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Frequently Asked Questions - LSAT

General Information

What is the LSAT?

The LSAT is a half-day, standardized test administered four times each year at designated testing centers throughout the world. Most law schools throughout the US and Canada use the LSAT results as part of their admission process. All ABA-approved law schools, most Canadian law schools, and many non-ABA-approved law schools require applicants to take the LSAT.

The test consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions. Four of the five sections contribute to the test taker’s score. These sections include one reading comprehension section, one analytical reasoning section, and two logical reasoning sections. The unscored section, commonly referred to as the variable section, typically is used to pretest new test questions or to preequate new test forms. The placement of this section in the LSAT will vary. The score scale for the LSAT is 120 to 180. A 35-minute writing sample is administered at the end of the test. The writing sample is not scored by LSAC, but copies are sent to all law schools to which you apply.

The LSAT is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in law school: the reading and comprehension of complex texts with accuracy and insight; the organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it; the ability to think critically; and the analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others.

When is the best time to take the LSAT?

You should take the LSAT as early as possible before law school application deadlines. In recent years, many law schools have requested that applicants take the test by December for admission in the following fall’s entering class. If you think you may want to repeat the test after getting your initial score, plan to take the LSAT first in either June or September. This will give you time to access your score on your LSAC.org account and register for the test again in December.

Where is the LSAT given?

The LSAT is administered at various locations throughout the world. There are established test centers at undergraduate schools, law schools, military bases, embassies, and educational centers. The LSAT is not administered at every test center on all testing dates, and there is limited center availability for each test administration. Test centers are open to every registered candidate regardless of race, color, creed, or national origin. If it is impossible for you to travel to an established test center and you are located more than 100 miles from an open center, you may request that LSAC establish a nonpublished test center.

What is the best way to prepare for the LSAT?

The LSAT measures skills and knowledge that develop over a period of time. Thus, you cannot prepare for the test by making a last-minute effort to master specific subject areas. However, persons who have thoroughly familiarized themselves with test directions and questions types, who have practiced on available sample tests, and who have studied information available on test-taking techniques and strategies, may feel more secure on the day of the test. Question types and sample questions are included at no charge in the Law School Admission Information Book , which also includes information about additional nominally priced LSAT preparation materials. Candidates may also purchase the preparation materials and download the sample test .

What is the quickest way to register for the test?

Registering online is the quickest and easiest way to register. You can also call 215.968.1001 or use the registration forms located in the current LSAC Registration Packet.

Once you have registered for a test during the regular registration period, you may not withdraw or cancel your registration and reregister for that same test during the late registration period.

I am having trouble viewing my LSAT Admission Ticket.

Please make sure you have Adobe Reader 5 or later installed on your computer. If you have an earlier version of Reader, you will need to uninstall it, then download and install a later version. Reader is available free from www.adobe.com.

Admission tickets are displayed in a Reader pop-up window. If you click the link to your ticket and no window appears, it is being blocked by software on your computer. Be sure that you have disabled any pop-up blockers, Internet security suites, personal firewalls, or other software that may modify, block, filter, or reroute your connection. LSAC cannot assist you with any software provided by a third party.

Microsoft Windows XP or Vista users—If you have the required version of Reader installed and your admission ticket opens in a blank window, it may be necessary to change a setting in Reader. Start Reader, click Edit, then Preferences. From the menu on the left, click Internet and clear the "Display PDF in browser" check box. Click OK, then exit Reader and try to open your Admission Ticket.

Some users may need to make an additional change to their Internet Options. Exit all open programs, then, from your computer’s Control Panel, open Internet Options and click the Advanced tab. Scroll down the list of settings to the Security section, and clear the "Do not save encrypted pages to disk" check box. Click OK and try to open your admission ticket.

Macintosh OS X users—The default application to view PDFs in OS X is Preview. Some LSAC documents do not display correctly in Preview and must be viewed using Adobe Reader. Opening the admission ticket in Preview will also place a copy of the file on your desktop as Example.pdf. Open Adobe Reader, click File, then Open. Browse to your desktop and select the downloaded copy of the ticket. This should open the admission ticket properly and allow you to view and print your ticket.

Am I limited to test centers preselected by LSAC?

If it is impossible for you to travel to a test center that is already listed, you may request the establishment of a nonpublished test center. See the current LSAC Law School Admission Information Book for more information. Please note the earlier deadlines that are found in the LSAT Dates and Deadlines section of this website.

