Starting LSAT prep in January 2027
The new-year start: January is the most common month to start LSAT prep. If your test is in spring or summer, you have a full runway. The trap is treating January like you have forever. You do not. Pick a target test month now, on the /lsat-test-dates page, and count backward.
Your first four weeks
- Week 1: Take the free diagnostic this week. You need a real baseline before you plan anything.
- Week 2: Learn how the test is scored and how each section works. Read one question-type guide per day.
- Week 3: Start untimed LR fundamentals. Accuracy first. Speed comes later.
- Week 4: Build a weekly schedule you can actually keep. Four focused hours beat ten distracted ones.
Upcoming test dates
Upcoming tests you can still register for: April 8–10, 2027 (about 14 weeks out), June 9–12, 2027 (about 23 weeks out). See the LSAT test dates page for registration deadlines and the full schedule.
How many hours
Plan for 8 to 12 hours a week if your test is more than 4 months out. Hours are an estimate. The right number is the one you can repeat every week without burning out.
Pick a test date early
Do not study toward "someday." A fixed test date changes every decision: how fast you move, when you start timing, when you taper. See the LSAT test dates page for the current schedule, then count backward from your date. If your runway is short, use the countdown plans matched to your exact weeks left.
Start with a baseline
The free diagnostic scores every question type and shows exactly where you are losing points. Take it in week one.