What is the LSAT and how important is it? #
The Law School Admission Test evaluates applicants in the areas of reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and logical analysis. The 3 hour exam is the single most important element in your application. The LSAT for law schools is much more important than the SAT or ACT is for undergraduate programs. At most law schools, your LSAT score is weighed more heavily than your GPA. This score will also largely determine the level of any financial aid you receive.
In August 2024, the LSAT format changed to eliminate the Analytical Reasoning section. Thereafter, the test consists of two scored Logical Reasoning sections and one scored Reading Comprehension section, plus one unscored section of either Logical Reasoning or Reading Comprehension.
What is a good LSAT score? While national average score is around a 152, a competitive score varies from school to school for the purposes of admission. In general, a score at or above a school's median LSAT is considered competitive. A score near or below 25th percentile makes the school a reach.
The sooner you begin to familiarize yourself with this exam, the better. Health Professions & Prelaw Advising has past LSAT exams available for you to borrow at no charge. Many free exams are also available through LawHub from the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC).
For more information, to register for this exam, find out future dates and registration deadlines, or take a full-length diagnostic test, see the official LSAC site.
When should I take the LSAT? #
Take the LSAT only when you are ready. In deciding, consider when you plan to apply. Virtually every law school has a "rolling admissions" policy, which means they begin admitting applicants long before the deadline to apply. We recommend that you try to apply by January 1 the year you plan to start law school. Applying late in the cycle may result in unpredictable outcomes as fewer openings and scholarship opportunities are left.
The LSAT is usually offered 8–9 times throughout the year. Check the LSAT calendar at the LSAC website.
Many students choose to take exam the summer before senior year if they are planning to start law school right after graduation. September–November exams are fine, and will give you enough time to submit application material by November or December. In general, getting a higher score on the LSAT is better than applying earlier, but if you plan to take the exam in January or later, we suggest calling your schools to see if it will put you at any disadvantage.
Consider well in advance the time needed to train for the exam, which can be like adding an intense competitve extracurricular activity or 4-credit independent study course to your schedule. We suggest that you budget 50–150 hours, depending on your admissions goals and initial diagnostic score, for your training.
Come meet with a prelaw advisor to talk over your plans and set a solid strategy for the exam.
How should I prepare for the LSAT? #
Applicants should expect to prepare for the exam for at least three to four months in advance of the test date, or more depending on how busy their schedule is. Since the LSAT does not test knowledge of a particular subject, the goal of studying is to become familiar with the test format and develop methods to answer questions with speed and accuracy.
One element of preparation should be to take actual past exams under strictly timed conditions. Standard advice is to try to include ten or more full-length diagnostic exams in your preparation.
The LSAC offers free LSAT prep material and a subscription service to a large library of past exams. Take a timed practice LSAT test early on to see how much work lies ahead, and find out if one section is weaker that the others. Don’t worry about preparing before taking your first diagnostic exam, and don’t be surprised if your first score is low. The idea is to get a perspective on how much future preparation you will need in order to obtain the score you desire.
Prep courses are not necessary for all applicants, but they can help many students.
In general, the more practice exams you can take under proctored, test-like conditions, the better. But do keep in mind that such events are not offered only as a public service. They are also marketing tools, and some can be offered as part of a strategy to induce you to pay for their commercial course. Diagnostic testing can be stressful, and your score will likely be low, especially if you have not prepared much beforehand. In other words, at the conclusion of the test you might be especially vulnerable to a persuasive sales pitch. We suggest you take your time and not decide on the spot. While many students benefit from commercial courses, many do just as well on their own. You need to thoughtfully decide what is best for you.
"My LSAT is on the low side, but I have a high GPA, three majors, great letters, two internships with law firms, I was a TA, am a leader in lots of extra-curriculars.....I should be okay, right?"
There are always exceptions, but in general your chances of admission to a particular law school will be low if your best LSAT score is at or below their 25th percentile average. If you have not performed well on standardized tests in the past, start preparing for the LSAT as soon as reasonably possible. If you have a record of outperforming what standardized tests have predicted for you (e.g., you had low SAT or ACT scores, yet have a high GPA in college), an explanatory letter of addendum may be in order. A HPPLA prelaw advisor can help you with this document.