Starting LSAT prep in October 2026
The October push: October is peak LSAT season. Test centers fill, nerves run high, and everyone suddenly wants a study plan. Starting now, January is the natural target: about three months, enough for fundamentals, timed work, and a taper. Do not compare your prep to anyone else this month. It only costs points.
Your first four weeks
- Week 1: Diagnostic this week. You need a real baseline before you plan anything.
- Week 2: LR fundamentals, untimed, type by type. October rewards patience, not panic.
- Week 3: Add RC passage-structure work: one passage a day, mapped, not rushed.
- Week 4: Lock your test-day logistics early: center, travel, ID, what you eat.
Upcoming test dates
Upcoming tests you can still register for: January 13–16, 2027 (about 15 weeks out), February 12–13, 2027 (about 19 weeks out), April 8–10, 2027 (about 27 weeks out). See the LSAT test dates page for registration deadlines and the full schedule.
How many hours
10 to 15 hours a week building a base. 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.