Learning: In order to deliver a customized study schedule, Blueprint uses adaptive learning tech to accurately determine your specific study needs. By analyzing your strengths and weaknesses, you can work through a course that’s tailor-made to ensure you succeed on your exam.
- Pro – High Score: All of the instructors who designed and teach the Blueprint LSAT curriculum are experts in their field. After all, they only hire teachers who scored within the 98th percentile or higher on the LSAT.
- Pro – Live Classroom: Although it’s much more convenient to study from home on your computer or mobile device, there are elements of the traditional classroom experience that simply don’t translate to a different format. Fortunately, Blueprint has livestreamed class sessions so you won’t miss out on this experience when studying.
Blueprint LSAT Details
| Course | Pricing |
|---|---|
| Online Anytime - One-Month Plan | $249 |
| Online Anytime - Three-Month Plan | $699 |
| Online Anytime - Six-Month Plan | $999 |
| Online Anytime - 12-Month Plan | $1,499 |
| Live Online Course | $1,399 |
| Classroom Course | $1,699 |
| Crash Course Tutoring - 16 hours | $2,160 |
| Comprehensive Tutoring - 24 hours | $3,000 |
| Intensive Tutoring - 40 hours | $5,000 |
Take $200 Off Blueprint LSAT Review Course
2. LSATMax
Best for video instruction.
If you’re looking for a prep course with enough content to approximate a full semester-long college course, LSATMax is an excellent choice. In particular, their library of video lectures is better than any other online course for the LSAT I’ve encountered so far— both in terms of quantity and quality.
What to Expect
The majority of this course’s content is video lectures— over 400 hours are included with each package LSATMax offers. These videos are whiteboard lectures, where the instructor will display a problem and then work through it visually in a manner that’s easy to follow and understand. It’s not as visually engaging as some other video lectures I’ve seen, but it’s highly effective at acclimating you to proper test-taking strategies.
Aside from video lectures, LSATMax also includes 4 different textbooks in hard copy format. Most online courses just offer digital versions of their textbooks, so this is a pretty big deal if you’re the type of student who likes studying with tangible materials. That said, this course also provides lots of digital materials, and they’re easily accessible on both Android and Apple devices thanks to excellent app support.
Some of the digital materials you can use on both PC and mobile include 90 prep tests with real questions from previous LSAT exams, as well as analytics to closely track your performance on each one. These features are designed to feel identical to the actual exam, so you can quickly adjust to the structure and academic subjects you’ll encounter on the real thing well ahead of time. And if you’re stuck on a specific subject, you can always take advantage of one hour of free private tutoring and daily office hours with your instructor.
Pros and Cons
- Pro – Mobile Access: Modern students spend more time on their phone than on a regular computer. To accommodate these students, LSATMax designed their course to be easily accessible on any mobile or tablet device via a well-designed mobile app.
- Pro – Instructor Assistance: Despite being an online class, LSATMax provides a personalized touch that feels closer to a traditional classroom environment. This is because all of the excellent instructors can be easily reached for help solving any problems or working through difficult concepts.
- Con – Less Affordable: When compared to the other courses listed here, LSATMax is harder to fit into a tight budget. Still, I highly recommend enrolling if you can afford to, since the materials you receive are well worth the price.
LSATMax Details
| Course | Pricing |
|---|---|
| LSATMax 60 - Two Months of Access | $595 |
| LSATMax 180 - Nine Months of Access | $995 |
| LSATMax 365 - One Year Course Access | $1,495 |
| LSATMax + Intro Tutoring - Nine Months of Access | $1,995 |
| LSATMax + Basic Tutoring - One Year of Access | $3,495 |
| LSATMax + Complete Tutoring - One Year of Access | $15,495 |
| LSATMax + In-Depth Tutoring - One Year of Access | $7,495 |
| LSATMax + Immersive Tutoring - One Year of Access | $11,495 |
Save Up to 20% on LSATMax Tutoring
3. The Princeton Review LSAT Review
Best for practice tests.
