LSAT- The Law School Admission Test

LSAT is a standardized test developed by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) to help candidates gain admission into JD programs in the US, Canada, and a few other countries. Though the American Bar Association has waived the necessity for the LSAT in colleges, the exam continues to be integral to getting admission to law schools. The exam focuses on analyzing the ability of the candidate to thrive in a law school setup. It has been proven to outshine the results that GPAs portray since the variables associated with GPA are far too many compared to the LSAT.

In recent years, many law schools have made significant changes to their admissions processes by eliminating the traditional requirement for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Instead, these institutions are now accepting alternative standardized tests, with the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) being one of the most prominent substitutes but LSAT is still the only test accepted by all Law schools.

Who can Apply for LSAT?

There is no eligibility requirement to take the LSAT, no age limit, and no educational qualification required. Anyone can take the test, though it is preferably taken by candidates who have either completed or are in their final year of a bachelor's degree. Some unspoken and commonly understood requirements for the test are that the candidate has the financial means to pay for it and is fluent in English.

Cost of Taking LSAT

The basic LSAT fee, including the LSAT writing fee, is $238. Subscription to CAS is $207. The CAS or Credential Assembly Service is a system created by the LSAC. Candidates can upload their undergrad work, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and all the information they want to send to the universities with their LSAT scores. CAS will arrange and organize all this information and send it with the score report to all the colleges the candidate chooses. Each report costs $45. Fees charged for other services are-

Service	Fee
Test Date Change	$145 (up to 7 days after the registration deadline) $238 (anytime after that till the day before the test)
Score Preview	$45 (before first day of testing) $80 (after testing concludes)
Official Candidate Score Report	$50
Score Audit	$150 (or $75 if the candidate has been pre-approved for a fee waiver)
Retaking LSAT	$238 (same as registration fee)

How to Register/Apply for LSAT?

Candidates who wish to register for the LSAT will have to create an account on the official website of LSAC by providing their email address and creating a username and password for the same. They must also provide their name and other personal details to complete the process. Once they have completed the initial process, they will receive an email verification. After the verification, they can successfully register for the exam at a date of their choice.

Structure of LSAT

The LSAT is over 3 hours long and consists of multiple-choice and Writing sections. The multiple-choice section has 4 sub-sections administered online, either in-person at a test center or remotely through LawHub. The Writing section, however, is available to the candidates up to 8 days before the scheduled test date, making it easier for them. The multiple-choice portion is proctored via Prometric, whether the candidate chooses to take the test at a designated test center or remotely, while LSAT Writing is administered by ProctorU. Candidates can register for any available test dates online and attempt the multiple-choice section during their allotted time.

Candidates will require the following things to take the LSAT remotely-

• A private room to take the test in
• Laptop or Desktop Computer with Windows or Mac- a minimum of 1024 MB of RAM is required
• Webcam and Microphone
• Internet Connection
• Google Chrome/ Mozilla Firefox

Multiple-Choice Section

The multiple-choice section of the test includes three scored subsections and one unscored subsection. The unscored section can appear at any point in the test and can either be Reading Comprehension or Logical Reasoning type.

Section	Number of Questions	Time Duration
Reading Comprehension	25-26 questions	35 minutes
Logical Reasoning	27-28 questions	35 minutes
Logical Reasoning	25-26 questions	35 minutes
Unscored subsection	Varies	35 minutes

Argumentative Writing Section

The Argumentative Writing section of the LSAT is not scored and tests the candidate's ability to justify their arguments on a given issue. The time is divided into two parts - a 15-minute preparatory time and a 35-minute writing time. This section is administered entirely online, utilizing secure proctoring software installed on the candidate's computer. Though the Writing section is not graded, it will be included as part of the score report and sent to schools. It helps schools evaluate the candidate's persuasive skills.

Section	Number of Questions	Time Duration
Writing	1 scenario	50 minutes

Test Dates for LSAT

Candidates are expected to register for the LSAT approximately one month before the registration deadline. The exam is conducted in January, February in winter, April, June in spring, and November in fall. These months are prone to change every year.

It is recommended that candidates cross-check the requirements of the universities they are applying to before registering for the LSAT. Candidates will also have to choose a test date that will allow them to send applications to their universities after the results have been declared, giving them enough time to retest if they so require.

