Testing the Road to Law School
Need to Take the LSAT?
All law schools, whether they are ABA-approved or not, require the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). There are many items to take into consideration before taking this very important exam. There are fees and other details associated with the LSAT which many are unaware of. For most universities, it is required that one takes the exam before December of the previous year in order for their application to be considered for the following fall semester.
Registration Fees
Generally speaking, this test will cost approximately $160 There are other fees however, associated with changing location, changing date, as well as a few others. The LSAT is offered 4 times a year in a specified Saturday in February, June, October, and December. But remember, in order to be considered for acceptance to a University in the fall, you must take the exam prior to December. If you observe a Saturday Sabbath, you are allowed to take the test on a different day during the week, usually a Monday. For this to take place you must have proper documentation from your pastor or rabbi.
Test Details and Timing
The tests are given at certain, pre-determined locations on the given dates. If you live over 100 miles away from a test center you may request another, closer location, yet this change will not always be granted. You must also be aware of the fee associated with changing venues.
In order to secure a seat on test day, you are advised to register as early as possible. Once all of the seats are filled, no more registrations are accepted. Also, walk in registration is not permitted. In order to be admitted into the testing area, you must have the admission ticket with you. This ticket contains important information about the test including reporting time, address, instructions, procedures, and a place to sign and bring with you to the exam.
Those taking the LSAT are solely responsible for arriving at the appropriate place at the correct time. For tests in February, October, and December, test takers are required to be at the site no later than 8:30 AM and no later than 12:30 PM in June. The night before the exam, you should check your account on LSAC.org to make sure there are no last-minute changes in location.
The LSAT is a standardized test is comprised of 5 sections with a 35 minute time limit for each. 4 of the sections are actually graded, whereas there is 1 section set aside to determine satisfactory future questions as well as experiment with new test formats.
The LSAT’s goal is to make sure the applicant has the necessary skills required for future studies in the field of Law. The sections involved are analysis and evaluation, critical thinking, organization and management, and reading and comprehension. There are 3 types of multiple choice questions: analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, and reading comprehension.
There are some standard rules required for this test which are known to most college-age students. Be sure to turn all cell phones off, bring with you multiple number 2 pencils, and refrain from bringing anything that makes any disruptive noise; no alarms, watches with any beepers, etc.
The total score is converted into a scale which ranges from 120 to 180, with 120 being the lowest and 180 the highest. Those with LSAC.org accounts will receive their test scores immediately when they are scored and posted online. This usually takes 3 weeks. For those who have their test scores mailed to them, you should anticipate a 4 week waiting period.
After your test has been scored, it will be available online if you signed up for an online account with the Law School Administration Council. If you feel you didn’t perform well on the test, you have nine days to request a cancellation. You can take the test again, as long as you do not take it more than 3 times in a two year period. Be aware that all of your scores, cancellations, and absences are all on file with the LSAC.