The Princeton Review makes practice as realistic as possible by supplying you with every official LSAT that’s ever been released. You take six of them in class under proctored conditions, so you can get comfortable with the time constraints and assess your progress. Classes are available online and in person, though there are only a handful of in-person locations in New York City. Private tutoring is an option as well, and you can start with as little as three hours.
What to Expect
The Princeton Review offers two tiers of live instruction. The Fundamentals course provides 30 hours of live instruction and four proctored practice tests. It’s a good choice if you’re just interested in a refresher course or a supplement to your independent studies. The Ultimate course is the way to go if you want a comprehensive review of all the key concepts that are likely to appear on the exam. It contains 84 hours of live instruction, plus six in-class proctored practice tests and over 150 hours of additional online videos and practice questions. If your schedule doesn’t permit attending a live class, take a closer look at the Self-Paced course. It covers the same material as the Ultimate program, but there are no proctored exams and the live instruction is replaced by a series of pre-recorded videos.
The proctored practice exams give you the opportunity to test how well you’re applying the strategies you learn in class and familiarize yourself with the time constraints. Once you’ve completed each one, you’ll be provided with a detailed score report that breaks down your performance in each category. If you’re looking for more practice, you can take an additional 81 practice tests on your own through your online account. These are all real LSATs, so you can trust that the type and difficulty of the questions you see will be similar to what you’ll face on test day.
Students in live courses can reach out to their instructor by phone or email, but The Princeton Review doesn’t throw in any free tutoring. If you’re interested in this service, however, the barrier to entry is low. The Princeton Review’s rates are among the most affordable in the industry and you can start with as little as three hours. Tutoring packages include access to all the same online materials as the live courses as well as multiple proctored practice tests.
Pros and Cons
- Pro – Admission Focus: The entire purpose of the LSAT is to earn admittance to your first choice law school. That’s why The Princeton Review offers a course that specifically promises to help you earn a high enough LSAT score to be a contender for admission into one of the top 25 law schools in the country.
- Pro – Dress Rehearsal: The Princeton Review offers one of the most realistic practice exams you can find from an online course. It’s timed the same as the full test and is delivered on an identical interface to the new “digital LSAT,” so you’ll have a near-perfect simulation of the full LSAT when you practice.
- Con – Mobile: Although you may be able to access some of the features included with this course through the web browser on your phone or tablet, The Princeton Review doesn’t currently offer a dedicated app for mobile students. This may be fixed in the future, but for now I can’t recommend this option if you like to study on your phone.
The Princeton Review LSAT Details
| Course | Pricing |
|---|---|
| LSAT Course - Self-Paced | $799 |
| LSAT Fundamentals | $1,099 |
| LSAT 165 | $1,299 |
| LSAT Targeted Private Tutoring - 10 hours | $1,800 |
| LSAT Comprehensive Private Tutoring - 24 hours | $4,000 |
4. Kaplan Test Prep LSAT Review
Best for comprehensive courses.
You never have to worry about running out of study materials with Kaplan LSAT. Between its 80 full-length practice tests, massive question bank and the popular LSAT Channel, each key exam topic is thoroughly canvassed many times over. Self-paced and live online courses are available, but its in-person classes are its most popular offering. And with over 20 branch locations in the New York City metropolitan area, you shouldn’t have to travel too far to find one. Private tutoring is an option as well, but you have to be willing to make a big commitment. The smallest package is 15 hours.
What to Expect
Kaplan has new live classes starting every few days. Each course includes seven four-hour sessions, plus three proctored practice exams to help you track your progress. There are over 70 more practice tests available through your online account and a question bank that enables you to quickly focus on a particular question type. Smart reports track your results and highlight weak areas to show which concepts you need to review further. All of this material is available to self-paced students as well, though pre-recorded video lessons are substituted for the live instruction.
