Blog

June 2026 LSAT Scheduling

2026-04-16

Due to the high volume of test takers for the June LSAT, and to minimize wait times in the scheduling queue, scheduling will be offered on a staggered schedule.You can find the time scheduling will open for your preferred test date and modality using the table below. Scheduling will open exclusively for in-person test centers on Tuesday, 5/19, and Wednesday, 5/20 (see specific times below). Scheduling will then open exclusively for remote testing on Thursday, 5/21, and Friday, 5/22, until 6 p.m. ET. Please note that when scheduling is dedicated to in-person testing, you will not be able to schedule for remote testing, and vice versa.All dates/times are listed in Eastern Time (ET).Your Preferred Test DateIn-Person / Test CenterSchedulingRemoteSchedulingOpensCloses (Temporary.)ReopensCloses (Final)OpensClosesWED., 6/3Tue., 5/19, 3 p.m. ETThu., 5/2112 p.m. ETFri., 5/226 p.m. ETWed., 5/2711:59 p.m. ETThu., 5/21, 3 p.m. ETSun., 5/3111:59 p.m. ETTHU., 6/4Tue., 5/19, 6 p.m. ETThu., 5/2112 p.m. ETFri., 5/226 p.m. ETWed., 5/2711:59 p.m. ETThu., 5/21, 6 p.m. ETSun., 5/3111:59 p.m. ETFRI., 6/5(U.S./Canada)Wed., 5/20, 3 p.m. ETThu., 5/2112 p.m. ETFri., 5/226 p.m. ETWed., 5/2711:59 p.m. ETFri., 5/22, 3 p.m. ETSun., 5/3111:59 p.m. ETFRI., 6/5(International)Wed., 5/20, 5 a.m. ETThu., 5/2112 p.m. ETFri., 5/226 p.m. ETWed., 5/2711:59 p.m. ETFri., 5/22, 5 a.m. ETSun., 5/3111:59 p.m. ETSAT., 6/6Wed., 5/20, 6 p.m. ETThu., 5/2112 p.m. ETFri., 5/226 p.m. ETWed., 5/2711:59 p.m. ETFri., 5/22, 6 p.m. ETSun., 5/3111:59 p.m. ETOnce you have scheduled a testing time, no rescheduling changes can be made until Friday, May 22, starting at 6 p.m.This is important. Do not try to schedule for a testing date until scheduling for that date opens. If you try to schedule for a date that is not yet open, you will wait in the queue but will not be able to schedule a time.Questions?For questions or assistance with scheduling your LSAT, please contact Prometric:

U.S./Canada/LATAM: 1.800.350.5517
Asia: +60.3.2781.7762
EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa): +353.42.682.5652

If you have approved testing accommodations, you can contact Prometric at 1.800.967.1139 and use Option 4.aside {display:none;} #maincontent {width:100%;} .inset-container {max-width:81.25rem;} thead th {border:1px solid #C2C2C2;} /*tbody td.no-border {border-top:none;border-bottom:none;}*/ abbr {text-decoration:none;}

LSAT Inbox – LSAT Argumentative Writing and LSAT Deadlines

2026-04-15

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.Is LSAT Argumentative Writing required? Yes. Your LSAT score cannot be released if you haven’t completed an LSAT Argumentative Writing sample. If you completed LSAT Argumentative Writing or LSAT Writing in a previous test during the current reportable score period (five years), your previous writing sample is still valid, and you do not need to complete LSAT Argumentative Writing. You may review the status in JD Services under LSAT/LSAT Argumentative Writing.When should I complete LSAT Argumentative Writing? You can access LSAT Argumentative Writing directly from JD Services eight (8) days before the multiple-choice portion of the LSAT opens.To ensure your LSAT score is released on time, we recommend completing LSAT Argumentative Writing as soon as possible. However, it doesn’t need to be completed immediately. You have up to one year to complete your writing sample; however, please be aware that your LSAT score won’t be released to you, or the schools to which you have applied, until you have an approved LSAT Argumentative Writing sample on file. Where do I launch LSAT Argumentative Writing? Go to JD Services and click on the “Launch LSAT Argumentative Writing” button. At that point, you will be redirected to ProctorU to create an account or link to an existing account. If you have an existing account and can’t remember your password, please follow the “Forgot Password” steps on the ProctorU support page . Creating a duplicate account may cause delays in launching your test. If you have questions, please contact ProctorU at 855.772.8678. If prompted to create a new ProctorU account, you should use the same email address that you used for JD Services. Please make sure you log in to LawHub at least once before launching LSAT Argumentative Writing; otherwise the launch link won’t be available to you.Are there any room requirements for LSAT Argumentative Writing?LSAT Argumentative Writing should be taken in a private, well-lit area with a secure and stable internet connection. You must have a chair and a desk or table. The area may have windows, as long as they are not floor-to-ceiling windows. You will complete a video check-in process and will be required to show your workspace using the webcam to ensure that only permitted items are in that space. Please also visit the Frequently Asked Questions about LSAT Argumentative Writing and LSAT Argumentative Writing Tips pages on our website. Does LSAT Argumentative Writing have a spell-check feature? Yes, this feature is built into the LawHub interface, but external AI-assistive extensions and aids, such as Grammarly, MS Editor, Writefull, Wordtune, Reverso, etc., are not permitted. Please be aware the spellcheck feature underlines the mistyped word; however, it will not provide a suggested correction.Keep in mind that the use of scratch paper is prohibited in LSAT Argumentative Writing. A digital note-taking tool is provided in the user interface.What 2025-2026 LSAT administrations are still available? The only available administration in the 2025-2026 testing cycle is the June 2026 LSAT. Please log in to JD Services and click on the “Register for the LSAT” link to start the registration process. The registration deadline is Tuesday, April 21, 2026.Can I register for the tests in the 2026-2027 testing cycle?Registration for these administrations will open in mid-May. At that time, we will also provide updated information, including registration deadlines. At this time, you may review the primary test days: 2026-2027 LSAT Testing Year.How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, please view our LSAT FAQ and LSAT Argumentative Writing FAQ pages for answers to other frequently asked questions. You can also contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

2025 1L Class Was Largest in Recent Years, but First-Gen College Grad Representation Declines Again

Elizabeth Bodamer — 2026-04-08

By Elizabeth BodamerThis post is part of a series related to LSAC’s Knowledge Report: The Composition of the First-Year Law School Class and Enrollment 2021-2025 Trends.Being the “first” can be a lot. In addition to your own goals and questions, you carry generations of sacrifices, pride, resilience, and dreams. That’s the case for thousands of first-generation college graduates who enroll in law school each year. In doing so, they’re blazing a trail — one that started with an unpaved path to college, then continued to law school. In the first-year class, more than one in five 1Ls are the first in their family to graduate from college. While the representation of first-generation college graduates is important to bringing new perspectives to law school classrooms and helping to ensure our future legal profession reflects the full range of our society, we have seen a decrease in the percentage of first-generation college graduates in the entering law school classes for two consecutive years. This is a troubling trend, and one that the entire legal education community should take seriously.The shifting representation of first-generation college graduates is just one of the many insights contained in LSAC’s newest report, The Composition of the First-Year Law School Class and Enrollment 2021-2025 Trends. The report dives into nuanced trends about who enrolled in law school between 2021 and 2025,[1] focusing on:

Who is enrolling in law school
Where they enrolled
How class sizes have changed at Ģ��ý level over the years

During a time of rapid political, economic, and social changes in the U.S. — including major changes to federal Grad PLUS loans, which go into effect later this summer — more than 76,000 aspiring law students submitted applications to law school in the 2024-25 admission cycle. It was the highest volume of applicants since 2011 and an 18% increase from the 2023-24 cycle. As a result of this highly competitive admission cycle, legal education welcomed its largest first-year class since 2012,[2] an 8% increase over the 2024 incoming class. However, as noted above, for the second consecutive year, the percentage of first-generation college graduate enrollment in law school is down, from 24.2% in 2023 to 21.7% in 2025. As changes to federal loans, school budgets, and access to higher education unfold, it is critical to monitor these early trends because they have major implications for who will be entering law school and who will not in the coming years.First-generation college graduates in law school disproportionally expect to graduate with higher law school debt than their peers.[3] If law school becomes less financially feasible, these students will be some of the most affected. In today’s first-year class, 26.4% of first-generation college graduates are LSAC Fee Waiver recipients, compared with only 11.4% of the entire 2025 1L class. And 56.6% of first-generation college graduates report they received a Pell Grant, compared with about 26% of all 2025 first-year law students.Given that the number of applicants who are first-generation college graduates is up again this year, the trends in this report should inform how we, the legal education community, continue to invest time and energy in supporting and recruiting future law school classes.Take it from me, as the first person in my family to graduate from college, an LSAC PLUS alum who then went on to earn my JD and PhD: If it weren’t for that kind of support, I wouldn’t be here today. Dig Deeper Into This ResearchLSAC’s Knowledge Report: The Composition of the First-Year Law School Class and Enrollment 2021-2025 Trends provides deeper insights into who enrolled in law school between 2021 and 2025 and who will be the future of the legal profession.View the ReportTo learn more about the snapshot moments along the prelaw to law school journey, check out any of LSAC’s Applied Research reports. [1] The year refers to the year the academic calendar starts. For example, 2021 refers to the 2021-2022 academic year.[2] ABA Enrollment Statistics Archives [3] 20% of 2024 1L respondents indicated they expect to graduate with more than $150,000 in law school debt. Funding the First Year: How 2024 1Ls Paid for Law School | The Law School Admission Council

LSAT Inbox - April 2026 LSAT Reminders

2026-04-01

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.Is there anything I should do in LawHub before my test day? You should log in to LawHub  at least once prior to your session with the same credentials you use to log in to JD Services. Twenty-four hours prior to your scheduled test, you should see an “LSAT” option in the left-hand menu of your LawHub account. How can I check if my device is compatible for the LSAT? Please test your equipment prior to your test via Prometric's System Readiness Check . Please make sure to remove background applications prior to your test. You can find instructions on our Remote LSAT Checklist page. What browser do I need to use if I am testing remotely? It is required to use Google Chrome browser. What type of computer should I use to take the LSAT? You may take the LSAT on either a desktop computer or a laptop. If testing on a desktop computer, please be aware that proctors do not allow you to lift the computer, so you must use an external webcam. If testing on a laptop, please plug your device directly into a power source, unattached to a docking station. Please be aware that Bluetooth speakers and headphones are not permitted. Do I need to have my username and password to test? Yes, please memorize your LawHub username and password or have this information available to you. If you write your credentials down, you will need to show them to your proctor and then destroy the paper before you begin testing. You will need these items to take the test! You will also need a valid ID. Please review Identification Accepted for LSAT Admission for more information about ID requirements. You may also visit Dos and Don’ts for Test Day to get familiar with a few helpful tips to ensure a smooth testing experience. We also suggest you review the LSAC Candidate Agreement. Are there any other steps to complete to ensure a smooth remote testing experience? Yes. Turn off your notifications and adjust your audio volumes to a normal range. Make sure your background applications are turned off. Instructions for Windows and Mac devices are listed on our Remote LSAT Checklist page. Will there be Prometric technical support available during my remote LSAT? Please restart your computer and reopen the ProProctor page. Please click the “Contact Support” button on the top right. Once on the ProProctor Help page, please click the chat button on the bottom right corner. You will be prompted to answer a series of questions before connecting to a live agent. Please be advised that the live agent will not be able to remote into your computer but will assist you with questions and prompted action to resolve your issues. Once your issue is resolved, they will direct you on the steps needed to reconnect to a readiness agent and then to a proctor. If unable to resolve while connected to your proctor, you will need to exit ProProctor and reconnect. I am an international test taker. Is there anything else I need to know regarding my test? Yes, you will be taking your April 2026 LSAT on Friday, April 10. Please log in to your account and double check your appointment testing time, including the time zone, to prevent confusion. Ensure you are located in the area you indicated during your registration process. How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, please view our LSAT FAQ and LSAT Argumentative Writing FAQ pages for answers to other frequently asked questions. You can also contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

Latest Law Firm Diversity Numbers Tell Two Stories

James Leipold — 2026-03-31

By James LeipoldLast week the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) released its annual Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms based on demographic data from its 2025 NALP Directory of Legal Employers. The results are sobering, if not surprising, on several fronts.A Decline in Law Firm DiversityFirst, and most importantly, the report documents that the proportion of people of color among summer associates, associates, and all lawyers declined in 2025. For context, NALP has been compiling legal practice demographic data since 1991, and these numbers had moved steadily upwards, albeit often very slowly, year after year. To see these numbers now clearly having reversed, that longstanding historic trend is discouraging, but not necessarily surprising given the current socio-political climate in the U.S. Law firms, as has been widely reported, have faced tough federal government scrutiny over their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.A Decrease in Firms Reporting Demographic DataWhich leads us to the second story stemming from the new NALP report. A significant number of law firms that have historically included lawyer demographic data in their NALP directory listing failed to do so this year. According to NALP, 230 fewer law offices provided demographic data in 2025. That means there was a loss of demographic data on about 31,000 lawyers. It also means that the new data, as NALP makes clear, needs to be interpreted with caution. The 2025 data is not directly comparable to the data collected in 2024 because the latest data set contains information on at least 47 fewer law firms. This does not mean that the racial and ethnic diversity of lawyers, associates, and summer associates at large law firms did not go down last year. Given the rich data that was collected by NALP, we know that the representation of lawyers of color did decline. The shift in the reporting base just makes it hard to pin-point exactly by how much that representation went down compared to last year.But the biggest story by far is the decline in the willingness of law firms to report this data. In writing about the new report from NALP, Reuters leads with this: “Nearly 50 U.S. law firms that previously provided demographic data about their lawyers to an organization that tracks it declined to do so this year, the group said, attributing the drop to a crackdown on law firm diversity, equity and inclusion efforts since President Donald Trump returned to office.”The Importance of Demographic DataNALP itself is crystal clear about both the reasons for the change and the significance of the change. Nikia Gray, NALP’s executive director, writes that “This new reluctance [on the part of law firms to report the demographic information about their lawyers] should concern all of us. Demographic data is not merely a collection of numbers. It represents real people, real experiences, and real disparities ... The story of this era can be one of loss, retrenchment, and diminished visibility — or one of principled leadership, courage, and renewed commitment to understanding the shifting portrait of our profession. The choice begins, though, with ensuring that the data does not vanish. NALP will continue to call on all legal employers to participate fully in demographic reporting, starting with providing demographic information as part of their NDLE listing.”One of the most important roles that nonprofit organizations like NALP and LSAC play is to hold a mirror up to the industry and the profession by collecting and publishing demographic data about law school applicants, matriculants, and graduates, as well as lawyers in the profession. The risk of losing our ability to say, “this is what the profession looks like” is huge. I applaud NALP’s commitment to continuing to urge law firms to report this important data, despite the pressures they currently face not to do so. Similarly, I applaud LSAC’s commitment to collecting and reporting data about the demographics of Ģ��ý applicant pool. It is incredibly scary to me to imagine a world in which we cannot say whether the pool of law school applicants is diverse, or whether the lawyers hired by law firms represent a diverse group of people, but I do understand now in 2026 that future is, in fact, possible. All of us have a vested interest in working in whatever ways we can to ensure that day never arrives.Report HighlightsOther highlights from the most recent “NALP Report on Law Firm Diversity” include these:

