Complete LSAT Guide 2024-2025: Structure, Registration, Scoring & Dates

Complete LSAT Guide 2024-2025: Structure, Registration, Scoring & Dates

The LSAT is the sole admissions test for ABA-accredited US law schools and increasingly required in Canada, the strongest predictor of 1L grades among admissions factors (LSAC validity: r≈0.45 vs UGPA 0.35) and, since August 2024, without Logic Games (Analytical Reasoning removed after 30 years, replaced by a second Logical Reasoning) — now 2× Logical Reasoning + Reading Comprehension + separate Argumentative Writing. This guide explains the live 2h15m scored format (plus unscored experimental and Writing) as administered digitally at Prometric centres and via LSAT Online.

Take LSAT if:

• JD applicant to any ABA school (100% accept LSAT; ~70 accept GRE but most GRE admits are <5% of class and schools publish no GRE median)
• You need a portable, scholarship-sensitive score — law schools publish LSAT medians (critical for USNWR rank-sensitive aid); GRE medians unpublished risk implicit penalty
• Your strength is reasoning (LR) and dense reading (RC) — LSAT rewards formal logic over vocab/quant (GRE vocab/quant not legally relevant)

Take GRE if:

• JD-MBA dual where GRE covers business school and law school explicitly states GRE evaluated equally (check "GRE median: 168V, 164Q" published — if not published, assume GRE disadvantaged)
• Non-JD (LLM, MLS) where GRE/MAT waived

Bottom line: 98% of ABA admits submit LSAT. Unless your law school page publishes a GRE median band, assume LSAT preferred despite "accepted" language.

Delivery: Digital tablet at Prometric (US/Canada) + LSAT Online live remote proctor (international) — no paper. Writing always online via ProctorU.

Logic Games removal (June 2024): Settlement over accommodation for blind candidates + LSAC data that LR more predictive of practice. Impact: Logical Reasoning now 66% of score (50-52 questions). A 165+ now requires ~40/52 LR plus 20/28 RC.

Logical Reasoning (2 sections, 50-52 scored, 70 min) — two-thirds of test

Question types (approximate frequency):

Stimulus: 40-60 word argument (premise(s) + conclusion). Indicators: therefore, thus, hence, so, consequently = conclusion; since, because, given, for, after all = premise.

Scoring weight: Each LR question ~0.6 scaled points (50 questions map 120-180). Missing 6 LR questions drops ~4 points.

Reading Comprehension (1 section, 27-28q, 35m) — one-third but densest

Plus one Comparative Reading (2 passages, 150-200 words each, 5-8 questions) — compare author's views.

Question types: Main idea (8%), author perspective/attitude (12%), inference (20%), detail (15%), function ("author mentions X to...") (20%), analogy application (10%), comparative (15%).

Strategy: Read for structure and viewpoint, not detail: Topic -> Author attitude -> Other views -> Author response -> Conclusion (4-5 min read per passage, 2 min per question set).

Argumentative Writing (50 min, separately)

Prompt presents a decision (e.g., city must choose stadium vs school funding) and asks you to take a position and defend with argument, considering counterargument. 4 paragraphs: thesis, reason 1 + evidence, reason 2 + counterargument rebuttal, conclusion. 500-600 words. No research. Schools read it; significant writing difference vs personal statement triggers review; plagiarism/AI use reported to Character & Fitness.

LSAC JD account: lsac.org; LSAC number; Credential Assembly Service (CAS) subscription required (USD 200) — includes transcript collection, letter processing, 1 report.

Test dates 2024-2025 (~8): August, September, October, November, January, February, April, June. Deadline ~5 weeks before; late with fee ~2 weeks before.

Delivery: Prometric centre or Online live proctor — choose at registration; Online requires quiet room, camera, lockdown browser, Government ID.

Fees: LSAT USD 238 + CAS USD 200 (includes 1 report) + additional reports USD 45 each. Late +USD 100+. Fee waiver (need-based, LSAC): 2 LSATs + CAS + 6 reports free.

Writing: Can be taken up to 1 year before or after LSAT; JD file requires both completed. Retake Writing if dissatisfied (only latest sent).

Retake limits (2024): 5 per testing year (Aug-Jun), 7 lifetime. LSAC data: 70% retake within 10 points of first; average gain +2.4 for second sitting after 2 months preparation.

Raw -> scaled example (77 scored, August 2024 form): 58/77 ~ 160, 68/77 ~ 170, 75/77 ~ 178.

No penalty for guessing: 25% on random. Unanswered penalises equally — answer every question. Score Preview (USD 45, first-time): 6-day hold to cancel before report.

Free: LSAC Official Prep (LawHub) — 4 free PrepTests including 2 with 2× LR format; LawHub Advantage USD 99/year: 70+ PrepTests 29-92 (actual past tests) + analytics.

Sequence: PrepTest 140 diagnostic (2× LR) -> blind review (re-do without time, identify reasoning gap vs speed) -> targeted LR type drills ( flaw / assumption / strengthen-weaken) -> PrepTest 2 -> 3 -> final simulation 1 week before.

Logic Games materials warning: Pre-August 2024 guides contain 25% obsolete Logic Games — skip it; do not waste 20 hours on games now removed. Use Post-August 2024 LawHub or 2024+ guides.

1. LR is 66% — master assumption/strengthen/weaken/flaw (~50% of LR).120-180: each question ~0.6 points; 5 questions = 3 points.Writing matters — unscored but read and checked for authenticity.8 dates/year, 5 per year limit — plan retake gap 2-3 months with blind review focus.