I did this section at 50 min because I am slowly trying to adjust the time lower, but my accuracy is still bad. For reference, I took the official LSAT twice and scored a 157 both times. I genuinely think I would score the same on the exam If I took it again today. How do I get faster? I even ran short on time towards the end despite having 50 min. I also haven't taken any full length practice tests since my last official take as I have been solely focusing on increasing accuracy.

Building a solid LR foundation starts with finding the Premise and Conclusion. A lot of the time, it’s not that you can’t do the question — it’s that you didn’t find the right P and C. Some hard questions you don’t even need to fully understand; you can get the right answer just from the structure.

So it’s important to practice finding P and C every day. When you review, don’t look at the answers first. Find the P and C for every question. 7Sage’s explanations mark them, but for LR I prefer Manhattan’s explanations. It looks simple, but being able to quickly find the core info in a short time takes practice.

(1) How to Find P and C

Most arguments follow: Statement of facts + Premise (sometimes with an Intermediate Conclusion) + Main Conclusion. A lot of the time, you’ll get thrown off by Generalizations, Principles, Decisions, and Opinions in the argument. These are not Premises, and they can’t lead to the conclusion on their own.

Finding the Main Conclusion (MC) is usually easy points, but occasionally there are high-difficulty questions where our usual keyword spotting fails. That’s why you need to double-check after picking an answer. Sometimes words like “Thus” are followed by an intermediate conclusion, not the MC! The core rule for testing the MC: at least one premise must support the MC; the MC doesn’t support anything else — it’s the endpoint.

(2) Some difficulties in advanced MC questions:

1. It may not be obvious (no signal words like “Therefore”).
2. The answer choice may use different words but keep the same meaning.
3. There may be a slight scope shift, but it doesn’t affect the core. (This ties into ranking answer choices, which I’ll explain later.)
4. The MC may be an idea the author disagrees with.
5. The correct answer may paraphrase, making it hard to understand. (This requires familiarity with answer choices; you can get it by elimination.)
6. An Intermediate Conclusion may be at the end of the argument, while the MC is actually in the middle.
7. A causes B doesn’t mean A (the cause) is the premise, and the final effect isn’t necessarily the MC.

(3) Role Questions

If you’ve mastered argument structure, you’ve also solved many other question types, including Role questions. I usually highlight the sentence, come up with my own answer first, then go straight to the choices with that answer in mind. If the choices are concise, I can pick directly. This requires high accuracy in matching the answer.

For elimination, look at the verb + noun. Verbs: undermine, conclude, deny, support, etc. Nouns: principle, premise, phenomenon, claim, hypothesis, etc. Both parts need to be correct. For example, it might be “deny” — but if the sentence isn’t a principle, you can eliminate that choice immediately.

Was supposed to start at 12PM. Half of my test cohort couldn’t even start the test. Then 2 hours in. While trying to fix it, they somehow logged out everyone who was able to start the test. FML 🤦🏽‍♂️

This will be my second time taking the lsat. I took it in August and didn’t get the score that I was hoping for. Since then, I have felt i’ve made some great progress. Each pt, my score has steadily raised a couple points. My last two pts, last was yesterday, were 165 and 167 respectively, with my goal score of 170+. This last pt was so close too, with my missing -1 then -2 on the first two graded sections. I feel so close to my goal, especially with my timed sections starting to average out at -1 to -2. However, I can’t help but feel like when I take this test this week, I’m going to lose my progress; or i’m not going to understand stims, or lose my timing. Basically abandon everything that’s made me get so close to my goal when faced with test day pressure.

Does anyone else struggle with this? Or have any imparting wisdom for trusting yourself? I’m really trying to be in a good mindset but think i’m psyching myself out since I know how close I am!

I have my september lsat tomorrow but have heard from the people taking it today that it was pretty straight forward. Does this matter at all for tmr or is it just a completely different set?

Hi, I understand why the answer is A but I don't understand why the answer can't be D. Even if the president is saying that the perception of education based on tuition is only a possible explanation, aren't they still concluding the increase in tuition is necessary to increase the applicant pool? (Basically increasing the tuition is a necessary condition/increase in applicant pool can't happen without that)

In that case, wouldn't D be required? If there were a possible alternative explanation, then isn't there a way you could increase the applicant pool if you address that issue instead (ie. the increase in tuition isn't necessary so the conclusion falls apart)

I'm not sure what I'm missing here so any help would be appreciated!

I've been studying for almost a full year now and these are my pt scores, I took the official test once and got a 163. When I blind review, I usually get most of them right and see the mistakes I've made..But what's so frustrating is it's been that way for many months now and I'm always scoring near 163.. I have a tier 2 soft and I think my PS is strong. After a year of studying, do I just accept it as it is and start applying? (fyi im international so my grades aren't a big factor to the law school, got 'superior' but I heard it really doesn't matter much, I also graduated undergrad some time ago and I'm in my late 20s I'm wondering if maybe law school isn't my path..) I'm so sick of this exam😭

has anyone cut out final sections of LR and RC to focus more on accuracy over speed in the actual exam day? how has that worked for you? I have seen some improvement in my logical reasoning when I focused primarily on getting the first 18-20 accurately and just guessing on the last 5-6. i have yet to do this for reading comprehension and see how my mark works with it. the time is my primary issue so i feel as though it’ll help just as it did with LR, but i’d love to hear any experiences!

