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We have thoroughly researched and ranked several LSAT books on the market so you don't have to.
In this article, you will discover the best LSAT prep book that's right for you, as you prepare to ace the LSAT exam and get accepted into the law school of your dreams.
LSAT preparation books we recommend
Best Overall: Powerscore Books
Runner Up: LSAT Trainer Book
Best for Self-Study: LSAT Premium Prep 28th Edition by The Princeton Review
How we picked the best LSAT prep books
For us to give a strong rating of each LSAT prep book, we analyzed the pros and cons of the book and based them on the following criteria:
- Cost and affordability: For many aspiring law students, the journey to becoming a lawyer can be a costly one, so we analyze the cost and affordability of each recommended book and use that as one of our factors in determining a rating.
- The comprehensiveness of strategies and tactics: When a book is comprehensive, it allows you to have access to everything you need to know on the LSAT, and this is extremely important because the complexity of the LSAT requires comprehensive material at your fingertips.
- Availability of practice problems: To be a successful test-takers you have to practice consistently, and when studying for the LSAT many test preparers struggle to find relevant practice material. Thus, the availability of practice problems is crucial in putting your skills to the test.
- Structure and flow: Structure and flow are important with any book, especially with the LSAT. We carefully determine whether each book provides a proper flow to prevent confusion to new and advanced test-takers.
- Suitability for all types of learners: We analyze whether the information is easy for people with different learning styles and those who are self-studying rather than relying on a prep course. A good prep book should be easily interpreted by all types of test takers.
Powerscore Books: Our Top Rated LSAT Prep Book
PowerScore books have become one of the top go-to books for many different types of test-takers. The Powerscore Bible Trilogy covers the LSAT's logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and analytical reasoning sections.
The PowerScore brand provides a workbook to supplement the PowerScore Bible Trilogy books. The workbook contains more practice questions and tests to put your skills and comprehension of all the concepts from the Bible Trilogy books to the test.
Pros of the LSAT Powerscore Books
Powerscore provides books on all the sections of the LSAT
Since logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and analytical reasoning sections are the most important, it's best to study them comprehensively. In this case, the PowerScore books cover all the sections. Also, each section flows well for students who are just starting their studies.
For example, for logic games, the book focuses on learning the skills and techniques to attack certain types of questions first, and then later in the book, it will focus on time management skills and understanding how much time you can spend on each question. The inappropriate order does not work because you don't want to work under time constraints too early.
Further, if a question is a fundamental linear question, the book gives ways to get quicker at these types of questions, so you can breeze through them and, in return, save more time for the other questions that may be more complex. Then, the logic games book also moves in chronological order of difficulty.
First, the book shows basic question types and then more complex questions. This chronological order is consistent with PowerScore's reading comprehension and logical reasoning books, too.
This comprehensive and chronological order sectioning makes PowerScore an easy read for test-takers.
Powerscore offers a digital format.
Another great benefit to PowerScore books is that they are offered in digital formats, making them easily accessible when you’re away from your desk.
The digital format is helpful because you can tab certain concepts, leave notes, and highlight certain words and sections. Although many LSAT prep books offer digital formats, many also do not.
If you’re someone who’s working while prepping for the LSAT, it could be beneficial to have easy access.
When books are easily accessible, you can study on your phone, tablet, or laptop in between meetings, in between commuting, and work breaks.
The accessibility issue may not seem important, but it can become significant if you’re crunched for time, and the deadline for your LSAT is approaching.
There are newer editions
One of the benefits of the PowerScore Bible trilogy books is that new additions are constantly being made, and it's essential to have the more recent editions because the LSAT is often changing each year.
Recently, the LSAT has been given as a proctored exam through the LSAT flex, and often the test makers may focus on different types of questions more so than they did in the previous years.
So it's essential to make sure that you are relying on a book that can address these possible new issues that you may spot on test day.
Cons of the LSAT Powerscore Books
More Expensive than other
Powerscore books can be great because they go step-by-step to cover every part of every section. However, PowerScore may not be the best option if you’re on a tight budget, which many aspiring law students are.
To cover all of the LSAT sections (reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and analytical reasoning), you must purchase each PowerScore Bible. Thus, making the price increase.
Also, this may be expensive for some because each PowerScore Bible can cost $25-$75. This price depends on several factors, such as purchasing the book from an Amazon vendor or directly from the PowerScore website.
Other factors may include whether the book is digital, hardcopy, used, or unused.