Women Lawyers at Law Firms
- Women comprised the majority of associates for the first time in 2023, and their representation continues to grow, reaching 52.09% of all associates in 2025 (a 0.5-percentage point year-over year increase).
- The share of women partners grew by 0.7 percentage points in 2025 to a new record high of 29.55%. Nevertheless, women remain significantly underrepresented within the partnership ranks.
- Although women still comprise a majority of summer associates, for the second year in a row their representation declined, this year decreasing by 0.2 percentage points to 55.26%.
Lawyers of Color at Law Firms
- The percentage of associates of color fell by 1.3 percentage points to 30.20%, the first decline since 2010. This decrease was observed across nearly all firm sizes, except for firms of 251-500 lawyers. By race/ethnicity, much of this decline can be attributed to a decrease in the representation of Asian and Black associates. The proportion of Asian associates fell by 1.6 percentage points, to 11.70%, while the share of Black associates fell by 0.2 percentage points to 6.18%. These figures represent the lowest recorded since 2018 and 2015, respectively.
- The representation of partners of color was virtually unchanged in 2025 at 12.67%, compared to 12.73% in 2024. However, representation of Black partners declined by 0.2 percentage points, to 2.42%, marking the first decrease since 2014. Following a record high of 43.07% in 2024, the proportion of summer associates of color fell by 5.5 percentage points to 37.53% in 2025, the lowest level recorded since 2020. Among summer associates of color, representation declined across nearly every racial/ethnic group, except for Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander and multiracial students.
Additional Demographics
- Overall, 3.06% of lawyers identified as having a disability, up from 2.54% in 2024. Associates were almost twice as likely to identify as having a disability as compared to partners (3.80% vs. 2.13%).
- The percentage of LGBTQ+ lawyers fell by 0.2 percentage points in 2025 to 4.90%. Despite this overall drop in the representation of LGBTQ+ lawyers, the proportion of LGBTQ+ associates reached a record high of 7.87%, growing by 0.1 percentage points from 2024.
- The share of military veteran lawyers increased by nearly 0.3 percentage points to 2.20% in 2025. Representation of military veterans was lower among associates (1.78%) compared to partners (2.31%).

I will be at both the upcoming NALP and LSAC annual conferences and look forward to seeing many of you at one of those events! I would be happy to chat with you about these and other recent developments in the industry and look forward to sharing ways that LSAC’s Legal Education Consulting team can help you solve problems.

For August test takers only – interactive demo of the minor changes coming in next year’s test UI

Susan L. Krinsky — 2026-03-24

By Susan L. KrinskyAs we announced in February, we will be making some changes to the underlying test delivery platform for the LSAT, starting with the August 2026 test. These changes will help enhance test administration and test security. While the majority of the new testing user interface in August will be nearly identical to the existing user interface, the move to this new test delivery platform will result in a small number of minor changes in the user interface. There are no changes to the format, structure, or content of the test. Most of the UI changes in August will be minor, such as changes in how to access the highlighting function, how to flag a question you want to come back to, or how to increase the font size on your screen. Despite how minor the changes are, we know how important the LSAT is to both students and schools. We are committed to providing tools and materials so that people taking the test in August or later have time to get familiar with the new user interface so they can feel comfortable and confident on test day. Today, as promised, we are releasing an interactive demo of the new UI , as well as a video and written summary that highlight the minor changes in the new UI. This interactive demo shows virtually all of the changes we anticipate in the new UI; it’s possible that a handful of additional refinements may occur in the next two months as we finalize the new UI, such as the ability to clear your answer choice on a given question and leave it blank, but if so they will be minor, and we will call them out when we publish the next set of familiarization materials. When we announced the planned changes in February, we also promised that we would provide the more than 50 full-length practice tests on LawHub in the new user interface by May so that people planning to take the test in August or later would have time to practice testing with the new UI. We expect to meet that timeline.We want to be clear — for anyone taking the next two LSATs in April or June, the interactive demo we are releasing today and new UI practice tests coming by May are not for you; you should continue to focus your preparation on the existing materials which reflect the format that will be used for the April and June tests. Only people planning to take the LSAT in August 2026 and beyond should familiarize themselves with the new testing environment. We will continue to provide periodic updates, tools, and other resources to ensure a smooth transition.

A Spotlight on How Pathway Programs Strengthen the Legal Education Ecosystem

Angela Winfield — 2026-03-23

By Angela WinfieldFrom March 23 to 27, LawHub will be featuring the inaugural Pathway Week, a dedicated opportunity to highlight the work and impact of pathway programs.Pathway Week showcases and celebrates the institutions, advisors, and programs that guide aspiring law students from early exploration through law school application and beyond. It reflects a shared commitment across undergraduate institutions, pathway programs, and law schools, recognizing that access to legal education is strongest when it is collaborative.Pathway Week is grounded in what LSAC is hearing directly from prospective applicants. In LSAC’s 2025 Knowledge Report on 2024 to 2025 test takers, the majority of respondents reported first thinking about law school before college, with many identifying interest even earlier in elementary or middle school (p. 9, Figure 1). Thirty-two percent of first-generation college graduates reported first thinking about law school in elementary or middle school, compared with 27% of continuing generation peers (p. 10, Figure 2). At the same time, the report shows that interest in legal education develops across multiple points in the educational journey, with many first considering law school during or after college. The report emphasizes that the decision to pursue law school is rarely impulsive. Rather, it often develops over years, particularly for those from under-resourced and marginalized communities (p. 9). These insights reinforce LSAC’s commitment to supporting pathway programs that help individuals navigate the long journey from early interest in law to a successful law school application.Creating a Path to Legal EducationThese findings highlight an opportunity for the legal education community. Awareness of the legal profession already exists, but turning that awareness into a clear and achievable pathway requires sustained guidance, resources, and support.The 2025 Knowledge Report shows that aspiring lawyers are highly motivated to pursue meaningful careers in law. Nearly half of 2024 to 2025 test takers reported that helping others is a key motivation for attending law school, while 37% cited advocating for social justice and 34% identified financial security as a factor in their decision (p. 12, Figure 3). These motivations reflect a generation of prospective applicants who see legal education as both a way to contribute to society and a path toward long-term professional stability.At the same time, access to reliable guidance remains uneven. On average, test takers rely on about three sources of advice when navigating Ģ��ý application process, most often turning to peers or friends, attorneys, and family members (p. 13, Figure 4). Yet one in five test takers report having no one to rely on for advice about applying to law school (p. 13, Figure 4). This gap is even more pronounced among first-generation college graduates, minoritized racial and ethnic groups, and Pell Grant recipients, underscoring the need for structured support along the pathway to legal education.Strengthening the Pathway Through Institutional CollaborationThese findings underscore an important opportunity for the legal education community. While interest in law often develops early, not all aspiring law students have consistent access to the guidance, mentorship, and resources needed to navigate the path to law school. Pathway programs help fill this gap by connecting individuals with the support needed to move from early interest in the profession to a well-prepared application to success in law school and, ultimately, to a meaningful and fulfilling career.Addressing this need requires sustained collaboration across the legal education ecosystem. Undergraduate institutions, prelaw advisors, law schools, and pathway programs each play a role in helping prospective applicants understand the process and build the skills needed to pursue legal education. Together, these efforts strengthen the pathway to law school and help ensure that interest in the legal profession can develop into a clear and achievable path forward.Why This Matters to LSACLSAC’s mission centers on advancing access and equity in legal education; supporting pathway programs directly advances that mission. Throughout the week, LawHub will highlight pathway programs and share articles, webinars, and videos to create a visible and accessible space for engagement across the legal education ecosystem.These efforts connect directly to the Pathway Programs Directory on LawHub, which was created to help individuals discover and engage with programs that expand access to legal education. Together, these efforts help ensure that those considering legal education can more easily find the programs, guidance, and opportunities that support their path forward.

LSAT Inbox – April 2026 LSAT Scheduling

2026-03-18

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.Can I schedule my date and time for the April 2026 LSAT? Scheduling for the April 2026 LSAT opens on March 24. Please review the steps to schedule your test on our How to Schedule Your LSAT Testing Time page.How do I confirm that I scheduled my test correctly? After you complete scheduling with Prometric, log in to JD Services where your scheduling details will be listed under My Status: View All LSAT Information. You will also receive a confirmation email from Prometric. Who do I contact for scheduling assistance? You will need to contact Prometric at 1.800.350.5517 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET) once scheduling opens. You can also change your appointment through JD Services by the rescheduling deadline. You will need your confirmation number when rescheduling or canceling an appointment. To reschedule to the same modality, you will access the link in your account. To reschedule to a different modality, you must cancel your existing appointment and schedule a new appointment in your preferred modality. Can I contact Prometric if I am an international test taker? Yes, you can use 1.800.350.5517 or these numbers:

APAC (Asia) Region: +60 3-2781 7762
EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) Region: +353-42-682-5652

I have testing accommodations and need assistance with scheduling. Is there a specific number I need to call? Yes, please call the Prometric Testing Accommodations team at 1-800-967-1139, option 4 (Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET).How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, please view our LSAT FAQ and LSAT Argumentative Writing FAQ pages for answers to other frequently asked questions. You can also contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

Law School Enrollment Strategy in a Slowing Job Market

James Leipold — 2026-03-09

By James LeipoldLaw school enrollment is a complex matter with lots of drivers and levers, and target enrollment goals are often the result of compromises between competing interests. I believe admission and career services offices should always be a part of the conversation about setting enrollment goals, and as we head into a potential market slowdown of sorts, at least as far as law firm hiring is concerned, I think this is even more important than it has been in some time. I recently had a chance to take up these issues during an LSAC webinar discussion with two senior leaders in the field: Jennifer A. Henfey, associate dean for professional development and leadership at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, and Shawn McShay, assistant dean, graduate enrollment management, at Boston College Law School.As we opened our conversation, we all agreed on a couple of things that set the stage. First, we have been enjoying a remarkably strong job market for law school graduates, with year after year record-setting employment figures. Second, we know from the latest National Association for Law Placement (NALP) recruiting data that recruiting at the largest law firms is measurably slowing down. Third, we know that the 1L class that entered last fall was the largest class in 13 years, coming in on the heels of what has also been a remarkably strong law school admission cycle, with year over year application volume up at most schools for multiple years in a row. Finally, we know from having lived the historical experience of the Great Recession that a slowing economy and slowing legal job market along with growing class size in American law schools can be a recipe for disaster. If ever there was a time to be certain that both admissions and career services have a voice in setting target law school enrollment goals, we all agreed that time is now!An Overview of the Current Legal Job MarketAs we got started, Jennifer provided a helpful overview of the current market, reminding us that the class of 2024, a large class, reported the highest overall employment rate ever recorded by NALP, but that the entry level job market is still 5% smaller than it was in 2007, with some 1,800 fewer jobs reported for the class of 2024 compared to the class of 2007, the last true pre-recession class. She also noted that contrary to what many people might assume given all the headlines about large law firm growth and profits, much of the recent job growth has been in small firms of 100 or fewer lawyers and in the government and public interest sectors, both markets that are facing downward pressures.She noted that for the class of 2025, the class whose employment outcomes are just now being collected and reported, the market seems stable, but, she cautioned, the class of 2027 and the class of 2028 are both large classes and predicted that this is where we are likely to see a more significant impact from the current slowdown. She reminded our webinar participants that the median number of offers made for summer 2026 2L programs (members of the class of 2027) was the lowest on record, and that firms have already signaled that they are hiring for smaller classes for the summer of 2027 (members of the class of 2028, our current 1Ls). Finally, she invoked the uncertainties promised by rapid AI adoption in the legal industry and suggested that while its impact on job numbers so far has been small, by the time the class of 2029 graduates from law school (the class that is just now being admitted), there is likely to be a much larger and measurable AI impact on the entry level job market.How Can Law Schools Respond?Law schools should strive to admit smaller classes for the next couple of years, right? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Most law schools, and universities for that matter, cannot just suddenly turn down the spigot. Shawn reminded us that law schools have been through tight job markets with large classes in the past and that the most important thing when a slowing market is foreseeable is to make sure that Ģ��ý has all the support services and resources in place to appropriately help the classes that graduate in tougher times. This means making sure that the school has adequate staffing and resources for its career development office, but also for academic support and bar support, so that a high percentage of students are able to enter the market with the advantage of a bar license. It means making sure that robust experiential learning opportunities are in place so that students can graduate with polished legal skills that are transferable to many sectors. And it means making sure that the school has thought through any post-graduate assistance that may be necessary, such as stop-gap on-campus law school fellowships that can provide short-term bridge employment in a tough market. Finally, as Jennifer reminded us, it means having done the hard work ahead of time to expand the school’s market share, in effect creating new opportunities for graduates in a tough market.It also means admitting the right people to law school. But what exactly does that mean? This was perhaps the most resonant part of our conversation. There is a temptation out there right now to find ways to prescreen law school applicants for employability, animated in part by the recent moves to very early recruitment where many students are having to jump into the employment market for post-graduate jobs after just one semester of law school. Our panelists agreed that prescreening for employability was a bad idea for many reasons, not the least of which is that it introduces bias into the system. The job of law schools, in some ways, is to make students more employable through their legal education, and screening for employability on the front end short-changes that entire process and undermines one of the core purposes of legal education.What our panelists could agree upon was that law schools should instead be pre-screening for students who have a strong sense of why they want to go to law school. While this has always been a good idea, it takes on even more importance at a time when the job market is changing. As Jennifer said so well: “When students are grounded in their purpose and their why, they move through Ģ��ý experience with intention. They are also prepared to not be knocked off track by early recruiting, for example, or by a changing job market. They will be more resilient in the face of disappointment. They remain motivated by their intrinsic motivations not extrinsic ideas of success.”Collaboration Between Admission and Career Development OfficesAnother important point both panelists agreed upon is that the admission office and the career development office need to work closely together, even if they don’t have seats at the table for critical enrollment planning decisions. Admission office leaders need to share the contours and composition of the incoming class as it is being shaped so that the career development office can anticipate the needs of incoming students, and the career development office leaders need to regularly share information about the employment market, the skills and competencies currently being sought by employers, and the rapidly changing timelines of various recruiting cycles. For better or for worse, every admission professional, including temporary seasonal recruiters, needs to be well versed in the nuances of the employment market for the graduates of the school they represent. Failure to have this strong two-way flow of information can create a serious mismatch between what a student expects and what a career development office can provide, and nothing leads to student unhappiness faster than feeling misled. And, because of the super early recruiting cycles that are emerging, increasingly students can face a premature sense of personal failure as early as the end of the first semester unless they have come to law school with an informed and realistic sense of the job market.It takes time and intention to build trust and confidence between these two offices that are often siloed, overworked, and under resourced. But cooperation and collaboration are not optional. Neither office can best serve Ģ��ý without the help of the other, and that is particularly true when the market tightens. That means that in addition to formal briefings and exchanges of information, finding other ways to socialize and cooperate and help each other are critical. Make time for interdepartmental lunches. Find ways to help each other out during the respective busy seasons. Shawn asks members of the career development team to sit on his admission committee, ensuring that the career development team is vested in the admission decision-making process right from the start.And finally, the development of a super early recruiting market is forcing the admission and career development teams to work together even at schools where that has not previously happened in an organic way, as schools are increasingly providing pre-matriculation career programming for incoming students, often now called 0L career programming. While no one is a fan of having a market that moves so early, before students have had a fair shake at any real professional development, the fact that it is happening and needs to be responded to is as good a prompt as any to ensure that both the admissions and career development teams are working together from the very beginning.The issues presented by early recruitment are many, and at the LSAC Annual Meeting and Educational Conference in Spokane, Washington, from May 27 to 30, we will have an entire session devoted to this challenging development that, love it or hate it, seems here to stay.Meanwhile, as the final shaping of the class of 2029 is underway, it is important to be mindful of the slowing job market, and it is more important than ever to be working with your colleagues down the hall to ensure that your incoming class, whatever its size, will be informed about the job market they will face and confident that Ģ��ý they have selected will have the tools and resources to help them develop into graduates and lawyers who will thrive, no matter what kind of market challenges they will face.

