LSAT Test Dates 2024-2025 - Score Release Dates - Blueprint (2024)

Reviewed by: Matt Riley

The LSAT exam is administered around eight times throughout the year for students planning to attend law school. Most students will have the option to take the exam either remotely while proctored live, or in-person at a Prometric test center. It is important to know that the registration deadline for each exam is about six weeks prior to the actual LSAT test date, so if you plan on testing in-person at a test center rather than remote, be sure to register early to ensure space. This six week period is also a crucial time to solidify any prep and study needs for best results once locked into a test date. After completing the LSAT, expect to receive your scores about three weeks later.

See below for upcoming LSAT test dates:

Taking the LSAT in August 2024 or later? All LSAT administrations from August 2024 onward will no longer have a Logic Games Section. Instead, the new LSAT will include two Logical Reasoning Sections, one Reading Comprehension Section, one unscored Experimental Section, and an updated LSAT Writing prompt.

LSAT stands for Law School Admission Test, and it’s administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). It’s a test of logic and argumentation. This sets the LSAT apart from other pre-graduate level standardized tests like the GRE or the GMAT, which mirror the SAT and ACT that you are likely familiar with; those exams test reading, writing, and arithmetic.

The LSAT comprises four 35-minute sections (plus the Writing Sample), only three of which factor into the score that law schools receive.

2 sections of Logical Reasoning: The Logical Reasoning section has 24-26 multiple-choice questions. Each question consists of a brief paragraph – usually an argument – a question about the contents of the paragraph, and five answer choices.

1 Section of Reading Comprehension: You’ll receive four passages, each featuring five and eight associated multiple-choice questions.

1 Unscored Experimental Section: During the exam, you will get one extra Logical Reasoning or Reading Comprehension section that won’t be scored. This “Experimental” section allows LSAC to test questions they plan to use on future exams. You will not know which section is experimental while you’re taking the exam.

1 Unscored LSAT Argumentative Writing Section: Test takers will be presented with a debatable issue, background information, and an open-ended question that doesn’t necessarily have a right or wrong answer. You'll need to put together an argument in response to the question. The LSAT writing section is completed at home.

The short answer: take the LSAT when you’re ready, but “ready” can be subjective. We advise students to sign up for an LSAT date that will give them enough time to prep without feeling like they’re taking too much on or ignoring other responsibilities.

You need to also think about when you’re applying to law school and when applications are due. If you are planning to apply to law school in the same year that you’re taking the LSAT, you should try to choose an LSAT test date earlier in the year, if possible. Since most law schools begin accepting applicants as soon as September, it’s better to apply early in the application cycle (September or October) rather than later (January or February of the following year). You will need a reportable LSAT score, so it’s better to take the LSAT early, provided you have enough time to study with LSAT prep courses to get your score back in time.

You can take the LSAT as early as your freshman year of college. However, LSAT test scores are only valid for five years. If you’re planning on applying to law school after college, you might be better off waiting until your junior or senior year.

It’s not uncommon to retake the LSAT more than once to earn a competitive score. Just remember there are rules for how many times you can take the LSAT

• Five times within the current reportable score period (i.e., since June 2017)
• A total of seven times over a lifetime

Some people can wake up one morning and decide to take the LSAT without preparing for it (if they registered for an LSAT test date, of course). However, most of us will need some amount of studying and LSAT test prep. Since we all retain information differently, LSAT prep is not one-size-fits-all. The method that works for you will likely depend on your schedule, goals, learning preference, and location. There are a few common ways LSAT courses are offered:

• Online Courses: These courses are fully online and usually consist of on-demand video lessons, making them ideal for someone with a busy schedule or who would rather prep for the LSAT at their own pace.
• Live Course Courses: The perfect hybrid of online and in-person courses. Live Course courses are taught by an instructor and live-streamed at set times a few days per week. You get the interaction of an in-person course with the convenience of a virtual learning experience.