Looking to get into your dream law school? Admission starts with selecting the right study resources and acing the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
In this Best LSAT Prep Books article, we’ll walk you through our top five handpicked choices, as well as provide a detailed look at the advantages and disadvantages of each one so you can select the best fit for your specific needs.
Recommended: Interested in getting started? We recommend Kaplan’s LSAT preparation courses, which come with over 200 quizzes and practice tests, one-on-one tutoring, and interactive online lessons.
The Five Best LSAT Prep Books
In the table below, you’ll find a brief overview of the key advantages of each of our top picks when it comes to LSAT prep books.
Best LSAT Prep Books | Top Features |
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Kaplan LSAT Prep Plus 4.8/5 | Best Overall Book
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The Official LSAT SuperPrep 4.4/5 | Best for Supplementary Material
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The LSAT Trainer 4.1/5 |
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The PowerScore LSAT Bible Trilogy 3.8/5 |
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10 Actual, Official LSAT PrepTests Volume VI 3.6/5 |
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1. Kaplan LSAT Prep Plus: Best Overall Choice
When it comes to preparing for this challenging exam, Kaplan’s LSAT Prep Plus book is our top choice. This detailed and comprehensive resource is the perfect option for beginners looking to ace this exam.
Written by experts, it contains the essential information and test-taking strategies you’ll need to succeed in the LSAT — all in one place at a budget-friendly price.
Kaplan LSAT Prep Plus Pros
- Expert Guidance and Strategies: This book contains valuable guidance and strategies written by experts who specialize in the LSAT to help you refine your test-taking skills and score higher on the exam
- Official LSAT Practice Exam: It also includes official LSAT practice questions and a full-length practice exam from the LSAC — maker of the LSAT. These authentic exam materials allow you to simulate real test conditions, ensuring you’re comfortable and confident with the LSAT format by the day of your exam
- Detailed Explanations: In order to help you understand what examiners seek in your answers, this book contains detailed explanations for the reasoning behind the correct and incorrect responses to hundreds of official LSAT questions
- Proven Success: Kaplan’s long history of helping students achieve their goals makes this study resource a trusted choice for LSAT preparation. Kaplan even claims that its courses have helped more students get into law school than with any other major test prep company
- Money-Back Guarantee: Kaplan is so confident its book contains everything you’ll need to excel in the LSAT that it backs it up with a money-back guarantee. You may claim a refund if you study with the book and online resources, but don’t improve your LSAT score
Kaplan LSAT Prep Plus Cons
- Designed for Self-Study: Students looking for a more interactive or guided learning environment may be disappointed with this book because it primarily caters to those who prefer self-directed study
- Beginner-Centric Focus: If you already possess a solid foundation and aren’t new to LSAT preparation, this book may come across as excessively lengthy and repetitive
Final Overview
The Kaplan LSAT Prep Plus book is the best all-in-one resource for LSAT candidates seeking comprehensive guidance.
While it may not be the best fit for those who prefer a highly interactive or guided learning environment, it excels in providing an extensive array of resources for self-directed study. In fact, one of its main strengths lies in the wealth of content it offers that ensures students have access to detailed explanations, test-taking strategies, and official LSAT practice questions.
This book isn’t for everyone, though, because it may seem excessively long to more experienced candidates. In such cases, opting for a more concise LSAT prep book from the other suggestions below, which focus on practice tests (and their explanations), could be a more appropriate choice.
Recommended Book
Interested in getting started? We recommend Kaplan’s LSAT Prep Plus book, which contains step-by-step guidance for handling all question types as well as full-length practice tests to check your progress.
2. The Official LSAT SuperPrep: Best for Supplementary Material
The Official LSAT SuperPrep book offers a treasure trove of valuable tools to help sharpen your LSAT skills. Specifically, it includes three complete prep tests with detailed explanations and a look into the most common wrong answer choices along with tips on how to avoid them.
Written by the LSAC, the organization that administers the LSAT, this book is one of the most authoritative resources you can use when preparing for your exam.
