How many hours should I study for law school exams?

Asked by: Jayne Keebler  |  Last update: November 22, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (43 votes)

All in all, however, law students typically spend around 30 – 40 hours per week studying. That may sound like a lot, but a good rule of thumb is that you should be studying at least two hours for every one hour of class time per week.

What is the hardest year in law school?

Law school is an academic challenge; most students agree the first year (“1L” year) is the most difficult. In part, this is because law school is taught using methods entirely different than the lecture method used in most college classrooms.

How many hours should I study for the LSAT?

Nonetheless, 250 to 300 hours of LSAT preparation over a period of a few months is a good benchmark. Most students who dedicate significantly less time won't maximize their LSAT scores.

How many hours should you study for an exam?

5–6 hours of study before an exam will help the student to revise the topics thoroughly. Take enough rest and eat a healthy diet before exams. Please don't stay up late night to study during exams as it'll reduce your efficiency during exams.

Is 25 too late to start law school?

The pursuit of a law degree has no age limit. Whether you're considering a career change later in life or you've always had a lingering interest in the law but circumstances led you down a different path initially, it's never too late to pursue a law degree.

Become a top 1% student ✨💯 study tips, organization hacks, and motivation to always get straight A's

15 related questions found

Can you finish law school in 2 years?

Accelerated JD programs are designed to expedite the legal education process, allowing students to enter the legal profession more quickly than through traditional pathways. These programs come in various formats, including two-year JD programs and 3+3 JD programs, each catering to different student needs and goals.

What is a good LSAT score?

According to U.S. News, law school admissions experts recommend striving for at least a 150; however, for a top-ranking law school, you should aim for a 160 or better. For a Top 10 law school, a 170 or more is desired. Of course, this all depends on which schools you are applying to.

Is 3 days enough to study for an exam?

“The 3-Day Plan”

Like the 5-day plan, the 3-Day plan has the benefit of giving the student time to fully go over course materials and lecture notes, and also gives them just enough time to reach out to their instructor or peers with questions.

Is 5 hours enough to study for a test?

It really depends on your needs and how tricky the subject is. But as a friendly guideline, consider spending 2-3 hours studying on your own for every hour you spend in class. So, if you have a subject that meets for 3 hours a week, you might want to put in 6-9 hours of study outside of class.

Is studying 2 hours a day enough?

You can study effectively from 30 minutes to six hours per day when you space out learning over a long period and integrate proven learning methods into your study time. Such methods include interleaved learning, retrieval practice, transforming notes into different formats, and self-explanation.

How hard is a 170 LSAT?

The LSAT is scored on a bell curve, ranging from 120 to 180. On recent tests, the hump of the curve has centered around 153. Percentiles vary slightly between tests, but generally around 25% of test-takers score 160 or higher, 5% score 170 or higher, and 1% score 175 or higher. Only one in 1,000 test-takers scores 180.

Does taking the LSAT 3 times look bad?

Additionally, if you take the LSAT more than three times, or if you have a significant difference in scores (typically more than five points), an admissions committee will want to see an addendum explaining why you kept taking the exam, or explaining the reason for the higher score—essentially, to explain why the high ...

Is 2 months enough for LSAT?

If you can dedicate eight hours a day, for a total of 40 hours per week, to your study prep, two months may be enough time to study for the LSAT. However, the minimum recommendation is three months.

Is law school harder than med school?

Each path demands extensive education and a commitment to rigorous training before becoming a qualified professional. Although both law and medical schools present their unique challenges, it's generally accepted that medical school demands a higher level of intense coursework and thorough training.

What type of lawyer makes the most money?

Patent Attorney Salary

Patent attorneys are the highest-paid type of lawyers, with an average salary of $185,351, ranging from $119,88 to $285,530. Various factors contribute to a patent attorney's average salary, including experience, firm, location, and subject matter expertise.

How old are most law students?

What Is The Average Age Of Law Students? The average age of law students is 25 or younger. Only 20% of law students are 30 or older. While only a small percentage of law students are above the age of 40, there have been several successful older graduates.

How many hours a day should I study for my exam?

You will perform better on an exam if you spend one hour studying each day for 20 days than if you spend 10 hours studying each day for two days before the test. It is easier to learn to shoot a 3-pointer better if you practice a little bit each day for a month rather than have one marathon session in an afternoon.

Is 5 hours of sleep enough for a student?

According to the Sleep Health Foundation, it's recommended that young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 get 7-9 hours of sleep a night. This means that less than 6 hours and more than 11 hours isn't a healthy amount of sleep. Kaitlin Gallo, Ph.

Is coffee before an exam bad?

So is caffeine before an exam a good or bad idea? The bottom line with coffee and test-taking seems to dovetail with advice doctors give about caffeine in general: Too much of a good thing is bad for you. So just have 200 mg in the morning and another 200 mg 4 hours later, which you can time around your exams.

Is 3 hours too long to study?

The general rule of thumb regarding college studying is, that for each class, students should spend approximately 2-3 hours of study time for each hour that they spend in class. Non-science courses: For every 1 unit you are enrolled, you are recommended to spend approximately two hours outside of class studying.

How long before an exam should you stop studying?

I recommend stopping studying 12-18 hours before the exam, depending on the test. This will give you ample time to relax and decompress, ensuring that you come into the exam fresh and ready to crush it.

How to cram for an exam?

Identify key topics
  1. Identify major themes, sub-topics, examples and major illustrations.
  2. Write down key ideas on a sheet of paper.
  3. Try memorizing the main ideas.
  4. Use every trick you can: word association, rhymes, creating lists and mnemonics.

What was Obama's LSAT score?

The easiest to predict, by far, is Barack Obama's score, mostly because we have some data. Based on admissions records, we can deduce — somewhat reliably — that Barry-O scored between the 94th and 98th percentile on his LSAT. Using today's grading system, that would place him somewhere around a 170.

How rare is a 175 LSAT?

For a top five law school, an LSAT score of 175 and above increases your chances of being admitted and being awarded a full scholarship by the school. Such a score also puts you in the 99th percentile of LSAT takers, making you a rare and highly coveted law school candidate.

Will a 180 LSAT get you in anywhere?

LSAT takers can score anywhere from 120 to 180. With that big of a range, what kind of score should you aim for? Realistically, you should try to get a score of at least 150. That's the score that will get you into any accredited law school.