Timing Your LSAT Course: Now or Later?

When choosing the right LSAT course for you, you may wonder if you should start your course early or wait so that you finish the course material closer to test day. We typically see students utilize our course material in the 3-4 month range on average, but there is no perfect answer since everyone's prep circumstances are different. There are pros and cons to starting a course early versus later, so let’s look into them.

Starting Well Before Your Test Date

PROs

If your target score range is way above where you’re currently scoring, taking an earlier course might be your best bet. Early courses are particularly advantageous if you don’t think you can complete all your homework while also taking additional practice tests in the course of your study. In our courses, we direct you to take a minimum of 4 practice tests to gauge your progress throughout the course. But, that’s the minimum. Our students have access to 90+ real LSATs to practice with! If the thought of all those tests plus the homework is too much work when bundling it with your home/employment obligations, start your course as early as possible. You also have some wiggle room to decide whether or not you need a tutor while you’re studying. It’s easier to find and start tutoring if you don’t have a test swiftly approaching. Bonus! Our course students receive a 20% discount on all tutoring packages and hourly rates!

CONs

The downside to taking a course that ends weeks (or months) before the actual test is obvious. You may forget the material by the time you need to take the test. However, this is easily avoidable if you make a study schedule and stick to it. 2-3 practice tests/week + thorough review seems to do the trick. As a PowerScore student, your course access operates on a monthly subscription method, so you can take advantage of all that it has to offer for as long as you need.

Starting Closer to Your Test Date

PROs

Taking a later course offers you the obvious benefit of having the material “fresh” in your memory. This is best for students who can only devote a short window of time to LSAT prep. Starting later also gives you the opportunity to study on your own before classes begin. Although our LSAT courses are designed for students that have no prior experience with the test, studying beforehand can help if approached correctly. If done right, your homework won’t take as long because you’ll be familiar with at least some of the conceptual material it covers and you’ll feel more confident during the lessons. This gives you more time to figure out where your weaknesses lie. 

CONs

If you do decide to take a later course and self-study first, beware. It’s absolutely imperative to avoid learning poor techniques or inefficient approaches. If you pick up bad habits, you will need to unlearn them once your lessons begin. Needless to say, this can do more harm than good. It’s an avoidable mistake so long as you stay within the PowerScore LSAT “ecosystem,” aka the LSAT Bibles and corresponding workbooks. These materials present the same approach to the test and its various sections as your course. So, by the time you start your class, there will be no conflict between what you learn on your own and what you’ll learn in class. In fact, the Bibles provide an in-depth look at our methodology and are particularly helpful as a starting point.

It’s Your Journey

When all is said and done, whether you take an early or a late course is a personal decision. Sometimes you don’t even have a say in the matter. Regardless of which path you choose, it’s crucial to start prepping as soon as possible after you decide to take the LSAT. You can do that by starting a course early, or by studying on your own. You simply have no way of predicting how long it will take you to reach your target! It may be one month or four or more. The sooner you start, the better your chances of beating the odds.