The Law School Admission Test, commonly known as the LSAT, is a test taken by prospective law school students as part of the grad school application process for law school. The test is offered in testing centers around the world and was designed to provide a standard measure to assess the reading and verbal reasoning skills of law-school applicants.

About the LSAT

The LSAT is comprised of five sections of multiple-choice questions and a writing sample. The four scored sections incorporate logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and analytical reasoning questions. The remaining multiple-choice section is not scored; its primary function is to allow test-makers to assess the validity and reliability of new questions that could potentially be incorporated into future exams. The writing sample is also not scored, but it allows admissions committees at law schools with to review your writing skills as well as your comprehension and analytical skills outside of the multiple-choice sections. LSAT scores range from 120–180, and you will receive a percentile rank included in your score report.

LSAT Prep

Give yourself plenty of time to prepare for the LSAT. You can purchase LSAT prep software, books, and practice tests online or from local bookstores. A good method of LSAT prep is to set aside some study time each week starting 3 to 6 months in advance of taking the test. Logic questions are generally one of three types: those that require you to determine attributes of each item, those that require you to divide items into groups, and those that require you to put items in a certain order.

If you are unsatisfied with your score and choose to retake the LSAT, keep in mind that although scores for repeat test-takers often rise slightly, the likelihood of a substantially higher score is rare. Actually, the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) reviews unusually large score differences because they may be an indicator of test misconduct or irregularity. Law schools can access both your original test scores and your subsequent scores, and they may compare and question them, too. It is certainly best to have done as much LSAT prep as possible the first time you take the test to avoid having to consider a retest.

Undergraduate GPA, grade distributions, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and LSAT scores are all considered by admissions committees during the admissions process for law school.