One of the benefits of private tutoring is that students get a study plan that’s personalized for them and that also evolves as they progress through the program.  However, lots of people have asked for a basic self-study plan.  Here’s an ideal study plan for 3 months.

Why 3 months?  3 months is about the right time to study if you can devote significant time to the LSAT (10-15 hours a week or so).  I’ve certainly seen students prepare and get the scores they need in less time, but especially for those who are balancing school and work, 3 months is the right timeline.  After about a 4-month timeframe, students start plateauing and reaching points of diminishing returns.  It’s better to prepare semi-intensely for 3 months than to work on LSAT once a week for 6 months (or to cram for 1 month).

This plan is front-loaded with learning and is back-loaded with practice.  It’s critical to lay down a solid foundation in methodology before you start taking timed tests (except for the diagnostic.

For this plan you’ll need the following books; you can purchase from Amazon here.

• Powerscore Logic Games Bible
• Next 10 Preptests
• 10 More Preptests
• Optional but highly recommended: Powerscore Logical Reasoning Bible.
• Optional: The last 5 published Preptests (available from Amazon)

Numbers refer Preptests from Next 10 and 10 More.

Week 1

• Make sure you’ve registered for the test.  Test centers do fill up, and you’d much rather not have to commute long distances to a less-convenient test center.
• Take a diagnostic test courtesy of the LSAC.  You can find the link here.  Take this under real test conditions.  Don’t be discouraged if your score isn’t what you wanted — this is just a starting point.  Go over what you missed, and see if you can figure out why you missed it.
• Read this PDF from the LSAC.  It goes over test basics and has a few sample questions with explanations.
• Read Chapter 1 of the Logic Games Bible.

Week 2

• Work through chapters 2 and 3 of the Logic Games Bible (LGB), taking care to understand each concept before moving on.  (In both of the Bibles, always do all the games at the end of the chapters untimed.  Take great care to read the explanations following each problem set; their very valuable).
• Read all of our posts on logic games.
• Read all of our posts on reading comprehension

Week 3

• Work through chapters 4 and 5 (LGB) on grouping and hybrid games, completing the games untimed
• Complete the RC sections, untimed, from Preptests 19-22

Week 4

• Read all of our posts on logical reasoning.
• Work through LGB chapters on sequencing games and “the forgotten few.”
• Work through Logical Reasoning Bible (LRB) 1-3

Week 5

• Work through chapters 3-8 of LRB
• Complete LG from Preptests 19-22 timed.  (Now is the time that we add back the timed component.  Every section you do from here should be timed in some way.  If you’re going way over time, it’s fine to start by giving yourself 45 minutes, but work aggressively to get this down to 35. [By week 8 you need to only be giving yourself 35 minutes]).
• Complete RC from PT 22-23 timed.

Week 6

• Work through chapters 9-14 of the LRB
• LG timed from PT 23-24
• RC timed PT 24-25

Week 7

• Work through chapters 14-20 of LRB
• LG timed PT 25-26
• LR 19 (both sections)

Week 8

• PT 30 full timed test (4 sections).  Score and review
• LR 21-22
• LG 27

Week 9

• PT 31, full timed (4 sections is fine)
• LR 21-22
• LG 27

Week 10

• Complete Preptests 32-34, splicing in an additional section for each test from “10 More” to simulate the experimental section. Review.
• LR 23-24

Week 11

• Complete Prepests 35-37, splicing in an additional section from “10 More.”  Review.
• LR 25-26

Week 12

• Look over the methodologies you’ve learned over the last few weeks and re-read our post 10 Top LSAT Tips
• Take the latest Preptest you have (PT 38 or an individual test you’ve purchased) and review
• End your LSAT work no later than the Thursday before the test.  Read our Test Day Tips.  Good luck!

Next Step provides one-on-one LSAT tutoring for about the same price as a prep class.  Contact us to discuss your LSAT Goals

Image courtesy redstamp.com

Related posts:

1. LSAT Book Recommendations
2. How distractions while studying can help improve your score
3. What to do if your LSAT score drops test week
4. Top 10 LSAT Tips
5. Interview with Cambridge LSAT

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 at 9:38 am and is filed under Schedules, Test taking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.