The LSAT has multiple-choice questions that measure reading comprehension, analytical reasoning and logical reasoning. There are five sections of questions; each section lasts 35 minutes. Four of the sections contribute to your score. The unscored section is used for pretesting new test questions. Its placement within the test varies. At the end of the test, there is a 35-minute writing sample. LSAC does not score the writing sample, but sends copies to the law schools to which you are applying.
The LSAT has about 101 questions. Each correctly answered question is worth one raw point. No deduction is made for incorrect answers. Individual questions are not weighted differently. Each particular LSAT has its own formula for converting the raw score (0 to 101) into a scale ranging from a minimum of 120 to a maximum of 180. There may be minor differences in difficulty between test forms; a statistical procedure adjusts for them.
If you have an account on LSAC's website, you will receive your score automatically through email about three weeks after the test. If not, you will receive your score by mail about four weeks after the test. Due to confidentiality, LSAC releases your score only through email and postal mail, not through faxes, and only to you and to law schools to which you are applying. When registering for the test, you can request a copy to be sent to law schools or to your pre-law adviser.
The average LSAT score is about 150. To be accepted at one of the top 25 law schools, your score should be over 160. Go to the websites of the law schools where you are applying or contact them to find out the average score of accepted students. The LSAT Prep Course website lists, for almost 200 law schools, the average LSAT scores of accepted students. For example, the average LSAT score at Harvard University Law School is 170-176.
The value of your LSAT score in admission decisions varies from one law school to another. At many law schools, your LSAT score is more important than your undergraduate GPA. For example, the law school may assign a weight of 70 percent to your LSAT score and 30 percent to your GPA. It is difficult to make fair GPA comparisons because prospective law students come from a variety of academic backgrounds; there is no set of required courses as there is for prospective medical students.