LSAT (Legal Scholastic Aptitude Test): Legal Scholastic Aptitude Test

Blog / Education in the USA

In this post we’ll cover what LSAT is, is the lsat an aptitude test and more about it.

LSAT (Legal Scholastic Aptitude Test) is a standardized legal test that assesses a student’s scholastic abilities. The test is mandatory for students who plan to enroll in a master’s degree program in law in the United States or Canada. The test was developed by the Law School Admission Council, LSAC.

Is the lsat an aptitude test? Absolutely, yes. LSAT is a standardized test administered by the Law School Admission Council in the US and Canada. It is an entry test for all American Bar Association (ABA) approved law schools, most Canadian law schools, and some non-ABA approved law schools. LSAT scores are considered to be a predictor of student performance in the first year of study.

The LSAT test does not determine the level of knowledge in the legal field. This is a general educational test, the purpose of which is to assess the verbal and analytical abilities of the test takers. Some sections (Reading, Logical reasoning) are similar in type of tasks to similar sections of the GMAT exam.

LSAC conducts LSAT testing four times a year: in June, September/October, December and January. In June, a new “cycle” of testing begins, as many plan to enter universities next year. Usually, most applicants prefer to take the test in September / October, the least – in February. Between 2011 and 2012 (June 2011 to February 2012) 129,925 LSATs were administered. Compared to the previous year, this figure fell by 16%: then 155,050 tests were carried out. This is the sharpest decline in the last decade.

The test usually lasts half a day. During this time, it is necessary to answer in writing an average of 100 questions aimed at testing logical and analytical thinking, understanding the text, and write an essay. The results are evaluated in points on a scale from 120 to 180. The passing score in the top 10 best law schools in the United States is 168-170.

The LSAT score is valued higher by law schools than the GCSE average. An applicant is allowed to take the LSAT no more than three times within two years. The test result is valid for five years.

KEY MODULES OF THE LSAT TEST

The LSAT test consists of 5 parts, each part invites students to answer multiple choice questions. Four parts are the test itself, for which the student is graded, and the fifth part is experimental and (this is a set of questions for future tests), it is not graded. At the end of the test, a half-hour written assignment is given, the score of which is not included in the overall test result, but this assignment is sent to the schools to which the student has sent applications.

The main sections of the test:
1.Reading and understanding of the text or Reading comprehation: consists of 14 questions and a passage of 400-500 words. The student is given approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes for this task;
2. Logical reasoning or Logical Reasoning: in simple words – argumentation, which consists of 25 questions, time – 35 minutes;
3. Analytical reasoning (logic games) or Analytical Reasoning: this section includes 25 questions for 35 minutes;
4. Written part 1 essay on a given topic: 30 minutes;
5. Experimental task: consists of 25 questions for 35 minutes;

1. READING

Assesses and tests the student’s ability to comprehend complex passages and understand the relationship between different passages of texts written in a predominantly scientific style. The ability to draw conclusions from the text, find the main idea of ​​the passage, extract the necessary information from it is also evaluated. The ability to read between the lines and understand what the author really wanted to say is often tested. The task includes 14 questions and a text of 400-500 words. Each section will have four paragraphs. They are not categorized by difficulty level. You will need to skim through the text quickly, capturing the general meaning. Here it is important to read quickly, noting the main ideas.

2. LOGICAL REASONING

You will be offered statements (arguments) in several sentences. Your task is to find an error in the author’s reasoning, to oppose this argument. The important thing here is the ability to analyze statements, the ability to identify the main ideas in the argument, the ability to handle logical and abstract concepts, the ability to find the necessary information in the text, as well as the skills of analyzing and evaluating arguments.

The other tasks in this section deal with deductive arguments and are more like logic games.

3. ANALYTICAL REASONING

This section assesses the ability to solve logical deductive puzzles, to draw the right conclusions, the ability to analyze situations and draw conclusions, the ability to use logic in complex and confusing situations.

Also, in some tasks, you need to draw complex diagrams that connect parts of the question into spatial relationships.

4. LETTER

You are given 30 minutes to write an essay on a given topic. This assignment is not graded and does not affect the overall result of the exam, but a copy is sent to the law school along with other documents. Most often, this essay does not play an important role for admission, but it is necessary to pay special attention to it. This is the only part of the exam by which you can judge whether you can write essays correctly and beautifully. Law schools are mainly interested in how well you prove your point. It is not required to use any special knowledge, the main thing is the arguments for and against your opinion.

5. EXPERIMENTAL

This part is intended for test developers so that they can evaluate the complexity of the items and make adjustments to the following test items

GRADES

The average score is about 150, but the top 25 schools require a score above 160. The number of correct answers translates into a score from 120 to 180. There are about 101 questions in each test, and if you answer each question, you can get from 0 to 101 intermediate points. The raw score is converted into a score from 129 (minimum) to 180 (maximum) points in accordance with the formula. For example, a raw score of 99 out of 101 usually translates to 180 points. There is no passing or failing grade in this exam. You need to clarify what grade is required for admission to the school you need.

The LSAT score is generally valued more by law schools than the GCSE average. You can take the LSAT no more than three times in two years. The test result remains valid for five years.

STAGES OF PASSING THE LSAT EXAM

Prepare for the exam. To do this, you can use the materials available to you on the exam website. Language courses also prepare for the test.
Determine the school you are going to apply to.
Register for LSAT and LSDAS.
You can change the date and place of the test online. //www.lsac.org
Get and print an LSAT Admission Ticket. It will be in your personal LSAC account.
Ask people who can refer you to write letters of recommendation; send letters to the LSAC or directly to the law school (depending on school policy). Print your license eligibility from your personal account.
Sit your LSAT.
Receive your grade, answer sheet, and test book by email three weeks after the exam. You can also get your result by phone and mail.
Contact the law school, which will request an LSDAS report from the LSAC Testing Center.
Request an LSDAS report and check that the school has received the report.
Check your personal account periodically.
If you want paper copies of exam documents, you need to pay an extra $25.

ONLINE USEFUL RESOURCES
We have compiled a selection of online resources for you to help you understand the exam test and prepare for the test yourself.

Law School Admission Council : LSAT official website. The site provides information about the exam, data for registering applicants for the exam, materials for preparing for the exam.

Read also:
Education in the field of law in the USA

The material was prepared by EduSteps consultants.