LSAT – Law School Admission Test, administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), is a standardised entrance exam designed to assess students’ skill sets for admission in law schools. The LSAT score is used by aspiring candidates to get admitted into the top law schools of the United States, Canada and several other countries. The LSAT is a paper-and-pencil test that evaluates a student’s critical and analytical thinking and is conducted seven times a year allowing students to decide when they are prepared enough to take the test.
Now that you have briefly read about LSAT in the introductory paragraph, it’s time to read the complete details of LSAT. We have covered all important detail about LSAT such as eligibility conditions, test pattern, registration detail, score, key dates and more in this article. Before that, find the highlights below that covered in this article.
Highlights of LSAT
S.No. | Particulars | Details |
1. | Application period* | 7 times a year during the months of January, March, June, July, September, October and November |
2. | Eligibility | Anyone can apply |
3. | Registration detail | Register for LSAT through the following methods:
|
4. | Test pattern | Consists of 5 sections which includes reading comprehension, analytical and logical reasoning for the duration of 3 hours and 30 minutes |
5. | LSAT score | Ranges between 120 to 180 on LSAT scale |
* The application period is tentative and subject to change as per the discretion of the test organiser.
Now that you have gone through the highlights of LSAT, let’s get to know them in complete detail.
LSAT – Application period
Earlier the Law School Admission Council used to conduct LSAT four times year, which was changed to six times a year in 2018. However, from the year 2019, the law admission test is going to be conducted seven times during the months of January, March, June, July, September, October and November. The dates for 2019 has been disclosed. Find the schedule of LSAT 2019 in the table given below.
Test Schedule of LSAT 2019
S.No. | Test Date | Time |
1. | Monday, June 3, 2019 | 12:30 p.m. |
2. | Monday, July 15, 2019 | 12:30 p.m. |
3. | Saturday, September 21, 2019 | 8:30 a.m. |
4. | Monday, October 28, 2019 | 12:30 p.m. |
5. | Monday, November 25, 2019 | 12:30 p.m. |
6. | Monday, January 13, 2020 | 12:30 p.m. |
7. | Saturday, February 22, 2020 | 8:30 a.m. |
8. | Monday, March 30, 2020 | 12:30 p.m. |
9. | Saturday, April 25, 2020 | 8:30 a.m. |
Note: The applicants must register for the test by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) at least one month before the LSAT test date.
LSAT – Eligibility Conditions
LSAC does not put any eligibility conditions for those candidates who wish to undertake the LSAT test. Any applicant interested in pursuing law education can apply for LSAT. However, the candidates must adhere to the eligibility requirements of those law schools in which they wish to take admission.
LSAT – Registration Detail
To appear for this law entrance test, the aspiring candidates first need to register themselves with LSAC. The registration process is fairly simple. LSAC allows applicants to register either through phone, mail or online as per the candidates’ convenience and requirement. Given below is the step-wise process about how to register for LSAT through the official LSAC web portal.
Step 1: First, the candidates need to go to the official LSAC portal.
Step 2: Here, the applicants need to create an LSAC account by clicking on ‘Create an account’ which opens the link to registration form.
Step 3: Fill in all the required information in the registration form and submit it. Upon registration, the candidates receive an account number using which they need to log on to LSAC portal. This opens their account page.
Step 4: Now, the applicants need to click on ‘Register for the LSAT’ which opens a page of ‘LSAT Admission Ticket Photo Requirement’.
Step 5: Read the instructions carefully and click on the button ‘Continue to Registration’.
Step 6: Select the location from where you want to take the test and submit it.
Step 7: Now, choose the test date from a list of dates which are available and submit it.
Step 8: The applicants are taken to the page where test centres are displayed. They can select the centre which is closest to their location. Upon selecting the location, the page ‘Upload Photo’ open where applicants must upload their photograph as indicated, tick the checkbox and click on ‘Submit’ button.
Step 9: The confirmation page opens up where the applicants can edit all the information entered by them during the registration process. Make the changes, if required, and click on the button ‘Add to Cart’.
Step 10: Now, click on ‘Checkout’ which brings the candidates to the page ‘Electronic Payment Processing Disclosure’ where they need to click on ‘Continue’ to securely pay the registration fee.
Students can register for this law entrance test by phone as well. Given below are the detail about how to register by phone.
- LSAC allows students to register by calling on the phone number mentioned below:
215.968.1001
- The candidates can call between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (ET) during September through February.
- If the candidates wish to register during March through August, they must call between 8:30 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. (ET).
LSAT – Test Pattern
LSAC has designed LSAT to assess the key skills of applicants that are needed to succeed in law schools. The law entrance test includes Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning and Logical Reasoning, which is divided into five sections of 35 minutes each. These sections consist of multiple-choice questions. The candidates taking part in the test need to attempt at least 24 to 28 questions in four sections, whereas the students need to write an essay on the given topic in the last section. Given below is the exam pattern of LSAT.