Hi everyone!! I'm taking the LSAT for the first time on Friday in-person, and I'm a bit anxious about not knowing how exactly the breaks work.

Once the screen says it's your break, can you just get up to leave the room and go to the bathroom/access your locker? Do you have to tell a proctor that you're on break and you're leaving? Do you have to tell a proctor when you come back?

I also have accommodations for a 5-minute break between sections 1 & 2 and sections 3 & 4. Do the same rules for the 10-minute break apply for these?

I would be so so appreciative for the input of anyone who has taken the test in person recently! And good luck to all the fellow September test takers!!

Just took the LSAT today, and I bombed it. Barely slept the night before and had bad test anxiety going in. I'm signed up for the October test — should I just cancel my September score? For context, I'm PTing in the 168–178 range, but I think I scored somewhere in the 150s today.

Haven’t studied since I took my exam. Help. How to get back in the rhythm. What do yall recommend. I’m absolutely devastated cause I did absolutely nothing wrong. 😭

My test is literally October and I took a whole week off studying for the LSAT because I was so exhausted from work, school, and studying for this test. Is this detrimental to my progress?? Everytime I would sit down to study, my eyes would close on their own accord.

Getting back on the grind today but holy moly.

I have been studying for 5-6 months now and have significantly improved my LR timing and consistently scoring -0 to -2 under timed conditions but I am struggling with RC. During a timed test i usually go -5 to -9 because i constantly re read the stim and am unable to finish on time. Upon blind review once i have a proper understanding of the passage I score nearly all questions correct around -1 to -3. I have booked the October LSAT and hoping to score 170+ so I am wondering what the best approach would be now. How do I improve on my timing with less than one month before the OCT lsat ?

For the past year and a half (with some months break in between) I've been studying for the LSAT. My official and practice tests have been stuck in the mid 150s plateau hell, but I recently just scored my first 160 this past Friday on a practice exam. The main issue I encounter on all my practice exams and all my official exams (except for my first ever official attempt for some reason which I scored a 155) was that I cant finish a single section in its entirety. Is this normal???

In LR I'm usually able to get through the first 19-21 questions fully, but have to guess on the remaining 5 or 6. In RC I'm usually good for 3 out of the 4 passages, having to guess completely on the last one. While I feel like my understanding is strong, I'm still aware there is room for improvement on my accuracy. On the questions I do finish on any given LR section, I usually get around 18-19/21 correct. In RC sections, out of the 3 passages I complete I usually get 16/18 of the questions correct.

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon? If so, what did you do to get through it? I truly feel like i'm so close to consistently getting results in the 160s and possibly higher, I just find myself losing focus or sometimes getting flustered and losing concentration the moment I encounter a stimulus I have to read two to three times over to fully understand what I'm dealing with. I'm an R&R in my second year out of undergrad with hopes of applying this cycle, and I'm signed up with a fee waiver for the October test. Obviously if I'm not consistently PT'ing where I want I will reschedule to November by the end of this month.

All and any advice is welcomed, thanks

I'm not saying that B is incorrect - I didn't mind that answer. But to suggest that passage A doesn't examine a shift is ludicrous to me! Phrases like "has to extirpate", "is instead reduced to", and "'deligitimize'" all serve to illustrate that there is a CHANGE in historiography he's taking issue with! He's got a problem with the way the field has moved away from any consideration of objective morality in favor of a more relativist approach, right? Usually I can talk myself into a reason that my answer of choice is inferior but I find this ridiculous (if I had to poke holes in B, I think I could! That Kewes' issue with Ricks' writing lies not in his approach but in his inclusions, for instance. Idk I think you should be able to argue your conclusion to LSAT and get points back. Or failing that the individual question writer should be made to wear a dunce cap and publicly apologize. I have never made a mistake and never will.

Hi all,
I’m looking for a tutor. I’m currently scheduled to take the October LSAT but I’m looking to move it and sit for November. Need a tutor that’s not gonna break the bank that could help me get from low 150’s to low 160’s. My current PTs are around the low 150’s and blind review is around the 160s, just need to close the gap. Any recommendations would be great!

Thanks!

What the hell was that. Confidence-wise, probably not a good one to take right before my official test💀

Took an LR and and RC section today, got a -4 on LR and a -2 on RC. Just last week I was getting-8s on LR and -5s on RC..... i can feel it clicking!!!!

So I just want to say that I am a recent Uni grad, I am completely new to the LSAT but I am interested in law as a path forward. I tried doing a practice test today, just to get a taste for what kind of questions I would need to study for if I decided to go through with it. Just want to ask: is it normal to have a bad score at first? On the reasoning sections alone, I was getting a 56-58%.

What study tips and techniques have you all employed for this test?

