Law School Application Process

The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is a half-day standardized aptitude test that is required for admission to all accredited law schools. It provides a standard measure of acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools use as an important factor in assessing applicants. Although the law school admissions process is not formulaic, schools often weigh LSAT scores evenly with, and sometimes even more heavily than, than the undergraduate grade point average. The inescapable point is that the LSAT is an extremely important benchmark, and should never be taken lightly.

The test consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions, including Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning and Logical Reasoning. One section of both Reading Comprehension and Analytical Reasoning, and two sections of Logical Reasoning questions form the basis of your score. An additional non-scored "experimental" section (that can be of any type) is included in each test, but cannot be identified as such while you are taking the exam. A non-scored 35-minute writing sample is also given at the end of the test, copies of which are sent by LSAC to all law schools to which you apply.

As the official governing body of the application process, the Law School Admission Council has the most complete, official information regarding the LSAT. They also facilitate the LSAT. Please visit their website for helpful information and to register for the test: www.lsac.org. While you can register for the LSAT by telephone or email, it is most advantageous to have an LSAC online account because it allows you access to electronic applications for all ABA-approved law schools and the ability to apply online to law schools. Additionally, you will receive your LSAT score early by email.

The LSAT is scored on a scale from 120 to 180. Although you will answer a total of about 120-130 questions, your score is determined by the number of correct answers on the four scored sections, usually covering a total of about 96-104 questions. While individual questions do vary in difficulty, each correct answer makes the same contribution to your score, regardless of how difficult or easy it may be. Thus, no question is worth more than any other. Within each section of the test, questions are NOT arranged in order of difficulty. Do not assume that the next question or set of questions will necessarily be either more or less difficult than earlier ones.

LSAT scores are not absolutes; a 180 does not necessarily mean that every question was answered correctly (you could have as many as two or three questions incorrect and still receive a 180), nor does a 120 necessarily mean that you scored every question incorrectly. Generally, you will need approximately 15-17 correct answers before your score moves above a 120. Once you reach that threshold, your score will increase roughly two points for every three additional correct answers.

It is critical to note that your test score is based on the number of questions answered correctly, and that there is no deduction for incorrect answers. Thus, you are not penalized for guessing, and should never leave a question unanswered. The LSAT is a deliberately "speeded" test, and you will probably find yourself quite pressed for time during the exam. This fact makes it imperative that you practice taking the LSAT under timed conditions, so as to familiarize yourself with the pace that you will need to keep on the day of the exam. Even with such preparation, it is not unusual to find that you are not able to finish each section of the test without a certain amount of guessing.

Along with your numerical score, Law Services also reports a percentile rank, reflecting the percentage of candidates scoring below your reported test score. Over the past several years, a score of about 150 has generally fallen at approximately the 50th percentile, and a score of about 163 has fallen at approximately the 90th percentile.

• If you have an LSAC online account, you will receive your LSAT score by e-mail approximately 3 weeks after taking the test. This is the fastest way to receive your score, and there is no charge.
• If you do not have an LSAC online account, you can obtain your score by telephone (for a fee) or by mail. For more information, visit www.lsac.org.

The LSAT is administered four times per year, traditionally in June, October, December and February. Visit News & Events for a listing of upcoming LSAT dates.

Keeping in mind that it is to your advantage to submit your applications early (late October or early November), it is recommended that the LSAT be taken either in June after the junior year or in October of the senior year. In general, students tend to perform better after their junior year, and since there is no advantage to taking the test before this time, one should not plan to take it earlier.

In deciding when to take the test, I generally recommend trying to take the test in June, if possible, for the following reasons: First, the October test usually falls right before or at the beginning of midterms. Many students find it difficult to set aside the time in August and September, as the fall semester begins, to sufficiently study for the test. Second, the June test will allow you to have your scores back well before the end of the summer, giving you some additional time in researching schools to decide which schools you want to apply to. Lastly, if something would happen that prevents you from taking the June exam (illness, emergency, etc.), you would have a back-up in the October test. If you miss the October test, your back-up is the December test, which will not allow you to submit applications early and therefore, put you at a disadvantage in the application process.

Results from the February test are generally reported after the admissions deadlines of most law schools to be considered for the following fall, and students should not plan on taking the February test barring special circumstances.

Ultimately, in deciding when to take the test, make sure you are PREPARED!!

Technically, yes, you can retake the test. It is likely that many law schools will use the higher LSAT score for applicants who have taken the LSAT more than once. However, schools will receive all scores, and some may average multiple scores. You should contact the law schools you're considering applying to to find out how they will treat multiple LSAT scores. It is best to adequately prepare and plan to take the test only once.

The LSAT is not a test that can be crammed for, as it tests aptitudes as opposed to specific knowledge. Rather, preparing for it should be an extended process of familiarizing yourself with the format of the test, the types of questions that will be asked, and the pace of the exam a process that often spans several months. Among the many benefits of preparing conscientiously and earnestly for the LSAT is that you are more likely to be relaxed and focused on the day of the test. While taking the LSAT is an inherently stressful experience, the well-prepared student will probably be better able to manage the test-day demands so as to maximize their abilities.

A variety of study guides, preparation materials and courses are available to help you get ready for the LSAT. Regarding taking an LSAT prep class, I think this decision should really be based on your learning style. If you learn better in a classroom environment with an instructor to orally go over the material, where you meet once or twice per week, and want to make the financial commitment, a course may be best for you. On the other hand, if you are more of an independent learner, want a flexible schedule, prefer to study on your own, and have the motivation and discipline to set aside time to study, you can buy books and materials and study on your own. Research the possibilities to see which will fit you best.

Whichever way you choose, I recommend practicing with some authentic, recently administered LSAT exams . You can get these from www.lsac.org or some companies may put them in book format - look for actual, official LSATs. When using these as practice tests, start with the oldest tests first and take the most recent tests closest to your LSAT test date. As test question writers change, so does language and style. Those questions on most recent tests will likely be closest to what you will see on your test.

Additionally, it is recommended that you take practice tests in simulated testing conditions before taking the real test. Test preparation companies usually offer free practices tests on campus each semester.

LSAT Preparation Resources