It’s that time again for the LSAT!  With the September LSAT just around the corner, that means we’ve got some fresh predictions for what to expect on the test.  As with any LSAT, you’ll get one scored Logical Reasoning, Logic Games, & Reading Comprehension section, as well as an unscored experimental section of one of those types thrown in for the LSAT to test out new questions.  Unfortunately, you won’t know which one is experimental going into it, so treat each section like it’s going to be part of your score and don’t try to “guess” as to which is experimental.  

Logical Reasoning

If the August LSAT is any indicator, the logical reasoning section should be relatively straightforward—no huge curveballs there.  You can expect mostly easy-medium questions during the first half of the section, with the second half increasing in difficulty.  Difficulty can vary from person to person, though, so my general rule when working through questions is to take an educated guess and come back if you find yourself re-reading the stimulus multiple times.  Remember that they are all worth  one point each, so spending 4-5 minutes on one question is taking away 4-5 minutes from other questions you might have a better chance of getting right, so keep that forward momentum going and don’t get stuck!  

In recent tests, the test-makers have been focusing on weaken, necessary, and flaw questions, so if you want candidates for some last-minute practice I would start there.  It’s also never a bad idea to practice your flaws, as over half of the logical reasoning sections ask you to identify or operate on flaws in the argument.  For any question with a flawed or incomplete argument, keep in mind that the right answer will pretty much always directly relate to that flaw, so make sure to find the flaw before diving into the answers.  

Reading Comprehension

In reading comprehension, you’ll definitely get a comparative passage as well as likely two antithesis passages on various topics.  If you know that there’s a particular subject or subjects that you tend to have a tougher time on, I’d recommend spending the first 30 seconds scanning the passages and figuring out what order to tackle them in.  Generally, I’d leave whichever passage seems the toughest to the end and do the easier stuff earlier so I can bank the points I’m most likely to get early on without time pressure.  That said, if you’re trying to tackle all the passages, you want to make sure to finish the easier ones a bit quicker to save yourself more time for the longer ones with more questions. 

Substantively, I’m feeling a legal history passage this time around and then perhaps an art and a science passage.  With each of the passages, I would devote your attention to identifying what the author seems to be focused on or concerned with, especially during the first paragraph.  Generally, the author will roadmap the structure or preview the tone or main point of the passage at the outset, so keep an eye out for clues and actively anticipate where you think it’s going.  Just be on the lookout for left turns and be ready to tweak your understanding of the passage as you go based on future paragraphs.  

Logic Games 

The last couple of LSATs have been mostly ho-hum on the logic games front, with a combo or tiered ordering game, a couple of easier ordering or grouping games, and finally a combo game.  Generally, the first one or two games are easier than the last couple, but I would still spend some time scanning over the games to index what types and which games might be the trickiest.  

I’m feeling like they might throw a curveball this time (whether it’s a grouping game with a tier, an ordering game that repeats, or the dreaded neither game), so if you encounter something a little bit weird, just bring yourself back to the basics.  Ultimately, the logic of these games focuses on making deductions between rules, looking for heavily restricted slots or groups, and potentially playing out scenarios when you are stuck at a couple different ways the game could go.  Just make sure to have a spot in your setup to keep track of all the relevant information and that unusual element in the game.  

Final Thoughts

For the week leading up to the test, I would mostly focus on reviewing foundational materials and practicing the basics.  You don’t want to focus on fringe or rare materials you may not even encounter on test day.  You also don’t want to tire yourself out with higher difficulty questions that will represent only a handful of questions in each section.  Focus on going back to the basics and getting some light practice in so you’re fully rested and confident in your approach for test day.  

While this is a stressful time for any LSAT test-taker, you’re on the final stretch (and you’re definitely not alone on the stress front)!  On test day, trust your studies and your instincts, and stay actively engaged with the test and you’ll do great!  If you find that your mind is wandering for any reason, whether it’s stress, anxiety, or frustration at a particularly tough question, I’d recommend taking a few seconds to breathe and reset so you can perform your best on each question.  This test is tough, but if you take it one step at a time and bring yourself back to the task in front of you and use your toolset for tackling questions, it’s doable—the LSAT tends to be pretty formulaic, so trust your process and approach and you should be able to tackle whatever they throw at you! See all our tips on what to do on LSAT testing day!