Many students struggle with time management—crafting a clear thesis, organizing arguments, and writing polished prose in just 35 minutes is challenging. Others find it difficult to analyze both sides of the prompt fairly before committing to a position, or they write essays that lack concrete examples and logical structure. Additionally, test anxiety can make it hard to think clearly under pressure, leading to rushed or disorganized writing that doesn't showcase your best thinking.

Most students benefit from dedicating 2-4 weeks of focused practice to the essay section as part of their overall LSAT prep, though this varies based on your starting writing level and test date. Consistent practice—writing 2-3 practice essays per week and getting feedback—helps you develop a reliable structure, improve your pacing, and build confidence. If you're working with a tutor, they can accelerate your progress by identifying your specific weaknesses and giving you targeted feedback on each practice essay.

Start by spending 2-3 minutes carefully reading and analyzing both positions, then choose the side you can argue most convincingly with specific reasoning. Spend another 2-3 minutes outlining your main points and examples before writing. During the 25-30 minutes of actual writing, focus on clarity and logical flow rather than fancy language—law schools want to see that you can construct a persuasive argument efficiently. Save the last few minutes for proofreading to catch obvious errors that could distract from your ideas.

Most students benefit from completing 15-25 full practice essays under timed conditions to build muscle memory and confidence with the format. Quality feedback is more important than quantity—writing 10 essays with detailed analysis of your strengths and weaknesses is more valuable than rushing through 30 without reflection. A tutor can help you identify patterns in your writing (like weak organization or unclear reasoning) so you're not just practicing, but actively improving with each essay.

While the essay isn't scored numerically like the other LSAT sections, law schools do review it and it can influence admissions decisions, especially when applications are otherwise similar. A strong, well-reasoned essay can reinforce your candidacy, while a poorly written one might raise concerns about your communication skills. Most importantly, it gives you a chance to demonstrate clear thinking and persuasive writing—skills that matter in law school and beyond.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who can provide personalized feedback on your essay structure, argument clarity, and time management—areas that are hard to self-assess. A tutor can help you develop a reliable essay template, practice analyzing prompts quickly, and build the confidence to write persuasively under pressure. With targeted guidance, you'll identify your specific weaknesses and develop strategies to address them before test day.

Varsity Tutors makes it easy to connect with tutors for students in Concord who specialize in LSAT preparation. You can reach out to discuss your current writing level, your target law schools, and your test timeline—then we'll match you with a tutor who fits your needs and schedule. Your first session typically focuses on understanding your strengths and weaknesses so your tutor can create a personalized study plan that gets you ready for test day.