LSAT Basic Information
What is the LSAT?
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a standardized entrance exam for law programs at the graduate level. The test is used primarily by law schools in the United States, but some programs in Canada and a few other countries either require or accept it. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) creates and oversees the exam, which was first administered in 1948.
The current LSAT has a total of four sections that cover two areas: Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning. It consists of two scored Logical Reasoning sections, one scored Reading Comprehension section, and one unscored (or experimental) Logical Reasoning or Reading Comprehension section. There is also an unscored writing section, the LSAT Argumentative Writing task, that's taken separately from the multiple-choice sections, however the fee for this task is included with LSAT registration. Test takers are given 35 minutes to complete each of the four sections, for a total of 140 minutes, or 2 hours and 20 minutes. There is also a 10-minute break between the second and third sections, bringing the total time to 2 hours and 30 minutes. The LSAT is scored from 120 to 180 in one-point increments, and all questions are weighted equally.
The Argumentative Writing task is required for first-time test takers, but if someone has previously taken the LSAT and completed a writing sample (scores are valid for five years from the test date) they aren't required to complete this task a second time. As of 2025, the purpose of the LSAT Argumentative Writing task is to have a sample of the test taker's writing ability on file, which is why it remains unscored. Students have 50 minutes to complete the Writing task (15 minutes for prewriting analysis/organization and 35 minutes for essay writing), and it can be completed online in a proctored environment up to eight days before taking the LSAT.
LSAT Availability
There are two types of LSAT exams: disclosed exams and nondisclosed exams. Disclosed exams are those the LSAC makes public after they have been administered, allowing students to use them for study purposes. When a test taker completes a disclosed LSAT, in addition to receiving their test score and percentile rank, they also receive a copy of the test questions, their answer sheet, and information about which questions they answered incorrectly. Nondisclosed exams are never released to the public. When a test taker completes a nondisclosed LSAT, they receive only their score and percentile rank. There is no other difference between disclosed and nondisclosed exams—the sections, number of questions, and scoring methodology are exactly the same. So one type of LSAT is no more difficult than the other.
The LSAC states that they are "committed to openness and transparency while balancing the need for test security," and to this end, they note on their website that they will disclose a new test form and its corresponding answer key every testing cycle. They do not, however, share in advance whether an LSAT taken on a particular day will ultimately be a disclosed or nondisclosed test, although this is always a topic of great discussion in LSAT-related chatrooms and online forums. While disclosed exams are never administered again, they can be accessed for study purposes through LSAC's LawHub, with four disclosed tests available for free, and more than 50 disclosed tests available via a LawHub Advantage subscription for $120 per year. Many disclosed tests are also available through LSAC's published prep books.
The LSAT testing year begins in June, and there are typically nine testing dates per year, although this has been known to vary. Tests can be taken online or at a designated testing center, and testing dates generally fall on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The LSAT-Puerto Rico is offered once a year, designed exclusively for law school applicants in Puerto Rico. LSAC sends that test's scores only to the three ABA-approved law schools in Puerto Rico.
The LSAT and Law School Admission
All available evidence indicates that the LSAT is a major factor in law school admissions decisions. The Law School Admission Council, which is the accrediting body for law degree programs, requires all institutions to report the LSAT scores of its accepted students at the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles. Reviewing this information demonstrates a strong correlation between LSAT scores and institutional selectivity and prestige; the elite schools almost invariably have the highest LSAT scores. Furthermore, law school rankings are partially based on LSAT performance. The U.S. News & World Report rankings methodology, for example, devotes 25% of a school's ranking to a metric called "selectivity," half of which is determined by the program's median LSAT score. This means that test scores account for one-eighth (12.5%) of a law school's position in the U.S. News rankings, giving programs an incentive to admit applicants with high scores. Finally, LSAC data on law school admission show that LSAT performance is often more strongly linked to admission than undergraduate GPA. Prospective law students can easily peruse this information on the LSAC website.
LSAT Statistics and Employment Outcomes
Over the past 20 years or so, the total number of annual LSAT administrations has fluctuated between about 100,000 and 170,000. During the most recent testing year for which data is available (2023-2024 testing year), the LSAT was taken approximately 155,070 times. This was a 17.7% increase from the previous year, and represented the third-highest number of test administrations in the exam's history. Over the same 20-year period, between 40,000 and 52,000 students began law school each year, indicating that many prospective law students took the LSAT more than once.
According to the American Bar Association, aggregated data for the class of 2023 revealed that 85.6% of law school graduates were employed in full-time jobs within 10 months of graduating from law school. Earlier data from 2021 revealed that roughly 92% of law school graduates secured full-time employment within nine months of law school graduation, and of those, 78% had jobs that required a legal license. Of course, numbers related to employment after graduation vary widely by institution; the top law schools usually report employment rates of 95% or higher, while the lowest-ranked programs can have rates of 35% or below. Overall, however, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment as a lawyer will increase by 10% from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all other occupations combined.
LSAT Preparation
The LSAT is not an exam that should be attempted without substantial preparation, and very few informed individuals recommend that test takers go it alone. Gaining proficiency in LSAT exercises requires both training and practice. The most effective way to maximize student score potential is to formally study with a highly qualified LSAT teacher, and professional LSAT preparation is available in several formats (on-site, online, group course, or individual tutoring). Professional LSAT learning plans provide students with sound structure, incremental and sustainable skill development, targeted feedback, accountability, and vital testing abilities.
Many books, disclosed exams, study materials, and other resources are also available from LSAC, which can be helpful whether students are preparing through group courses or individual tutoring. It's important to find the preparation option that works best for you and your schedule. The most effective study aids are the ones you will consistently use, expanding your knowledge of LSAT content and increasing your familiarity with the exam.