LSAT Tips OverviewLSAT FormatOn the day of the LSAT you will take 6 sections with 35 minutes to complete each section. There will be a total of roughly 100 (100-102) questions on the LSAT that count toward calculating your LSAT score on the 120-180 scale. The sections that will be scored:-2 Logical Reasoning sections: 24-26 questions per section-1 Analytical Reasoning section (Logic Games): 22-24 questions per section-1 Reading Comprehension section: 26-28 questions per sectionAs you can see above, the scored portion of the LSAT only totals to 4 of the 6 sections which means that 2 sections will not be scored. The sections that will not be scored:-1 experimental section: this section could be any one of the three sections listed above and could appear anywhere within the LSAT. There is NO way to tell which section is experimental so make sure that you don't try to guess while taking the LSAT - could lead to disaster.-1 writing sample: this section does not factor into your 120-180 LSAT score, which is why we don't include the writing samples with our tests. You may want to become familiar with this section (by completing 1 or 2) but the vast majority of your study time will be better spent raising that numerical LSAT score.On test day, you will be given one 15-minute break after the 3rd section of the exam. During your LSAT practice tests it is important that you stick to the timing of the LSAT as closely as possible which is why we recommend using the Virtual LSAT Proctor to time yourself. Fully understanding the format of the LSAT can help to relieve some of the anxiety that you may feel on test day and will help to improve your timing and pace.Logical Reasoning Logical Reasoning accounts for about 50% of the scored sections on any given LSAT, which is why you should dedicate a substantial amount of time mastering this section. Below we will outline some strategies that have helped test takers increase their scores on this section.The 3 parts of the Logical Reasoning Section:The Passage - This is the first short paragraph that gives you some information. There are only two types of Passages that you will encounter: Arguments or Facts. If you encounter an argument, make sure that you identify the conclusion because most questions that feature arguments test your ability to analyze or modify the conclusion. This could include, among other things, strengthening or weakening the conclusion.The Stem - This is where the question type is defined and is located directly below the passage.The 5 answer choices - Every LSAT question has 5 answer choices (A-E). Precision in reading will be your greatest weapon when attacking the answer choices.There are two main schools of thought when it comes to approaching Logical Reasoning Questions: - One strategy is to read everything in the order given - Read the passage first, then the question stem, then the answer choices. The advantage to this approach is that it allows you to develop an approach that will work with any question type and eliminates double-reading the question stem. - The other strategy is to read the question stem first, then the passage, then the answer choices The advantage to this approach is that you can use specific strategies for the question type when approaching the passage.We recommend that you try each approach while taking your actual timed LSAT practice tests and find the approach that yields you the greatest number of correct answers.Whichever approach you decide works best for you, it is extremely important that you read with precision and do not skim or gloss over any information.Logical Reasoning Question Types:(In order of most common to least common)

FlawMust Be TrueRequired AssumptionWeakenStrengthenParallelResolve the DiscrepancyArgumentative StrategyMain ConclusionJustify the ConclusionIllustrationDisagreement/AgreementRoleMust Be FalseArgument EvaluationMisinterpretation

