How Hard Is the LSAT?

How Hard Is the LSAT?

The short answer? It’s easier than you think—if you approach it the right way.

The LSAT is not inherently difficult. It's a test of reading comprehension and logical reasoning, plain and simple. In the end, it all comes down to how carefully you read.

What makes students worry about the difficulty of the LSAT? In most cases, it boils down to mindset and approach. The LSAT’s scored on a 120 to 180 scale, and it consists of three scored sections of 25 to 28 questions per section and one experimental section which is not scored. You can score well into the 90th percentile and even the 95th percentile without finishing any of the sections.

However, a lot of students jump into LSAT prep thinking they have to race through questions to finish every section. And if you’re thinking you must finish each section, then you're going to compromise your understanding. You are hurting the most important key to your success, and that is understanding what you’re reading.

As Nathan sometimes puts it, “You’re biting off more than you can chew.” On the LSAT, rushing through questions without fully understanding the passage will only hurt your score.

If you're aiming to crush the LSAT, you must reframe how you approach the test. It's not about getting through all the questions. It's about deeply understanding the ones you attempt.

Speed Kills on the LSAT

Instead of worrying about how hard the LSAT is, remind yourself that you don’t need to finish the sections to score in the 90th or even 95th percentile. That might sound shocking if you're used to standardized tests where speed is the ultimate goal, but the LSAT is a different beast. Understanding is everything.

Let’s be clear: every LSAT question is testing whether you comprehended what you just read. If you're skimming in a panic to hit question 25 before the timer runs out, you're missing the point.

This is one reason why many students panic during their LSAT practice tests. They assume they’re not “doing it right” if they don’t finish. But here's the truth: rushing doesn’t pay. Most test-takers who prioritize speed end up getting lower scores because they don’t understand the questions, let alone the right answers.

Understanding Matters Most on the LSAT

Forget about cramming multiple LSAT practice tests into your week. If you’re still wondering how hard LSAT prep has to be, start with one question a day and do your best to understand it. That is the only thing you need to worry about.

If you get it wrong, that's no problem. Take the time to try to figure out why. Analyze your mistakes and ask yourself what was wrong with your understanding of the passage and what was wrong with your understanding of the question, or the answer that you chose. Figure out what part of the passage tripped you up. We cover this and more effective learning strategies in our Ultimate LSAT Study Plan.

If you fully understand why the right answer is right and why the wrong answers are wrong, then you have permission to go to the next question. This one-question-at-a-time approach might feel slow, but it's the fastest way to improve. Ironically, it’s much more efficient than doing full practice tests over and over without reviewing your mistakes.

Students who take full LSAT practice tests every other day often fall into a trap: they get excited by a temporary score boost or panicked by a drop, without ever learning what they got wrong along the way. That’s like pulling a slot machine lever and hoping for a different outcome each time.

Every missed question presents two learning opportunities: Why did I pick the wrong answer? And why didn't I pick the correct answer? Therefore, the real answer to how hard the LSAT is depends on one key factor: comprehension.

What's the Best Approach? 

The tools you choose for LSAT prep matter. Use LSAT Demon to your full advantage: drilling individual questions, watching video explanations, reading written explanations, and using the “Ask” button for individualized help from our team. Whether you're working through a tricky logical reasoning question or digging into a dense reading comprehension passage, there's always help available.

And if you're looking for a practice test for the LSAT—or several—be intentional. Don't just grind through multiple LSAT practice tests. Make sure you're reviewing your mistakes and learning from them each time. You learn the most not by completing LSAT practice tests, but by deeply reviewing each of your mistakes.

In-Person vs. Online LSAT Prep Courses

There is a clear winner here.

Online classes have changed everything. In the past, a three-hour, in-person LSAT prep course might’ve had only two hours of meaningful learning time, thanks to people walking in late, bathroom breaks, or distractions from food runs. Now, with tools like Zoom, classes are shorter, more focused, and more flexible.

Students can attend live online classes on their lunch break. They can take a practice test while their kid naps. They can join a one-hour focused review session instead of dragging themselves through a late-night three-hour class after work.

One hour per day is enough to make progress on the LSAT, if you invest each hour wisely. Quality prep—not quantity—determines how hard the LSAT feels on test day.

Still Unsure?

If you're still feeling unsure about how hard the LSAT is—or your ability to master it—start with the free resources on LSAT Demon. Set up a free account, try out some of our tools, and see for yourself that the LSAT doesn’t have to be difficult.

The best LSAT prep focuses on understanding one question at a time. Whether you’re working through LSAT practice tests, drilling individual questions, or reviewing your mistakes, that laser-focused approach will help you progress faster than any cram-heavy study plan.

Is the LSAT Hard?

Nope. We believe that the LSAT is easy.

What really matters is comprehension, not speed. You don’t need to finish every section to do well. You don’t need to overload on practice tests. And you don’t need to study for hours a day. Just slow down and understand the passage in front of you.

With the right approach, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you improve.

Got a question? Send an email to daily@lsatdemon.com and maybe you’ll hear your question covered in a future episode.