Planning on going to law school in the United States? Read on and learn everything you need to know about how to start the application process.
The Law School Admission Test, or LSAT, is a standardized exam administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) that is required to apply to most law school graduate programs in the United States.
This half-day standardized test is designed to assess reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning. English comprehension factors heavily into success on this important law school admissions test, so foreign students who are just starting to learn English should set aside extra prep time for language studies.
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October 2023 update
Along with an online version, the standard in-person test can be taken at a Prometric testing center. The cost is the same, regardless of format.
For the online and in-person tests, students have the option of choosing a time that works best for them from a list of preset options. It takes approximately three hours to take the exam.
Starting August 2024, LSAC will be making changes to the structure of the test. The analytical reasoning section will be removed and replaced with another logical reasoning section. The structure of the multiple-choice section for the 2024-2025 testing cycle will consist of two scored logical reasoning sections and one scored reading comprehension section, plus one unscored section of either logical reasoning or reading comprehension. Score ranges will not be affected and remain the same.
Test-takers scores will be released on the specific date associated with their testing date. For more specifics, visit the LSAC website.
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What Is the LSAT?
This standardized law school admissions exam covers reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, and analytical writing. Most law schools in the US require students to take this test and achieve a minimum score in order to be admitted.
How Hard Is the LSAT?
This exam is challenging and requires extensive preparation and advanced study. Students are required to analyze and evaluate written material, which is particularly important for international students who do not speak English as their first language. Since getting in to law school in the United States is quite competitive, your score is important to the law school admissions process.
What Is the Structure of the LSAT? How Is It Scored?
More specifically, how many sections does the exam have? How many questions are on it? How is each section scored?
The Law School Admission Test comprises two parts: the first has three 35-minute scored sections and one unscored section of multiple-choice questions. The unscored section may cover reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, or logical reasoning. The second consists of one 35-minute writing sample which can be completed online at any time up to one year after your official test date.
Sections include:
The logical reasoning section has 24-26 questions that involve dissecting and analyzing a short argument or set of facts to identify the main assumption, alternate conclusions, errors and omissions, similar arguments, and elements that strengthen or weaken the argument.
One 26-to 28-question reading comprehension section consisting of four 400–500-word passages with five to eight related questions each. Topics may include law, humanities, physical sciences, biological sciences, or social sciences, and require test takers to identify the main idea, specific information, inferences, and/or writing structure.
One 22-to 24-question analytical reasoning section, consisting of four logic games that require grouping, matching, and ordering elements, based on a premise and set of conditions and relationships between subjects that set the basis for conclusions based on the statements. The answers are not straightforward and require the test takers to carefully analyze each question and select the right answer. Many consider this to be the exam’s most difficult section and the one where many test takers focus most of their practice.
The variable section is where administrators test new questions for future exams, and the results are not factored into the final score. But remember, there is no way to tell which section is the variable while taking the test.
Finally, the writing exam is completed separately, on the test taker’s own computer, using a secure proctoring software. Test takers have 35 minutes to read a decision prompt or problem, plus decision-making criteria, and then write an essay arguing for one of two options. The focus is on the writer’s ability to argue for the chosen standpoint and also against its opposition. This section is not scored, but a scan of the essay is sent along with the scaled numerical score to applicants’ prospective law schools.
How Long Is the LSAT? How Long Does It Take to Get Scores?
The test consists of four 35-minute sections in addition to a 10-minute interval — it takes about three hours to complete. Scores are typically received three to four weeks after the exam. You may need to have your writing sample on file to view your scores.
What Is a Good LSAT Score?
The raw scores from these sections are converted to a scaled score between 120 and 180, with a median score around 150. Depending upon the competitiveness of the program, a score that is above average is desired.
Logistics
When Can I Register to Take the Test?
The exam is offered multiple times a year worldwide. You can find international test dates, designated testing centers, and register at lsac.org.
How Many Times Can You Take the LSAT?
You can take the exam up to five times in a single LSAC year, which goes from August to June, up to five times over five years, or up to seven times in a lifetime. Tests taken before September 2019 do not count toward these totals. Additionally, tests from May to August 2020 do not count under these limitations. Keep in mind that canceled scores will count towards the limit, whereas absences and withdrawals will not. All scores from the past five years are reported, and either your highest score or an average of your scores will be used, depending upon your potential law school’s policy.
How to Study for the LSAT
PrepTests are the Law School Admission Test’s official practice tests; these are a valuable resource on the types of questions that can appear on the test. Other reputable study guide test prep materials are available from Kaplan and The Princeton Review.
Remember that test scores are only one part of the admissions process, so do your best and good luck!
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