LSAT Syllabus and Format

The LSAT is the only standardized test available for admission purposes in all ABA-accredited law schools in the US and Canada. Though certain schools accept other tests in lieu of LSAT, and the status of the test has been changed to optional by the American Bars Association, it is still the only test accepted by all law schools.

The Pre-Law Advising Office of the University of Massachusetts Amherst has explained that the skills tested on the LSAT are often considered to indicate a test-taker's ability to "read and understand complex material, to reason logically, to analyze information, and to perform well in a timed, stressful situation."

Format of LSAT

The LSAT can be taken online at a test center or remotely at home through LawHub. Regardless of the mode of administration, the format is the same. Scratch papers are provided at the test center, or the test-taker can have up to 6 blank papers when taking the test remotely.

There are two parts to the LSAT. Multiple-choice questions spread across four 35-minute sections make up the first part. The first three sections are scored, while the last section is unscored. This section is proctored by Prometric. An unscored section called LSAT Argumentative Writing makes up the second part of the test. This section is proctored by ProctorU.

The different sections in the multiple-choice part appear in random order. There is a 10-minute break incorporated in between the second and third sections to give the test-takers time to stretch their legs. The Writing section can be attempted up to 8 days before the multiple-choice test.

Section	Scored/Unscored	Format	Time
Reading Comprehension	Scored	Multiple-choice	35 minutes
Logical Reasoning	Scored	Multiple-choice	35 minutes
Logical Reasoning	Scored	Multiple-choice	35 minutes
Reading Comprehension/Logical Reasoning	Unscored	Multiple-choice	35 minutes
Argumentative Writing	Unscored	Essay writing	50 minutes

Reading Comprehension

The LSAT Reading Comprehension section assesses a test-taker's capacity to comprehend and apply critical thinking when reading lengthy, intricate passages that resemble those found in law school. The LSAT's Reading Comprehension section has four sets of reading questions. Each set consists of reading passages and five to eight questions based on those passages. The first three sets have a single reading passage, and the last set has two short and related passages. The last set is called Comparative Reading, and the questions are based on connecting the text between the two passages. The questions are related to:

• main idea of the passage
• information in the passage stated explicitly or implicitly
• the meaning of the text and its use in alternate scenarios
• the change in meaning with the addition of new information
• understanding the author's tone and attitude

Reading selections for Reading Comprehension questions are drawn from a wide range of subjects in the humanities, the social sciences, the biological and physical sciences, and areas related to the law.

Logical Reasoning

There are 2 scored Logical Reasoning sections in the LSAT. This section assesses the test-taker's ability to analyze and evaluate arguments. By having two sections for Logical Reasoning, the LSAT will provide a more comprehensive evaluation of a test-taker's logical thinking and reasoning capabilities.

Each question has a short paragraph followed by a simple question. The test-taker will have to figure out the important point of the argument and how the perspective might change with the change in the information. The passages are short arguments from everyday life from sources such as newspapers, general interest magazines, academic journals, advertisements, and casual conversation, which form the basis of these questions. There are 24 to 26 multiple-choice questions in each section. The skills evaluated are:

• understanding the argument, its pros and cons, and its connection to the different elements in the text
• getting well-founded conclusions
• understanding how the conclusion can be affected by additional information
• identifying what are the facts, arguments, and assumptions
• identifying and proving the flaws in the argument

Unscored Reading Comprehension/Logical Reasoning Section

This unscored section can either be Reading Comprehension or Logical Reasoning. It can appear anywhere in the test in any sequence. The test-takers will have no idea which section is unscored. The reason for including this section is to assess how the test-takers respond to different types of tests. This section is not scored, but the responses are used to determine what types of questions to include in future tests. The test-takers will attempt this section just like the other sections since there is no way to determine which section is unscored.

LSAT Argumentative Writing

The LSAT's new Argumentative Writing section is conducted exclusively online with secure proctoring software installed on the test taker's computer. It consists of an issue/problem on which the test-taker has to take a stand. There will be 3-4 perspectives, each including a few sentences describing how different communities/groups view the issue. The test-taker will support any one of those perspectives and place arguments to convince how that perspective is valid. They should use information from all perspectives to prove their thinking. There is no right or wrong answer. Test-takers have to showcase their persuasive skills, which is vital in the field of law.

The Writing section is unscored and is 50 minutes long. It is divided into 2 parts- preparatory period and writing time. The brief preparatory period of 15 minutes allows the test-takers to organize their thoughts and write them down using the digital note-taking tool. During this time, test takers can utilize guided prewriting analysis questions. These analysis questions are designed to assist test takers in organizing their ideas about different perspectives. The remaining 35 minutes are allotted for essay writing.

Law schools examine test-taker's sample work for logic, clarity, organization, language use, and writing mechanics. The three most recent writing samples are sent to law schools. Most law schools consider LSAT writing samples crucial in their admissions process since they demonstrate the test-taker's ability to defend their arguments.

How to Prepare for the LSAT?

The four common methods used for preparing for LSAT are as follows:

1. Using Official LSAT Prep
2. Using Unofficial LSAT Prep
3. Taking Commercial Test Prep Services
4. Self-Study

Though it is popular among most standardized tests to let the test-taker self-study using a combination of official and unofficial prep, it has been stated by the Law School Admission Council Report that self-study often works best when combined with other methods.

1. LSAC provides many free online practice questions and resources on its website that can be accessed after creating the LSAC account. This gives the test-taker an idea of the type of questions and what to expect. This should be the first step in LSAT prep.

2. There are many prep books for LSAT available. These books provide practice per section and sum it up with real-experience practice tests.

3. The best possible method to prepare for LSAT is to enroll in commercial test prep services that will help the test-taker prepare in a timely fashion. These courses train the test-takers from scratch and focus on the important aspects of the tests. There are many in-person and online programs for LSAT preparation, though the online programs are more popular.

4. Self-study is the key to getting a good score. With all the tips and resources available, test-takers must ensure they put in their best effort.