• The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) administers the LSAT and plays an essential role in the application process. The test is offered four times every year, in the fall (usually late September or early October), December, February, and June. Please be mindful of registration deadlines and do not wait until the last minute to register.

• In order to register for the LSAT and apply to law schools, you must first create an LSAC account.

• You will be assigned an LSAC account number that will be linked to your LSAT scores and other essential application materials.

When you register for the LSAT, please consider authorizing the release of your LSAT score to your U-M prelaw advisor. This information assists in following admission trends and is helpful in the advice we offer to all of our students and alumni.

• The test is scored on a 120–180 scale, and your score is based on four 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions.

• Sections include one reading-comprehension section, one analytical-reasoning section, and two logical-reasoning sections. A fifth, experimental section is included in the test to evaluate the development of new questions, but the experimental section is not scored. The order of these sections varies, and you will not know which section is experimental.

• In addition to the multiple-choice sections, there is an unscored 35-minute writing sample that is always at the end of the exam. A copy of your "writing sample" is sent to each law school to which you apply.

Successfully preparing for the LSAT depends on your individual learning style and requires planning and commitment. Typically, students spend two to four months actively studying for the LSAT, but you may need more or less time to achieve your target score. Consider the following steps as you develop your plan:

• Review LSAC’s tips for LSAT preparation, including free videos describing each section and sample questions.

• Study materials can be purchased from LSAC or from commercial LSAT prep programs, and it is also possible to find useful materials in libraries.

• Early in your preparation, take a full-length official LSAT under timed conditions. You can take the free test offered on the LSAC website or contact commercial LSAT prep programs about opportunities to take a free LSAT practice exam. The purpose of this initial practice exam is to establish a baseline and identify your strengths and weaknesses. Do not let your initial score worry you. Use the results to identify your strengths and weakness, and to help you evaluate how much you need to study to achieve your goal.

• Create a study schedule that involves consistent engagement with the content. You need to work with the material several times every week to master this exam. Plan time to practice questions from each section. Evaluate your progress by taking timed section tests.

• Eventually, you will build up to taking as many timed full-length practice tests as possible. Track your scores. Ideally, you should take 10 or more full-length practice LSATs. If you have only taken one or two full-length LSATs, you will not have enough information to evaluate your progress or your score potential. Books of 10 full-length official LSAT exams can be purchased from LSAC.

Fee waivers, covering LSAT registration and several other application fees, are possible for students with demonstrable need. You should begin the fee waiver application process early—at least two months prior to the regular LSAT registration deadline—since it can take time to gather the necessary documentation demonstrating financial need.