LSAT prep — the test itself
The LSAT doesn't test what you know — it tests how you think. Here's the current format, how scoring works, what the writing section is for, and what law schools actually do with your score. Every format fact below comes from LSAC's official pages — sources linked at the bottom.
The current format — post-2024
Since August 2024, the LSAT has no Logic Games (the Analytical Reasoning section was removed). The multiple-choice test is now built from just two section types — Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension — and there is an unscored writing sample taken separately. The sections can appear in any order, and you won't be told which one is the unscored one.
| Section | What it tests | Scored? | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logical Reasoning I | Analyzing, evaluating, and completing short arguments — spotting assumptions, flaws, and what follows. | Yes | 35 minutes |
| Logical Reasoning II | A second full section of the same: argument analysis is two-thirds of your score. | Yes | 35 minutes |
| Reading Comprehension | Reading dense passages with accuracy and insight — main points, viewpoints, structure, and inference. | Yes | 35 minutes |
| Unscored variable section | An extra Logical Reasoning or Reading Comprehension section LSAC uses to validate new questions for future tests. | No | 35 minutes |
Source: LSAC, Specifications of the LSAT and LSAT Argumentative Writing — four 35-minute multiple-choice sections (one Reading Comprehension, two Logical Reasoning, one unscored variable section), with a 10-minute intermission between the second and third sections.
Digital format
The multiple-choice LSAT is administered digitally. Starting with the August 2026 LSAT, LSAC is moving toward in-center testing for almost all test takers, with limited exceptions — including remote-testing exceptions for certain disability-related accommodations.
Source: LSAC, Specifications of the LSAT.
Separate — unscored
Source: LSAC, LSAT Argumentative Writing and its FAQ.
2026–27 testing year
Source: LSAC, LSAT & CAS Fees and Register for the LSAT.
Know the ceiling
Source: LSAC, Limits on Repeating the LSAT.
Scoring
Your raw score is simply the number of questions you answer correctly across the three scored sections. Every question counts the same, and there is no deduction for wrong answers — guessing can only help, so never leave a question blank. LSAC then converts your raw score onto the 120–180 scale (a process that adjusts for small differences in difficulty between test dates), which is the score law schools use.
The mindset shift
LSAC describes the LSAT as measuring skills considered essential for law school — reading complex texts with accuracy and insight, organizing information, drawing reasonable inferences, thinking critically, and evaluating arguments. That design choice creates a very different test from what most undergrads are used to:
| Typical undergrad exams | The LSAT | |
|---|---|---|
| What it rewards | Knowing the material — recall of facts, definitions, theories you studied. | Thinking with new material — no course content to memorize; the skills are reading, inference, and argument evaluation. |
| Preparation | Study the content: re-read, memorize, drill problem sets. | Train the skill: learn argument anatomy and question types, then practice until the moves are automatic. |
| Timing pressure | Often generous; many students finish early. | Severe by design — 35 minutes per section with no slack. Pacing is a trained skill, not a personality trait. |
| Format | Mixed: multiple choice, short answer, essays, partial credit. | All multiple choice plus the separate writing sample. No partial credit — but also no penalty for wrong answers. |
| Right answers | Often clear-cut if you studied. | Four attractive wrong answers per question, engineered to catch predictable misreads. Precision beats speed. |
Admissions
The report schools see
Schools receive your score on the 120–180 scale along with your percentile rank and score band — and up to 12 reportable results, including absences and cancellations. It's one of the heaviest-weighted numbers in your file, because it's the one measure every applicant shares regardless of major or school.
The unscored sample
Your Argumentative Writing sample is shared with the law schools you apply to once it's approved. LSAC notes that most law schools treat a writing sample as an integral part of the admission decision — they look at your reasoning, clarity, organization, and writing mechanics under time pressure.
Source: LSAC, LSAT Argumentative Writing FAQ.
The format is the easy part — the skills are the work. Start with the primer (argument anatomy, every question type, reading strategies), then build a week-by-week study schedule matched to your timeline.
LSAT is a registered trademark of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). This guide is unofficial and is not affiliated with or endorsed by LSAC. Test fees, dates, and policies change — always confirm current details on lsac.org before registering.