Self-paced
I am starting this post by admitting that it may be a stupid question (or not I am genuinely torn on this) but would it be wise to use scratch paper on the LSAT? I am taking the test in August 2026 and it will be on a computer. I know LSAC has stated they will provide a pencil and scratch paper but would that just waste time? Is it reasonable to study with no paper and pencil? Im afraid I will just waste time by writing but I also believe my accuracy could go skyrocket if I wrote down the logic instead of trying to sort it out in my head? Please give me your advice.
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6 comments
I agree with everyone here! It's up to you and what feels right. :) I personally find mapping out the more complex causal reasoning questions (causal chains, timelines, etc) to be helpful just to organize my thoughts, and I highly recommend using the low-res summary approach for RC.
@PhoebeHopp Thank you!
I think it depends on the person! Personally, conditional logic is still my toughest question type, so I will still scratch it out on paper to feel more confident. But I am also a person who usually ends up with 5-10 mins to look over my answers, which is usually when I go back and take the time to diagram in detail on paper.
That keeps me from stressing about wasting time while still allowing me to be confident on a tough question type for me.
@ravioli Thank you!
I found it helped to diagram when I was first learning and over time I was able to do most of the logic in my head. I'm sure it varies from person to person, some people may write everything down. I think starting with improving accuracy is great and then move to improving speed. So if it helps you, use it! They give you several pieces of paper so it will be there if you need it. (I'm also curious how much others use the paper- when I took the test officially and handed in my materials, the proctor seemed surprised I only wrote on one sheet)
@legallypink! Thank you!