The Official LSAT SuperPrep Pros
- Authentic LSAT Practice Tests: This book offers three complete LSAT practice tests that closely mimic the actual exam. These tests provide a realistic and authentic testing experience, allowing you to gauge your readiness and build the confidence necessary to excel on your test day
- Comprehensive Explanations: The LSAC provides detailed explanations for every question in the practice tests. This information can prove extremely valuable for test takers looking to quickly improve their LSAT scores because it helps them understand why certain answers are correct and others aren’t
- Focus on the LSAT’s Logic Section: While this book covers all sections of the LSAT, it places a strong emphasis on the logic reasoning section — which many test takers find challenging. That makes this resource particularly beneficial for individuals seeking to strengthen their abilities in this area because it’s a critical component of LSAT success
- LSAC Endorsement: As an official LSAC product, this prep book carries the authority and reliability of the organization responsible for the LSAT. Test takers can trust the content will provide a unique perspective on how to approach the LSAT effectively as well as align with the actual format and difficulty of the exam
The Official LSAT SuperPrep Cons
- Best as a Supplement: While it’s extremely informative and endorsed by the LSAC, many students find this resource more helpful as a supplement to their learning alongside a more comprehensive guide like the Kaplan LSAT Prep Plus book
- Limited Number of Practice Tests: One big downside to this book is that it only provides three complete LSAT practice tests. While these are high-quality, official tests, some students may prefer a larger variety of practice materials in order to further enhance their preparation
Final Overview
This book can serve as an excellent supplementary resource to complement other, more comprehensive prep materials.
While it may not cover all aspects of the exam in exhaustive detail, its three complete tests provide candidates with essential LSAT exam practice — key to any effective LSAT study routine.
Many candidates find this book goes hand-in-hand with an LSAT course. For more information on the best LSAT prep courses you can take, check out our Best LSAT Prep Courses article.
3. The LSAT Trainer
The LSAT Trainer, written by Mike Kim, is another popular option among students. Renowned for its concise and straightforward approach to the LSAT, this unique guide has helped more than 120,000 students prepare since 2013.
The LSAT Trainer Pros
- Unique Problem-Solving Strategies: This book introduces innovative approaches for tackling LSAT questions. It helps students develop personalized methods for solving different question types and offers a step-by-step breakdown of how a top scorer would approach each question. It also can help enhance your understanding of effective problem-solving techniques
- Abundant Practice Problems: The LSAT Trainer contains a wealth of practice material, including more than 30 practice drills and 200 practice problems. This gives you ample opportunity to strengthen the fundamental skills required for the LSAT and apply the concepts and strategies you’ve learned
- Effective Study Methodology: Author Mike Kim encourages a Socratic method of learning similar to that used in law school. This emphasizes an understanding of the theory behind questions rather than just rote memorization. To aid with this, the book also provides study schedules, diagramming solutions, and readiness checklists
- User-Friendly Format: Many students praised this book as more digestible and easier to get through than other prep books. Its more concise, clear, and straightforward approach to presenting LSAT material leads to a smoother and more focused study experience, enabling students to easily build confidence and competence in their test-taking abilities
The LSAT Trainer Cons
- One Author’s Perspective: The strategies and explanations in this book represent Mike Kim’s approach, which might not align with every student’s learning style despite being extremely well-informed and based on years of experience. Different perspectives or methods from various authors can sometimes offer a more rounded understanding
- Lacks Official LSAT Questions: Many of the other study resources on this list contain official LSAT questions from past exams. Depending solely on this book may mean you miss out on practicing with real test questions, which are crucial for excelling in the exam
Final Overview
Mike Kim’s wealth of experience with the LSAT shines through in this popular study guide — particularly in its effective study methodology and many practice problems.
However, this book only represents one author’s approach to tackling the exam and may not suit everyone. Moreover, this book lacks official LSAT questions unlike some of the other entries on this list.
4. The PowerScore LSAT Bible Trilogy
The PowerScore LSAT Bible Trilogy recently gained a distinguished reputation for LSAT preparation due to its meticulous and strategic approach to breaking down the exam.
Across three comprehensive books, PowerScore offers a deep dive into each segment of the LSAT.
