LSAT® Overview and Structure

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is different to any test you will have taken during your academic career.

The tests you will have encountered in school and college have probably been knowledge-based. The LSAT, on the other hand, is a skills-based test. You will not be required to regurgitate memorised facts or apply learned formulas to specific problems. You will, however, be required to think thoroughly, quickly and strategically.

The LSAT is designed to test the critical reading and analytical thinking skills deemed critical for success in the first year of US law school. You will have acquired these skills to some extent over your academic career. What you may have not yet acquired is the know-how to use these skills to gain maximised performance in the unfamiliar atmosphere of the LSAT exam.

LSAT Format and Structure

LSAT Logical Reasoning Section I

Time: 35 minutes
Format: 24-26 questions
Topics Tested: Analyzing Arguments and Evaluating Arguments

LSAT Logical Reasoning Section II

Time: 35 minutes
Format: 24-26 questions
Topics Tested: Analyzing Arguments and Evaluating Arguments

LSAT Logic Games Section

Time: 35 minutes
Format: 22-24 questions
Topics Tested: Basic Logic, Systems of Order, and Outcomes

LSAT Reading Comprehension Section

Time: 35 minutes
Format: 26-28 questions
Topics Tested: Identifying Purpose, Identifying Structure, and Ascertaining Main Idea

LSAT Experimental Section

Time: 35 minutes
Format: 22-28 unscored, experimental questions
Topics Tested: Any material tested in other LSAT sections
Question Types: Could be any from other LSAT sections

LSAT Writing Sample

Time: 35 minutes
Format: Two-page written response to a prompt
Topics Tested: Writing Ability, Ability to Argue a Position, and Ability to Analyze an Argument

LSAT® Scores

You will not receive a pass or fail on the LSAT - instead you will receive a “score band”, which is an overall score. You will also receive a percentile rank which compares you to other test takers.

Your LSAT score report will not provide separate scores for the individual multiple choice sections. Instead you will receive an overall score which ranges from 120 to 180. In addition The Law Services will also report a "score band", which is a range of scaled scores above and below your score, indicating a "true score" at a reasonable level of confidence. Finally, you will receive a percentile score. This ranks your performance relative to the scores of a large sample of other LSAT test takers.

Register for the LSAT® Exam

You should register for the LSAT online with the administrators of the LSAT, the Law School Admission Council at www.lsac.org.

Registration for the LSAT is $175. Those who register late will be charged an additional late fee of $90.