Because the LSAT tests reading comprehension, analytical reasoning and logical reasoning --- all skills necessary in the practice of law --- this half-day, standardized test is thought to be a predictor of a student's success in law school. SMU Dedman School of Law, like all American Bar Association-approved law schools, requires applicants to take the LSAT as a first step in the admission process. If you are dissatisfied with your LSAT score or feel it is not representative of your abilities, you can take the test again.
Your LSAT score is based on the number of test questions you answer correctly. There is no penalty for incorrect answers, and no questions are weighted more heavily than any others. The result is your raw score. Because different test forms are used at the same time, raw scores are converted to a scale of 120 to 180 to adjust for any minor differences in difficulty, with a score of 180 being the best possible. Your scaled score is ranked in a percentile, which simply indicates the percentage of other test takers who have a lower score than you.
Taking the LSAT multiple times can have an adverse effect, as many law schools average your scores, but SMU's Dedman School of Law does not. According to the school's website, SMU's admissions department considers only your highest LSAT score for both admissions and scholarship purposes. Keep in mind that SMU begins accepting applications in September for admission the following August, so be sure to coordinate an LSAT testing date well in advance.
SMU reports that the 179 full-time, day-class students enrolled in the fall of 2010 had a median LSAT score of 164; the 75 part-time, evening-class students enrolling at the same time had a median LSAT score of 160. No minimum LSAT score is specifically required, and the Admissions Office points out the decisions are not made on the basis of "numbers alone." As is common, Dedman's admissions goal is a broad one: Identify applicants who will flourish in school and, later, in the legal community.