What is the test good for?

What is it like?

How is this test administered in Romania?

How much does the test cost?

How do I register for the test?

Retaking the test

When do I get the official scores?

How do I request additional score reports?

How long are scores valid?

How can I prepare for the test?

What is the test good for?

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a half-day, standardized test administered four times each year at designated testing centers throughout the world. All American Bar Association (ABA)-approved law schools and many other law schools require applicants to take the LSAT as part of their admission process.

It provides a standard measure of acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools can use as one of several factors in assessing applicants.

The LSAT is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in law school: the reading and comprehension of complex texts with accuracy and insight; the organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it; the ability to think critically; and the analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others.

What is it like?

The LSAT consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions; actually four of the five sections contribute to the test taker's score. These sections include: one reading comprehension section, one analytical reasoning section, and two logical reasoning sections.

The unscored section typically is used to pretest new test items. The placement of this section, which is commonly referred to as the variable section, varies for different administrations of the test.

Also, a 35-minute writing sample is administered at the end of the test. The writing sample is not scored by LSAC, but copies are sent to all law schools to which you apply.

According to the official website, the three multiple-choice question types in the LSAT are:

• Reading comprehension questions, which measure the ability to read, with understanding and insight, examples of lengthy and complex materials similar to those commonly encountered in law school. The reading comprehension section contains four sets of reading questions, each consisting of a selection of reading material, followed by five to eight questions that test reading and reasoning abilities;

• Analytical reasoning questions, which measure the ability to understand a structure of relationships and to draw logical conclusions about it. Test takers are asked to reason deductively from a set of statements and rules or principles that describe relationships among persons, things, or events. Analytical reasoning questions reflect the kinds of complex analyses that a law student performs in the course of legal problem solving.

• Logical reasoning questions, which assess the ability to analyze, critically evaluate, and complete arguments as they occur in ordinary language. Each logical reasoning question requires the test taker to read and comprehend a short passage, then answer a question about it. The questions are designed to assess a wide range of skills involved in thinking critically, with an emphasis on skills that are central to legal reasoning. These skills include drawing well-supported conclusions, reasoning by analogy, determining how additional evidence affects an argument, applying principles or rules, and identifying argument flaws.

The LSAT is a half-day standardized test. It is administered in the paper-and-pencil format.

The score scale for the LSAT is 120 to 180. Learn more about LSAT scores and score reports below.

How is this test administered in Romania?

The test is administered four times a year at hundreds of locations around the world. Some of the centers are published in the Information Book, others are not.

As of May 2011, the only published LSAT test center in Romania is located at Vasile Goldis University in Arad. The test center is lat the Fulbright Educational Advising Center is nonpublished. However, the Fulbright Center is not involved in the registration procedure of this test. See below what you need to do in order to register to take the test at FEAC.

How much does the test cost?

In the academic year 2011-2012 the fee is $474 (registration fee = $139, plus $335, representing the fee for a nonpublished test center).

How do I register for the test?

To test at a published test center, you may register online, by mail, or by telephone. Check the official website www.lsac.org for detailed current registration procedures.

To take the LSAT at a nonpublished test center, follow the registration procedures detailed on www.lsac.org. Please note that the request for a nonpublished test center must be completed in writing via fax or mail. Be sure to establish an LSAC account online to start the registration procedure and include your account number on your request for a nonpublished test center.

As LSAC will not attempt to establish a nonpublished test center unless the appropriate fees have been received by the deadline date, submit your registration documents as early as possible. The deadlines are listed on the official website.

You are invited to closely read the LSAT Information Book, and for further information to contact LSAC at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Retaking the test

According to the official website, normally, students may not take the LSAT more than three times in any two-year period. This policy applies even if test takers cancel their score or it is not otherwise reported.

When do I get the official scores?

According to the information posted on the official website, LSAT takers who have LSAC online accounts will receive their LSAT scores by e-mail approximately three weeks after taking the test. This is the quickest way to obtain your LSAT score, and there is no additional charge.

LSAC will send score reports by mail approximately four weeks after the test. Test takers who have LSAC online accounts will pay a one-time fee of $25 to obtain hard-copy mailings of account information that is available online.

LSAC will automatically report the results of all LSAT tests - up to 12 - in the test taker's file, including cancellations and absences, since June 1, 2006. An average score is also calculated and reported when you have more than one reportable score. Scores earned prior to June 2006 are not considered current for law school reporting and are not available for printing from an online account. However, you may contact LSAC to request older score reports.

How long are scores valid?
LSAT scores are valid for 5 years.

How can I prepare for the test?

You can use the sample LSAT test available on the official website www.lsat.org.

You can also prepare for the test in the reading room of the Fulbright Educational Advising Center. The LSAT preparation materials that are available at the Fulbright Educational Advising Center can only be checked out for study in the reading room and cannot be photocopied. To check out materials in the study room, you need a valid ID.

To see what LSAT books are available at our center please check the section Test preparation.