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LSAT and LSAC

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) administers the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) four times a year (June, late September/early October, December and February). The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a standardized test required for admission to all American Bar Association-approved law schools. Designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in the first year of law school, the LSAT helps predict first-year law school performance.

Ideally, the LSAT should be taken one year prior to anticipated law school enrollment. Most students take the June or September/October test in anticipation of entering law school the following fall. For many college students, the December test conflicts with final exams, and the February test is very late in the whole law school application process. In addition, taking the June or September/October test provides enough time to complete the application process in a timely fashion.

Format

The LSAT is a half-day standardized pencil-and-paper test. It contains five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions. No questions are asked of a factual nature. In other words, no questions on the exam require test takers to "know the law." Four out of the five sections are calculated for the test taker's score relative to other test takers, and the remaining section is for experimental purposes. The sections are randomly ordered, and the test taker does not know which section is the experimental one. The following are the five sections:

  • analytical reasoning: logic games
  • logical reasoning (two segments)
  • reading comprehension
  • one of the above that is experimental, designed to prepare items for future tests

The writing sample is another component of the LSAT. It is a 35-minute writing sample in which test takers are required to express their ideas clearly and fluently. The writing sample is not scored; however, copies are sent to the law schools to which candidates are applying.

Scoring

The test taker's raw score is based on the total of correct responses. Since there is no penalty for guessing, test takers should never leave a question unanswered. The raw score is placed on a 120- to 180-point LSAT score. The national average is 151. Law school applicants are permitted to take the LSAT more than once. But taking the test again does not necessarily mean the new score will be higher. It could be lower. So, test takers should be prepared to take the test only once.

Candidates should check with each law school to see what its exact policy is in regards to taking the LSAT more than once and how a repeat test would be weighted. Some law schools averagethe scores, others take the higher score, and some schools deduct several pointsfrom the second score if it is higher.

The Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) reports scores for five years. As a result, scores for all LSAT tests the applicant has taken within the last five years will be reported to the law schools designated by the applicant. Students should check with each lawschool, however; some law schools require more recent test scores.

LSDAS will average multiple LSAT scores in its report to the law schools. Hence, law schools will see all LSAT score taken in the last five years and the average of these scores. It is then up to the law school to decide how they want to consider multiple LSAT scores.

LSAT Preparation

There is nothing to study per se when taking the LSAT. In other words, there is no common body of knowledge (i.e., "knowing the law") or major that will enhance a candidates chances of doing well on the test. The test taker should practice for the exam, however, to become familiar with the test format and specific types of problems and they can do so via individual practice and/or professional courses.

ASU pre-law advisors do not endorse or support any particular LSAT preparation course. We do recommend, however, that students thoroughly research each professional course to see which one (if any) would be a good fit for them and their goals.

Overall, whichever method(s) a student chooses to practice for the LSAT, they should attempt to simulate actual test conditions and observe time limits in addition to answering the test questions accurately and completely.