If you are an aspiring law student and want to make it into one of the leading law schools as an international student, the LSAT is your key to success. The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) refers to a standardised test conducted by law schools to assess the aptitude of prospective students. It measures the skills and capabilities critical to success in the field, so you will need to ace critical thinking, information organization, reading comprehension, and argument evaluation.

Even as students dread the test due to a high level of difficulty and complexity, clearing it is easier than you imagine. Since you need to take the LSAT before applying to an international law school, it makes sense to get your facts clear so that you can overcome your apprehensions and breeze through the exam. We have a complete guide on everything that an international student needs to know about the LSAT.

LSAT STRUCTURE AND SCORING

Knowing what to expect in terms of structure and scoring for the exam makes you more confident when you sit for it. Essentially, you will have to cover six sections, including an unscored writing section and five digital multiple-choice sections. These five sections are 35-minute each, and you take them on a tablet at the testing centre. Among these, four sections will be scored and one experimental unscored, but you will not know the one that is unscored. The sections include:

Logical reasoning- There are two logical reasoning sections comprising 25 questions each. You will have to analyse a short argument or set of facts to pick the main assumption, similar arguments, alternate conclusions, errors and omissions, and strengths and weaknesses.

Reading comprehension- This26-to 28-question section has four passages of 400–500-word length, with five to eight questions for each. Topics vary from law to arts and humanities, social sciences, and physical sciences. You have to pinpoint the main idea, specific information, and writing structure.

Analytical reasoning- This 22-to 24-question has four logic games where you need to group, match, or order elements based on conditions and relationships between them. It is perhaps the most challenging part of the test, so you need to go the extra mile with preparation.

Variable section- The unique section includes new questions that administrators need to test for future exams. Since the results do not affect the scores, the section is truly unique. But you cannot take it frivolously because you cannot guess which one is the variable section.

Writing exam- You do this part on your computer but have to use secure proctoring software. The test requires you to read a problem, check decision-making criteria, and write an essay in favor or against the problem. Although the section is not scored, it assesses the ability to argue for a standpoint and goes along with the scaled numerical score to the prospective law schools.

The length of the digital LSAT is approximately four hours, including breaks. You can expect to get the scores three to four weeks after the test. The raw scores from the test sections are converted to a scaled score. It lies between 120 and 180, and the median score is around 150. A score above average is desirable if you want to get into a competitive programme in a reputed international university.

TIMELINES, REGISTRATION, FEES

The LSAT is conducted worldwide, and its testing year is from June 1 to May 31. You can take the exam up to three times in a single year and up to five times over a five-year period. You can appear up to seven times in your lifetime. The find international lest dates and designated testing centres are available at lsac.org, and you can register at the site. During the COVID crisis, students have the option to appear for LSAT-Flex, which is the online version of the test. It lets you choose a time that works for you, and the exam entails remote monitoring via the webcam and microphone. You can check the LSAT-Flex website to get details of the upcoming dates of the test. The exam fees are $200, though you may have to pay more for additional services like date change, centre change, late registration, and hand scoring.

INSTITUTIONS REQUIRING LSAT

The law schools with accreditation by the American Bar Association (ABA) need you to submit LSAT scores. But the ABA came up with relaxation in 2014, enabling institutions to take 10 percent of the class without LSAT scores. Other factors you will require for law school admissions include GPA, academic record, work experience, and letters of recommendation, depending on the individual criteria. But the LSAT continues to be the most important element of the application.

Now that you know all about the significance and key facts related to the LAST, you can get down to work. It is vital to have a strategy for exam preparation, whether you choose self-study, one-to-one tutoring, or join a prep course. It makes sense to start early and focus on strengthening the core areas while addressing the weak parts. Consider taking practice tests and find a mentor who can show you the way.

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