About the LSAT--Law School Admission Test

The LSAT is a test of logical reasoning and deduction skills used for admission to all law schools accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). To get into a top law school, prospective students need good grades in their undergraduate coursework, and particularly good grades in pre-law courses. They also need to have several letters of recommendation, a compelling personal statement, and a high LSAT score.

With average or even below average LSAT scores, one can still be admitted to law school, but statistically, those who graduate from top tier and second tier law schools make more money. This is something to consider carefully if you plan on taking out student loans to finance law school. High LSAT scores can open the door to a high paying career in law, so prospective law school applicants should do everything they can to ensure a high score. Here is more information about the LSAT and some resources to help you study.

LSAT Structure

The LSAT has 4 scored sections that contain roughly 25 multiple choice questions each, for a total of about 100 scored questions. Additionally, there is an unscored experimental section, but you won't be able to tell which one it is because it is unlabeled and not necessarily last. So the total exam has 5 sections of multiple choice questions. Each section is timed at 35 minutes, and there is a break after the first three sections.

There is a 6th section at the end of the test called the Writing Sample. It is unscored, and serves to provide law schools with an additional sample of your reasoning ability.

Of the 4 scored sections, 2 will be Logical Reasoning, 1 will be Reading Comprehension, and 1 will be Analytical Reasoning. The unscored experimental section may be any of these three types.

Logical Reasoining: analysis of short arguments; questions ask about the soundness and logical structure of mini-proposals, viewpoints, and short conversations.

Reading Comprehension: 4 passages with 6-7 questions each; questions ask about main ideas, details, author's tone, and implicit elements of the short articles.

Analytical Reasoning: aka "Logic Games" where you must figure out the arrangement and distribution of elements in a particular set up.

All questions are multiple choice with 5 answer choices. The writing assignment requires that you draft a persuasive argument describing the best course of action for a person or business. You will be given a set of circumstances and a list of criteria that must be met. There is no right or wrong answer for the LSAT Writing Sample. The important thing is to provide a sound argument for whichever stance you take.

LSAT Scoring

Your raw score from the 100 questions is converted into a scaled score that ranges from 120 to 180. There is no extra penalty for answering a question incorrectly, so you should answer every question, even if you must guess. The median score is about 151 for most administrations of the LSAT. The writing section is not scored, but the law schools you apply to will receive a copy of your short essay, so they can judge your critical thinking and writing ability from that sample.

If you choose not to write the essay, your LSAT scaled score will not be affected. However, some law schools may not consider your scores valid unless you complete the entire test.

LSAT Resources:

For LSAT study books, your options include
The first two are booklets of real LSAT exams published by the LSAC, the makers of the LSAT. Every few years, the makers of the LSAT publish prep books with the most recent past exams. These are essential for any test taker, no matter their current practice scores.

Retaking the LSAT

When you retake the LSAT, law schools will still be able to see all of your previous scores. Some schools may consider only the highest or most recent score, while others may average your scores. Most people who retake the LSAT improve their score by at least 5 points, but score increase is most closely correlated with amount of time spent studying. Therefore, if you decide to retake the LSAT, make sure you can commit to studying extra hard.
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