LSAT Inbox - April 2026 LSAT Prep and General Information

2026-03-04

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.How can LawHub help me prepare for the LSAT? The LSAT is administered through LawHub. When you practice in LawHub, you’re preparing for test day using the authentic test interface. Not only that, all of LawHub’s PrepTests are created from Official LSAT test forms that were previously administered to actual test takers. Drill sets focusing on specific types of Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning questions are also available for free on LawHub. Test takers receive personalized reports on their practice performance, helping them identify areas for improvement and providing the most relevant instructional materials for those areas. How do I access Official PrepTests? You can access your Official LSAT PrepTest(s) by logging into LawHub and clicking on “LSAT Prep” using the navigation menu on the left-hand side. How can I view and print my PrepTest score report? You can view and print your PrepTest score report by following these simple steps:

After signing into LawHub, click on the PrepTest for the report you would like to view.
Click on “View History.”
Click on the Report tab.

You will then be able to view the report with an overview of each section. If you choose to print the report, click on the Print Report (PDF) tab. Your score report will open in a new window as a printable PDF document. I am not ready to take my April 2026 LSAT. Can I move my registration to another administration?Yes, you may complete a Test Day Change from JD Services up until April 8, 2026. Please note that fees will apply. Can I schedule my testing date and time for the April 2026 LSAT? Scheduling for the April 2026 LSAT opens on March 24. Please review the steps to schedule your test on our How to Schedule Your LSAT Testing Time page. Can I change my testing location for the April 2026 administration?Yes, you can complete this step directly from JD Services under the LSAT Registration & Statuses page. Click on the “Change Location” link under this section, and select and certify the country or area and click “Update.” Please be aware that this must be completed by the deadline shown under the “Change Location” link.My account doesn’t allow me to register for an LSAT after June 2026. Is there an issue? There is no issue with your account. Registrations for the 2026-2027 test year will open in mid-May. At this time, please feel free to review the future test dates for the 2026-2027 LSAT testing year. How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, please view our LSAT FAQ and LSAT Argumentative Writing FAQ pages for answers to other frequently asked questions. You can also contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

Learning Outcomes Are a Promise

Susannah Pollvogt — 2026-03-03

By Susannah Pollvogt

Learning goals are promises that we make to our students, their families, employers, and society that every student who . . . graduates with this degree can do the things we promise in our learning goals.- Linda Suskie, assessment and accreditation consultant

As we all know, the ABA1 has promulgated new standards related to learning outcomes. These standards require:

That a law school publish programmatic learning outcomes (i.e., competencies that all students should have upon graduation)
That a law school also have course learning outcomes (i.e., competencies that all students should have upon completion of a course) for every course at Ģ��ý
That course learning outcomes in required courses align with professional skills, the jurisdiction’s licensing exam, or Ģ��ý’s mission
That different sections of the same required course share some set of minimum learning outcomes (although faculty are free to devise additional learning outcomes beyond this required minimum)

One of the most challenging aspects for associate deans in trying to implement these new standards is lack of faculty buy-in. There is not a strong tradition of learning outcomes in legal education, despite their prevalence and acknowledged value in other sectors of higher education,2 and many faculty members see the ABA’s mandate as a bureaucratic exercise and/or an interference with academic freedom.In working with faculties on learning outcomes — both programmatic and course-level — I emphasize the concept articulated by assessment expert Linda Suskie above: that learning outcomes are a promise. They are, to me, first and foremost a promise to students. Students are pouring their time, money, and energy into their education, and they deserve a promise that, if they apply themselves, the curriculum will equip them with certain knowledge, skills, and values.3Employers also have a major stake in the competency of our graduates. I have no trouble saying that every law school in the nation wants to have a reputation with employers for producing graduates who will meet the expectations for junior attorneys.Furthermore, in legal education more so than perhaps any other field besides medicine, learning outcomes are a promise to society. Certainly, the bar exam seeks to ensure a minimum level of competency with respect to knowledge and skills as a form of consumer protection for clients. But the value added by law schools surely goes beyond training graduates to pass the bar exam. Law schools should be expected to graduate students who understand the role of lawyers in society and their obligations to their clients, and who also possess the degree of professionalism and adaptability required to successfully enter practice.Another approach I take when I work with faculties is to focus on three fundamental questions that we must address as educators:

Are there certain competencies we expect our students to graduate with?
How do we know if they actually possess those competencies?
What should we do if they do not?

The conversation around learning outcomes pushes us toward answering these fundamental questions, and the new ABA standards provide an impetus for that dialogue.If you would like to discuss these or related ideas, or talk about how I might be able to work with your school on learning outcomes and assessment, please feel free to email me at spollvogt@LSAC.org.[1] Here and in other blog posts I use “ABA” as a shorthand for the Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar. [2] Indeed, most universities and regional accreditors require the articulation of learning outcomes.[3] It is virtually impossible to ensure that every student will achieve mastery in the competencies designated by our learning outcomes; the gold standard in assessment literature is attainment by 80% of students.

April LSAT Scheduling

2026-03-02

Due to the high volume of test takers for the April LSAT, and to minimize wait times in the scheduling queue, scheduling will be offered on a staggered schedule.You can find the time scheduling will open for your preferred test date and modality using the table below. Scheduling will open exclusively for in-person test centers on Tuesday, 3/24, and Wednesday, 3/25 (see specific times below). Scheduling will then open exclusively for remote testing on Thursday, 3/26, and Friday, 3/27 until 3 p.m. ET. Please note that when scheduling is dedicated to in-person testing, you will not be able to schedule for remote testing, and vice versa.All dates/times are listed in Eastern Time (ET).Your Preferred Test DateIn-Person / Test CenterSchedulingRemoteSchedulingOpensCloses (Temp.)ReopensCloses (Final)OpensClosesTHU., 4/9Tue., 3/24, 3 p.m. ETThu., 3/2612 p.m. ETFri., 3/273 p.m. ETThu., 4/211:59 p.m. ETThu., 3/26, 3 p.m. ETMon., 4/611:59 p.m. ETFRI., 4/10(U.S./Canada)Tue., 3/24, 6 p.m. ETThu., 3/2612 p.m. ETFri., 3/273 p.m. ETThu., 4/211:59 p.m. ETThu., 3/26, 6 p.m. ETMon., 4/611:59 p.m. ETFRI., 4/10(International)Wed., 3/25, 5 a.m. ETThu., 3/2612 p.m. ETFri., 3/273 p.m. ETThu., 4/211:59 p.m. ETFri., 3/27, 5 a.m. ETMon., 4/611:59 p.m. ETSAT., 4/11Wed., 3/25, 3 p.m. ETThu., 3/2612 p.m. ETFri., 3/273 p.m. ETThu., 4/211:59 p.m. ETFri., 3/27, 3 p.m. ETMon., 4/611:59 p.m. ETOnce you have scheduled a testing time, no rescheduling changes can be made until Friday, March 27, starting at 3 p.m.This is important.

Do not try to schedule for a testing date until scheduling for that date opens. If you try to schedule for a date that is not yet open, you will wait in the queue but will not be able to schedule a time.
If you have approved testing accommodations that include a paper-and-pencil format, you will receive scheduling instructions via email.

Questions?For questions or assistance with scheduling your LSAT, please contact Prometric:

U.S./Canada/LATAM: 1.800.350.5517
Asia: +60.3.2781.7762
EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa): +353.42.682.5652

What 200 Prelaw Advisors Taught Us About Their Profession

Kyle McEntee — 2026-02-25

By Kyle McEnteeThis post is part of a series related to the 2025 Prelaw Advisor Landscape Study.When we launched our study on the prelaw advising landscape more than a year ago, we had a hypothesis: Prelaw advisors are doing consequential work under significant constraints that limit their opportunities to address their advisees’ challenges at the level they desire. What we didn't fully anticipate were the topics where advisors are least likely to engage, or that most confidence gaps are actually engagement gaps.The 2025 Prelaw Advisor Landscape Study is now available, and I want to share a few things that struck me most — not as a summary of the report, but as a reflection on what our findings tell us about a profession that hasn't been studied at this scale before.The confidence story isn't what it looks like at firstWhen you look at raw confidence rates across advising topics, the picture can seem discouraging: Only 53% of advisors feel confident advising on post-application updates, and just 58% feel confident discussing the financial costs of pursuing a law degree. These numbers might suggest a profession that struggles with preparation.But when you look at confidence among only advisors who actually advise on those topics — what we call the confidence ratio — the picture changes completely. Among advisors who engage on post-application updates, 87% feel confident. Among those who engage on costs, 79% do. Across nearly every topic we measured, advisors who do the work feel equipped to do it well.This matters enormously for how we think about professional development. The challenge isn't building confidence among advisors who are trying and struggling; it's helping more advisors develop the foundation to engage with certain topics in the first place. Those are different problems that require different responses.Financial topics are the consistent gap, and the stakes just got higherOne pattern appears across all three phases of prelaw advising: Money-related topics show systematically lower engagement and confidence than non-financial topics. Advisors are less likely to discuss the cost of pursuing a law career than to discuss career exploration. They’re less likely to help advisees understand how to pay for applying than to help them with their personal statements. And they’re less likely to advise on scholarships than on waitlists.Some of that reflects institutional constraints, such as policies that limit financial guidance or professional boundaries that make advisors cautious about straying into financial advising territory. Some of it reflects cultural discomfort with money conversations, which affects advisors and advisees alike.But the advisees who need this guidance most — first-generation college students, those from lower-income backgrounds, prospective law students weighing whether the investment makes sense — are the ones who suffer most from the gap. With changes to the federal student loan program taking effect in July 2026, the stakes of that gap are increasing. That’s why LSAC is launching a new financial aid training this spring, and why we'll keep investing in resources that help advisors with these conversations.Faculty advisors often work without formal recognition or infrastructureThe report reinforces — or reveals, depending on your perspective — that faculty prelaw advisors operate in substantially different conditions than their staff counterparts. For 70% of faculty, prelaw advising is minimally considered or not relevant for tenure. In other words, faculty institutions often benefit from having a prelaw advisor without formally recognizing that work.That lack of institutional recognition extends to preparation and professional development. Only 42% of faculty received formal training for their advising role, compared with 71% of staff. On average, faculty engage with fewer professional development sources and attend conferences at lower rates, and 31% prepared through self-directed learning alone, compared with 13% of staff who did so. In other words, faculty advisors frequently do this work without the infrastructure their staff counterparts have. One consequence is that 46% of faculty feel disconnected from the prelaw advising community, compared with 24% of staff who feel that way.But while faculty have a different set of constraints, staff advisors and faculty alike feel they’re asked to wear too many hats (63%) or say they have insufficient institutional support (59%).That's part of why we wanted to do this study. Advisors can use these data to make the case to their institutions for more time, more resources, and more formal recognition of their work. For LSAC and the broader advising ecosystem, this study establishes a baseline we can build from — and one we'll revisit in the future to measure how the profession has evolved.Dig Deeper Into This ResearchThe 2025 Prelaw Advisor Landscape Study provides the first comprehensive look at who prelaw advisors are, what they do, where engagement and confidence gaps exist, what challenges their advisees face, and where the profession needs more support.View the Report

Complying with ABA Standards 315 and 204: Questions and Answers

Susannah Pollvogt — 2026-02-19

By Susannah PollvogtWe recently held a webinar unpacking the requirements of ABA Standards 315 and 204, which in tandem require law schools to evaluate the efficacy of their program of legal education and to report on the results of that evaluation in conjunction with their accreditation site visit. It was a topic of great interest, with more than 160 associate deans and faculty members in attendance.As I have written previously, the new standards (PDF) that go into effect in August now require law schools to develop learning outcomes at both the programmatic and course levels. It is these learning outcomes — or, more precisely, evidence of student attainment of these learning outcomes — that will inform the evaluation of the program of legal education.There has been some confusion over what the Standard 315 reporting will look like. Fortunately, last November the ABA[1] published a draft template for the Standard 315 report, which provides some insight. Here’s what we know:Law schools will need to refer to and attach an assessment plan in assembling the Standard 315 report. The assessment plan should indicate which programmatic learning outcomes are being evaluated which year and what evidence will be relied upon to determine whether students have attained the competency represented by each of the programmatic learning outcomes.While a curriculum map is not required, the type of information a curriculum map would normally show is required, and, in my experience, creating a curriculum map is the best way to gather and analyze that information. Even if a curriculum map is not used, law schools will need some way of documenting which courses are addressing which programmatic learning outcomes. This, in turn, will reveal the extent to which the curriculum as a whole is supporting Ģ��ý’s mission and will also point to evidence of student performance that will be needed for the assessment plan. In short, a curriculum map can show you:

Whether your programmatic learning outcomes are being supported by the curriculum
Whether your course learning outcomes are aligned with your programmatic learning outcomes
Other curricular information, like the extent to which courses at Ģ��ý are preparing students for the NextGen Bar Exam

As readers of this blog know, I help law schools with developing learning outcomes, mapping curricula, and developing and implementing assessment plans. Please reach out to spollvogt@LSAC.org if you have questions or would like to discuss these ideas further.[1] Here and in other blog posts, I use “ABA” as a shorthand for the Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar.

