The Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

About the Test | When to Take It | How to Prepare | Registering with the LSDAS

About the Test

The Law School Admission Test, or LSAT, is a standardized test that is measured on a scale of 120 to 180 and is used by many schools as a screening device and to compare applicants from different schools.

The test consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple –choice questions.  Only four of the five sections are scored.  These sections include one reading comprehension section, one analytical reasoning section, and two logical reasoning sections.  The fifth section repeats one of the earlier sections is considered “experimental,” and will not count toward your final score.   The 30-minute writing sample is administered at the end of the test and is not scored.  While this is the least important section of the exam, it should be taken seriously.   If anything, the essay section serves as a writing sample for law schools to consider in evaluating your application.

When to Take the Test

The CRC recommends that you take the LSAT the summer of the year before you plan to enroll in law school. The advantages of this timing are as follows.  First, knowing your score early will assist in your realistic investigation of schools and your dealings with school representatives. Second, since most people begin to apply in mid-October, taking the exam in the summer allows you to compare your score with those of the students previously admitted to your prospective schools and to know as you complete your applications which schools are within reach, which are “safety schools,” and which are “stretches.” Also, if your score is uncharacteristically low, you can retake the examination in October. Please note: most law schools will average your two scores, but some will consider the higher of the two. Therefore, you should not take the test "for practice," or take it if you are unprepared, or retake it if your first score is reasonable for you. Make sure you know the policy of each law school you to which you are applying.

How to Prepare

It is important to spend an adequate amount of time, which in most cases can be months, preparing for the LSAT.  In addition to commercial preparatory courses, there are review books, computer software, and practice tests distributed by LSAS. The LSAT registration packet includes a sample test, which is the most accurate representation available.  The best method of preparation varies from student to student, but most students enroll in a preparatory course and make frequent use of written LSAT preparation materials and practice tests. 

The CRC has information about preparatory courses.  The two most common are given by the Princeton Review and Kaplan, and some local law schools offer similar shorter preparatory courses at a reduced cost.  In many respects, you can view your decision to take such a course not as giving yourself a decided advantage over others, but rather, as avoiding putting yourself at a disadvantage by not having similar instruction as most other students taking the exam. A self-disciplined, motivated student may be able to score just as well as someone who has been through a course, but is already facing an uphill battle in terms of pacing his or her preparations and being sure to access a sufficient array of materials to mimic the preparatory course experience.  Preparatory courses are often expensive, but organizations that back diversity often offer financial aid for these courses.  

Remember, if you do decide to pursue a legal education, the LSAT, aside from the bar exam after graduation, will be the most important standardized test of your life.  You should be sure to prepare for it accordingly. 

Registering with the Law School Data Assembly Service

The LSDAS is a required service, administered by the LSAC, that compiles and standardizes your record for law schools (almost every law schools subscribe to this). To register, a complex and detailed form is often required that deserves careful attention. Information is available in the LSAT & LSDAS Registration & Information Book and at http://www.lsac.org. The Pre-law Adviser at the CRC is available to assist students with any questions concerning its completion. Obtain a copy months before your planned registration date to be sure you have compiled all necessary information. A transcript is required from all institutions at which you have studied throughout college.

After registering for the service, you will receive a LSDAS report which will contain the following information for each applicant: major, honors, grade-point average for each undergraduate year, cumulative grade-point average, the mean grade-point average of the student’s undergraduate institution, and all LSAT scores, including the mean LSAT score of all Wesleyan students registered for that test administration.  Many law schools also ask that your letters of recommendation be kept on file with LSDAS.

You may register for the LSDAS when you register for the LSAT, although it is possible to register for the LSAT without registering with LSDAS. Your LSDAS file is valid for five years.

After you send your application and other materials to LSDAS-requiring law schools, the schools will contact LSAC directly to request your LSDAS report.

If you run into problems or have questions concerning the LSAT or LSDAS, check your registration booklet or simply refer to http://www.lsac.org. And, of course, the CRC is always happy to help with any questions.

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