Flaw:These questions ask you to identify the flaw in the argument within the passage. The answer choices are usually pretty abstract and difficult to understand. Understanding as many flaws as possible and how the LSAT words these flaws in answer choices is the key to getting these questions correct. Many people report that understanding the flaws outlined in Flaw questions helps them with all the other Logical Reasoning question types that contain arguments. These flaws are also known as "logical fallacies" which is why many people find it helpful to take formal logic classes a semester or two before taking the LSAT.Must Be True:These questions ask you to find the answer choice that Must Be True, assuming that all of the information in the passage is true. These are usually just facts (as opposed to an argument). Make sure that when you are attacking these questions you read very carefully and that you don't bring in any outside information.Required Assumption:These questions ask you to identify the assumption that is required by the argument in the passage. Many people find these to be among the most difficult questions on the LSAT. These questions can be viewed as a subset of Strengthen questions because once you add the missing premise, or assumption, you have thereby Strengthened the argument. Be careful to pick the answer choice that is actually required and not one that just generically strengthens the argument. Weaken:These questions ask you to weaken the argument in the passage. Make sure that you focus on weakening the conclusion of the argument and not the premises. Also you should accept the answer choices as true and ask yourself "if this answer choice is true, would it weaken the argument?"Strengthen:These questions ask you to strengthen the argument in the passage. Just like Weaken questions, it is important here that you focus on the conclusion but instead strengthen it. You should accept the answer choices as true and ask yourself "if this answer choice is true, would it strengthen the argument?"Parallel:These questions ask you to parallel the reasoning that was used in the passage. These ones are dense and relatively time consuming. If you are running low on time, these would be well advised to skip and return to later if time permits. Make sure that you are focusing on paralleling the reasoning and not the language or the structure of the argument.Resolve the Discrepancy: These questions ask you to explain a seemingly paradoxical situation described in the passage. These are usually just facts (as opposed to arguments). You should accept the answer choices as true and ask yourself "if the answer choice is true, would it explain the situation in the passage?"Argumentative Strategy:These questions ask you to describe the method of reasoning used in the passage. The answer choices are usually pretty abstract and difficult to understand. You should focus on "How" they got to their conclusion and then describe it abstractly.Main Conclusion:These questions ask you to identify the main conclusion in the passage. These are pretty straight forward and generally easy questions to get correct. Make sure that you pick the conclusion and not one of the premises.Justify the Conclusion:These questions ask you to fully validate the conclusion. These can be seen as a subset of strengthen questions but you must strengthen the conclusion fully instead of possibly partially.Illustration:These questions ask you to illustrate the principle in the passage. An illustration is the same as an example, so all you have to do is exemplify the underlying principle (or rule) from the passage.Disagreement/Agreement:These questions ask you to identify the point at issue between two speakers in the passage. Imagine you are the mediator and you must find the heart of the disagreement/agreement.Role:These questions ask you to describe the role of a particular sentence from the passage. Make sure that you figure out whether the sentence is a premise or a conclusion.Must Be False:These questions ask you to find the answer choice that Must Be False, assuming that all of the information in the passage is true. These are usually just facts (as opposed to an argument). Make sure that when you are attacking these questions you read very carefully and that you don't bring in any outside information.Argument Evaluation:These questions ask you to find some information that would be useful to evaluate the argument in the passage and are pretty rare. If you had one question to ask the author of the passage to determine if their conclusion is correct or not, what would it be? This will be the correct answer on these questions.Misinterpretation:These questions ask you to identify the misinterpretation between two speakers in the passage and are very rare. One person will make a statement and then another will respond. It is your job to determine, from the second speaker's response, what they misinterpreted from the first speaker.Logic GamesMost students find, at least initially, the Logic Games section to be the most difficult section on the LSAT. This difficulty is compounded by using the old 1-page logic games format that most other companies provide. It is usually advisable to set up some sort of diagram to organize the information given and working in the current 2-page format is an advantage as far as free space is concerned. We recommend that you take as many LSAT practice tests as possible in the format that you will see on test day: the 2-page format.The 4 parts of the Logic Games Section:The Passage - This is the first short paragraph that gives you some information. This usually establishes the Logic Game type.The Rules - This is the indented sentences underneath the passage. These create specific restrictions on the Logic Game.The Questions - This is where you are posed a question that is to be dictated by the passage and the rules of the Logic Game.The 5 answer choices - Every LSAT question has 5 answer choices (A-E).Logic Game Types:Basic LinearAdvanced LinearPure Sequencing2 GroupMulti-GroupIn/OutAssociationRareBasic Linear:These Logic Games are also known as basic ordering games and the goal is to figure out the order in which certain events occur. They are Basic because there is only one set of variables that you must find the order of.Advanced Linear:These Logic Games are a step up from basic linear games and also involve putting variables into order. They are Advanced because there are two or more sets of variables that you must find the order of.Pure Sequencing:These are a subset of basic linear Logic Games which means that you are ordering only one set of variables. They are pure sequencing because every rule is a sequencing rule (ex: A comes before B).2 Group:These Logic Games involve dividing variables between 2 separate groups. There is no order, but some variables will be together in a group and others will be together in the other group.Multi-Group:These Logic Games are a step up from 2 Group games and also involve putting variables into groups. They are Multi-Group because there are 3 or more groups that the variables must be split between.In/Out:These Logic Games involve grouping components and figuring out which variables will be selected and which ones will not. It is important to recognize that the Out group is not actually a group but the absence of being included in the In group.Association:These Logic Games involve 2 sets of variables and you must deduce which variables from one set are associated with variables from the other set. These games are less common than the ones above.Rare:These Logic Games generally appeared 1995 and earlier. They generally have not appeared on recent tests, but there is always the possibility that they could. Rare Games include: circular games, mapping games, distribution games, and pattern games. If you are looking for practice on these, definitely purchase the Games from 1991-1995.Reading ComprehensionUsually people are most familiar with this section since they have seen this type of standardized test section on practically any given standardized test.The 3 parts of the Reading Comprehension Section:The Passage - This is the dense article on the left side of the first page. The passage gives you all of the information needed to answer the questions, as well as establishes the Passage type.The Questions - This is where you are posed a question that is to be dictated by the passage.The 5 answer choices - Every LSAT question has 5 answer choices (A-E).Reading Comprehension Passage Types:Humanities - This includes subjects like art, literature, and historyScienceLaw*In June 2007 a new comparative reading passage replaced one of the standard reading passages on the LSAT.