PowerScore LSAT Bible Trilogy Pros
- Comprehensive Coverage: By dedicating a whole book to each section of the LSAT, this trilogy of guides provides one of the most in-depth looks into the principles and concepts behind each section: reading comprehension, logic games, and logical reasoning
- Highly Detailed and Relevant Content: The 1,800 pages of these three books cover the LSAT’s content in a succinct, relevant, and to-the-point style. This allows students to absorb large amounts of information efficiently without feeling overwhelmed by unnecessary details
- Effective for Self-Study: Due to the comprehensive nature of this resource, it’s a great option as a self-study prep book because it can suffice as the only resource a student needs in order to prepare for the LSAT
- Consistent Track Record of Success: Highly regarded as one of the best LSAT prep packages on the market, PowerScore’s trilogy has a long history of successfully preparing students for success on the LSAT
PowerScore LSAT Bible Trilogy Cons
- Length and Volume: The trilogy’s total length of 1,800 pages can seem daunting and potentially overwhelming for some students — especially those with limited study time or who seek more concise study materials
- Depth of Detail: While the trilogy’s in-depth coverage of the LSAT’s content is comprehensive, it might be more than what some students need or want. For more experienced students looking for a resource to supplement their existing knowledge, this level of detail can seem both excessive and redundant
Final Overview
This resource’s detailed content, alignment with the actual LSAT format, and strategic approaches to tackling each section are significant strengths that have made it a popular choice among LSAT candidates.
However, these strengths come with certain limitations you’ll need to bear in mind. For instance, the trilogy’s extensive length and volume, while thorough, can seem overwhelming for some as well as demanding a significant investment of time and focus.
Moreover, the cost alone could deter those on a budget because students must purchase three volumes to cover the entire LSAT.
5. 10 Actual, Official LSAT PrepTests Volume VI
When preparing to take the LSAT, you can’t overstate the value of authentic prep test material. In this context, this book stands out because it offers one of the biggest collections of the most recent and official LSAT exams — approved and provided by the LSAC itself.
Designed to cater to the needs of those seeking to intensively practice and familiarize themselves with the LSAT’s format and style, this volume is a key asset for any serious LSAT candidate.
10 Actual, Official LSAT PrepTests Volume VI Pros
- Ideal for Advanced Preparation: By providing full-length mock exams, this book is an excellent resource for students looking to become more familiar with the structure of the actual LSAT and practice completing it under timed conditions
- Real Past LSAT Exams: This book features 10 full LSAT exams actually used in the past. They offer one of the most authentic insights into what you can expect to face on your test day
- Authenticity and Trustworthiness: Written and authenticated by the LSAC, the organization behind the LSAT, this book gives you the best look into what your actual exam will be like
- Promotes Familiarization With Test Topics: By practicing with real LSAT questions, you can build your familiarity with recurring themes and question types and lessen the likelihood of feeling caught off guard in the exam
10 Actual, Official LSAT PrepTests Volume VI Cons
- Lack of Explanatory Material: This book primarily features mock exams and answer keys, but lacks thorough explanations for these answers. This can be a significant drawback for students who need detailed guidance to understand why an answer is correct or incorrect
- Not Ideal for Beginners: This prep book assumes a certain level of familiarity with the LSAT’s content and sections, which may make it more difficult for beginners to use effectively without prior study or this foundational knowledge
Final Overview
Practicing with real LSAT material is an essential part of succeeding in this exam — an area in which this book excels. It not only contains the most official LSAT mock exams out of any book on this list, but also comes with LSAC approval.
Yet, this book does have certain limitations. Because it primarily serves as a source of practice tests, it’s less ideal for beginners who need instructional content and explanations to understand the reasoning behind each question.
For a comprehensive study plan, students can best use this book in conjunction with other preparatory materials that offer in-depth explanations and instructional guidance (e.g., the Kaplan LSAT Prep Plus book).
Best LSAT Prep Books FAQ
Which LSAT prep books are best?
The best LSAT prep book for you will vary based on your individual learning style and your current stage of LSAT preparation. For a look at our top recommendations, check out our Best LSAT Prep Books article.
Is two months enough time for LSAT prep?
Two months can be enough for LSAT prep if you have a strong foundation and can dedicate significant time on a daily basis, if you focus on practice tests, and if you make sure to understand test strategies. If you’re starting from scratch, however, you’ll need to give yourself more time in order to come to grips with more complex sections (e.g., LSAT Logic Games and Logical Reasoning).
Are LSAT prep books worth it?
For the majority of students, LSAT prep books are worth the investment. They help you to understand the exam’s format, allow you to practice with real questions, and provide effective test-taking strategies — all of which can help you obtain the score needed to access top law schools. For more information about this exam, see our What is the LSAT article.
How long does the average person study for the LSAT?
The average person takes about three to six months to study for the LSAT. This gives candidates sufficient time to familiarize themselves with the test format, practice extensively, and improve on weaker areas. The ideal study period can vary greatly, however, depending on individual learning pace and prior familiarity with the test material.