LSAT Inbox: LSAT–Puerto Rico 2026

2026-02-18

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.I was not able to schedule for the LSAT–Puerto Rico because the test centers were full. Can I still try to schedule?   Scheduling for the LSAT–Puerto Rico is now closed. April 2026 and June 2026 LSAT registrations are open; however, please keep in mind that these tests are administered in English only. What are the dates for the LSAT–Puerto Rico?  The days assigned for the LSAT–Puerto Rico will be as follows:

Thursday, February 19 – test center only

Friday, February 20 – test center only

Saturday, February 21 – test centers and remote

Is there a way to see what the test will look like on test day?   Yes, please log in to your free LawHub account to access the Official LSAT–Puerto Rico PrepTest to practice. Can I take the LSAT–Puerto Rico if I am applying to law schools outside of Puerto Rico?  No. The LSAT–Puerto Rico scores can only be used to apply to law schools in Puerto Rico. An LSAT–Puerto Rico score will not be sent to mainland schools and cannot be used to apply for admission to a law school outside of Puerto Rico.What law schools in Puerto Rico will accept my score from the LSAT–Puerto Rico?  The LSAT–Puerto Rico is accepted at the University of Puerto Rico Law School, the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law, and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico. These are the only three nationally accredited law schools in which Spanish is the principal language of instruction.Is there anything I should be aware of regarding LSAT–Puerto Rico? Yes, please be mindful of the time zones! Puerto Rico uses Atlantic Standard Time (AST). AST is 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST). Be sure to check your appointment times.How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, please view our LSAT FAQ and LSAT Argumentative Writing FAQ pages for answers to other frequently asked questions. You can also contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

Collaboration with Phi Alpha Delta Helps Further LSAC’s Mission

Kyle McEntee — 2026-02-18

By Kyle McEntee LSAC is committed to supporting individuals at all stages of their journey to a career in law. From seeking resources to fostering relationships with other organizations and institutions, LSAC takes pride in its mission to “advance law and justice by promoting access, equity, and fairness in law school admission and supporting the learning journey from prelaw through practice.” As we look to engage individuals interested in law early in college, we seek to strengthen collaborations with organizations such as Phi Alpha Delta (PAD), the world’s largest law fraternity. Through our new strategic alliance with PAD, we’re using their extensive presence on undergraduate campuses to get a better understanding of what’s driving today’s prelaw students — and how we can help them succeed. In return, PAD members are getting access to high-quality resources that guide them through their legal education journeys. “Our prelaw program is large, and it’s growing every year, both in the number of members and in the number of chapters we have,” says Katie Gibbs, deputy director of PAD. “Our job is not to get everybody into law school; it’s to connect them with the resources they need to make that informed decision.” When it comes to deciding where to attend and learning how to prepare for law school, she adds, LSAC’s resources are invaluable for PAD members. “When we endorse an organization ... we want them to be a legitimate organization,” she says. “And you can’t get any more legitimate than LSAC.” We’ve already been welcoming members of PAD at LSAC Law School Forums, where they receive pins identifying them as members of the organization. But that’s only a small part of members’ benefits under this alliance. During the fall 2025 semester, LSAC began hosting a series of PAD-exclusive webinars, covering the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) — which simplifies the process of gathering transcripts and letters of recommendation — and an overview of the LSAT itself. This series will continue this semester with webinars on LawHub’s prelaw resources and how to pay for law school.Starting this winter, all PAD members will receive an email from LawHub that offers access to a free account highlighting their PAD affiliation. Members will also continue to receive exclusive webinars annually. Through those events, along with the resources on LawHub, they’ll learn about careers in law and the pathways to get there. “We’re really excited that all PAD members are going to get access to that LawHub account and that it’s going to highlight the affiliation with PAD,” Gibbs says. “That helps us get our name out to even more students, and we want to get these resources to as many students as possible.” The enthusiasm and pride of PAD members have been inspiring — and both were on display at PAD’s annual conference in Alexandria, Virginia, in November. There, I moderated and participated in a plenary session called “Learning About Lawyering” with Liana Nobile, a practicing lawyer, and Kristina Apple, assistant director of the Office of Career Strategy at Georgetown University Law Center. We had a candid and interactive conversation about the rewards and challenges of the legal profession, and the students left with practical advice about networking, conducting informational interviews, and learning about themselves and the practice of law.There’s much more to come from our relationship with PAD, and we hope to continue to increase access to high-quality information and guidance earlier in people’s law school journeys. To learn more about Phi Alpha Delta, visit pad.org .

Evolving How We Deliver the LSAT to Increase Test Security and Test Taker Success

Susan L. Krinsky — 2026-02-11

By Susan L. KrinskyFor decades, the LSAT has been a vital resource for both aspiring law students and law schools. The LSAT has consistently been the most valid and reliable assessment of candidates’ critical reading and reasoning skills and their readiness to succeed in law school. That’s not to say that the test hasn’t evolved over time. Over the years, we’ve made occasional changes in the structure of the test, or the way in which it is delivered, to address various issues like the global pandemic or to take advantage of evolving technologies and best practices.While the format of the test or the way we deliver it may change over time, what never changes is the underlying skills that are at the heart of the LSAT and the LSAT’s unmatched predictive validity and reliability. Today, as we release the test dates for the 2026-2027 testing cycle, we are announcing two changes in how we will administer the LSAT. These changes will not occur until the August 2026 LSAT administration, but we are sharing them now to give test takers, test prep licensees, and other stakeholders plenty of advance notice. It’s important to note that we are not making any changes to the content, structure, or format of the test. These changes are solely about how we deliver the test. Moving toward in-center testing for almost all test takersStarting with the August 2026 LSAT, we will be moving toward in-center testing for almost all U.S. and international test takers, with limited exceptions for certain medical accommodations or extreme hardship in getting to a testing center.This move will help to ensure the long-term security and integrity of the test. We currently use a wide range of security measures before, during, and after testing to deter and detect potential misconduct. Moving toward in-center testing will provide another important deterrent to anyone who tries to undermine the integrity of the test. We are not taking this step lightly. Remote testing with real-time proctoring was a vital service for both test takers and schools during the pandemic, and we understand that some test takers may prefer remote testing for convenience, comfort, or other reasons. But given the security and test integrity benefits of in-center testing, moving toward in-center testing is the right decision at this time. We recognize that some test takers have specific medical accommodations that make in-center testing impossible, and we will provide a secure remote-testing solution that fulfills their accommodation needs. We will be providing more detail on medical and hardship exceptions to the in-center requirement within the next two months so that test takers can plan before registration for the 2026-2027 testing cycle opens in mid-May.In-center testing is not a panacea. Test security requires constant vigilance and innovation. We will continue to invest in new security measures, and we will continue to take a comprehensive, multi-layered approach to test integrity. In addition to enhancing long-term test security, in-center testing will also provide important benefits to test takers in terms of successfully completing their test with fewer technological or proctoring issues. While only a small percentage of test takers experience problems that prevent them from completing their test, the majority of those are testing remotely. We know how important the LSAT is to test takers and the enormous time and effort they put into preparing for their test, so we want every test taker to have the best possible test experience. In-center testing will also reduce the number of score holds, which are an important tool for test integrity, but can cause significant delays for test takers. While remote test takers account for only about 40% of all test takers, remote test takers account for the majority of score holds. Minor changes in the testing user interface starting in AugustIn addition to moving toward in-center testing with the August 2026 LSAT, we will also be adding a new test delivery platform in LawHub. This new platform will provide important additional capabilities for our test administration and test security teams, but it will also result in certain minor User Interface (UI) changes for test takers starting with the August 2026 test. We will be providing new versions of our existing practice tests in the new UI through LawHub so people planning to take the August or later tests will be able to practice in the same user interface they will be using on test day. People planning to take the April or June tests will continue to use the existing interface; people planning to take the LSAT in August or later will be able to practice using the new interface.We expect to have an interactive model of the new UI in LawHub by the end of March, and versions of all our practice tests in the new UI by May, so people testing in August and beyond will have several months to practice. We will also be working closely with our test prep licensees to ensure that they have the access and information they need to serve their students. The UI changes are minor, but we understand that people want to be completely familiar with the interface when they take the test.Again, while we are announcing these changes today to give people time to plan and prepare, these changes will not occur until the August 2026 test. We will provide periodic updates, tools, and other resources to ensure a smooth transition.

LSAT Inbox – General LSAT Prep

2026-02-04

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.What resources are available to prepare for the LSAT? Are there any preparation resources for LSAT Argumentative Writing? All candidates have access to LawHub for free. Your account contains multiple PrepTests with the ability to review your answers. Additionally, drill sets focusing on specific types of Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning questions are available for free on LawHub.All test registrants will also receive an email invitation to access Strategy Booster approximately six weeks before their scheduled test date. You may also purchase a LawHub Advantage subscription for additional practice tests.  What is Strategy Booster?  Strategy Booster is a set of free, optional, asynchronous resources open to anyone who registers for the LSAT during the 2025-2026 testing cycle. It provides test takers with resources that combine advice shared by people who have recently taken the LSAT with current research on learning and performance to help test takers identify strategies they can use to improve their LSAT performance. What do I need for my test? You will need your confirmation number to log in to the ProProctor application you downloaded before test day. Once you are connected to a proctor, you will need your LawHub user ID and password whether you are testing remotely or at the test center. Please memorize your sign in credentials as you will need them to start your session.You will also need a government-issued ID, expired less than three months, and you will need to be present within half an hour of your scheduled time to complete your test. Please review the Identification Accepted for LSAT Admission page on our website. If testing remotely, please also review the Remote LSAT Checklist on our website. Can I use a desktop computer for my remote test?  Yes, however, please be sure your computer has an external webcam, so you can complete your room scan. An external webcam is required even if your desktop has a built-in camera.Can I use a Bluetooth device when taking the LSAT? No, Bluetooth devices are strictly prohibited. You may use a wired device that is plugged in through a USB. Bluetooth-enabled medical devices require an approved accommodation by the requested deadline.How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, please view our LSAT FAQ and LSAT Argumentative Writing FAQ pages for answers to other frequently asked questions. You can also contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

NALP: Accelerating Recruiting Trends Amidst Market Slowdown

James Leipold — 2026-01-29

By James LeipoldThis week National Association for Law Placement (NALP) released its most recent data and analyses of the state of the law firm recruiting market, and by my reading there are three important stories that emerge:

Winter is coming
The on-campus interview (OCI) is dead
Super early is too early

For many people across the U.S., winter did indeed come in all its glory and violence, and I always relish the opportunity to drop a Game of Thrones allusion (it’s been a while!), but the winter I am talking about is the slowing of the legal recruitment market.The steady rise in law school applications in recent years has been buoyed by many things, including our current politics, but in part it has been lifted by the year-over-year record high employment outcomes from law schools in recent years, and those positive outcomes have been driven largely by red hot recruiting by law firms. The latest NALP data indicate that the red-hot temperature is finally cooling to something closer to lukewarm.NALP reports that for the most recent recruiting cycle, the median number of offers made for 2L summer programs was the lowest on record, and as a result, for all law firms last summer, average 2L summer program class sizes fell to their lowest level since 2020. In the largest firms, summer class sizes fell to their smallest since 2012. In addition, the total number of students participating in 2L summer programs and receiving associate offers was the lowest since 2021. Those data trends taken together indicate that law firms are putting the brakes on runaway recruiting, and that is not surprising given the many economic uncertainties they face, not the least of which is the virtually unmeasurable impact that AI will have on the practice of law.Those students who were summer associates in 2025 and will graduate in 2026 are members of the smallest entering law school class since 2017, so this contraction in law firm recruiting may not affect the overall employment rate for that class too dramatically. The two classes that follow, however, are considerably larger, and the class of 2028 is the largest entering class in 13 years. These two trends — a falling law firm appetite for recruiting large numbers of new associates and a rising class size in law schools — will likely converge in ways that bring down overall law school employment outcomes in a measurable way. Like admission, law school graduate employment rates trace peaks and valleys, and with winter upon us, we appear to be about to ski downhill for a while.The Death of the On-Campus Interview The second story, and perhaps the bigger story, is the death of the on-campus interview (OCI), the long established first step in the law firm recruitment process, but a short hand that now stands in for any law-school-sponsored recruiting programs. For more than 50 years, some version of OCI was the dominant way that law students found employment with larger law firms. And while the importance of OCI has been diminishing steadily since the COVID pandemic, 2026 may finally be the year that we can declare it officially dead.With the death of OCI, the language that describes recruiting has also changed. Recruiting professionals now talk about “law-school-sponsored recruiting” (the remnants of OCI) and “employer-sponsored recruiting.” NALP reports that the majority of offers for summer 2026 were made via employer-sponsored recruiting (80% were made via employer-sponsored recruiting versus just 20% from school-sponsored recruiting). In the largest firms and in the northeast, that trend is even more pronounced, where 86% of offers resulted from employer-sponsored recruiting. Law student direct applications to law firms (thus bypassing law school career services office policies and programs) have been the most utilized recruitment method for the past two recruiting cycles, and for the most recent cycle 93% of law offices reported accepting direct applications, but only 71% of law offices reported participating in any OCI programs.Early RecruitmentThe separate but related third story is that with the death of OCI and law school regulation of the recruiting process, the timing of recruiting continues to move earlier, with students having to grapple with Big Law recruiting events and activities as early as their first semester in law school. This is not news, but NALP reports that the timing of offers for summer programs moved to its earliest yet in 2025, with the majority of offers for 2L summer positions being made prior to June of the 1L year. According to the recently released NALP data, 5% of all summer offers were made in March or before, 15% in April, 36% in May, 29% in June, 11% in July, 3% August, and 1% in September or later. In total, 56% of summer offers were made prior to June of students’ 1L year, and 85% of offers were made before July 2025, a huge single-year jump considering only 34% of 2L summer offers were made before July 2024.This super early recruiting, in addition to disrupting first year academics for all students who participate, also surely exacerbates disadvantage and privileges advantage in ways that make the game harder than it needs to be for all sorts of students, including many first-generation law students. Recently, leaders of 18 student organizations from law schools that send a high percentage of their students to jobs in large law firms wrote to the Council of the American Bar Association's (ABA) Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar to protest this accelerated recruiting timeline and ask the section to intervene. On the school side, career services offices are having to conduct pre-matriculation career programming to enable students to begin preparing for the recruitment cycle before they get through orientation, and law school admission professionals are weighing whether admission decisions should be based, in part, on employability, prescreening students for likely success in this fast-paced recruiting landscape. In my mind these are all bad developments.There are no easy solutions here, and antitrust constraints are likely to limit the ABA’s ability to intervene in this free-market system, as NALP itself has been similarly thwarted in the past, but it certainly seems that there must be a better way. Perhaps the slowing market for Big Law recruiting will itself help put the brakes on some of these negative developments.Interested in learning more? I will be discussing these very issues at the LSAC Annual Meeting in May with two senior NALP leaders, Mike Gotham, the chief talent and recruiting officer at Stoel Rives LLP, and Beth Moeller, the assistant dean of Career Services at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law. I hope you can join us for that conversation in Spokane, Washington! And you can find the full data set from the most recent NALP recruiting cycle at https://www.nalp.org/perspectivesonrecruiting.

