The LSAT has five sections that measure skills students need to succeed in law school. The first 35-minute multiple-choice section measures reading comprehension. Several texts are provided, and each is followed by a series of questions to determine how well the student understood the meaning of the text.
The second section, also multiple-choice, measures the ability to draw inferences and conclusions from a series of statements. Thirty-five minutes are allotted for this section, as with the other two multiple-choice sections.
The third section measures logical reasoning. The student must answer questions on a text to demonstrate the ability to develop conclusions with a strong basis of support, using analogies and determining if an argument is weak.
The last two sections include a writing sample and a variety of experimental questions that may be included on future LSATs, known as the "variable section." Neither of these sections is scored, but the writing sample is included in the results forwarded to the law schools to which the applicant has applied.