LSAT Exam

LSAT structure

The LSAT exam consists of four sections, each lasting 35 minutes with breaks in between. The total duration of the exam, excluding breaks, is 2 hours and 20 minutes.

One of the four sections is an ungraded written assignment, intended to showcase the test taker's presentation style and level of language proficiency. Although it does not contribute to the final score, the admissions committee at universities may review it.

The exam includes the following components:

• Logical reasoning
• Reading comprehension
• Logic games (analytical thinking)
• Writing sample

Scoring

LSAT scores are reported on a scale ranging from 120 to 180, but the scoring process is somewhat opaque. Unlike the SAT, the complexity of tasks in the LSAT can vary significantly even within the same section. Moreover, many test questions do not have clear-cut answers. To ensure fair evaluation and avoid penalizing test takers for encountering more difficult tasks, the scoring committee employs probability adjustments and specific calculations. The exact formula varies each year and is contingent upon the number and composition of the questions.

There are three different scores associated with the LSAT: raw score, scaled score, and percentile rank.

• Raw score simply represents the number of correct answers on a test, measured on a scale from 0 to 100. While this information can be helpful for exam preparation and self-assessment, it is not considered by universities.
• Scaled score is the most relevant for universities. Points are assigned on a scale from 120 to 180. The calculation principle is based on the distribution of raw scores across test takers. In essence, most applicants receive an average number of raw scores, typically around 150. The further a test taker deviates from this level, either by providing more correct or incorrect answers relative to others, the more their scaled score will differ. Since statistics show that fewer individuals answer difficult questions correctly, this scoring system is considered objective and fair. The graph below illustrates the relationship between the number of correct answers and the final scaled score for mid-2021^[2].
• Percentile rank indicates a test taker's position in the overall ranking. For instance, a score of 99.99% implies that the individual performed better than 9999 out of 10000 test takers (assuming an average of 100000 people take the exam annually). On the other hand, a rank of 44% indicates that more than half of the participants achieved higher scores. This measure is useful because it provides a more accurate picture of one's performance compared to the scaled score. For example, while the nominal difference between scores of 150 and 160 is 10 points, a significantly larger number of test takers fall within the 150 to 160 range than the 170 to 180 range. This means that, in practice, the difference is more substantial. A student with a score of 160 outperformed 36% more participants than a student with a score of 150, but trailed behind a student with a score of 170 by only 18%^[3].

LSAT exam results are managed through the Credential Assembly Service, which is accessible to all universities to which an applicant subsequently applies. LSAT scores and writing samples are stored for five years. Upon completion of the exam, the service automatically sends results to all universities specified by the applicant. Although this is a paid service, most universities require applicants to upload their data to the system and thus cannot opt out of it.

LSAT cost