LSAT Study Guide: What are the Sections and Structures of the LSAT?

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a standardized test which is regulated by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). It is mostly written by aspiring law students who wish to further their law studies or acquire a master of law (LLM) in the U.S. or Canada. This test is crucial to the admission process of most top law schools as it tests the essential skills needed to succeed in law school.

The highest attainable score for the LSAT exam is 180. However, most law school LSAT score ranges are between 150-170. Achieving this requires conscious hard work and adequate preparation before the exam.

What to Expect in the LSAT Exam

Primarily, the LSAT is a computer-based and multiple-choice exam that consists of various sections which include logical reasoning, reading comprehension and logic games. These sections are designed to assess your reading comprehension, critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills.

One of the preparation strategies you will need to master before the examination, aside from having the LSAT study questions, is the time-management strategy. This is because time allocation in the LSAT is quite strict so you need to be ahead of their time.

While the LSAT is known for its toughness and rigour, students who face their fears and secure sufficient preparation with enough LSAT practice tests turn out to be successful in this exam. Familiarizing yourself with LSAT structure is one way to succeed in your exam. 

The Content Structure Of LSAT Sections

LSAT sections, structure and questions are the key aspects to focus on when preparing for the LSAT exam and below, you will be enlightened on each section's structure and its importance. This will help channel your effort correctly and approach your exam with confidence.

1. Logical Reasoning

The logical reasoning section is designed to test your ability to think critically and make judicious decisions. The section is divided into two subsections, 30 minutes with 25-26 questions each.

The logical reasoning section requires you to read short passages and determine whether assertions are good or bad. You will also have to work out the rationality of cases and make logical deductions from passages. 

This is the most ‘Law-focused’ section as all of the skills tested are important in law. Sometimes, some of the answer options are intentionally confusing with only a few words separating the right from wrong.

For this reason, simply using the process of elimination to find the right answer isn’t enough for the logical reasoning sections of the LSAT. You must ensure you read the comprehension passage well enough and analyze the argument.

2. Logic Games

Another important section in the LSAT exam is the logic games section which measures your ability to accurately solve problems within a short period. 

The logic games section is basically about solving complicated puzzles that take the form of games which are four in number, and are to be solved in 35 minutes. It is therefore advised that during your prep classes, you should endeavour to master some analytical rules which are often required to solve questions in this section. 

Most of what you will be doing in this section is to arrange units and items, work out connections and form restrictive plots. Logic games assess your analytical skills which is also highly revered in the legal world. 

You can check out the book "The Only Four LSAT Logic Games Method You Need" by John Agozzino, an LSAT expert who scored 99th percentile in the LSAT and other exams of a similar nature.

3. Reading Comprehension

This is where it gets interesting if you enjoy drawing conclusions and inferences from passages, because the reading comprehension section presents you with three to four passages to read and you will have 35 minutes to answer the questions that come under them. 

You should not expect it to be an all-round easy section because most of the answers are not directly spelt out in the passages. This is because the section evaluates the level at which you understand and can analyze written text when read. Success in this section will prove that you are a foresightful reader, an important part of law practice and law school academic exercises. 

4. Experimental Section

The questions in the experimental section are entirely new questions that are embedded in all sections for tryouts, therefore, you wouldn’t have come across them in any of your past questions while preparing. Their purpose is however to determine new questions for future exams.

The tricky part of this is that you can't identify which questions are experimental. What this implies again is that all questions should be treated with seriousness. Even though they do not affect your overall score, they still deserve your best.

5. Writing Sample

Lastly, you have the writing sample section which is also another section that doesn't have any effect on your score. However, it gives the law school admission panel their first impression about you, because your writing sample is sent to them as part of the admission process requirement. 

In the writing sample section, you will be given a situation and asked to write an essay taking a particular posture.

This section is important to check your writing skills, in terms of how you logically express your ideas and how effectively you communicate, allowing you to market yourself to the admission committees. Therefore, ensure you practice with enough LSAT sample tests to enhance your writing skills before the exam.

Conclusion

The LSAT may seem daunting, but with the right preparation, you can achieve your desired score. Familiarize yourself with the exam format, master time management, and practice consistently with LSAT exam practice tests. Remember, the LSAT assesses crucial skills for law school success, so invest the time and effort to conquer this test.

Even though the exam has three most important sections, it is always safe to give every section your best. The other two sections, even though they do not affect your overall LSAT score, are sometimes crucial in your admission process.

Download our free LSAT study guide for valuable insights into the exam format, essential test-taking strategies, and practice questions to kickstart your preparation and gain a competitive edge.

If you are having cold feet, you schedule a free consultation with a qualified LSAT expert and receive personalized advice and support to boost your confidence, refine your test-taking skills, and achieve your desired score.