Calculate LSAT Score

The LSAT score is valid for five years after the test year. LSAT score is reported on a band of 120 to 180, where 120 is the lowest possible score attainable, and 180 is the highest score. The scores candidates receive for each question they answer correctly are called raw scores, which are not included in the score report. The raw score is converted into an LSAT-scaled score.

The average score is 150, but a good score that will allow the candidate to enter top law schools would be around 160. Due to the competition surrounding the examination, most candidates aim for a score between 170 and 180 to be able to enter a good college.

Candidates who did not opt for the LSAT Score Preview can cancel their LSAT score within 6 calendar days following their test date. Conversely, those who purchased the LSAT Score Preview will have 6 calendar days after the designated Score Release date to cancel their LSAT score.

Sending LSAT Score Reports

The latest LSAT scores for candidates, including any absences and cancellations, can be accessed on the LSAT Status page of their LSAC JD Account. Up to 12 recent reportable scores are sent to law schools. Candidates have the option to print their scores directly from the LSAT Status page for their record.

However, LSAC provides Official Candidate LSAT Score Reports for a fee of $50. These reports encompass all LSAT scores that the candidate has achieved, including nonreportable scores from tests taken before June 2019. Candidates who would like to request the official score report should call 1.800.336.3982. They will need to provide certain information to finalize the order, which includes:

• Current name
• Name as it appeared when you took the LSAT (if different)
• Date of Birth (DOB)
• LSAC account number (if available)
• The last four digits of the Social Security or Social Insurance Number
• Credit card information
• Current mailing address if different from what is on existing file

After the order is processed, which typically takes 3 to 5 business days, candidates can download a PDF version of their report from the LSAT Score Reports section of their LSAC JD Account. Additionally, upon request, LSAC will send up to two pre-printed copies of the report at no extra cost. These copies will be dispatched to the address linked to the account.

Cancelling or Rescheduling LSAT

The LSAT registration can be canceled/rescheduled in three different ways:

• Candidates can request a cancellation/change of their test date at no cost until the registration deadline.
• Once the registration deadline has elapsed, candidates may request a change of test date for a fee of $145, provided this request is made within seven days following the registration deadline for the test administration.
• Candidates can cancel or request to change their test date for a fee of $238 until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the night before the LSAT test day after the seven-day deadline has passed.

Retaking LSAT

Candidates can take the LSAT up to five times during the current reportable score period, which begins after June 2019. Over a lifetime, individuals may take the test a maximum of seven times. These limits will not include scores from tests taken before September 2019. Canceled LSAT scores, including those canceled using the Score Preview option, will count towards these limits, while absences and withdrawals will not. Additionally, candidates who have achieved a perfect score of 180 during the current reportable score period will not be allowed to retake the LSAT.

Preparing for the LSAT

The LSAC recommends devoting enough time for preparation, as test scores are seen to be directly proportional to prep time. It is noteworthy to give one's best for the test, as the LSAT score and the undergraduate GPA are the most important deciding factors in the application. Generally, most candidates spend around three to four months preparing for the test. LSAC has released prep materials and practice tests to help candidates with LSAT prep. Candidates can refer to many books. Attempting practice tests also helps to estimate how much time to spend on each section. Some prep companies have obtained licensed LSAC test questions. However, these are independent agencies and are not monitored by LSAC.

Top 10 Law Schools

• Harvard University - USA
• University of Oxford - UK
• University of Cambridge - UK
• Yale University - USA
• Stanford University - USA
• University of Melbourne - Australia
• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) - UK
• University of California, Berkeley (UCB) - UK
• Columbia University - USA
• New York University - USA

Some Things to Remember

• Candidates may alter their test date if the deadline for changing the test date for their registered administration has not yet expired.
• Test scores are made available to candidates at 9 a.m. ET on the specified score release date for each administration through the LSAC JD Account.
• If a candidate has arranged a testing appointment at a test center but prefers to take the test remotely, they can access Prometric’s ProScheduler tool to reschedule their examination.
• Candidates taking the test at a center will receive three blank, unlined, colored scratch paper booklets, each consisting of two pages. Additionally, they will be given two pencils. Remote test takers can use up to six blank sheets of 8.5”x11” scratch paper. This paper can be lined, unlined, or graph paper.
• If candidates encounter a technical problem or experience a loss of internet connectivity, the remote proctoring system will automatically save their progress and pause the examination until the issue is addressed. After the problem is resolved and the test is restarted, the system will enable candidates to continue from the point at which they paused.