Doing Good with Law: VIISTA As a Path for Immigration and Public Interest Lawyers

Michele Pistone — 2026-01-26

By Michele PistoneEach year, thousands of LSAT test takers want to do more than build a career — they want to make a difference. According to LSAC’s 2024–25 Knowledge Report, test takers’ motivation to “help others” increased by about 20 percent from the prior year, while motivation to “advocate for social justice” rose by more than 30 percent from the group taking the 2023-24 LSAT. These findings echo what I hear every day from my students considering a future in immigration law: my students want to serve their communities and become part of the solution.For students drawn to immigration law, or social justice in general, one powerful — and often overlooked — path to doing good before law school is becoming an accredited representative. Accredited representatives are authorized by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide immigration legal services through recognized nonprofit organizations. With DOJ accreditation, ARs can represent clients before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the immigration courts — just like attorneys do. ARs are a lifeline for countless immigrant families, accompanying and offering high-quality legal assistance in communities where access to lawyers is limited or unaffordable.I’ve been teaching lawyers to represent immigrants since 1997. Many of my alumni are immigration lawyers. Yet, each time I go to immigration court, I am disappointed to see that most immigrants did not have an advocate — instead, most immigrant families face the system alone, often in a language they do not understand.There will never be enough immigration lawyers to meet the demand. I designed the Villanova Interdisciplinary Immigration Studies Training for Advocates (VIISTA) program in response to the access to justice problem in immigration. VIISTA is an online certificate program that trains people to become immigrant advocates and ARs. It is practice-oriented, student-centered, and deeply grounded in real-world competencies. From the very first module, students report that they are able to “hit the ground running,” providing meaningful accompaniment to immigrants under supervision. Rather than waiting years to make an impact, VIISTA students begin serving almost immediately — translating their desire to do good into tangible action.VIISTA’s online curriculum is asynchronous (aside from a one-hour live session with an immigration practitioner) and flexible, so students can easily fit it into their lives. It consists of three stackable semester-long modules, all of which can be completed in one year. After completing the first two modules and gaining practical experience in their local communities, students who hold VIISTA certificates may apply to the Department of Justice for partial accreditation through a recognized organization; after the third module, they may apply for full accreditation authorizing them to represent clients in immigration court. This phased approach enables students to build skills, confidence, and responsibility over time — mirroring the progression of professional legal training. Through the VIISTA program and their subsequent work representing clients, students gain valuable experience that makes them better equipped for law school and legal practice.For prospective law students, VIISTA offers another critical benefit: clarity. Immigration law is complex, demanding, and emotionally charged. VIISTA provides an authentic window into what legal practice actually looks like — client interviews, ethical decision-making, procedural deadlines, advocacy, and high-stakes consequences — before investing the time and resources that law school demands. For many students, VIISTA helped them confirm that law school was the right next step. Others discover fulfilling careers in immigration advocacy without needing a JD at all.That affordability matters. LSAC research consistently shows that financial concerns remain the primary barrier to law school attendance. In the 2024–25 testing cycle, test takers cited the overall cost of attendance, insufficient financial aid, and the need to take on excessive loans as the top reasons they might not pursue a legal education. VIISTA is intentionally accessible: each module costs less than $1,400, making it a fraction of the price of a single law school semester. It enables students to build marketable legal skills, serve their communities, and make informed decisions about their future — without incurring overwhelming debt.For students motivated by service, justice, purpose, and impact, VIISTA offers a rare opportunity: a way to do good now, gain practical legal knowledge, and explore the path to law school with confidence and purpose. In a moment when so many aspiring lawyers want to help others, VIISTA turns that aspiration into action.

LSAT Inbox – February 2026 LSAT Scheduling

2026-01-21

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.I want to schedule for a specific test date and cannot do so. Can you assist me?  Scheduling is offered on a staggered schedule. Please make sure you select a date and time that is available based on the staggered schedule. You can view the schedule online at February LSAT Scheduling. You may review How to Schedule Your LSAT Testing Time on our website for step-by-step assistance.Where do I find my eligibility number? Once you’re registered for an LSAT administration, you can find your eligibility number on the LSAT Status page in JD Services.Can LSAC open additional testing dates and times?                                         No, the specific test dates and times have already been approved for this test administration and cannot be changed.  The primary test days for the February 2026 LSAT are Friday, February 6 and Saturday, February 7.Can LSAC assist with scheduling? I am unable to complete the steps.  All scheduling must be completed directly with Prometric. You can contact them at 1-800-350-5517 for assistance if needed. Please make sure you are selecting a date and time that is available based on the staggered schedule. If you have approved accommodations that require a specific modality, you must schedule in that modality. You can begin this process directly from JD Services by following these steps:  

Visit the LSAT status page of your account.
Follow the links to schedule within your eligible testing modality and window. 
You will be redirected to Prometric’s ProScheduler tool.
Agree to Prometric’s Personal Data Privacy Disclosure & Consent form.
If you’re scheduling to take the LSAT in the online, remotely proctored environment, select your testing location time zone and preferred test date. If you’re scheduling to take the LSAT in person at a Prometric test center, enter your physical address and preferred test date.
Select your desired appointment time, validate your demographics, and confirm your appointment. 
You will receive a confirmation email from Prometric. Additionally, you can confirm the details of your testing appointment on the LSAT status page of JD Services. (Please note: Your testing appointment may not appear in JD Services immediately.)

If you see a message that there is no availability, please make sure the test date and modality are available for scheduling.How can I confirm I scheduled correctly?  Please log in to JD Services. Your scheduling details will be listed under My Status: View All LSAT Information. You will also receive a confirmation email from Prometric. Please ensure to review your Junk and Spam email folders.How do I reschedule my test in the same modality? Log in to JD Services and click on the link in with eligibility number. You will be taken to reschedule in the same modality. The rescheduling page will automatically populate with the confirmation number and first four letters of your last name. Follow the steps to confirm your time zone and location to reserve your new time.How do I reschedule my test to a different modality? If you are trying to switch to a different modality (from test center to remote or vice versa), you must cancel your existing test appointment and then reschedule in the modality of your choice. To cancel, please go to https://proscheduler.prometric.com/. You will need your confirmation number and the first four letters of your name to complete the process.How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, please view our LSAT FAQ and LSAT Argumentative Writing FAQ pages for answers to other frequently asked questions. You can also contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

February LSAT Scheduling

2026-01-08

Due to the high volume of test takers for the February LSAT, and to minimize wait times in the scheduling queue, scheduling will be offered on a staggered schedule.You can find the time scheduling will open for your preferred test date and modality using the table below. Scheduling will open for in-person test centers on Tuesday, 1/20 at 3 p.m. ET. Scheduling will open for remote testing on Wednesday, 1/21 at 3 p.m. ET.All dates/times are listed in Eastern Time (ET).Your Preferred Test DateIn-Person / Test CenterSchedulingRemoteSchedulingOpensClosesOpensClosesFRI., 2/6Tue., 1/20, 3 p.m. ETFri., 1/3011:59 p.m. ETWed., 1/21, 3 p.m. ETTue., 2/311:59 p.m. ETSAT., 2/7Tue., 1/20, 3 p.m. ETFri., 1/3011:59 p.m. ETWed., 1/21, 3 p.m. ETTue., 2/311:59 p.m. ETThis is important.

Do not try to schedule for a testing date until scheduling for that date opens. If you try to schedule for a date that is not yet open, you will wait in the queue but will not be able to schedule a time.
If you have approved testing accommodations that include a paper-and-pencil format, you will receive scheduling instructions via email.

Questions?For questions or assistance with scheduling your LSAT, please contact Prometric:

U.S./Canada: 1.800.350.5517

Who Do You Turn to for Help? It Depends

Elizabeth Bodamer — 2026-01-08

By Elizabeth Bodamer In the legal education community, we often talk anecdotally about who people turn to for advice on the journey to law school. But in reality, who they turn to isn’t as simple as “their prelaw advisors” or “their parents.” It depends.Specifically, it depends on where people are on the journey. Are they at the beginning, scoping the process and taking the LSAT? Are they actively involved in the process, hitting “Submit” and applying to law school? Or are they sitting at the kitchen table with rejection and acceptance letters, trying to figure out where to enroll?Overall, test takers, applicants, and first-year law students turn to family, friends, and attorneys for advice. However, across LSAC’s Applied Research reports, a story emerges as people go from test takers, to applicants, to law students — and as future possibilities become reality.For example, 32% of test taker respondents reported they turned to family for advice or information about the application process. That number grows to 48% of applicant respondents who reported they turned to family for advice or information about where to apply, and 49% of first-year law student respondents who said they turned to family for advice or information about where to enroll. In other words, as the idea of law school forms and becomes a tangible reality, the ultimate decision of where to enroll weighs heavily as it directly affects students’ family lives.   People They Turn To  2024-25 Test Taker Respondents  2024-25 Applicant Respondents  2024 1L Respondents  Friends  44%  42%  44%  Attorneys  39%  44%  43%  Parents, siblings, or close relatives  32%  48%  49%  Further, while people do turn to prelaw advisors, pathway programs, and college advisors along the journey, applicants and first-year law students both reveal that the legal community — specifically, current law students and alumni of schools they’re interested in — becomes a valuable source of advice and information about applying to and enrolling in law school. For example, 28% of applicant respondents and 28% of first-year law student respondents reported they turned to current law students for advice and information to decide where to apply and where to enroll, respectively. And alumni of schools people were interested in also played a role in their network. Specifically, 24% of applicant respondents and 18% of first-year law student respondents reported they turned to law schools’ alumni for advice and information to decide where to apply and where to enroll, respectively.In the context of the lived journey, this makes sense: As the journey progresses, people turn to new sources, especially in the law school space, as they decide what to do next — while keeping themselves anchored in their personal networks, including their family and friends. To learn more about the snapshot moments along the journey from prelaw to law school, check out any of LSAC’s Applied Research reports.  

LSAT Inbox – January 2026 LSAT Test Day and Troubleshooting

2026-01-07

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test. For additional questions to help you prepare for the January 2026 LSAT, check out our December 17 LSAT Inbox. How can I ensure a smooth remote testing experience? Turn off your notifications and adjust your audio volumes to a normal range prior to logging into ProProctor, as no further changes can be made once connected. Make sure your background applications are turned off prior to the appointment. Instructions for turning off background applications can be found on our Remote LSAT Checklist. I’m an international test taker. Is there anything I need to know regarding the January 2026 LSAT? Yes, you will be taking your January 2026 LSAT on Friday, January 9, 2026. Please log in to your account and double check your testing time, including the time zone, to prevent confusion. What if I don’t have a compatible device to take the LSAT? If you do not have a compatible device for the January 2026 LSAT, we suggest you look into the option of borrowing a device from a friend or family member. If you’re registered for a future administration of the LSAT and lack a compatible device, you might want to consider scheduling to take the test at a test center. How can I contact Prometric technical support during my remote LSAT? First, restart your computer and reopen the ProProctor page. Then click the “Contact Support” button on the top right. Once on the ProProctor Help page, please click the chat button on the bottom right corner. You will be prompted to answer a series of questions before connecting to a live agent. Please be advised that the live agent will not be able to remote into your computer but will assist you with questions and prompted action to resolve your issues. Once your issue is resolved, they will direct you on the steps needed to reconnect to a readiness agent and then to a proctor. Will there be staff available during my in-person LSAT in case an issue arises? Yes, the test center staff will monitor you during your test, and their assistance will be available to all test takers. Please always make sure you follow your proctor’s instructions.How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, please view our LSAT FAQ and LSAT Argumentative Writing FAQ pages for answers to other frequently asked questions. You can also contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

The Hook: Time Spent Fine-Tuning the Personal Statement

Elizabeth Bodamer — 2025-12-23

By Elizabeth Bodamer This post is part of a series related to LSAC’s Knowledge Report: The 2024-25 Law School Applicant Profile.“Next” says the bank teller, as my mother walks to the window; I am right behind her. My mother stumbles with her English, and the bank teller looks at her with confusion. I grip the counter and pull myself to the tip of my toes until the teller’s eyes are on me. I tell him what my mother wants, and then I let go of the counter to fall back to my original position behind her. The transaction goes smoothly, the teller offers me a Dum Dum, and I accept it with a smile. I was 10 years old when I started to take on the role of translator and advocator in my family. This is the first paragraph in my law school personal statement, drafted almost two decades ago. While the time has flown, I can still remember working on this paragraph at home, at the library, and in the basement of the student union, LaFun.Hours. I spent hours. How do I show them who I am? How do I make them feel it? How do I hook them in? It appears not much has changed over the decades. Aspiring law students are spending hours fine-tuning their personal statements, and with good reason — after all, the personal statement is one of the few spaces, if not the only space, where applicants can show law schools who they are. LSAC’s new Applied Research report shows that over half of applicant respondents spent more than 20 hours working on their personal statements. And applicants from various backgrounds spend considerably more time than that. For example:

35% of Pell Grant recipients reported they spent more than 50 hours working on their personal statements.
36% of LGBTQ+ applicants (those who are not straight/heterosexual) spent more than 50 hours.
38% of racially and ethnically minoritized applicant respondents said they spent more than 50 hours.

Amid today’s ongoing application cycle, it’s important to note how much aspiring law students are investing in this process. As I think back to my experience, I remember leaning on two mentors to review my personal statement. I also remember using the resources I gained through LSAC’s signature pathway program, PLUS — the predecessor to Plus, Guided Journey. Networks, resources, and community, as the report shows, continue to be vital to the applicant journey. As a community, we can leverage the insights in the report to continue serving and developing effective and timely support systems for all aspiring law students. Dig Deeper Into This ResearchLSAC’s Knowledge Report: The 2024-25 Law School Applicant Profile provides deeper insights into how the most recent law school applicants were thinking and feeling during a high volume and highly competitive admission cycle.View the ReportTo learn more about the snapshot moments along the prelaw to law school journey, check out any of LSAC’s Applied Research reports.