If that’s not enough, you can tune into The LSAT Channel for an additional 10 to 40 hours of instruction per week. Each workshop is taught by one of Kaplan’s knowledgeable instructors and focuses on a different aspect of the exam. Live viewers can ask questions and interact with the instructor through the virtual classroom tool. All workshops are saved and added to the Channel’s growing library where you can search past videos by instructor, difficulty or subject. New videos are being added each week and you can view upcoming workshops from your online account. The LSAT Channel is included in all live course subscriptions as well as with the Self-Paced PLUS package.
Live class students can reach out to their instructors by email, phone or live chat outside of class if they need assistance. Self-paced students are limited to email, but this is still a pretty good deal considering most self-paced courses don’t come with any form of support. All courses are backed by a higher score guarantee, so you can request a free retake or a full refund if your score doesn’t improve. Private tutoring is another option for those who want additional support. Kaplan’s packages are less flexible than most and require you to purchase a minimum of 15 hours upfront. If you just need help with a certain section or problem type, you may want to consider enrolling in a PLUS plan instead. These come with three hours of private tutoring free of charge.
Pros and Cons
- Pro – Video Lessons: Kaplan’s LSAT course has one of the largest volumes of video content you can find. With over 180 hours of lecture content in total, you’ll have no shortage of study material if you prefer to learn through this method of instruction.
- Pro – Progress Tracking: Sometimes it can be difficult to stay motivated when working through an online course alone. Fortunately, Kaplan includes progress tracking analytics to show you how much progress you make with each study session; this is a great way to stay motivated and follow through to the end of your course.
- Con – Tutoring: To be fair, it’s not cheap to find a LSAT tutor anywhere. However, Kaplan’s tutoring is among the more expensive options currently available for students. I recommend shopping around other courses like The Princeton Review if you’re specifically looking for an affordable tutor.
Kaplan Test Prep LSAT Details
| Course | Pricing |
|---|---|
| Logic Games Complete Prep | $199 |
| LSAT Prep - Self-Paced | $799 |
| LSAT Prep- Self-Paced PLUS | $1,049 |
| LSAT Prep - Live Online | $1,299 |
| LSAT Prep - In-Person | $1,299 |
| LSAT Prep - All Access | $1,699 |
| Private Tutoring - 10 hours | $2,399 |
| Private Tutoring - 20 hours | $3,299 |
| Private Tutoring - 30 hours | $4,099 |
| Private Tutoring - 40 hours | $4,999 |
Get $210 Off Kaplan LSAT Live Online Course
5. Alpha Score LSAT Review
Best for logic games.
Law school isn’t like other forms of higher education— it places much more emphasis on logical reasoning than simple memorization. For that reason, questions based on logic and reason make up a significant portion of the LSAT. Fortunately, that’s Alpha Score’s LSAT bread and butter, so you should definitely consider enrolling if you want to improve your logical reasoning abilities.
What to Expect
A significant portion of Alpha Score’s online curriculum covers analytical reasoning and logical reasoning. Additionally, you’ll spend a lot of time working through official logic games based on previous LSATs, which is a fantastic way to test your own logical reasoning skills while also getting used to the fundamentals of the LSAT itself. If you’re used to undergrad, it can be a lengthy process to adjust your thinking in order to succeed in the legal field— and these resources are an invaluable way to help you accomplish exactly that.
Aside from logical reasoning, this course also offers materials that will help you improve your reading comprehension skills. Another important aspect of law school and professional legal work is understanding the context and application of rulings in previous cases, which will necessitate considerable aptitude in comprehending long reading passages. Again, this course’s materials are an excellent way to train your brain to parse dry legal text and understand the implications of historical rulings in a modern context.
Finally, you can expect modern amenities that are standard among online LSAT courses when you sign up for Alpha Score. This includes video lessons and tutorials to help you through the logic and reading lessons, as well as full accessibility on mobile and tablet devices. With everything this course includes, you shouldn’t have any issues boosting your LSAT score to the point that a top New York law school will consider your application.
