How to Study for LGS: Structure, Subjects, and Study Plan

Building a steady routine across both the verbal and quantitative sessions gives you full control over your preparation for Turkey’s high school entrance exam. When you divide your study blocks by subject weight and review every missed question by topic, your practice sessions turn directly into stronger test-day performance.

How the LGS exam works

According to the MEB LGS guide, the central exam selects students for secondary schools in Turkey that admit by exam and runs across 2 sessions: verbal and quantitative. In the verbal session, you answer 50 questions in 75 minutes, covering 20 in Turkish, 10 in History of the Turkish Republic and Kemalism, 10 in Religious Culture and Ethics, and 10 in Foreign Language. In the quantitative session, you solve 40 questions in 80 minutes, split between 20 in Mathematics and 20 in Science. Balancing your weekly schedule across both sessions keeps your reading speed and analytical problem-solving sharp at the same time.

Reading your scores and reviewing errors

Per the MEB LGS guide, your raw score in each subtest equals correct answers − wrong answers ÷ 3, and the ministry then applies standardized and weighted calculations to produce your central examination score. Because Mathematics, Science, and Turkish carry the largest question counts, consistent gains in those subjects drive strong overall growth while the remaining verbal tests secure valuable points. After each practice exam, sort every incorrect or slow question by exact curriculum unit and apply a structured practice test review method to schedule targeted follow-up drills before your next full test.

Sample 12-week plan

Weeks 1–4

Focus on foundational concepts and steady daily comprehension across the core curriculum. Spend 45 minutes a day on Turkish reading comprehension and verbal forms (fiilimsiler), pairing rules review with 25 paragraph questions. Dedicate 60 minutes daily to Mathematics exponents and square roots, plus 45 minutes to Science units on seasons, climate, and DNA and genetic code. Add 30 minutes 3 times a week for History units on the National Struggle (Millî Mücadele) and Foreign Language vocabulary.

Weeks 5–8

Move into multi-step reasoning and data interpretation questions. Allocate 60 minutes a day to Mathematics linear equations and algebraic expressions, solving 20 skill-based word problems per block. Spend 45 minutes daily on Science pressure in solids, liquids, and gases alongside the periodic system, and 40 minutes on Turkish paragraph inference and logic puzzles. Complete 1 timed verbal session and 1 timed quantitative session every weekend, followed by 30 minutes of error logging across Religious Culture, History, and English.

Weeks 9–12

Build stamina under real session timing while closing remaining topic gaps. Study 60 minutes a day on Mathematics geometric objects, inequalities, and triangle relationships, and 45 minutes on Science chemical reactions, acids and bases, and simple machines. Run 2 full practice exams per week with a 75-minute verbal block and an 80-minute quantitative block. Spend 40 minutes after each trial re-solving every missed question and completing 15 targeted questions on each weak topic.

The final 4–8 weeks

Shift your schedule toward full-length simulation and rapid topic revision. Complete 3 full 2-session practice exams each week, matching the 50-question verbal and 40-question quantitative pacing. Use 45-minute daily review blocks to revisit your personal mistake notebook for Turkish grammar, Mathematics equations, Science experiments, and History chronology so every weak area stays fresh.

Track your preparation with ExamLuma

Set your daily study goals in ExamLuma and start focus sessions as you work; when you finish a block, your time automatically adds to that subject’s study log. Log your practice results after every practice exam and check your weekly statistics to see how your study hours and subject performance progress from week to week.

How ExamLuma helps

Keep track of your study plan in ExamLuma. ↗

Set a daily study goal and follow your progress. ↗

Record completed study sessions. ↗