SparkNotes

There are four scored multiple-choice sections on the test, one unscored multiple-choice section (some call it the “experimental”), and one unscored written essay. Here’s how it breaks down.

As you can see, two of the four scored sections are Logical Reasoning, which means that Logical Reasoning accounts for approximately half of your score. Got that? Half your score. This is the section that we deal with extensively in Chapter 1. The Logic Games section accounts for a bit less than one-quarter of your score, while Reading Comprehension accounts for a bit more than one-quarter. We cover those in Chapters 2 and 3, respectively. The Writing Sample is unscored, but we give you the lowdown on that in Chapter 4.

Here are a few more tidbits that may interest you about the LSAT testing experience.

Yeah, we saw that—that little eyebrow-raise upon spying this header. And why not? Your final score is understandably your primary focus, so let’s talk a bit about how it’s calculated.

There are usually 101 scored multiple-choice questions on the LSAT. Each question is worth exactly one point. There is no penalty for guessing, so fill in an answer for every question. If you don’t know the answer or don’t get to some questions at the end of a section, fill in answers anyway; you have nothing to lose. Some tests, like the SAT for example, subtract a quarter of a point for each wrong answer, so a bit of strategy regarding whether to guess is in order. Not so for the LSAT. To repeat: Never leave an answer blank.

Additionally, hard questions count the same as easy ones. Therefore it makes no sense to get bogged down on hard questions when easier ones beckon. In other words, if you find yourself struggling, guess and move on to the next question. Almost everyone misses at least some questions, but those who don’t overly obsess over the tough stuff do better in the long run.

The total number of questions you answer correctly is called your “raw score.” The test makers then wave their magic scoring wand, which sets in motion a nifty but complicated formula that converts the raw score to a score between 120 and 180. This computation includes adjustments to equalize scores on each test with scores on all other LSATs so that no one has an unfair advantage. In other words, the test is scored such that a 160 on one test, for example, is equal to a 160 on any other administered LSAT. This is necessary because LSATs vary slightly in difficulty level from test to test; it’s just impossible to avoid. This equalization method, called “equating,” is used to adjust for this variability.

The scaled score is further assigned a percentile ranking, which shows at a glance how that test taker did compared to all other test takers from the previous three years. A test taker who scores in the 90th percentile, for example, did better than 90 percent of LSAT test takers from the previous three years. Note that this means that you won’t be competing directly against the people taking the test on the same day as you but with everyone who took the test in the past three years. This greater sample size allows for more consistency in the percentile rankings.

The scoring distribution resembles a typical bell curve, with most people bunched in the middle and far fewer at the extremes. The number of scores in the 120s and 170s is relatively low, whereas roughly 70 percent of test takers score between 140 and 160. Although it varies from test to test, getting half the questions right (roughly 50 out of 101) results in a scaled score of around 145, or somewhere near the low 30th percentile. The 90th percentile corresponds approximately to a scaled score of 163, and the 99th percentile clocks in around 172. You can miss about 10 questions and still get a 172, which shows you that no one expects you to get every question right. The LSAT is a difficult test, but the scoring formula allows you to get a number of questions wrong and still receive a very respectable score.