Pros and Cons
- Pro – One-on-One: If you want some extra help on sections of your study schedule, Alpha Score allows you to reach out directly to an instructor for help. This means you can get some one-on-one feedback without any distractions from other students!
- Pro – Time Saving: One of the biggest strengths Alpha Score provides is a course designed to save you time while studying. Their entire curriculum has been streamlined to cover the exam essentials, and you can increase the speed of their video lessons to cover the content more quickly.
- Con – Student Support: Despite having the option to reach out to an instructor for support, one feature that would make this course even better is more student collaboration via online study groups. Unfortunately, Alpha Score doesn’t currently offer any community features of this kind.
Alpha Score Details
| Course | Pricing |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | $99 |
| Reasoning Games | $198 |
| LSAT Logic Games | $189 |
| Free Trial - One Month of Access | Free |
| Complete LSAT Course - 12 Months of Access | $389 |
| Premium LSAT Course - 12 Months of Access | $789 |
6. Manhattan Prep LSAT Review
Best for flexibility.
Manhattan Prep only has a single in-person location in New York City, but it still managed to secure a place among our finalists because of its flexible online courses and top-notch instructors. Its Complete Course is its most popular, but its section-specific programs may be a better fit if you only need help with a single area of the exam. Private tutoring is also an option, but you’ll pay a premium for the company’s 99th percentile LSAT instructors.
What to Expect
Manhattan Prep has live online and in-person courses starting every few days. Each takes place at a different time on a different day of the week, so you shouldn’t have to wait too long to find one that fits in with your schedule. These courses cover all sections of the exam in detail, but if you only need help on a certain section, you’re better off going with a self-study course. You can purchase the three section courses — Logic Games, Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension — individually or bundle them for additional savings. If you’re running short on time, you may want to check out the CrunchTime workshops. These go over the basics of one of the exam sections in a short online group session.
The Complete Course includes 10 live sessions taught by 99th percentile instructors, free admission to the CrunchTime workshops, and access to all the online materials, including 50 video lessons and every official LSAT ever released. The course format is flipped, so your instructor assigns you video lessons to review and then you do practice questions in class. You can reinforce these lessons with full-length practice tests. Manhattan Prep’s LSAT Navigator tracks your performance and analyzes your results so you can see the areas where you need improvement.
All Manhattan Prep students can ask questions of a trained instructor through the company’s LSAT forums. Live course students can also speak to their instructor one on one during or after class sessions. But if you really want personalized attention, private tutoring is the way to go. Manhattan Prep’s rates aren’t cheap, but it’s the only company that guarantees that all of its instructors have scored in the 99th percentile on a real LSAT exam. That kind of expertise may be worth paying extra for if you need to bring your score up considerably.
Manhattan Prep LSAT Details
| Course | Pricing |
|---|---|
| 5 lb. Book of LSAT Drills | $32 |
| LSAT CrunchTime - Logic Games | $49 |
| LSAT CrunchTime - Logical Reasoning | $49 |
| LSAT CrunchTime - Reading Comprehension | $49 |
| LSAT Strategy Guide Set | $133 |
| LSAT Interact Complete | $599 |
| LSAT Interact Complete + Coaching | $899 |
| LSAT Complete Course | $1,399 |
| Private Tutoring - Hourly | $255/hour (2-hour minimum) |
| Private Tutoring - 10 hours | $2,450 |
| Private Tutoring - 20 hours | $4,600 |
| Private Tutoring - 30 hours | $6,750 |
The Most Important Features: Access, Comprehensiveness, Study Materials and Support
We looked at dozens of features when comparing the best LSAT prep courses. Each fell into one of four categories: course access, comprehensiveness, study materials and instructor support.
