WHICH LSAT SCORE IS USED BY THE CREDENTIAL ASSEMBLY SERVICE (CAS) WHEN CAKCULATING THE ADMISSIONS JNDEX NUMBER? "If an applicant has more than one LSAT score, an index number is calculated for each score and for the average of the scores." Of course the law school can use the index number it wants. The LSAT is required of all prelaw students seeking admission to an ABA-Approved Law School.
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a half-day standardized test administered four times each year at designated testing centers throughout the world. Administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) for prospective law school candidates, the LSAT is designed to assess Reading Comprehension, logical, and verbal reasoning proficiencies. The test is an integral part of the law school admission process in the United States. An applicant cannot take the LSAT more than three times within a two-year period. The test has existed in some form since 1948, when it was created to give law schools a standardized way to assesspplicant aside from GPA. The current form of the exam has been used since 1991. The exam has six total sections: four scored multiple choice sections, an unscored experimental section, and an unscored writing section. Raw scores are converted to a scaled score with a high of 180, a low of 120, and a median score around 150. When an applicant applies to a law school, all scores from the past five years are reported. Abridged from Wikipedia (February 2, 2012)
The LSAT is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). The LSAT is offered four times a year with scores available three weeks later. LSAC provides information ABOUT THE LSAT.
Frank X.J. Homer (University of Scranton, Pennsylvania) provides a good introduction to the THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION TEST; you may also see the same article at LSAT ADVICE and elsewhere. Reading one of these webpages is de rigueur for anyone contemplating taking the LSAT test. Frank X.J. Homer gives facts about the LSAT test, eight common misconceptions about the LSAT test, preparation for the LSAT test, four important points to remember about the LSAT test, and some pointers to increase testwiseness. Frank X.J. Homer also gives the excellent advice, "Applicants can help themselves by working with an elementary logic text, learning to recognize common fallacies, many of which may exist in their own thinking." Of course, taking a course in logic is a good idea.
Pre-Law Studies at Florida Atlantic University considers HOW LAW SCHOOLS DECIDE ON WHOM TO ADMIT considering the effect on admission of the LSAT score, GPA, letters of recommendation, and personal statement..
WIKIPEDIA provides some general information abouet the LSAT.
The University of Massachusetts Pre-Law Advising has some useful information about the LSAT.
4LawSchool provides information about many aspects of the LSAT.
JUNE is, for many, the optimum month to take the LSAT.Which JUNE? The JUNE that is fourteen or fifteen months before you plan to enter law school. In particular, for someone graduating college in four years and intending to attend law school just after graduation (in the Fall), the ideal time to take the LSAT is the JUNE at the end of the junior year. JUNE LSAT. Possible Academic and Non-Academic Scheduling Conflicts. By early June, the Spring Semester is over and, unless you are attending the Summer Semester, there are no academic conflicts although a conflict with summer employment is possible. The June LSAT may conflict with Spring Quarter final exams. JUNE LSAT Advantage. Taking the LSAT in June allows the applicant time to submit an early law school application; this may allow the applicant to befnefit at law schools that have rollling admission (with rolling admission, the admission process is done on an ongoing basis). JUNE LSAT Advantage.If you have a problem with the June LSAT (for example, you were unable to take it as scheduled, you want to retake it, etc.), you can take or retake the LSAT in September/October and still possibly benefit from rolling admission.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER LSAT The SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER LSAT Academic Scheduling Conflicts. Fall semester and fall quarter are both in progress. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER LSAT Disadvantage. The big downside of taking the LSAT in September/October is that the next LSAT testing date would be in December, too late for rolling admission.
DECEMBER LSAT The December LSAT Academic Scheduling Conflicts. Occurs near at the end of the fall semester and fall quarter. The December LSAT Disadvantage. The big downside of taking the LSAT in September/October is that a retake would be in December, too late for rolling admission.
FEBRUARY LSAT The February LSAT Academic Scheduling Conflicts. Occurs during the spring semester and winter quarter. The February LSAT Disadvantage. Too late for admission consideration at some law schools.