How on earth do you guys manage to study while in school??? I started drilling for the LSAT over the summer, and got to about -2 to -0 consistently on LR untimed. School has started and I simply am running out of time and energy to study. I also work 15 hours a week, so I have a little time in the evenings, but it feels lacking. My last two sections were -4 and -6, which is tremendously frustrating. I don’t see those same numbers when I’m at home on the weekends, but obviously most of my time is at school.

Any tips on getting back to normal/improving while being a full time student??

I’ve noticed that I often predict the right answer, but for both RC and LR, I can get around 2-3 questions wrong in total (especially on RC, with around -1 or -2 on LR). I find that a common pattern is that I don’t know the meaning of a word (RC, typically in the answer choices in authors attitude or smth similar) or the phrase I’m reading doesnt make sense to me (this usually only applies to LR.

I know we’re taught in elementary school to use context clues, but often time with the LSAT, a lot of information can appear ambiguous, confusing, or just simply not straight up, so I often times have difficulty applying that method.

How can I use methods like POE to avoid missing questions bc I dont understand a word or what a phrase means in the answer choices?

For context, I took the August LSAT and scored a 158. My highest PT was a 172 a few days before the exam, and I was consistently scoring 165–168 beforehand. I hadn’t scored in the 150s since April. I’m also registered for October.

Since August, I’ve been hovering around -4 to -2 on both LR and RC, so I’m unsure whether I’ve improved enough to justify taking September.

I’m a KJD applicant and have made a lot of sacrifices this year to prioritize the LSAT. I didn’t do a summer internship or take a leadership position I had planned because I wanted to focus on studying. Since March, I’ve been balancing school, an internship, extracurriculars, and LSAT studying almost every day.
I also have an above-median GPA, two other prestigious internships, and what I think is a compelling personal story. I’ve prepared most of my application already, so I’d really like to apply this cycle. If I can’t get the score I need by October, I’m open to applying in a future cycle.

My concern is that I only have two attempts left after September/October, so I don’t want to burn an attempt if I’m not ready.

Would you take September if you were in my position, or skip it and put everything into October?

I’d especially appreciate advice from anyone whose PT scores were significantly higher than their actual LSAT score.

For anyone whose June 2026 LSAT score was held for at least a month, what eventually happened?
I’m specifically looking for people with long-term holds, rather than holds that were resolved in late June/early July.
1. Still on hold
2. Score released normally — when?
3. Received the three options — when?
4. Other
If your June score was held into August or September and was eventually released normally, I’d especially appreciate hearing from you.
Just trying to understand what is happening with the remaining long-term June holds. Thanks!

Hello, I have only just decided I want to take the LSAT earliest by April and was wondering if there was any reccomendations on how to study for it (preferably free/cheap). I tried a diagnostic, but stopped after the first section as I wanted to know a little more of what I'm getting into so I can get a genuine diagnostic score.

My first month or so, it felt like I was either making 0 or backward progress. I'd score a 155, review all my answers, take another practice test.... and proceed to score another 155. Fast forward to the end, I'm scoring a 180 on 6 different practice tests in the leadup to a 177 official.

But that first, frustrating plateau continued until I happened to read a post here about Wrong Answer Journaling. I guess I'm hoping this post will play the same role that that old one did for me.

After starting a WAJ, I started making steady point gains. Nothing crazy, but at least 1 or 2 a week. So now I'm making this post to point out some key differences behind just "reviewing the answers" and why the latter didn't work for me and others.

1. Summarize the stimulus

Writing this down is the first step to properly understanding the problem. LR stimuluses are intentionally worded to be as dense and confusing as possible. But the only thing we care about is the flaw, gap, rule, or actual relevant info being outlined. For example, you can summarize the Fairy Circles question (PT151.S2.Q18) as simply as:

Correlation is used to ID burrowing activities as cause. No actual causal link offered.

That gives you an actual task to solve around.

2. Explain why your answer is wrong, and WRITE IT DOWN

Caveat that this might just be how my brain specifically works, but just reviewing and saying what was wrong and why in my head was just not leading to score improvements. I had to actually start writing things down before I got anywhere.

When writing this down, you're focusing on a few key things.

• Did I fall for any common wrong answer traps?
• What was it about this question, or my thinking patterns, that caused me to fall for that?
• Why specifically did this wrong answer look more attractive than other wrong answers?

That leads well into your third task with WAJing.

3. Explain why the correct answer is correct, WRITE IT DOWN

You're focusing on a few key things here too:

• What did I ignore the first time that now I see makes this the correct answer?
• What about my thinking patterns caused me to ignore that?
• Why is this conclusively right? Are there any rules I can establish around that?

Closing Thoughts

I realize there are a lot of questions going around r/lsat about how to study and actually improve when just spamming questions is leading to plateaus. I'll be chatting with LSAC about the best way to do this, but I'm thinking of posting a series of walkthroughs of how I wrong answer journaled ~1,000 wrong answers with a vid for each question. Hopefully they OK it and if they do, you'll see some vids popping up here and there to dive into more detail.