Access
All of the courses we looked at host LSAT prep courses at one or more offices in New York City. We looked at the frequency and type of available courses, favoring the ones that offered the greatest flexibility. Our four finalists all offer some type of live online or self-paced course for students who can’t attend a traditional classroom course and private tutoring for those who want personalized help. Price also plays a role in a program’s accessibility. We preferred companies with multiple tiers of instruction so you can choose the one that fits your budget. Kaplan performed the best in this category with a variety of course formats and over 20 branch locations within the New York City area.
Comprehensiveness
We made sure that our top courses provide a thorough study of each section of the exam. After comparing the hours of instruction and viewing sample materials, we reached out to former students of each program to see what they had to say about their experiences. We noted any standout features and red flags and factored these into our decision. All of our finalists fared well here, but The Princeton Review and Blueprint LSAT received especially high praise from students.
Study Materials
A typical LSAT prep course contains several hours of live or pre-recorded instruction, plus workbooks, flashcards, a question bank and practice tests. The best courses will build in several proctored practice tests so you can get a feel for the exam time constraints and accurately estimate your score. Kaplan’s in-person courses include three proctored exams while The Princeton Review and Blueprint LSAT offer six. There are also dozens more that you can take on your own time if you want some additional practice.
Support
The best LSAT prep courses give you a means of contacting your instructor when class is over. Usually, this is limited to email, but some companies, including Kaplan and The Princeton Review, enable you to reach out via live chat or a support hotline for more immediate assistance. All of our finalists except Manhattan Prep also demonstrate their support with a score improvement guarantee. If your score doesn’t raise after completing the prep course, you can request either a full refund or a free course retake. There are often certain requirements you must meet in order to be eligible for the guarantee, however, so read the fine print before you sign up.
Choosing the Right LSAT Course Delivery Type for You
There are several types of LSAT prep courses available to you, and the right one depends on your schedule, budget and learning style. We’ve outlined the most common course formats below in order from least expensive to most expensive.
- Self-Paced: You purchase the course materials and study them at your own pace.
- Live Online: You log in to a virtual classroom and learn from a remote instructor.
- Live In-Person: You travel to a physical location and learn in a traditional classroom setting.
- Private Tutoring: A tutor builds a personalized study plan that emphasizes the areas where you need the most practice.
Self-Paced
Pros:
- Cheapest courses
- Plan your own study schedule
- Learn at your own pace
Cons:
- Requires self-discipline
- Less personalization
- Limited instructor support
Who It’s Best For
A self-paced course is a good fit for independent learners who value the flexibility of moving at their own pace. It’s also a good choice if your schedule doesn’t permit attending regular live classes.
Live Online
Pros:
- Available nationwide
- More personalized help
- Regular study schedule
Cons:
- Less interactive than in-person courses
- Technical problems may arise
Who It’s Best For
A live online class works well if you want the interactivity of a classroom, but you can’t commit to showing up in person each week.
Live In-Person
Pros:
- Distraction-free
- Familiar setting
- Interaction with teachers and students
Cons:
- Travel required
- Rigid schedule
- More expensive than online classes
Who It’s Best For
An in-person course provides a high degree of interactivity and personalized assistance. It’s best for students who learn well in a traditional classroom environment and value the support of a knowledgeable instructor.
Private Tutoring
Pros:
- Personalized instruction
- Tailored study plans
- Can be done in person or online
Cons:
- Costly
- May be time-consuming
Who It’s Best For
Private tutoring works well for students who need to significantly bring up their scores and those who are looking to retake the LSAT.
Frequently Asked Questions About the LSAT
Our goal is to create a comprehensive guide to succeeding on the LSAT. Doing that requires an understanding of more than just the exam material. We spoke to several law school students to learn what questions they had about the exam before they took it. We’ve outlined some of the most common ones below. If there’s anything we missed, feel free to reach out and let us know.
What are the most important things to know prior to taking the LSAT?
Before you take the LSAT, you should understand your school’s policies and deadlines, the exam format and the procedures you must follow on test day.