LSAT Strategy and TimingLogical Reasoning Section:Keeping Track of Time:Set your analog watch to Noon at the start of EACH section of the LSAT and let it run from noon to 12:35.24-26 questions in 35 minutes gives you roughly 1 minute and 25 seconds to complete each question including bubbling in answer choices. DO NOT TIME QUESTIONS INDIVIDUALLY ON THE LSAT.Timing benchmarks:Timing benchmarks for the Logical Reasoning section differ from person to person on the LSAT but here is an example of a solid timing strategy: First 10 questions in 10 minutes (they're the easiest), Next 10 questions in 15 minutes, Final 5 (approx.) questions in 10 minutes.

Bubbling in your answer sheet:Once you complete an entire 2 page portion of the LSAT, transfer all of the answer choices from that portion into the answer sheet before you flip to the next page. Within the last 5 minutes transfer answers 1 by 1 to ensure all answers are on the answer sheet.If the above technique does not work then transfer answers 1 by 1 during the entire test.

Logic Games:Timing:Set your analog watch to Noon at the start of EACH section of the LSAT and let it run from noon to 12:35.4 Logic Games in 35 minutes gives you 8 minutes and 45 seconds to complete each Logic Game including bubbling in answer choices.Timing benchmarks:1st Logic Game: by 9 minutes2nd Logic Game: by 17 minutes3rd Logic Game: by 26 minutes4th Logic Game: by 35 minutesBubbling in your answer sheet:Once you complete an entire LSAT Logic Game, transfer all of the answer choices from that Logic Game into the answer sheet. Within the last 5 minutes transfer answers 1 by 1 to ensure all answers are on the answer sheet.If the above technique does not work then transfer answers 1 by 1 during the entire test.

Reading Comprehension:Timing:Set your analog watch to Noon at the start of EACH section of the LSAT and let it run from noon to 12:35.4 passages in 35 minutes gives you 8 minutes and 45 seconds to complete each Reading Comprehension passage including bubbling in answer choices.Timing benchmarks:1st Reading Comprehension passage: by 9 minutes2nd Reading Comprehension passage: by 17 minutes3rd Reading Comprehension passage: by 26 minutes4th Reading Comprehension passage: by 35 minutesBubbling in your answer sheet:Once you complete an entire Reading Comprehension passage on the LSAT, transfer all of the answer choices from that passage into the answer sheet. Within the last 5 minutes transfer answers 1 by 1 to ensure all answers are on the answer sheet.If the above technique does not work then transfer answers 1 by 1 during the entire test.