LSAT Test Dates 2024

If you’re thinking of attending law school, whether you’re a current undergraduate or years out of college, the LSAT is an essential part of the law school admission process. The LSAT is offered twice throughout this spring and summer of 2024. If possible, we recommend you get this exam out of the way during one of these earlier LSAT test dates, rather than trying to take it in the fall when you will also have admission essays, interviews, and other elements of the law school application to think about. However, if studying over the summer and taking the LSAT in fall 2024 seems more realistic to you, these dates will also be announced in several months. For now, here are the LSAT dates (so far) announced for 2024 and other factors to consider when preparing to take the LSAT.

LSAT Test Dates

Each year, the LSAT is offered in January, February, April, and June, as well as fall dates in August, September, October, and November. Since the January and February 2024 dates have passed, here are the dates April and June 2024. But first, a few bits of information on these dates:

• Each registration deadline is also the deadline for requesting disability-related testing accommodations, date changes, and full refunds. You can still change your testing date after the registration deadline, but there will be fees.
• Scheduling occurs after the registration opens (typically a few weeks before the exam date), when registered test-takers receive an email. Though you won’t know the exact time of the exam when you register, you might want to make sure you’re generally available throughout the listed days.

Though the fall dates have not yet been announced for 2024, last year they took place August 11-12, September 8-9, October 13-14, and November 10-11. Keep an eye out for announcements over the summer if you think you would prefer to take the test in the fall (keep reading below for our suggestions as you decide when to take the LSAT).

All in all, make sure you note these important exam dates and registration deadlines to ensure that you can take the test in time to apply for law school in the 2024 application cycle.

LSAT Test Dates 2024

LSAT Dates 2024 (Continued)

 How to Register

To register for these LSAT dates, you will need to create an account with LSAC (Law School Admission Council), a not-for-profit organization with the mission of supporting law school candidates and programs throughout the admission process. Once your account is created, you will log in and choose your LSAT date and testing location.

Some bad news: the registration fee for taking the LSAT is $222.

Some good news: if you have significant financial need, can apply for an LSAC fee waiver. To be eligible for the fee waiver, you must meet certain criteria regarding residence or citizenship, as well as financial need.

If this is your first time taking the LSAT, you will also need to decide whether to purchase the LSAT Score Preview, which allows test takers to see their LSAT scores before deciding whether to, a) keep it and report it to law schools, or b) retake the exam at a later date. The Score Preview costs $45 if you purchase it before the first day of testing, or $75 if you purchase it in the period after testing. If you decide not to purchase Score Preview, you can still cancel your LSAT score before it gets sent to law schools, though you won’t be able to see it before making this decision, so, it could be a safe bet, in order to guarantee that law schools see the scores you’re most satisfied with.

So, when is the best time to take the LSAT?

Now that you have the options, should you take the test in April or June, or should you wait for the fall?

First of all, it’s important to note that most law schools have rolling admissions, which means the earlier you apply, the higher your chances for acceptance. That said, since law school applications tend to open in September, we recommend that you strive to have your scores submitted by then. Most schools require that applicants submit their LSAT scores by December of the same application cycle, so you need to take the exam by November at the latest.

If you want to ensure that you have completed your final LSAT exam in September, it’s a good idea to take your first exam by August (better yet, April or June, to most safely plan for a potential retake).

No matter the date you choose, make sure to begin studying for the LSAT exam 3-4 months beforehand. Some recommend that you study for the LSAT for 300-400 hours total, at a rate of 30-40 hours per week (essentially, treating studying like a full-time job). If this intense study schedule isn’t realistic for you, make sure to dedicate at least a couple hours a day to studying, if possible, throughout a longer time frame (5-6 months).

What will I need the day of my exam?

Here are the steps you should take leading up to the LSAT.

A few weeks before the exam – LSAT Test Dates

As soon as scheduling opens, you should go ahead and schedule your testing time. Though the scheduling is open until two days before your test, it helps to schedule ahead of time so that you can get your preferred exam time.

At this point, you should also be taking practice exams, offered through LawHub, the interface for the online LSAT. Taking these practice exams will also allow you to become familiar with the interface, in an effort to avoid any bumps or issues on exam day. It’s important to note that the three exam sections be presented in any order on exam day, even though they will always be presented in this order in the LawHub sample tests: Analytical Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension.

A few days before your exam

Days before the exam, it will be important to check that all your technology is up and running smoothly. Here is a checklist for 2-3 days before your exam:

• Have access to a quiet, well-lit room with a stable internet connection and a clear table
• Check that your computer has a working webcam and microphone
• Download the latest Google Chrome web browser
• Install the Prometric ProProctor It will also be useful to familiarize yourself with the Prometric User Guide
• Make sure that you have administrative rights to whatever computer you’re using so that you can download proctoring software (if you’re taking the exam from a family or university desktop, for example, be sure to check on this ahead of time)

And make sure you have on hand…

• A valid, non-electric photo ID, with a first and last name that matches the name associated with your LSAC account
• Your LawHub username and password (the same as your username and password for accessing your LSAC account)
• Not clutter! You’ll want to have the space as quiet and neat as possible for a smooth exam session

How does LSAT scoring work? – LSAT Test Dates

The LSAT has four sections, and the number for questions you answer correctly across these sections leads to your raw score. Then, based on results from all test-takers, LSAT graders decide how these raw scores correspond to scaled scores, which range from 120-180. A number of factors go into this scaling, including the overall difficulty of questions in a given year.

Lastly, your scaled score translates to a percentile score, which is essentially how many test takers scored lower than you (averaged over several years). For example, if you scored in the 90th percentile, that means that 90% of test takers scored lower than you over the past three-ish years.

For reference, most accepted students in the T14 law schools (the 14 top-ranked law schools in the country) scored at least 170 on their LSATs. Further, for top five law schools such as Yale Law and Harvard Law, many admitted students scored 175 or higher, scores in the 99th percentile. So, if you’re striving to get into a top-ranked law school, you will need to put time and focus into your preparations. Additionally, a score over 165 can help students land merit scholarships, which can be essential for attending law school, where tuition is often $50,000 per year or more.

LSAT Dates 2024 – Additional Resources

There are many factors to consider when scheduling your LSAT exam, from testing dates, to study time, to day-of-exam preparation. The first step, however, is registering for an exam date that makes sense for your law school application timeline. Make sure that you stay on top of the registration dates and register earlier rather than later, in case you decide to do a retake.

For more information on law schools, we recommend the following articles:

• Read about the best law schools in New York, California, and Georgia in 2024
• Check out the 15 best law schools for Entertainment Law and Sports Law
• And the 15 best law schools for Immigration Law