School Requirements
Each law school has its own LSAT score requirements that students must meet in order to be admitted. Some may have a designated minimum score, but it’s more common to see an average score or a range of accepted scores. Do some research and see what you can find out about your chosen school. Make a note of these numbers and use this as your goal. If there is a range, it’s best to aim for the high end.
You should also look up your school’s application deadline and plan accordingly. If there’s a rolling deadline, you have some flexibility, but if not, you must be sure to get your scores in on time. Leave yourself at least two potential test dates, keeping in mind that it takes about three to four weeks after the test date for your scores to be released.
LSAT Format
The LSAT exam is composed of five multiple-choice sections followed by an unscored writing sample. There is one Reading Comprehension, one Analytical Reasoning (also known as Logic Games) and two Logical Reasoning sections. There is also a Variable section. This contains questions being considered by the test makers for use in future exams and it is not scored. Each section contains about 25 questions that you must answer in 35 minutes.
Each portion of the exam is designed to test a particular skill you will require to perform well in law school and as a lawyer. The Reading Comprehension section measures your ability to understand complex texts and technical terms while the Analytical Reasoning section examines your ability to understand relationships within a system. The two Logical Reasoning sections ask you to analyze a series of arguments, much like you’d do in a courtroom.
Test-Day Procedures
You can sign up for the exam on the Law School Admission Council website. Choose the nearest testing location to you, pay the appropriate fees and upload an approved photo of yourself. This will appear on your admission ticket. You must present this ticket and a valid, government-issued photo ID to gain admittance to the testing room. Make sure you know how to get to the testing center and show up early or you won’t be permitted to enter.
You are allowed one clear ziplock bag of personal items. These items can only include pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, highlighters, tissues, medical products, a snack and a drink. All items must be stored under your desk and only accessed on breaks. For a full list of test-day procedures, visit the Law School Admission Council website.
How much time should I spend studying for the LSAT?
When deciding how much time to set aside for LSAT studying, ask yourself the following questions.
When is my admission deadline?
If your admission deadline is only a month away, you’re going to have to put in more hours per day than someone who has three or six months to prepare. It’s best to leave yourself at least a few months to study if possible. Figure out your admission deadline and work backward from there, keeping in mind that it can take up to four weeks for schools to receive your scores. Leave yourself at least two possible test dates in case you don’t score as high as you’d like on your first attempt. Then, work backwards from your first test date to create a study schedule.
How much do I already know?
Take a timed practice LSAT to get an idea of how close you are to your goal. Analyze your results and figure out where you need to improve. If you need to bring your scores up across the board, you should do a comprehensive review of the LSAT exam. But if you only need work in a single area, you may be able to get by with a shorter, section-specific course like the ones offered by Manhattan Prep. Keep taking practice tests as you go to track your progress and adjust your study plan accordingly.
What’s my schedule?
Some people may be able to devote full days to studying while others may have to juggle family, work, friends and school. It’s best to set aside some designated study time each week, no matter how short, to keep yourself on track. If you can only devote a couple of hours, it’s best to start studying earlier to make sure you’re able to cover all sections of the exam before your test day.
How is the LSAT scored?
Your LSAT score is broken down in three ways: your raw score, scaled score and percentile rank. Only your scaled scores and percentile rank appear on your score reports.
Raw Scores
There are approximately 100 scored questions on the LSAT and the number you get right determines your raw score. There is no penalty for answering a question incorrectly, so it’s best to make an educated guess if you’re not sure. Your raw scores are used to determine your scaled scores.
Scaled Scores
Scaled scores range from 120 to 180 in one-point increments. Scores are converted through a process known as equating. This accounts for the minor differences in difficulty between different versions of the exam and ensures that the grading scale remains fair and consistent. Raw scores usually translate to similar scaled scores on different test versions, but there may be some slight variance depending on the overall difficulty of the exam.
