What is the LSAT Like?

Want to get a basic overview of what the LSAT is like? This post will tell you what the LSAT is, what the LSAT tests, and when it is offered. If you are looking for private tutoring for the LSAT, please see our LSAT tutoring page.

LSAT stands for “Law School Admissions Test.” The LSAT is a standardized half-day test that is offered four times per year. The LSAT is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). All law school applicants are expected to take the LSAT.

Your LSAT score is very important. Law schools primarily evaluate your undergraduate GPA as well as your LSAT score to determine whether you should be admitted to law school. Thus, it is crucial that you take the LSAT seriously and adequately prepare for it the first time you take it.

When should I take the LSAT?

The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is administered four times per year – in June, September (or October), December, and February. Each test is equally difficult. There is no general “best” time to take the LSAT. The best time to take it is whenever you have enough time to adequately prepare for it. For a detailed overview of the tests as well as other factors to consider, please see this post on when to take the LSAT.

Note that you should take the LSAT by December if you are looking to be admitted to law school the following fall. We recommend (as most law schools recommend) that you take it even earlier than to take advantage of schools that allow admission on a rolling basis (which is many of them). Further, taking it early on gives you a cushion of time in case you need to retake it for whatever reason.

What is on the LSAT?

The LSAT is composed of six 35-minute portions of multiple-choice questions. Four of these portions are graded. Two do not count toward your overall score.

The Four 35-minute graded sections on the LSAT are as follows:

One reading comprehension section,
Two analytical reasoning sections, and
One logical reasoning section (“games”).

The two additional sections that do not count toward your overall score are as follows:

There is an ungraded “variable” section (commonly used to test potential future LSAT questions).
There is an ungraded 35-minute written portion at the end of the exam. The written portion is given to all law schools to which you apply but does not count toward your overall LSAT score.

What does the LSAT actually test?

The LSAT does not test whether you know the law, as many believe. Rather, it tests reading comprehension, the ability to think logically and critically, the ability to evaluate arguments, among other things. For more information on the LSAT, please see the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) site.

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