Test Pattern of LSAT
Sections | Time Allotted | Number of Question to Attempt |
Logical Reasoning-I | 35 minutes | 24 to 26 |
Logical Reasoning-II | 35 minutes | 24 to 26 |
Logic Games (Analytical Reasoning) | 35 minutes | 22 to 24 |
Reading Comprehension | 35 minutes | 26 to 28 |
Variable Section | 35 minutes | 22 to 28 |
Writing Sample | 35 minutes | 1 Essay |
LSAT Test Pattern – Logical Reasoning
The logical reasoning section of LSAT is divided into two parts – logical reasoning-I and logical reasoning-II. These questions evaluate the candidates’ ability to examine, analyse and assess arguments that occur in daily life. The candidates are given short passages which need to be comprehended and then answered with legal reasoning. The students need to have a university-level understanding of concepts such as argument, premise, assumption and conclusion if they wish to ace this section which is worth 50% of the total score. Both the sections consist of 24-26 questions.
LSAT Test Pattern – Analytical Reasoning
Analytical reasoning also known as ‘Logic Games’ tests the candidates’ deductive reasoning skills through a set of single passages. This is one of the most popular section among candidates. The analytical reasoning section is worth 23% of the total score. This section consists of 22-24 questions.
LSAT Test Pattern – Reading Comprehension
The reading comprehension section of the LSAT evaluates the candidates’ ability to read, with understanding and insight. Four sets of reading questions are given to students where each set contains reading material followed by 5-8 questions. The reading passages given in this section are generally related to law, arts & humanities, physical and social sciences. This section covers 27% of the total score.
LSAT Test Pattern – Variable Section
This is generally referred to as ‘variable section’ because it is a non-scoring part of the LSAT. The students remain unaware about which section would be the unscored one. It is only known once the candidates receive their score. New forms of questions or patterns are tested through this unscored section.
LSAT Test Pattern – Writing Sample
The writing sample section uses the decision-prompt structure that prompts candidates to write an argumentative essay supporting one of the two options given under a question. These essays are not scored by LSAC rather send to admission offices of law schools along with the LSAT score.
LSAT – Score
The candidates score in their LSAT as per the number of questions answered correctly by them since there is no negative marking. The candidates’ scores range from 120 to 180 on an LSAT scale. Generally, the candidates get their score at least three weeks after taking the law entrance test. LASC releases the score to candidates and the law schools to which they have applied. The LSAT score report includes the following:
- Current LSAT score
- Scores earned in all the LSAT tests the candidate appeared for (registered since June 1, 2013)
- Average score, in case the candidate has more than one reportable score on his/her file
- Candidate’s score band
- Percentile rank reflecting the percentage of the student whose score was lower than his/her during the previous three testing years
LSAT – Some Important Facts
There are some keys facts that the candidates must keep in mind if they wish to appear for LSAT. Find below the list of these facts regarding this law entrance test.
- In case the candidates have taken the test more than once, his/her candidacy is evaluated on the basis of the highest score.
- The candidates can cancel their LSAT score in the LSAC account six days after taking the test.
- Most of the law schools consider both LSAT score and undergraduate cumulative GPA score to determine the applicant’s candidature, though most of the time LSAT score is given more than 50% weightage.
- On the day of the test, the candidates must carry with them their LSAT admission ticket, a valid government-issued ID which shows the candidate’s recent photo and three or four sharpened No. 2 or HB wooden pencils along with erasers.
While going through LSAT, if you wish to avail the benefits of scholarships as well then click here.
Also, read ‘Education Loan for Study Abroad’ to know about easy loan options that you can avail to fund your education abroad.
Also for international scholarships, you can visit this link.
List of State Scholarship portal are as follows:
Scholarships for Uttar Pradesh |
UP Scholarship |
Scholarships for Maharashtra |
Mahadbt |
Post Matric Scholarships disbursements through ePass |
Epass Scholarship |
Jnanabhumi online portal of Government of Andhra Pradesh |
Jnanabhumi |
scholarship portal of Jharkhand |
E Kalyan Scholarship |
Government of Madhya Pradesh, MP scholarships |
MP Scholarship |
Karnataka education board, ePASS Karnataka |
Epass Karnataka Scholarship |
TS epass scholarship is offrering by Telangana Govt |
Telangana Epass |
Scholarship Portal Government of Punjab |
Punjab Scholarship |
E-Grantz portal, Government of Kerala |
E Grantz |
Minorities under Government of Karnataka, GOKDOM |
Gokdom |
Oasis scholarship portal, West Bengal scholarships |
Oasis Scholarship |
Chhattisgarh Scholarship Portal |
CG Scholarship Portal |
SJE Rajasthan Scholarship Portal, Government of Rajasthan |
SJE Scholarship |
Digital Gujarat scholarship, Government of Gujarat. |
Gujarat Scholarship |
HP ePass scholarship portal, Himachal Pradesh |
HP Epass Scholarship |
West Bengal Scholarship Schemes, West Bengal |
West Bengal Scholarship |
Government of Bihar Post-Matric scholarship SC/ST/BC/EBC |
Bihar Scholarship |
Scholarship for BC, MBC and Minorities, Govt of TamilNadu |
TN Scholarship |