If I am placed on the waiting list, how will I be notified when I have been assigned to a center?

Please check your online account frequently. An admission ticket will be available in the LSAT Status section under the LSAT tab as soon as you have been assigned.

How long after the test will I receive my results?

LSAT takers who have LSAC.org accounts will automatically receive their LSAT scores by e-mail approximately three weeks after taking the test. This is the quickest way to obtain your LSAT score, and there is no additional charge.
LSAC will send score reports by mail approximately four weeks after each test. Test takers who have LSAC.org accounts can pay a one-time fee of $25 if they wish to obtain hard-copy mailings of account information that is available online.

How can I cancel my score?

There are two ways you can cancel your score:

Complete the score cancellation section on the LSAT answer sheet at the test center. (You must blacken both bubbles in the score cancellation section.) Sign your full name and date for the certifying statement.
Send a written cancellation request to LSAC after the test. Your written cancellation must be in the form of a signed fax; overnight letter; or expedited, mailed score cancellation form , which you can access on this website immediately following your test administration. Your request must be received within six calendar days of the test. If you do not receive confirmation of receipt of your request within four calendar days after your request was submitted, contact LSAC immediately. If your request has not been processed, you may submit proof that your request was received at LSAC within the required period. Documentation of proof of receipt will not be accepted beyond 14 calendar days after the test.

How may I request a rescoring of my answer sheet?

If you wish to verify or contest the machine scoring of your answer sheet after you have received your LSAT Score Report, you may request a rescoring by hand. Send a signed request to LSAC, 662 Penn Street, Box 2000-T, Newtown, PA 18940 or fax it to 215.968.1277. Your request must be received no later than 60 days after the test date.

Include: your name, LSAC account number, the last four digits of your Social Security/Insurance identification number, the test date, the test center name and code number, your reason for requesting the handscore, and payment for the $41 ($43 CDN) handscore fee (check, money order, or credit card).

What if I encounter a problem at the test center?

If you encounter a problem during the test administration, report it to the test center supervisor; however, informing the test center supervisor is not sufficient. You must also follow up your complaint by writing to LSAC at Box 2000-T, Newtown, PA 18940 or by fax at 215.968.1277. Your signed written complaint must be received within six calendar days after the administration. It is your responsibility to keep proof of LSAC’s receipt of your complaint (i.e., a fax transmittal report); however, no such proof will be accepted beyond 14 calendar days after the test. Indicate your name, address, LSAC account number, the last four digits of your Social Security or Social Insurance number, and the building and/or room in which you were tested, if known. Be aware that the availability of your LSAT score may be delayed pending the review of your complaint.

How can I get a refund?

You are entitled to a partial refund of $47 ($49 CDN) if you are unable to take the test. Send the completed Refund Request Form by the appropriate deadline date that is found in the LSAT Dates and Deadlines section of this website. You can download the Refund Request Form from this website or it can be obtained from the LSAC Registration Packet. LSAC will also accept a signed, dated letter as long as it makes the appropriate deadline date that is found in the LSAT Dates and Deadlines section of this website.

Can I change my test date?

Yes. The easiest way to change your test date is through your LSAC.org account. You may also use the Test Date Change form or a signed, dated, written request. Enclose a $66 payment ($69 CDN plus 5% Goods and Service Tax). The Test Date Change form can be found on this website. Be sure that the request is postmarked by the appropriate date, which can be found in the LSAT Dates and Deadlines section of this website.

If my credit card was denied for the registration fee, can I still take the test?

Yes. You may take the test; however, you cannot receive, nor can your schools receive, your score report until the outstanding balance has been paid.

Should I take the test again?

If you believe that your test score does not reflect your true ability, you should consider taking the test again. Data show that scores for repeat test takers often rise slightly. However, be aware that your scores may drop. You should also notify law schools of any facts relevant to the interpretation of your test results, such as illness or extenuating circumstances. If there is no reason to believe that one score represents a truer estimate of an applicant’s ability, schools are advised that the average score is probably the best estimate of ability—especially if the tests were taken over short period of time. Law schools must have access to your complete test record, not just the highest score; therefore, LSAC will not honor requests for partial score reports.

How many times can I take the LSAT?