From Application to Graduation: What LSAC and LSSSE Data Reveal About Students With Disabilities

Jacquelyn Petzold, Debra Langer — 2025-12-19

By Jak Petzold (LSSSE) and Deb Langer (LSAC) This post is part of a series related to the First-Year Law School Class: A Focus on Students with Disabilities, 2024 Update.People with disabilities must make thoughtful decisions and navigate institutional barriers from the earliest stages of their journey to and through law school. Choices about disclosure during the application process, barriers due to stigma, and financial pressures shape not only where these students enroll, but also how they experience law school once they arrive. When LSAC and the Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE) began asking about disability several years ago, we approached the topic from different points in the pathway based on our organizational expertise: LSAC focused on the enrollment experience, LSSSE on Ģ��ý experience. As the people behind the data collection and dissemination, we’re excited to bring these perspectives together for the first time.Taken together, data from LSAC and LSSSE now offer a fuller understanding of the structural obstacles that students with disabilities meet on their path to and through law school. Combined, the LSAC and LSSSE findings show that the factors affecting disclosure during the application process — such as concerns about stigma, uncertainty about support, and financial strain — remain present after students enroll. This pathway is not simply a sequence of stages. It is a system in which barriers accumulate unless institutions intervene.What Is the Law School Admission Process Like for Individuals with Disabilities? Starting at the application and enrollment point of the journey, LSAC’s recent report “First-Year Law School Class: A Focus on Students With Disabilities, 2024 Update” describes the highly personal calculus people undertake when deciding whether to disclose a disability. Among the 2024 first-year law student survey respondents, many reported they chose not to disclose, especially when applying to the most selective schools, because they feared being misunderstood or disadvantaged due to their disability. LSAC findings from a survey of 1L students during the fall of 2024 showed that fewer than half of all student respondents with disabilities disclosed their disabilities on all their law school applications. Additionally, almost half of those who didn’t mention disabilities on their applications reported not wanting to be defined by their disabilities and/or feeling like it would disadvantage their applications. As those in the legal profession know, applying to law school is often a major undertaking, with candidates making significant investments of time and money. They have come through, or are still in the process of coming through, an educational system that, in general, is ableist-oriented. So, it’s no surprise that for the third year in a row, LSAC data reveal this fear of disclosure. Furthermore, these decisions often intersect with significant financial pressures, as people with disabilities may have higher undergraduate debt and higher anticipated law school debt. These early constraints matter because they influence access to legal education, but also because, as LSSSE data reveal, they carry forward into students’ academic and social experiences.Disaggregating the data yields even more troubling results. More 1L respondents participating in part-time programs reported they disclosed their disabilities (52%, compared to 46% in full-time programs), and fewer respondents who eventually enrolled in a top 25% (highly selective) law school disclosed their disability in all their school applications compared to their peers at other law schools (44%, compared to 56%). These findings suggest that students with disabilities anticipate that their disability will be viewed as an academic liability in highly competitive programs as early as the application stage — a view that schools have not yet been successful in combatting, considering the data over the past three years.In addition, respondents’ existing undergraduate and expected law school debt affect the decision about where to enroll. Based on the LSAC data in combination with the new federal loan caps — $60,000 for undergraduate education and $200,000 for law school education — scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2026, more law school applicants and students with disabilities will face financial barriers to a legal education than will their peers without disabilities. More students with disabilities reported undergraduate debt over $60,000 (10%, compared to 6% of non-disabled students) and anticipated law school debt over $200,000 (11%, compared to 8%). While school-based grants and other funding can mitigate both existing and anticipated debt, and the full impact of the new policy remains unclear, existing research on increased financial burdens on students with disabilities suggests this is an ideal time for schools to be proactive.How do Students with Disabilities Experience Law School?The LSSSE 2025 Annual Report, “Disability in Law School (PDF) ,” continues the story once students with disabilities matriculate. The report reveals high levels of engagement from disabled students in various law school pursuits, along with persistent gaps in belonging, support, and satisfaction that shape their daily life in law school. Roughly one in five law students (20%) report a disability or condition that affects their major life activities. The vast majority of these conditions are not visible, and mental health and developmental disabilities are among the most commonly reported. Over half of all law students with disabilities report anxiety (57%) or ADD/ADHD (55%), while 41% report having depression. Another 12% report a physical disability. Across these varied conditions, students with disabilities are deeply engaged academically. They are more likely than their non-disabled peers to ask frequent questions or contribute to class discussions, and they spend almost an hour and a half more each week preparing for class. Their involvement extends beyond the classroom: Higher proportions of disabled students participate in clinics and field placements, pro bono work, faculty research, and leadership roles in student organizations. These patterns reinforce a central finding of the report: Students with disabilities are deeply engaged in their legal education, and they are heavily involved in the activities that define it.Despite this robust engagement, structural barriers remain. Disabled students report a lack of academic and career support from their law schools. They also feel they are missing necessary resources to help manage responsibilities outside of school. Satisfaction with key services, including academic advising, job search support, and personal counseling, falls below that of their non-disabled peers. Overall satisfaction with Ģ��ý experience is also lower for disabled students (75%) than for their non-disabled peers (84%). These gaps reflect systems that often require students to navigate law school supports that were not designed with their needs in mind.The largest disparities appear in students’ sense of belonging. Students with disabilities are markedly less likely to feel comfortable being themselves on campus, to feel valued, or to feel like part of the school community. These differences, often in the range of 10 to 15 percentage points, represent more than dissatisfaction. They suggest that concerns surrounding disclosure during the application process persist after students enroll, shaping how they experience academic life and influencing their overall experience.Financial pressures also intensify over time. Congruent with LSAC’s findings, LSSSE data show that students with disabilities expect to graduate with substantially more debt — an average of $99,250, compared to $86,844 for their non-disabled classmates. This added strain compounds the other challenges they face, particularly for students who are already devoting more time and energy to their studies and co-curricular commitments.What Can Law Schools Do to Better Accommodate Students with Disabilities? While change can be daunting, it should be thought of as an iterative process where small initiatives are implemented and wins build on others that came before. The following recommendations are a starting point to help schools identify specific opportunities for change, since those will necessarily differ across schools.

While change can be daunting, it should be thought of as an iterative process where small initiatives are implemented and wins build on others that came before.

Recommendations:

Provide clear information about how your school defines disability, and ensure there is a method to share it with applicants, admitted students, and matriculants. Many students who have disabilities may not realize their specific condition constitutes a protected disability. Providing examples of what is considered a disability and what services are available, both for those who choose to use accommodations and for those who do not, may encourage all students to think about disability differently and help chip away at the stigma often associated with requesting and receiving accommodations.
Evaluate the process a student with disabilities must go through to receive accommodations and identify areas for improvement. Make sure to consider aspects of the process that will place additional burdens on students, such as the cost of a private evaluation to prove disability status. This should include ongoing contact with students with disabilities and their affinity groups to learn how the process for receiving accommodations can be improved, as well as soliciting feedback from those who need to use the process.
Encourage law professors with disabilities to participate in committees and hold leadership positions. Inclusion of faculty with disabilities in decision-making positions, especially when it comes to policies and practices that can disproportionately affect students with disabilities, will ensure that the voices and needs of individuals with disabilities are be considered.
Assess services that students with disabilities use, or may use, to determine how well the services your school offers meet those needs. Services can include any and all aspects of being a law school student, such as living accommodations, academic support services, and specialty health care services. The experience of these services will be different for students based on the type of disabilities they have, so it will be important to include a breadth of disability voices in the conversation assessing current services and planning for the future.
Use data to inform efforts centered on the actual student experience. Students with disabilities can directly share their needs and experiences through data collection (through LSSSE or other means), which can be leveraged to develop targeted and intentionally designed outreach, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, to better meet their needs.

Overall, the LSAC and LSSSE reports highlight a central narrative: Students with disabilities navigate systematic barriers due to stigma and are often uncertain if their institutions will be able to support them if they know who they are. LSSSE data show that students with disabilities are not bringing their full, authentic selves to campus; that is no surprise, given that many do not disclose their disability in their applications for fear it will be used to hinder their progress.The resilience demonstrated by these students should be celebrated, but it should not be necessary. If law schools want students with disabilities not just to participate, but to flourish, the work begins with recognizing that disability is not a problem to be managed, but a dimension of diversity that enriches the legal academy. Many of the barriers documented in these reports — such as bureaucratic hurdles, inconsistent support, and environments calibrated to an imagined “typical” student — are structural, not individual. Improving them requires intentional design, including clear communication about available support, universally accessible practices, and a commitment to fostering belonging for students who have historically had to navigate their education without it.Dig Deeper Into This ResearchThe First-Year Law School Class: A Focus on Students with Disabilities, 2024 Update provides a fuller list of recommendations and resources that schools can use to identify opportunities for change.View the Report

Beyond the Numbers: Forum Attendance Highlights Value of In-Person Connections

Gisele Joachim — 2025-12-18

By Gisele JoachimMore than 13,400 prospective applicants have attended an LSAC Law School Forum, in-person or virtually this season, a turnout with several key takeaways. Held each year in major cities, the forums offer a convenient way for prospective law students to learn about JD, LLM, and law-related master’s degrees and certificate programs while connecting directly with representatives from law schools across the U.S. and Canada.Attendance this season is slightly ahead of last year’s very strong pace and 30% higher than two years ago. Combined with much higher applicant, application, and test taker volumes, the strong turnout reinforces what LSAC is seeing across the data — interest in attending law school remains high. One nuance within the numbers: attendance by people interested in an LLM or other graduate law degree is notably lower, down 13.4% compared to the same time last year and 36% vs. two years ago. LSAC believes that a change in the climate for international students may be contributing to the drop.LSAC forums offer far more than the opportunity to meet with admission professionals from 100+ law schools. Attendees can take advantage of a robust slate of workshops and other learning opportunities. This includes free information and advice about topics such as the admission process, financial aid, preparing to study and take the LSAT, the opportunity to chat with local lawyers about their work, and more.Creating an engaging, informative forum experience requires a committed community of professionals and volunteers who lend their time and expertise. Law school admission professionals, prelaw advisors, financial aid experts, LSAC test developers, access and opportunity representatives, local attorneys, and others come together to answer questions, offer guidance, and support prospective applicants on their journey to law school.For those who can’t attend an in-person forum, LSAC offers several digital forums. Digital forum attendees can speak with law school representatives via video or chat, attend live workshops, gather information, and more.Beyond the numbers, strong forum attendance tells another important story: In-person connection remains a valuable part of Ģ��ý admission process. This is true not only for applicants, but for law schools, whose already high forum participation increased even further this year. Participating in an LSAC Forum “gives law schools just as much face time with students as it gives students face time with law schools,” said Rosanne Ibanez, director of admissions at the University of Virginia School of Law, in a recent episode of LSAC’s Keeping Up to Data podcast .Forum interactions can build connections and positive impressions, Ibanez said, that often carry over into the application process. “It comes back around for sure,” she said. Forum attendees also cite connecting as a key aspect of the forum experience, whether with law school representatives, future classmates, or both. Below is a sampling of what attendees have shared, reflecting the value of connections made at the forums, along with the learning, advice, and support they gained.Getting to interact with the schools was great. But even more than that, I found it very enriching to interact with the future students and lawyers who attended alongside me. — New York forum attendeeI really enjoyed it! It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with school representatives without having to travel far from home. — Washington, D.C. forum attendeeI'm glad I decided to go. I got discounts on LSAT Prep and even test prep books and materials. I made connections with admissions faculty and familiarized myself to admissions, which I believe is definitely integral to my overall application process, especially those schools that make note of your attendance. — New York forum attendeeThank you for the opportunity and the knowledge and support. It helped me immensely as a first-generation aspiring law student. – Washington, D.C. forum attendeeThe LSAC Digital Law School Forum was a great experience, and I really appreciated the chance to connect with law school representatives and learn more about the application process. The virtual format was easy to navigate, and the workshops were very informative and helpful. I especially liked how the sessions gave clear advice on preparing for law school and understanding what schools are looking for in applicants. — October digital forum attendee

LSAT Inbox — Test Day Prep

2025-12-17

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.What resources are available to prepare for the upcoming test? All candidates have access to LawHub for free. Your account contains multiple PrepTests with the ability to review your answers. Additionally, drill sets focusing on specific types of Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning questions are available for free on LawHub. You may also purchase a LawHub Advantage subscription for additional practice tests. All registrants will also receive a Strategy Booster invitation six weeks before their LSAT date. Is there anything I should do in LawHub before my testing day? You should log in to LawHub at least once prior to your session, using the same credentials you use to log in to JD Services. Twenty-four hours before your scheduled test, you should see an “LSAT” option in the left-hand menu on LawHub. How can I check if my device is compatible to take the LSAT? Please test your equipment and system before your test through Prometric's site: System Readiness Check . You can complete this check at any time. Your system will be scanned for your operating system, screen resolution, microphone, camera, upload, and download speed. Don’t forget to disable any VPNs, add an exception to firewalls, and add exclusions to anti-virus software, as the system readiness check doesn’t check these items. Please be sure to review the Remote LSAT Checklist on our website. What browser do I need to use if I am testing remotely? You must use the Google Chrome browser. What type of computer should I use to take the LSAT? You may take the LSAT on either a desktop computer or a laptop. If testing on a desktop computer, please be aware that proctors do not allow you to lift the computer, so you must use an external webcam. If testing on a laptop, please plug your device directly into a power source, unattached to a docking station. Please be aware that Bluetooth speakers are not permitted. What do I need for a successful remote session? You will need a compatible laptop or desktop computer, a webcam, a microphone, and a supported browser. Make sure your volume and audio levels are set to at least 80% without the use of a headset, as headsets are strictly prohibited. You can take the LSAT at home or in another quiet, well-lit, private space that has a table or desk and chair, and access to a strong and stable internet connection. To verify your identity, you will need to present a physical, valid, government-issued ID. Can I review some helpful troubleshooting steps for the remote session? Yes, you may view the Remote LSAT Checklist for helpful technical and troubleshooting tips. Can I use the bathroom during my test? We encourage all test takers to use the restroom before beginning the test or during the intermission, but you can utilize the restroom during the test if needed. Should you need to leave the camera view for an unauthorized break during a test section, please let your proctor know, and be advised that the test clock will continue to run. Be prepared to show your valid photo ID and complete the room security scan again, just as you did at the beginning of the test.How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, please view our LSAT FAQ and LSAT Argumentative Writing FAQ pages for answers to other frequently asked questions. You can also contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

What Can We Learn from the ABA’s Draft Template for a Standard 315 Report?

Susannah Pollvogt — 2025-12-16

By Susannah PollvogtOn November 4, the ABA1 released a draft template (PDF) for the Standard 315 Report. The template sheds light on what will be required of law schools to comply with the new standards.For an explanation of all of the new standards related to learning outcomes and assessment, see my prior blog posts here, here, and here. The recently released template ultimately addresses all the changes but is most immediately responsive to Standards 315 and 204.Standard 315 requires a law school to conduct “an ongoing evaluation of the efficacy of its program of legal education ... in achieving its programmatic learning outcomes.” This includes evaluating whether individual course learning outcomes are advancing this effort.Standard 204 requires a law school to assemble information related to this evaluation into a report in conjunction with Ģ��ý’s once-every-10-years ABA site visit. This is referred to as a “Standard 315 report.”The draft template lists 10 components of the Standard 315 report and includes a list of required attachments. The template primarily focuses on evaluation of programmatic and course learning outcomes, although it also addresses requirements related to formative assessments. The latter will be the subject of a separate future blog post.Following are the salient features of the template. I have consolidated and organized them somewhat differently to make them a bit more digestible.Law schools are required to:

Identify their programmatic learning outcomes (PLOs).
1. This is a low lift because most law schools already have their PLOs published on their website.
2. Law schools may want to revisit their PLOs if several years have passed since their adoption, they are too many in number such that assessment of all of them will be excessively burdensome, or they are of a nature such that they will be difficult to assess.
3. In addition, the standards and the template anticipate that a law school has collected information about "developments in legal practice" and incorporated them into their PLOs; this may provide an independent basis for revisiting them.
Explain the process for assessing PLOs as well as the process for assessing course learning outcomes (CLOs).
1. The language of assessment can be a little confusing, but what is meant here is that law schools should analyze whether students are attaining the competencies identified in Ģ��ý’s PLOs and CLOs.
2. In conjunction with this, law schools should also review whether different sections of the same required course have adopted a core set of common CLOs.
Describe how Ģ��ý has used the information gathered to make changes to the program of legal education.
1. In assessment literature, this is known as “closing the loop.” We don’t gather and analyze assessment data for its own sake; we do so to make improvements to the curriculum, teaching, and learning.
2. This includes reflecting on whether the PLOs and CLOs themselves are appropriate for the institution given the information gathered about student attainment.

In terms of attachments to the Standard 315 report, the template anticipates that schools will provide:

A curriculum map or comparable document
An assessment plan
A document indicating that CLOs in the required curriculum are aligned with PLOs related to professional skills, bar admission requirements, and/or Ģ��ý’s mission

For schools with site visits coming up in the next few years, the draft template provides helpful guidance on what type of information the school should be gathering and how that information will be presented. At the same time, the thought of collecting and analyzing this information may seem overwhelming.As a reminder, I am available to assist with all phases of this process — from mapping the curriculum to designing an assessment plan to assisting in assembling the Standard 315 report.Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss any of this further.[1] “ABA” here is used as a shorthand for the Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar.