The reading comprehension and logical reasoning sections concepts overlap.
The reading comprehension and logical reasoning sections tend to have the same strategies and tactics to attack their multiple-choice problems.
Thus, purchasing both logical reasoning and reading comprehension books may be a waste of money because both books provide similar information.
Other LSAT prep books tend to have similar information within each section because the LSAT overall tests similar concepts; however, other books also make clear differential strategies and tactics to reading comprehension and logical reasoning.
So, in this case, you may not want to spend money on PowerScore’s reading comprehension book and go with another book that will provide different tactics to attacking that particular section.
The Powerscore Bibles may only be useful if you're new to studying for the LSAT.
Some test-takers need to ease into learning all of the techniques and strategies to tackle the test questions, so in this case, the PowerScore books are great for students just starting, but once a test taker has become more advanced, they may need to try other books.
The information may seem too general for advanced test takers because PowerScore focuses on the terminology and simple ways to attack each type of question but not get into the minds of the LSAT creators.
Many other books like the LSAT Trainer focus on getting students in the minds of those who wrote the LSAT to help them understand why the wrong answers are the wrong answers and why the correct answers are correct.
These tricks are crucial in moving your score up, and in return, can get you into a higher-ranked law school or being awarded scholarship money.
Pros
Cons
LSAT Trainer Book: Runner Up
The LSAT Trainer has risen to be one of the most popular LSAT prep books.
The LSAT trainer provides a unique way to study by recognizing students who learn well without a tutor or prep course or students who are on a tight budget and need to self-study in order to avoid paying the high price of the prep courses.
Many law students have used the LSAT Trainer in addition to traditional studying methods and it has worked tremendously.
Pros of The LSAT Trainer
Affordable
As many students know, the LSAT studying journey can be pretty expensive, so it’s crucial to seize the opportunity when there are affordable options to study. Compared to other LSAT prep books and prep courses, the LSAT Trainer is far less expensive.
It’s even less costly because many past test-takers sell their used versions, and many students may feel that they do not need to spend tons of extra money on other supplements.
Easy to read
The LSAT Trainer is an easy-to-read text because the information is broken down for all learners. The beginning of the text highlights an overview of the LSAT and what the LSAT is designed to test. This introduction can be beneficial because it helps you frame your approach to studying for the LSAT.
For example, the text shares that one of the LSAT is designed to test reading for reasoning structure. By knowing that you need to know reasoning structure, you can stay focused on developing this skill, which is a skill that is prevalent in solving many of the logical reasoning questions.
The LSAT Trainer covers all sections of the LSAT
Because the book covers all sections of the LSAT, you won’t have to purchase multiple books. This is especially important when thinking about a budget.
Cons of The LSAT Trainer:
The information may be too general
Some students have found that the LSAT trainer is a great introductory book. However, once you have become well acquainted with the LSAT, you may need something to provide more in-depth knowledge.
These may be little tricks to tackle a specific question or understand why you got an answer wrong.
Does not offer full practice tests
Although the LSAT trainer offers a plethora of practice questions, it does not provide complete practice tests. The lack of full practice tests can be detrimental because it’s essential to put your skills to the test by simulating an official LSAT or something as close to an official LSAT.
When you can walk through a full practice test, it shows if you’ve built endurance and if you can handle the time conditioned pressures on the actual test day.
The book is mainly for self-study students
The LSAT Trainer is meant for self-studying students and is well known amongst test takers because the author, Mike Kim, has marketed the book as the “remarkable self-study guide for the self-driven student.”
Thus, this may not be beneficial for students who still need in-class, in-person, or one-on-one tutoring, which happens to be the case for many students.
Furthermore, this book may be ineffective if you are one of those students who cannot strictly self-study.
Pros
Cons
LSAT Premium Prep 28th Edition by The Princeton Review - The Least Recognized, but Very Useful LSAT Prep Book
The LSAT Premium Prep 28th Edition by The Princeton Review is a great book for self-studiers, those using a prep course, or those with a tutor. This is because it covers everything including logical reasoning, analytical reasoning, reading comprehension, and writing.
The examples in this book are step-by-step and use real, previously administered LSAT problems. With all of the information in one place, it can make it easy for a test taker to excel.
Pros of LSAT Premium Prep 28th Edition by The Princeton Review
Provides Comprehensive Study Materials
When using a prep book to study for the LSAT, it’s essential to make sure that it covers all of the sections of the LSAT. Luckily, this prep book provides study information for all the sections of the LSAT.
