The LSAT Broken Down

The LSAT is the Law School Admissions Test.  The LSAT is a standardized, multiple-choice test that helps law schools make admission decisions by providing a standard measure of acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills that are essential for success in law school. 

The LSAT is usually administered nine (9) times a year.  Check this LSAC webpage for specific dates.  Scores required for admission vary from school to school. The LSAT is administered through LSAC LawHub® and live remote-proctored via ProctorU. You can take the LSAT at home, or in another quiet, well-lit, private space.  Ask for testing accommodations if needed to perform your very best.

According to LSAC, “Starting with the August 2024 LSAT, the multiple-choice portion of the test 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.”  You will not know which section is unscored.  Plan for the LSAT to take three hours, with a break in between the second and third sections.

You will also write a 30-minute essay that will not be scored, but will be sent to all law schools to which you apply. 

If you apply to law school and then decide to retake the LSAT to try and get a higher score, LSAC will an updated CAS Report to the law schools your have applied to if your CAS file is current AND the LSAT is taken within the same admission year of your application.


Click below to learn about the different LSAT components.

  • Half of your LSAT score is comprised of by Logical Reasoning.  You are given a series of brief passages that present information and will be asked draw conclusions from the given information. Each passage is followed by one or two questions that require you to give the “best answer,” possibly choosing from more than one plausible answer.

     

  • The reading comprehension section includes four sections, three of which contain passages of about 400 to 500 words in length, and one comparative reading section with two shorter passages, each about 200 to 300 words in length.  The subject matter of the reading passages will vary, but is likely to be based in the liberal arts and sciences.  Each section will be followed by five to eight questions that measure your understanding of the passage.  All of the information you need to answer the questions will be contained in the passages.

     

  • The LSAC Writing Portion is changing, beginning August 2024.

    The revised LSAT Writing prompt evaluates a test taker’s ability to construct a persuasive argument using multiple sources. Test takers analyze different perspectives on a debatable issue and then write an argumentative essay, taking a stance while addressing opposing viewpoints. The guided questions are designed to help you analyze the various perspectives and generate productive ideas for your essay. Most test takers will have a total of 50 minutes — 15 minutes for prewriting analysis and notetaking and 35 minutes for essay writing.  Here is a sample writing prompt for the new version, courtesy of LSAC. 

    Writing Sample until August 2024. 

    You will be asked to take a position on a given topic.  You will not be expected to have prior knowledge about the subject, and there is no right or wrong answer.  Admissions personnel will be interested in how well you write and how well you support your chosen position.  Unless you have a brilliant idea, stick to a traditional three to five paragraph essay: introduction, including a thesis, one to three paragraphs supporting that thesis, each paragraph built around a sub-thesis, and a conclusion.  Take a few minutes at the beginning to plan out your essay so you stay more organized while you are writing.

     

LSAT Testing Options: Choose Where to Take the Test

LSAT test takers have the choice of whether to take the test in its current online live-remote-proctored format or in person at a digital testing center. LSAC’s goal in offering two different test modes is to give each test taker a choice of which option works best for them.

Regardless of whether one chooses to take the LSAT remotely or at a test center, the content of the test will remain exactly the same.

Unfortunately, USC does not have the ability to offer spaces for students to take the LSAT on-campus.

LSAC – Testing Formats

LSAT FAQs

  • The highest score for the LSAT is 180.  Each law school’s admission team has a range of LSAT scores they target.  The score range is usually published on their admissions page.  To give you a broader sense of what some of the more competitive law schools might be looking for, here is a breakdown of LSAT score percentiles.

  • The LSAT is offered nine times a year and students register for the test on the Law School Admission Council’s website.   Prospective applicants should sign up for the LSAT test a.s.a.p. based on the LSAC LSAT web page in order to get their preferred testing site. The testing dates tend to be January, February, March, June, August, October, and November but check LSAC’s website to confirm!

  • We encourage you to prioritize taking advantage of the free LSAT prep resources through LSAC’s LawHub portal .  Once you take the diagnostic LSAT in LawHub, determine additional study strategies that you need to focus most on for success.  Some students look to law school pipeline programs for support.

    LSAC’s LawHub portal is an excellent resource for a free diagnostic LSAT and general information about the test.   We recommend taking the diagnostic test and reviewing the study plan before potentially investing in an LSAT prep course in order to determine how far you are from your goals. 

    We recommend taking the diagnostic test through LawHub and determine how far you are from the score you need based on the law schools you are interested in. 

    In general, LSAC recommends 250-300 study hours to prepare for the LSAT.  Plan several months ahead and create a study schedule for yourself, using an LSAT prep book and other materials from LawHub as your guide.  If you plan on studying with a friend, we recommend studying with who has different academic strengths and weaknesses than you.

    LSAC LawHub offers 4 free practice tests.  Take advantage of the practice tests to gauge your progress in getting closer to your target LSAT score.  If your score differs significantly from what you were hoping for, or if you have a difficult time motivating yourself to study independently, you may benefit from taking a commercial prep course. 

    Many students and alumni take advantage of law school pipeline programs or application “bootcamps” to find support for LSAT preparation.  Explore our curated list of programs here

    Depending on which company you choose, the cost of a single course is usually between $1,000 and $1,400.  The length of the course, the material provided, and the size of the class vary greatly from company to company, so we strongly recommend you do some research before signing up.  You might also want to ask friends or acquaintances who have taken prep courses before for their opinions on how effective the course was and whether it really helped them improve their scores.

  • We encourage you to take advantage of the free LSAT prep resources through LSAC’s LawHub portal

    Many students and alumni take advantage of law school pipeline programs or application “bootcamps” to find support for LSAT preparation.  Explore our curated list of programs here.

    There are also many test preparation companies that offer virtual and/or in-person prep resources.  The companies include the following:

    Often, these organizations give discounts to students involved in pre-law related organizations.

    Please take your time to look at student reviews of the services the companies provide and think about which ones will support your unique learning style the most effectively.  Note: Some of the test prep companies attend the annual Law School Fair to help connect with students who might be interested in their services.

  • LSAT self-studying refers to the process of preparing for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) independently, without enrolling in a formal LSAT prep course or hiring a tutor. Many applicants choose to self-study for the LSAT due to various reasons such as flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and personal learning preferences. Here are a list of recommended LSAT books that are beneficial to self-studying:

    LSAT Bibles by Powerscore (multiple versions!)

    LSAT Trainer by Mike Kim 

    Loophole in Logical Reasoning by Ellen Cassidy 

     

    Aside from books, there are effective resources available for you to study the LSAT on your own through LawHub 

  • Yes! LSAC offers fee waivers for their services and resources to students with financial aid. Learn more about the LSAC fee waiver here. 

    Also, several LSAT Prep Services also offer free/reduced price programs to student who have received an LSAC Fee Waiver

    Some USC pre-law student organizations have discounted rates for LSAT prep programs as well.

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