LSAT Update – December 5

2025-12-05

Welcome to the LSAT Update, your source for the latest news you can use about the LSAT!Turn off grammar-checking extension before LSAT Argumentative Writing! One of the most frequent reasons why LSAT Argumentative Writing samples are flagged for review, and in many cases are canceled, is that a grammar-checking program, such as Grammarly, was detected in the test taker’s system.LSAT Argumentative Writing is designed to showcase an individual’s persuasive writing skills, and any program that adjusts the essay wording or structure can modify the response into something that is no longer the test taker’s own work. Thus, when the system detects the use of a grammar-checking program, it is automatically flagged for review. This usually triggers a hold on a test taker’s LSAT score that may take up to three weeks to resolve and often results in a cancellation. So, remember that before logging on to do your LSAT Argumentative Writing sample, be sure to double check that:

All writing assistant extensions are completely disabled
Desktop writing tools are fully closed
Predictive/automatic writing features are turned off

We want to dedicate this issue of the LSAT Update to guide you through the process of turning off any grammar-checking or predictive text programs — such as Grammarly, QuillBot, or similar tools — before you begin your LSAT Argumentative Writing.Grammarly (Browser Extension) Chrome / Edge:

Click the puzzle-piece icon (Extensions) in the top-right corner.
Find Grammarly.
Click the three dots and select “Manage extension.”
Toggle off.

Firefox:

Click the menu (☰) > Add-ons and themes.
Choose Extensions.
Find Grammarly and click the toggle to turn it off.

Grammarly Desktop App Quit the app entirely (not just minimize it).

Windows: Right-click the Grammarly icon in the taskbar tray and choose Quit.

Mac: Right-click the Grammarly icon in the menu bar and select Quit.

Microsoft Word / Google Docs Add-ins

Word: Go to Insert > My Add-ins or Home > Add-ins, find Grammarly, and choose Disable or Remove.
Google Docs: Go to Extensions > Add-ons > Manage add-ons, find Grammarly, and select Remove or Disable.

Built-in Predictive Text / Grammar Suggestions

Google Docs: Go to Tools > Preferences and uncheck Show grammar suggestions and Show spelling suggestions if required for your assignment.
Microsoft Word: Go to File > Options > Proofing and uncheck grammar/spelling suggestions as needed.

2024-25 Applicants: What Motivates Them? How Do They Decide?

Elizabeth Bodamer — 2025-12-05

By Elizabeth BodamerThis post is part of a series related to LSAC’s Knowledge Report: The 2024-25 Law School Applicant Profile.Why law?Where should I apply?What does this school have to offer me?Do I see myself growing here?How do these programs compare?Should I stay closer to home?What is the total cost of attending this school?Do their graduates do well on the bar exam?Do they have high job placements for their graduates?Applicants ask themselves so many questions as they decide where to apply to law school. Should they stay close to home? Does a law school ranking really matter to their personal journey to becoming a lawyer? Applicants consider many factors and consume a lot of information from their networks and from online resources in their decision-making process. In fact, almost 40% of respondents to LSAC’s 2025 Applicant Survey report they spent more than 30 hours researching law schools to decide where to apply.More than 76,000 people applied to law school in the 2024-25 admission cycle, one of the highest applicant volumes in recent history. The 2024-25 admission cycle unfolded during a time of rapid and significant change in the U.S. political and economic landscape, fueling widespread speculation about why they were applying and whether they would continue to apply, especially in light of federal loan changes and other factors. Through real-time data collection, LSAC’s 2025 Applicant Survey provides the first empirical glimpse into what applicants were thinking, feeling, and doing amid a competitive admission cycle unfolding during so legislative, policy, political, economic, and social changes. Based on data collected from over 3,000 applicants in March of 2025, LSAC’s latest knowledge report focuses on:

Who applied to law school?
When did applicants first think about law school?
Why did they decide to apply to law school?
How did they approach the application process?
1. What resources and support did they use to make their decision?
2. How confident were applicants in their decision-making process?
What were the most important factors that ultimately informed their decisions on where to apply?

Applying to law school is a major milestone that requires time, resources, confidence, and a system of support. Yet as this report shows, the application process does not unfold under equal conditions for everyone. Differences in access to guidance, social networks, financial stability, and resources can impact how, when, and the confidence applicants have in hitting submit. These differences in how various applicants approach the application process reveal interventions opportunities to help prospective law students to:

learn about what schools offer,
reflect on what matters the most to them,
build an informed understanding about financing law school, and
expand the scope of their decision-making to consider all their academic, professional, and personal needs in the journey through law school and beyond.

Applying to law schools that meet their needs is about more than just information; it is about discerning what is relevant and applicable to their goals and needs. Overall, the new applicant report adds a piece to the puzzle revealing that inequality in access to resources and support system persists throughout the entire journey from prelaw to practice, starting long before someone takes the LSAT or applies.To learn more about the critical moments along the prelaw to law school journey, check out any of LSAC’s applied research reports. Stay tuned for our next report in the new year, The Composition of the First-Year Law School Class and Enrollment Trends examining trends between 2021 and 2025.Dig Deeper Into This ResearchLSAC’s Knowledge Report: The 2024-25 Law School Applicant Profile provides deeper insights into how the most recent law school applicants were thinking and feeling during a high volume and highly competitive admission cycle.View the ReportTo learn more about the snapshot moments along the prelaw to law school journey, check out any of LSAC’s applied research reports.

LSAT Inbox — January 2026 LSAT

2025-12-03

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.Is there an LSAT administration in December?No, there is no LSAT administration in December, and the registration deadline for January 2026 has passed. Registration is still open for the February 2026 LSAT until December 23, 2025. Is there a late fee I can pay, so I can register for the LSAT after the deadline? No, there are no fees to register late, and you must register for the LSAT by the deadline associated with your test administration. If you miss the deadline, you must register for another open administration. All deadlines are posted on our website under Upcoming LSAT Dates. I would like to change my January 2026 LSAT registration to a future administration. Can I do this? LSAT registrations may be moved to a future open administration following the deadlines and fees associated with each test administration. The deadlines for a test date change at no charge and our full refund deadline for the January 2026 LSAT have already passed. You still have until Tuesday, January 6, 2026, to move your January 2026 LSAT registration to a future administration. Please note that fees will apply.Is my January 2026 LSAT scheduled with the information I provided during my registration? During your registration you were asked to provide your preferences; this is used for planning purposes and does not schedule your test. Please be aware that registration and scheduling are two different processes. Once scheduling opens, you will need to schedule your test appointment, and that is when you will choose your modality, date, and time. Where can I find the details with dates and times for January 2026 LSAT scheduling? Scheduling for the January 2026 LSAT will open on Thursday, December 18, 2025. Please ensure that you review the scheduling emails carefully. You can visit January LSAT Scheduling to review our staggered schedule. Test takers will use Prometric’s ProScheduler tool to select a test center from Prometric’s network of test centers worldwide or schedule their test remotely. I am an international test taker. Is there anything else I need to know regarding my test? Yes, you will be taking your January 2026 LSAT on Friday, January 9, 2026. After you schedule your testing session, please log in to JD Services and double check your appointment testing time, including the time zone, to prevent confusion. When is the deadline to purchase Score Preview for the January 2026 LSAT? You can purchase Score Preview for $45 up until Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Score Preview will become available for purchase again Saturday, January 17 through Monday, January 26 for $85.How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, please view our LSAT FAQ and LSAT Argumentative Writing FAQ pages for answers to other frequently asked questions. You can also contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

January LSAT Scheduling

2025-11-25

Due to the high volume of test takers for the January LSAT, and to minimize wait times in the scheduling queue, scheduling will be offered on a staggered schedule.You can find the time scheduling will open for your preferred test date and modality using the table below. Scheduling will open exclusively for in-person test centers on Thursday, 12/18, and Friday, 12/19 (see specific times below). Scheduling will then open exclusively for remote testing on Monday, 12/22, and Tuesday, 12/23. Please note that when scheduling is dedicated to in-person testing, you will not be able to schedule for remote testing, and vice versa.All dates/times are listed in Eastern Time (ET).Your Preferred Test DateIn-Person / Test CenterSchedulingRemoteSchedulingOpensCloses (Temporary.)ReopensCloses (Final)OpensClosesWED., 1/7Thu., 12/18, 3 p.m. ETMon., 12/2212 p.m. ETTue., 12/236 p.m. ETFri., 1/25 a.m. ETMon., 12/22, 3 p.m. ETSun., 1/411:59 p.m. ETTHU., 1/8Thu., 12/18, 6 p.m. ETMon., 12/2212 p.m. ETTue., 12/236 p.m. ETFri., 1/25 a.m. ETMon., 12/22, 6 p.m. ETSun., 1/411:59 p.m. ETFRI., 1/9(International)Fri., 12/19, 5 a.m. ETMon., 12/2212 p.m. ETTue., 12/236 p.m. ETFri., 1/25 a.m. ETTue., 12/23, 5 a.m. ETSun., 1/411:59 p.m. ETFRI., 1/9(U.S./Canada)Fri., 12/19, 3 p.m. ETMon., 12/2212 p.m. ETTue., 12/236 p.m. ETFri., 1/25 a.m. ETTue., 12/23, 3 p.m. ETSun., 1/411:59 p.m. ETSAT., 1/10Fri., 12/19, 6 p.m. ETMon., 12/2212 p.m. ETTue., 12/236 p.m. ETFri., 1/25 a.m. ETTue., 12/23, 6 p.m. ETSun., 1/411:59 p.m. ETThis is important.

Do not try to schedule for a testing date until scheduling for that date opens. If you try to schedule for a date that is not yet open, you will wait in the queue but will not be able to schedule a time.
Once you have scheduled a testing time, no rescheduling changes can be made until Tuesday, December 23, starting at 6 p.m.
If you have approved testing accommodations that include a paper-and-pencil format, you will receive scheduling instructions via email.

Questions?For questions or assistance with scheduling your LSAT, please contact Prometric:

U.S./Canada/LATAM: 1.800.350.5517
Asia: +60.3.2781.7762
EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa): +31.320.239.522

LSAT Inbox — November 19, 2025

2025-11-19

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.When will my November 2025 LSAT score be released? November 2025 LSAT score release day is Wednesday, November 26. Please note that you must have an approved LSAT Argumentative Writing sample on file, and there cannot be any holds on your account for your score to be released. LSAT Argumentative Writing opened on Monday, October 27 for the November 2025 LSAT. How can I check if I purchased Score Preview for my current test? Log in to JD Services and navigate to LSAT/The LSAT/LSAT Status: View All LSAT Information. Scroll down to see your LSAT Score Preview status in the “Status” column on the far right. Please note that the "Not Activated" notation does not mean that Score Preview has not been purchased. Will I be able to see my score before the score release day if I purchased Score Preview? No, Score Preview does not allow you to see you score before score release day. This service provides an option to review your score after it is released and gives you an opportunity to make a decision to keep it or cancel it within six calendar days. Is LSAT Argumentative Writing required? Yes. Your LSAT score cannot be released if you have not completed an LSAT Argumentative Writing sample. If you previously completed LSAT Argumentative Writing or LSAT Writing during the current reportable score period, your previous writing sample is still valid, and you do not need to complete an additional LSAT Argumentative Writing. When should I complete LSAT Argumentative Writing? You can access LSAT Argumentative Writing eight (8) days before you take the multiple-choice portion of the LSAT directly from JD Services. To ensure your LSAT score is released on time, we recommend completing LSAT Argumentative Writing as soon as possible. However, it does not need to be completed on the day it becomes available. You will have one year to complete LSAT Argumentative Writing; however, your score will not be released until it is completed. What if my LSAT Argumentative Writing sample is not approved before score release? Will I still be able to use Score Preview? Yes, you will receive your score when your LSAT Argumentative Writing sample is approved, and you will be notified by email. If you have purchased Score Preview, it will be activated once your score is released, so you will have six (6) calendar days from the time your writing sample is approved to utilize Score Preview. Where do I launch LSAT Argumentative Writing? Go to JD Services and select the “Launch LSAT Argumentative Writing” link. You will be directed to LawHub where you will be automatically signed in to continue. You will be here briefly before being redirected to ProctorU. If prompted to create a new ProctorU account, you should use the same email address as JD Services. If you have an existing account and can’t remember your password, please follow the “Forgot Password” steps on the ProctorU Support Page. Creating a duplicate account may cause delays in launching your test. If you have questions, please contact ProctorU at 855.772.8678.Are there any room requirements for LSAT Argumentative Writing? Your LSAT Argumentative Writing should be taken in a private, well-lit area with a secure and stable internet connection. You must have a chair and a desk or table. The area may have windows, as long as they are not floor-to-ceiling windows. Test takers will complete a video check-in process and be required to show their workspace using their webcam to ensure that only permitted items are in that space. Please also visit Frequently Asked Questions about LSAT Argumentative Writing and LSAT Argumentative Writing Tips. How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, you can contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

LSAT Inbox – November 5, 2025

2025-11-05

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.What should I do if notice someone acting oddly while taking the LSAT?To preserve the integrity and fairness of the LSAT, LSAC’s Office of Test Security is constantly monitoring for suspicious activity — whether it's during test administration, or before or after the actual test. If you see any odd or suspicious behavior related to the November 2025 LSAT, you can report it to TestSecurity@LSAC.org. All reports will be kept confidential.How can I submit a test day complaint or feedback? If you experience a significant issue and want to file a test day complaint, please visit our website for more information on how to submit a test day complaint or feedback. The deadline to file a test day complaint for the November 2025 LSAT is Monday, November 10 at 11:59 p.m. ET.Will a live agent be able to remote in during the test day and take over my screen if I need troubleshooting assistance?The live agent will not be able to remote into your computer but will assist you with questions and prompted action to resolve your issues. Once your issue is resolved, they will direct you with steps to reconnect to a readiness agent and then to a proctor.Can I access a system check before my test to ensure my device meets all system requirements?Yes, please visit the Prometric Candidate Portal to complete a system check of your device. Please be aware this system check tests your connection; however, you have to shut down your background applications and disable any firewalls. Your notifications must also be turned off. Please review the Remote LSAT Checklist for other helpful tips for your remote session.What do I need to bring to the testing center?Please bring your valid government-issued photo ID, your confirmation number, and your LawHub username and password.How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, you can contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

