The LSAT
What is the LSAT?
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is an integral part of law school admission in the United States, Canada, and a growing number of other countries. The purpose of the LSAT is to test the skills necessary for success in the first year of law school. Those skills include reading comprehension, reasoning, and writing, and the test results help admission decision makers and candidates alike gain valuable insight as to law school readiness. Studies have consistently shown the LSAT is the single best predictor of first-year law school performance, even better than undergraduate grade-point average. LSAC strongly believes the LSAT should be just one part of a holistic admission process that considers the skills and lived experience of each candidate.
The LSAT is administered in two parts.
The first part of the test is a multiple-choice exam that includes reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning questions. Given the expressed preference of the substantial majority of test takers, LSAC will continue to provide the LSAT in an online, live remote-proctored format through June 2022. Starting in August 2021, we will return to our pre-COVID practice of including an unscored variable section along with the three scored sections so that we can validate new test questions for future use. This validation process is a vital part of our commitment to equity and helps us ensure our questions continue their long standard of being free from any kind of bias. The unscored section can appear in any order among the four sections of the test. With the addition of a fourth, unscored section, we plan to include a 10-minute break between the second and third sections of the new LSAT starting August 2021, similar to the break mid-way through the traditional in-person LSAT that was used before the COVID-19 emergency.
The second part of the test is a written essay, called LSAT Writing. LSAT Writing is separately administered online using secure proctoring software on the candidate’s own computer. Candidates can complete their LSAT Writing as early as eight (8) days prior to the multiple-choice exam.
The LSAT is the only test accepted by all ABA-accredited law schools, and it is the only test that helps candidates determine if law school is right for them. Some law schools will accept tests other than the LSAT for admission; however, students who want to maximize their chances for admission and to be best prepared for law school are advised to take the LSAT.