Percentile Rank
Your percentile rank gives you an idea of how you measure up against all students who have taken the LSAT in the last three years. It tells you the percentage of test takers that you scored better than. For example, a 90th percentile ranking means you scored better than 90 percent of recent LSAT test takers. Like the scaled scores, these rankings can vary as new data comes in, but you will not see a huge rise in your percentile rank unless your scaled score rises accordingly.
How important is the LSAT to law school admissions?
Your LSAT score is a key part of your law school application that gives admissions departments a sense of how you will cope with the rigorous coursework. It also enables them to compare you to other applicants. It’s not the only thing schools look at, though. They also take into account your undergraduate transcript, letters of recommendation, interview and work experience. Getting into the law school of your choice requires you to perform well in each of these areas.
Every school weighs the various components of your application differently, so it’s difficult to say how big of a role your LSAT scores will play. Ideally, you want to be at or above the school’s average score. You can figure this information out by doing some research online. Take a practice test to get an estimate of your score and then work on your most difficult sections to help bring that score up.
Don’t worry if you fall a little below the average, though. Law schools understand that not everyone tests well, which is why they ask for your transcripts. These provide a long-term assessment of your academic ability while your letters of recommendation, work experience and interview can give schools a better understanding of you as a person and how you’ll fit into their culture. If you perform well in these areas, a school may be willing to overlook a below-average LSAT score.
How do I send my LSAT scores to schools?
Unlike most standardized tests, the LSAT doesn’t give you the option to submit your scores to school on the day you take the test. You must wait until your official score report has been released online — usually about three weeks. Then, you just log in to your online account, enter the names of the schools you would like to send your results to and hit Send. There is no fee for submitting your scores.
Your LSAT scores are good for up to five years and you can submit them to schools at any point during this period. If you take the test more than once, your score report will reflect this. It shows an average for all the times you’ve taken the exam (up to 12) and then a breakdown of each individual test. All schools you send reports to will be able to see this, so there’s no way to hide a bad test score.
You can cancel your scores if you don’t feel you did well, but this is rarely a smart move. It’s difficult to predict how well you did right after the exam and then you forfeit your $118 exam fee. Plus, your future score reports will indicate that you canceled your scores. It’s better to wait and see how you did and then decide how you want to proceed from there. If you are determined to cancel your scores, however, you can do so at the end of the exam by indicating that you wish to do so on your exam paper or through your online account up to six days after the test.
Key Statistics of the LSAT
LSAT scores range from 120 to 180 in one-point increments. To give you some idea of how your score measures up to other test takers, we’ve gathered percentile rank data based on the 2012 to 2015 LSATs. Percentile ranks are determined by LSAT scores from the last three years, so yours may differ slightly from what you see here, but this should give you a general estimate.
The Other 20 LSAT Prep Courses in New York City We Reviewed
| Company | Learn More |
|---|---|
| 180 Degrees LSAT | Visit Site |
| Advantage Testing | Visit Site |
| Binary Solution LSAT Prep | Visit Site |
| Central Park Tutors | Visit Site |
| Kweller Prep | Visit Site |
| LSAT Center | Visit Site |
| The LSAT Genius | Visit Site |
| LSAT Wiz | Visit Site |
| Manhattan Elite Prep | Visit Site |
| MLIC | Visit Site |
| MyGuru | Visit Site |
| Nelson Test Prep | Visit Site |
| The New York LSAT Tutoring Company | Visit Site |
| Odyssey LSAT Prep | Visit Site |
| Pluck | Visit Site |
| PowerScore | Visit Site |
| TestMasters | Visit Site |
| Test Prep New York | Visit Site |
| Varsity Tutors | Visit Site |
| Vestry Street Prep | Visit Site |
Bryce Welker is an active speaker, blogger, and regular contributor to Forbes, Inc.com, and Business.com where he shares his knowledge to help others boost their careers. Bryce is the founder of more than 20 test prep websites that help students and professionals pass their certification exams.
