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Reviewed: 2/16/24
The first step of your LSAT test prep should be taking a diagnostic test to assess your baseline abilities. To learn more about the LSAT diagnostic test, read on.
Creating the perfect LSAT study schedule can be extremely overwhelming! With the slew of prep courses, textbooks, guides, and mock exams you’ll encounter at the start of your LSAT journey, knowing where to begin can be the biggest challenge.
Luckily, there’s an easy way to begin your LSAT prep to gain the right insight to create the best study schedule to succeed – a diagnostic test!
If you’re wondering what an LSAT diagnostic test is, it’s simple! It’s a preliminary mock LSAT exam that you take before even looking at your first LSAT question. It gauges your base-level abilities so you can assess your strengths and weaknesses.
To learn more about the purpose of this diagnostic test and which one to use, read on!
An LSAT diagnostic test is essentially a practice test designed to help aspiring law school students assess their initial readiness for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
The LSAT is a standardized exam widely used in the United States and Canada for law school admissions. It evaluates skills like reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and critical thinking, all of which are crucial for success in law school.
The LSAT diagnostic test usually consists of questions and passages that closely resemble those found on the actual LSAT. Its purpose is to provide test-takers with insights into their strengths and weaknesses in the two LSAT sections, Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension.
By taking a diagnostic test early in your LSAT preparation, you can pinpoint areas that require improvement and devise a personalized study plan tailored to your needs.
Many LSAT preparation providers offer free or affordable diagnostic tests that can be taken online or in a simulated test environment. Once you have your diagnostic test results, you can use them as a starting point to create a study schedule and determine which specific LSAT areas need the most attention in your preparation.
Regardless of which diagnostic test you take, it’s important to keep these tips in mind:
It’s best to take a timed test to get an accurate base score before you begin studying. Doing an untimed test gives you an advantage you won’t have during test day!
If you feel like taking a full-timed test will be too draining to give you accurate results, you can take each timed section on its own with breaks in between. You’ll still be answering the same questions under the same time restrictions but will have more time to reset between sections.
While you’ll most likely skip a few questions on your LSAT diagnostic test, do your best to actually solve the questions before moving on. By trying to answer the questions, you’re already building your own problem-solving methods that you can then build on during your studies!
When you take the test, ensure you keep a mental or physical note of which sections and questions you found the most challenging and which ones were the easiest. Chances are, you’ll have a strong section and a weak one, which will allow you to create a more informed study schedule.
Even if you get a 135 on your diagnostic, that’s completely fine! You shouldn’t expect yourself to score high on your first LSAT because you’ve likely never encountered these questions before.
Don’t let your score discourage you or define your potential. The diagnostic is only a tool to help you understand what level of improvement you need. With practice and persistence, you can drastically increase your LSAT score!
Using your diagnostic LSAT test score, figure out how far you are from your target LSAT score. If you’re only a few points off, you likely won’t have to spend as much time studying for the LSAT as you would if you were 15 or more points off.
There are several options you can choose from when deciding which diagnostic test to take. For your diagnostic, you should only trust reputable websites that can provide real past LSAT tests for you to use as your diagnostic. Ensure you can also receive your score and the correct answers after completing your test.
Some of our favorite diagnostic tests to take are the ones provided by LSAC, the administrators of the LSAT. If you have an LSAC account, you can access several free, timed practice exams that you can use as your diagnostic test.
Another excellent resource is Khan Academy. With Khan Academy, you can take a full diagnostic test, receive your score, and be given a general assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. Or, you can take an express diagnostic with several short sections with general recommendations but no actual score.
However, it’s important to note that none of these diagnostic tests can give you highly personalized recommendations and resources specific to your weaknesses and strengths.
But Juris can! The first step Juris takes in LSAT prep is giving you a diagnostic test to create a personalized study schedule based on your results. These LSAT experts know exactly how to boost your scores in each section to give you the results you need to get into your dream law school.
The first step you should take after completing your LSAT diagnostic test is to breathe and pat yourself on the back! You have successfully begun your LSAT prep and are headed in the right direction to get to your target score.
Next, try looking at your score from an improvement standpoint. Don’t fixate on your first score; fixate on getting to your final score!
Analyze your diagnostic test and review the correct answers so you can see where you went wrong. Try to re-do the questions you got incorrect to continue honing your own problem-solving methods.
Lastly, assess your level of need and explore the resources available to you. If your baseline score is way off from your target, you may want to consider working with an LSAT expert to help you get to your score with as little hassle as possible. If you’re close to your target goal, you can begin self-studying and focusing on your weaknesses.
Your diagnostic test should only be the first of several exams you complete during your studies. Customize your subsequent exams! For instance, if you’re struggling with reading comprehension, do two of these sections per practice exam rather than just one.
Taking an LSAT diagnostic test is absolutely worth it! Not only will you begin gaining confidence in completing the LSAT under time restraints, but you’ll also be working smarter, not harder.
By taking a diagnostic test, you can figure out which areas require more improvement and which ones don’t, which will help you create a personalized study schedule that will actually get you to your target score!
A diagnostic test can also keep you motivated, especially when you see yourself moving further away from your original score and closer to your end score!
Let's take a look at some common mistakes and misconceptions related to the LSAT, making it easier for you to prepare effectively.
Use the LSAT diagnostic test as a valuable tool to guide your study plan, focusing on your individual areas of improvement.
Now, let's dive into how you can make the most of your LSAT diagnostic test results as you gear up for LSAT preparation.
Remember, your diagnostic test is like the starting point of a journey. With the right plan and effort, you can bridge the gap between your initial score and your target score. Best of luck with your LSAT prep!
If you have any remaining questions, read on to find your answers.
While it’s possible to reach your target score regardless of how low your diagnostic score is, most students need to improve by 8-12 points.
The median LSAT score of all test-takers over the past three years is 153, so scoring 150 without any studying is a great starting point!
Yes! For lower-ranking schools, students will only have to improve by a few points to be considered competitive. They can meet high-ranking schools’ requirements if they improve by 10 or more points.
Your score doesn’t determine your potential! Like any test, without studying, you’re expected to have a relatively low mark compared to what you’d have after weeks or months of studying.
So, if you get a 140, you should just dedicate more time to studying to ensure you’re able to reach your target score.
You should take a timed diagnostic test to determine the areas you need the most improvement in and to get a better understanding of how long you should give yourself to study.
The LSAT diagnostic test typically mirrors the format of the actual LSAT, which consists of three scored sections and one unscored section, each lasting 35 minutes. There's a 10-minute break between Sections 2 and 3.
To take practice tests under real test-taking conditions, you can purchase a subscription for LawHub Advantage, which is essential for digital testing and online preparation. It's advisable to buy the subscription when you're ready to start your LSAT preparation journey.
Now that you know what an LSAT diagnostic test is, how to use one, and the benefits of using one, you have the correct information and tools to officially begin your LSAT prep—a huge step toward your ultimate goal of becoming an attorney!
Reviewed by:
Former Head of Northeastern University's Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University
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