ALL TEST DATES are bad test dates if you are not prepared to obtain close to your potential.
LSAT LINKS
According to LSAC: " You'll need to know not only when and where to take the test, but how to prepare for it. Everything you need to know about the LSAT is in THE LSAT - FULL MENU."
KEN'S INTRODUCTION TO THE LSAT, from the founder of TOP-LAW-SCHOOLS, provides a solid introduction to the LSAT. Note that Ken is my son.
SOME KEY FACTS ABOUT THE LSAT
LSAT STATISTIC. For the 180 fully-accreditated law schools and the 7 provisionally-accredited law schools, we have that the average of the LSAT 25th percentile is 150.8 and the LSAT 75th percentile is 156.2.
THE LSAT: A GREAT PREDICTOR OF LAW SCHOOL PERFORMANCE. "The LSAT is the only standardized measure that law schools have to predict law school performance. Every student's undergraduate record is different, even when students have the same major and attend the same undergraduate school. In fact, studies have shown that the LSAT is the best single predictor of first-year law school performance, while the best overall predictor of law school performance is a combination of the LSAT and undergraduate UGPA." University of Kentucky
IMPORTANCE OF THE LSAT. The higher your LSAT score, the greater your chances are of admission to law school and of obtaining financial aid.
AN ADDED BENEFIT OF PREPARING FOR THE LSAT. The LSAT involves thinking logically. Because of this, whether you go to law school or not, the material learned in studying for the LSAT will serve you well in life.
HOW SERIOUS IS THE LSAT. The LSAT test is much more difficult and involves more logical thinking than the SAT, GRE, or GMAT.
LSAT PRACTICE TESTS. Previously administered LSATs, all with an answer key, writing sample, and LSAT score-conversion table, are available from LSAC. Also available from LSAC is an online option, LSAT ItemWise, that not only gives the correct answers, but also provides explanations as to why your answers are correct or incorrect; note that LSAT is a paper-and-pencil test. Publishers, other than LSAC, have LSAT practice tests or LSAT sample tests, some with solutions; these are readily available at book stores. LSAT PREPARATION. Since the LSAT does not test knowledge of a particular subject, the goal of studying for the LSAT is to become familiar with the LSAT test format and to develop methods to answer LSAT test questions with efficiency and accuracy. The best prepare for the LSAT is directly from going previous LSATs for which you have the answers and, ideally, the solutions
HOW OFTEN SHOULD ONE TAKE THE LSAT? (Answer. Once) With the LSAT, do not plan on doubling your pleasure. When you walk in to take the LSAT, you should have the expectation of a score that you can be proud of based on your performance on actual, previously administered LSATs. As F. Scott Fitzgerald said, and the Great Gatsby demonstrated, There is no second act in American life. This is not quite true for the LSAT but unless your LSAT score is significantly below your score on actual, previously administered LSATs or you intend to change your way of studying, do not take the LSAT a second time. Nationally nearly one in five will take the LSAT a second time. Most law schools average multiple LSAT scores. Do not take the LSAT unless you are ready (No LSAT before its time).
LSAT SCORE AND PERCENTILE RANK REPORTED TO LAW SCHOOLS. "Along with your numerical score, Law Services also reports a percentile rank, reflecting the percentage of candidates scoring below your reported test score. Over the past several years, a score of about 150 [perhaps 151 or 152] has generally fallen at approximately the 50th percentile, and a score of about 163 has fallen at approximately the 90th percentile." Kansas University Pre-Law Advising TIME LIMITATION OF LSAT SCORES. "Law Services reports scores for five years. Scores for all LSAT exams taken in the five years prior to your application to law school will therefore be reported to the law schools you designate. Multiple scores will be averaged by Law Services in its report to law schools. Copies of your writing samples for those tests will be included, up to a maximum of three samples. Some law schools will not accept a score earned more than three years prior to an application (so, yes, you will have to take the exam again if [you apply to such a law school and] your score is more than three years old). Check the [law school] catalogs to determine if you need a more recent score." Notre Dame Prelaw
