Reading Speed Calculation formula

These are instructions for how to calculate your reading speed. If you’re trying to improve your reading speed for LSAT reading comprehension, then you need to keep track. Here are the steps:

1. Estimate the number of words on a page. Count the number of words in two lines, then divide by two. So if there are 37 words in two lines, the words per line is 18.5
2. Count the number of lines on a page. Multiple by words per line. So if there are 50 lines on a page, then 50 * 18.5 = 925 words on a page.
3. Read a page. Count how long it takes in seconds.
4. Divide word per page by the number of seconds, then multiple by 60. So let’s say it takes you 4:30 to read the page. That’s 270 seconds.925/270 * 60 = 205.5 WPM
5. Measure your speed periodically. Ideally, use the same book. It can be one you’ve already read. Keeping the book the same will ensure you’re not reading faster because the book is easier.

Words per minute formula

WPM = Words on page/seconds to read page * 60

Typical LSAT Student Reading Speeds

When I work with tutoring students for reading comprehension, I first measure their reading speed. It takes a while to do it out of a book, so I measure them using this website: https://www.readingsoft.com/

Go try it now. Read it at a steady, comfortable pace. Press the start button, read, then hit stop. It will give you a reading speed in WPM below the text.

200-250 WPM ➞ Slow. This is the low end of reading speed for LSAT students

250-280 WPM ➞ Average. Most of my students fall in this range.

280-300 WPM ➞ High average. A few fast readers are here.

300-400 WPM ➞ Fast. Only a few students read above 300 WPM, and most read at 300-350 WPM.

400+ ➞ Extremely rare. Only lifelong readers will reach this speed. I’m one of them. I read at 500-600 WPM. This is based on a lifetime of reading and the reading speed techniques I teach for reading comprehension.