Normally, you may not take the LSAT more than three times in any two-year period. This policy applies even if you cancel your score or it is not otherwise reported. LSAC reserves the right to cancel your registration, rescind your admission ticket, or take any other steps necessary to enforce this policy. However, you may retake the LSAT if a law school to which you are applying requires a more recent score than any you have on record, or approves your retaking the test, and the school provides LSAC with written proof of its requirement no later than the last day of registration for the test.

How will my scores be reported?

LSAC will automatically report the results of all LSATs in your file, including cancellations and absences, since June 1, 2004. The scores are averaged and also appear separately. If you wish to have older scores obtained between June 1, 2000, and June 1, 2004, placed on a current file, you may do so by sending a signed, dated request to LSAC.

How can I obtain a paper copy of my current LSAT score report?

If you have a current LSAC.org account with an existing Credential Assembly Service (LSDAS) registration and a current LSAT score, you can view your score in your LSAC.org account. (Select LSAT and then LSAT Status.) If your score is recent enough, you may also print out the IRR (Item Response Report) from the LSAT Status section.

To receive a paper copy of your score report in the mail from LSAC when you already have an online account, you must first purchase the Paper Document Service. Choose Edit under My Account/Profile and then go to your shopping cart to pay for it. Once you have purchased the Paper Document Service, simply request a copy of your report via e-mail, phone, fax, or mail.

How can I receive or have a law school receive a paper copy of my older, noncurrent LSAT score report?

Scores prior to June 2004 are not considered current for law school reporting and are not available for printing from an online account. See instructions below for ordering:

Send a signed, dated, written request to LSAC, 662 Penn Street, Box 2600, Newtown, PA 18940-0979 with a $41 check or money order ($43 CDN plus 5% Goods and Service Tax). Please include the following information:
- Your name as it appeared when you took the test
- Your signature on the letter
- The last four digits of your Social Security number or Canadian Social Insurance number
- Your date of birth
- Your current address or the name and address of all schools to which you want the report sent
- Your most recent test date
- Your mailing address

Be sure to check with the school(s) to determine if a Credential Assembly Service (LSDAS) report is needed. Scores earned prior to June 2000 will not be reported to law schools.

NOTE: Reports may only be sent to you or to law schools (not to graduate schools, employers, scholarship programs, etc.).

How do my transcripts get forwarded to LSAC?

It is your responsibility to have an official copy of your transcripts sent to LSAC directly from the registrar for every institution you have attended. If you register online, your Transcript Request Forms are accessible only after you register for the Credential Assembly Service (LSDAS) and enter your school information. Paper Transcript Request Forms are available in the LSAC Registration Packet for those who register by mail.

What time is the test administered?

Test takers must report to the test centers for the September, December, and February administrations of the LSAT no later than 8:30 am. The reporting time for the June LSAT is 12:30 pm.

Candidates registered at international test centers should note the actual test date, day, and reporting time printed on their LSAT Admission Ticket.

What materials do I need to bring?

Test takers may bring into the test room only a clear plastic ziplock bag (maximum size one gallon/3.79 liter) containing only the following items: LSAT Admission Ticket stub, valid ID, wallet, keys, medical or hygiene products, tissues, #2 or HB pencils (no mechanical pencils), erasers, pencil sharpener, highlighter, and beverage in a plastic container or juice box (20 oz./591 ml. maximum size) and snack for break only.

Test takers may use an analog nondigital wristwatch. No electronic devices are permitted.

How can I inquire about a test question?

If, while taking the LSAT, you find what you believe to be an error or ambiguity in a test question that affects your response to the question, report it to the test supervisor as soon as you finish the test and write immediately to: Law School Admission Council, Test Development, 662 Penn Street, Box 40, Newtown, PA 18940-0040. You may also contact us by e-mail at LSATTS@LSAC.org. The LSAC document, Policies and Procedures Governing Challenges to Law School Admission Test Questions can be found here.

How long should I keep records?

Some state bar associations inquire about the law school admission records of those seeking admission to the bar. You should keep and maintain complete copies of all law school application records throughout the admission cycle and your law school career.

How do law schools evaluate the writing sample?

LSAC sends a copy of the applicant’s writing sample to law schools along with the LSAT or Credential Assembly Service (LSDAS) law school report. If you have taken the LSAT more than once, the three most recent writing samples will be sent to law schools. Each law school determines for itself how it will make use of the writing sample.