The Law School Admission Test is used to determine law school candidate applications in the United States, Canada and other countries. It is designed to assess the key skills needed for law school including reading comprehension, analytical reasoning and logical reasoning.
The test itself comprises of 5 x 35 minute multiple choice sections, followed by an unscored writing sample section. We have outlined each of these below:
LSAT Logical Reasoning Tests
This section contains 2 tests, each consisting of 24-26 questions. Each question will begin with a short argument or set of facts. You will then be asked to either find the arguments assumption, select an alternate conclusion to the argument, to identify errors or logical omissions in the argument, to find another argument with parallel reasoning or to choose a statement that would weaken/strengthen the argument.
LSAT Reading comprehension
This consists of four passages of 400-500 words. Each passage will have 5-8 questions for you to answer. The passages generally relate to law, arts and humanities, physical sciences or social sciences. The questions usually ask you to determine the author’s main idea, find specific information in the passage, draw inferences from the text, and/or describe the structure of the passage.
LSAT Logical games /analytical reasoning
This consists of four “games” which falls into categories including grouping, matching and ordering of elements. Each section has 22-24 questions and is known to be the most difficult part of the text. Each “game” will outline a premise, for example “there are five people who might attend this afternoon’s meeting” and will subsequently establish a set of conditions governing the relationship among the subjects. For example, “if Amy is present, then Bob is not present; if Cathy is present, then Dan is present…”.
You will then be asked to draw conclusions from the statements, for example “What is the maximum number of people who could not be present”. What makes this section challenging is that the rules do not product a single correct set of relationships among all elements of the game; rather, you are test on your ability to analyse the range of possibilities embedded in the set of rules.
LSAT Unscored variable section
This contain an experimental test which is used to test new questions for future exams. The performance of the examinee on this section is not reported as part of the final score.
LSAT The Writing Sample
This section will provide you with a problem and two criteria for making a decision. You must then write an essay arguing for one of the two options over the other. The subject will typically be mundane as opposed to controversial. There is no “right” or “wrong” answer but you will be marked on the strength of your argument. You will need to argue for your chosen position and also argue against the counter-position.