It offers unique study strategies and tactics to tackle logical reasoning, analytical reasoning, and logic game questions. The comprehensiveness is provided in many prep books, but some prep books only provide one LSAT section per book.
Uses real LSAT questions
Some books have notoriously been known to create their own LSAT questions. Although creating their LSAT questions can be helpful, they will not be as beneficial as relying on the actual LSAT questions that the test makers have made.
LSAT Premium Prep 28th Edition by The Princeton Review provides real LSAT questions from the previous tests. Thus, it’s not as beneficial to review questions that have been made up by people who aren’t the actual test creators, and relying on a book that provides true LSAT practice questions can be very beneficial.
Provides three complete practice tests
Another benefit of purchasing this book is that it provides three complete practice tests. Having access to full practice tests is important because you want to ensure that you put your skills to the test.
Many students find it challenging to find practice tests or see similar practice problems towards the end of their studies. Because LSAT Premium Prep 28th Edition by The Princeton Review offers three complete practice tests, it saves students time and effort in looking for practice tests.
Cons of LSAT Premium Prep 28th Edition by The Princeton Review
The book may need to be accompanied by an in-person course.
Princeton Review has been around for many years, and they are most notable for their in-person prep courses. Many people may find that their in-person courses may be better than their books, or they may feel the need to supplement an actual prep course with books.
So, if you’re someone who struggles with self-studying, this book may still require you to use an in-person course or even a tutor.
You may have to access practice problems online
Some students have shared in online reviews that they don’t prefer using this book to practice for the LSAT because they must download software.
The software is what gives test takers access to the practice problems. You may find this frustrating if you are a student who likes to read, learn and study information via hard copy.
Each section of the LSAT may not be covered effectively
Like many other comprehensive LSAT prep books, the LSAT Premium Prep 28th Edition by The Princeton Review may have better logic games information. Some online reviewers have shared that the logic game section may be better than their reading comprehension section.
You may have to access practice problems online
Further, some other online reviewers have found that their strategies may be great, but their practice questions and explanations may not be satisfactory to what they need. Thus, this book may need to be accompanied by other test prep materials.
Pros
Cons
Other good LSAT prep books
We mentioned some of the top three LSAT prep books out there, but we also wanted to share LSAT prep books that can be just as useful in excelling on the actual LSAT.
Kaplan LSAT Prep Books
Kaplan test prep books have been around for a long time, building credibility and being a trusted source when studying for the LSAT. Further, the Kaplan books are outstanding because they frequently create newer editions.
Although the book is very dense, everything you need for the LSAT is mentioned, which provides you assurance. It’s full of practice tests, explanations, an overview of each question, strategies to tackle those questions, and drills.
With all of this in one book, you won’t have to shop around and find more books–although purchasing other books in conjunction can be helpful.
Mometrix LSAT Prep Book
We've mentioned many books based on popularity, but the Mometrix LSAT Prep Book is a best-kept secret by many test-takers. One of the book's best features is that it provides in-depth tricks and ways of understanding why you are supposed to attack a question a certain way.
This is beneficial in further understanding why you must take a certain approach to answer. For example, logic games sometimes need to be set up a certain way. This is because on test day you want to be quick and have an organized setup, so you can quickly answer the questions that derive from that game setup.
If a test-taker didn’t know why this is essential, they may organize their logic game setup poorly and miss out on certain things especially under time constraints.
Also, this book can be helpful for more advanced test preparers because they may need to hone in on specific approaches and methods to attacking questions.
The Official LSAT Preptest Series
Many students struggle with succeeding under the timed pressures, so it’s crucial to get down the questions slowly and then move towards a fast approach. Luckily, the Official LSAT Preptest series provides practice questions to help you execute and attack questions quickly and efficiently.
This book series may be best for students who have gotten an overview of the LSAT and understand the subjects well but now want to put their skills to the test.
Thus, because of the multiple practice questions and explanations, a student can expect to improve on their timeliness.
Final Thoughts
While the LSAT prep can be an overwhelming journey, studying with the right LSAT prep resource can make that easier.
If you're looking to seriously level up on your LSAT prep, we recommend you invest in an LSAT prep course or in private LSAT tutoring.
Check out our honest review of the best LSAT prep courses on the market, some of which offer score improvement guarantees or your money back.