American History Reflected in U.S. Law School Graduate Employment Outcomes

James Leipold — 2025-10-30

By James LeipoldThe job market for U.S. law school graduates has been exceptionally strong for a number of years, with each class breaking records set by the previous class, as I wrote about most recently in August. Arguably, the strong employment outcomes in recent years have in part driven the surge in applications for law school, particularly as the record-setting job and salary outcomes have received so much press. Less fun are the headlines that call attention to the inequities and disparities in these remarkable employment outcomes.The National Association for Law Placement, to its great credit, has consistently called out these disparities with its annual release of its complete law school graduate employment and salary outcome analyses. The latest report on the outcomes for the class of 2024, released earlier in October (PDF) , again documents the persistent racial disparities in employment outcomes. Nikia Gray, NALP’s executive director, calls out the particular significance of this year’s report: “Because this class graduated just before the wave of challenges to diversity, equity, and inclusion, their outcomes provide a vital reference point to assessing how changes in employer policies and practices will affect future graduates — particularly graduates of color — and whether these existing employment disparities widen or narrow.” She goes on to say, “NALP’s findings for the class of 2024 establish a critical benchmark for understanding how recent policy and cultural shifts may shape the legal employment landscape.”The gaps and inequities we see in U.S. law school employment outcomes reflect U.S. history and the longstanding racial and ethnic gaps and inequities in wealth, education, health, and justice that we see throughout U.S. society. Not surprisingly, in the NALP data analyses released earlier this month, Asian, Black, Latinx, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander graduates were shown to have lower overall employment rates than their white peers. NALP also measured significant disparities in employment for bar admission-required jobs, and while the data show that gap narrowed slightly for most groups, it increased for Black graduates, with only 74.3% of Black graduates reporting employment in bar passage-required jobs compared to 84.3% of all graduates and 86.5% of white graduates.Significant gaps were also measured in judicial clerkships, with graduates of color obtaining fewer clerkships of all sorts than their white peers, and the data showed that Latinx graduates were among the most underrepresented racial groups within judicial clerkships. Similarly, within private practice, lower employment rates for Black, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander graduates were again documented, with Native American/Alaska Native and Black graduates securing the lowest overall rates of employment in private practice.Many other disparities are documented by NALP. First-generation college students (students who do not have at least one parent or guardian with a bachelor’s or higher degree) had lower overall employment and lower employment in bar passage-required jobs than did their peers who had at least one parent with a bachelor’s or higher degree, and there were similar gaps measured in private practice employment and judicial clerkship placement, with first-generation students faring less well. Similarly, according to NALP, “Graduates who identified as having a disability, gender nonbinary, LGBTQ+, and/or a military veteran were less likely to be employed by a law firm as compared to graduates overall.”There is a longstanding narrative, one that I have often articulated, and one that has been supported by the data, that over time these gaps in law school employment outcomes have been slowly closing. This is a narrative that mirrors a longstanding narrative often used to explain the United States itself, that U.S. history is a history of inequities, but that over time, those inequities have gotten smaller and will continue to do so. For many Americans, that narrative has never been a lived experience, despite some statistical evidence that some of the most pernicious gaps in wealth and education have narrowed. More importantly for our purposes, lawyers, judges, law schools, and law firms have long worked with great deliberation toward ensuring that those gaps continue to close.But history is a funny thing (substitute “tragic” for “funny” as you will), and it is by no means certain that the long arc of history does indeed bend toward justice. We live now at a particular moment in U.S. history where many of the tools that we have relied on to bend history itself toward justice — to close persistent gaps in wealth, education, and health — have been removed. Without weighing in on whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, it is a fact, and whatever flows from this moment in history will at least in part be reflected in future law school employment outcomes. That’s how history works. We cannot remove ourselves from history, much as we would sometimes like to, and changes that are happening in U.S. society right now will indeed be reflected in future NALP data analyses. NALP’s Nikia Gray is right. This accounting of the employment outcome gaps for the class of 2024 will stand as an important benchmark to help us measure what came before and what comes after, and of this I am certain: future U.S. law school employment outcomes data will indeed reflect and be a part of the U.S. history the data itself helps to document. Come what may.

“I Want to Be the Good.” Introducing the 2024-25 LSAT Test Taker Voices About Motivation, Plans, and Financial Feasibility

Elizabeth Bodamer — 2025-10-28

By Elizabeth BodamerThis post is part of a series related to LSAC’s new report, LSAC’s Knowledge Report: 2024-2025 Test Takers.“I began as a med student because I am passionate about providing aid to underprivileged and underserved communities. I pivoted to law school because as my academic career progressed, along with topical legal developments, I realized it didn't matter if you were the best doctor in the world if you still couldn't get into see, or weren't allowed to provide, care to the communities who need you most. I now believe the law is the most effective tool for change in this country and to defend those who otherwise do not have a voice.” —2024-2025 LSAT Test TakerMuch was speculated about the 2024-2025 testing and application cycle.Why are so many applying to law school?How are they experiencing this competitive admission cycle in the midst of so much change?Through real-time data collection, LSAC’s Post-LSAT Questionnaire (PLQ) provides the first empirical glimpse into what test takers were thinking, feeling, and doing as the first cohort to take the LSAT without analytical reasoning amid a competitive admission cycle unfolding during so much legislative, policy, political, economic, and social changes. Based on data collected from over 15,000 test takers between August of 2024 and April of 2025, LSAC’s new knowledge report focuses on when test takers first thought about law school, their law school motivation, their application plans, and their anticipated barriers to law school. The story of “why law school” has remained steady and true for years; aspiring law students want to do good. However, last year’s test takers were motivated to go to law school to do good, specifically to advocate for social justice, at higher rates than their peers the year before (2023-24). Between 2023-24 and 2024-25 test takers, their motivation to “help others” increased by about 20%, and their motivation to “advocate for social justice” increased by more than 30%. As one test taker explained, “I now believe the law is the most effective tool for change in this country and to defend those who otherwise do not have a voice.” The law has long been viewed as a vehicle for change for test takers, applicants, and law students alike.Converting this motivation into action during the application process varies for test takers. Many started this process scoping out what needs to be done, knowing they could turn to their peers, family, mentors, law school representatives, and pathway or pipeline programs, such as LSAC's Plus, Guided Journey. However, 20% of test takers report that they had no one to turn to for advice and information about the application process. This rate is higher for test takers who were the first in their families to graduate college. In fact, first-generation college graduates report that they do not have anyone to rely on for advice and information at a rate almost 60% higher than their continuing-generation college peers. Access to effective guidance, support systems, and resources are at the core of how test takers think, plan, and experience the journey to law school. Overall, while aspiring law students first think about law school long before taking the LSAT and they are highly driven and motivated to do good, inequality persists in who helps aspiring law students and how they approach the application process. Information is available to everyone; however, access to people and resources to effectively support and guide candidates is limited for many aspiring law students, especially for those from under-resourced communities. Lastly, money. Financing law school has long been an anticipated and real barrier. As one test taker told us, “I have always been interested in a career in the law. My father attempted to go to law school but couldn’t because of financial constraints. I would like to go to law school to better myself and show my family it is possible to succeed in the legal field.”The inequality in access to resources and support systems is compounded in the context of recent federal loan changes. This year’s key finding is concerning: candidates’ anticipated barriers to law school have grown. As the first empirical measurement of how the new federal loan caps may impact aspiring lawyers, we find that the specific barrier of cost has increased by more than 40% between 2023-24 and 2024-25 test takers, and fewer test takers report that if admitted to their preferred law school, nothing will stop them. As schools and candidates work through how the financial feasibility of legal education plays out in the context of the future availability of federal loans, the insights in this report are critical in systematically informing how, when, and where legal stakeholders from pathway programs to prelaw advisors to law schools, can address barriers, as well as intervene, advocate, and provide reliable and effective support to all aspiring law students in the years to come. Dig Deeper Into This ResearchLSAC’s Knowledge Report: 2024-2025 Test Takers provides deeper insights into how the most recent test takers were thinking and feeling during a high volume and highly competitive admission cycle.View the ReportTo learn more about the snapshot moments along the prelaw to law school journey, check out any of LSAC’s applied research reports. Stay tuned for our next report, the 2024-2025 Applicant Report.

JD Portability: One Reason Why ABA Accreditation Probably Isn’t Going Anywhere

Susannah Pollvogt — 2025-10-20

By Susannah Pollvogt What once was a relatively anodyne topic — accreditation of U.S. law schools — has recently become a lightning rod for a variety of political conflicts.It was not always thus. The American Bar Association assumed a role in accrediting law schools in 1921 and was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the national accrediting agency for JD programs that same year. The accrediting function is currently performed by the ABA’s Council of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar . The Council promulgates standards and closely examines law schools’ compliance with those standards every 10 years in the context of a site visit . The subject matter of the ABA standards runs the gamut from admissions procedures to the determination of credit hours for coursework to requirements for learning outcomes and assessment (about which I have written at some length).This is not to say that the ABA’s accreditation work has been without controversy. At times, legal educators have objected to some of the Council’s regulatory initiatives. Most recently, the Council proposed increasing the number of required experiential learning credits from six to 12, which many law school deans opposed. In response, the ABA delayed a vote on the proposal.But another wave of opposition comes not directly from Ģ��ýs being regulated, but from the states in which those law schools are located. Specifically, a handful of states have recently considered removing the long-standing requirement that law students must graduate from an ABA-accredited law school in order to sit for the bar exam in that state. (Another handful of states, California most prominent among them, have long permitted graduates from non-ABA-accredited schools to sit for the bar exam; the current movement is unrelated).Theoretically, this would give law schools within those states the latitude to abandon their efforts to comply with the ABA standards. In reality however, most law schools expect that some portion of their graduates will seek employment outside of the state in which Ģ��ý is situated. In order to seek employment out of state, graduates need to be able to sit for the bar exam and be admitted to legal practice in other states. And the vast majority of those states still require graduation from an ABA-accredited law school as a prerequisite. So, it is simply bad business for law schools to give up on ABA accreditation if they want to continue to cater to a student body that values geographic mobility. As Dean Robert Chesney of the University of Texas School of Law put it in a letter to the Texas Supreme Court , “widespread interest in national degree portability means that schools have to account for the bar exam eligibility rules across the country and not just in their home state.”Law schools may also be playing the long game. The trend of eschewing ABA accreditation requirements arose very quickly and may ebb just as quickly depending on the turn of political tides. Legal education is more like an aircraft carrier than a skiff and is not able to change direction quickly. Making significant changes to the program of legal education in light of what might be a temporary phenomenon is not consistent with that nature.And at the end of the day, and as of publication of this blog post, the Department of Education still recognizes the ABA as the national accrediting body for JD programs. While this may change in the future, the underlying incentives for maintaining ABA accreditation will not.

LSAT Inbox – October 15, 2025

2025-10-15

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.I'm taking the November 2025 LSAT. I want to schedule for November 4, but I’m only seeing test center scheduling. Will LSAC open remote appointments for this date?No, November 4, 2025, is a test center only date. There will be no remote availability on this date and no exceptions. If you would like to schedule a remote appointment, you will be able to test on November 5, 6, 7, and 8.Is LSAT Argumentative Writing required? Yes. Your LSAT score cannot be released if you haven’t completed an LSAT Argumentative Writing sample. If you previously took LSAT Writing or LSAT Argumentative Writing during the current reportable score period, your previous writing sample is still valid, and you do not need to complete LSAT Argumentative Writing.When should I complete LSAT Argumentative Writing? You can access LSAT Argumentative Writing eight (8) days before you take the multiple-choice portion of the LSAT directly from JD Services.To ensure your LSAT score is released on time, we recommend completing LSAT Argumentative Writing as soon as possible. You have 1 year to complete LSAT Argumentative Writing, but your score will not be released without a writing sample on file.Where do I launch LSAT Argumentative Writing? Go to JD Services, and select the “Launch LSAT Argumentative Writing” link. You will be directed to LawHub, where you will be automatically signed in to continue. You will be here briefly before being redirected to ProctorU. If prompted to create a new ProctorU account, you should use the same email address you used for JD Services. NOTE: When you click on the “Launch LSAT Argumentative Writing” button in JD Services, you will be directed to ProctorU to either create an account or link to an existing account. If you have an existing account and can’t remember your password, please follow the “Forgot Password” steps on the ProctorU Support Page . Creating a duplicate account may cause delays in launching your test. If you have questions, please contact ProctorU at 855.772.8678.Are there any room requirements for LSAT Argumentative Writing? LSAT Argumentative Writing should be taken in a private, well-lit area with a secure and stable internet connection. You must have a chair and a desk or table. The area may have windows, as long as they are not floor-to-ceiling windows. Test takers will complete a video check-in process and will be required to show their workspace using their webcam, to ensure that only permitted items are in that space. For more information, please visit Frequently Asked Questions about LSAT Argumentative Writing and LSAT Argumentative Writing Tips. Does LSAT Argumentative Writing have a spell-check feature? Yes, this feature is built into the LawHub interface, but external AI-assistive extensions and aids, such as Grammarly, MS Editor, Writefull, Wordtune, Reverso, etc., are not permitted. Please be aware LawHub’s spell-check feature underlines the mistyped word; however, it will not provide a suggested correction.What 2025-2026 LSAT administrations are still available? Can I still request accommodations for the open administrations?You may still register for the January, February, April, or June 2026 LSAT administrations. Please log in to JD Services and click on the “Register for the LSAT” link to start the registration process. You may still request accommodations if needed. Please make sure to review the deadlines for your test administration. For more information about the accommodation process, please visit our Testing Accommodations page. What is the latest LSAT score accepted by law schools for their 2026 applications?Each law school has its own requirements. It may be a good idea to review information about the program you are applying to.How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, you can contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

Too Soon for Predictions, but the 2026 Admission Cycle Is Starting Strong

Sudha Setty — 2025-10-13

By Sudha Setty The 2025 admission cycle was competitive, with applicants up 18% over the previous cycle. It was also the most racially and ethnically diverse set of applicants in history, with 50% identifying as students of color. As we begin the next admission cycle, it’s only natural to ask – how is this next cycle shaping up? While it’s too soon to predict, this post provides a snapshot of early numbers and some important context and cautions. Every year at around this time, LSAC begins publishing on LSAC.org its interactive volume summary data for the new law school admission cycle. The volume summary provides detailed information about the overall number of applicants and applications. For your convenience, it can be filtered and analyzed by geographic region, race and ethnicity, gender, LSAT score band, first-generation college status, and other criteria. The data is updated daily and serves as a resource for law schools, prelaw advisors, prospective students, and others interested in understanding admission trends.We have launched the volume summary for the 2026 admission cycle today. A Word of Caution on Early DataBefore we discuss the numbers, it is important to underscore that this is extremely early data, and it should be viewed as broadly directional at best. At this point in the cycle, we typically have only about 15 percent of the total number of applicants and applications we expect to see by the end of the cycle. These early figures should be viewed with considerable caution, as they can shift significantly as the cycle progresses.The Early NumbersWith that important caveat, here is what we are seeing as of early October 2026.As compared to the same point in the 2025 cycle, the total number of applicants is currently up 33 percent. Applications are up 27 percent. The composition of the applicant pool continues to reflect robust racial and ethnic diversity. Applicants of color are up 33 percent compared to this time last year. Notably, Black and African-American applicants are up 38 percent. Women applicants are up 34 percent, men applicants are up 32 percent, gender-diverse applicants are up 15 percent, and applicants who choose not to identify are up 31 percent. First-generation college applicants are up 38 percent.What May Be Driving These Numbers?There are several potential reasons why these numbers may be high at this early stage of the cycle. More law schools are now offering early decision programs and emphasizing rolling admissions, which may be creating a larger early surge in applications. Additionally, last year’s cycle was extremely competitive due to the volume of applicants; we often see a wave of early applicants in years following more competitive cycles. We will continue to monitor these types of factors as the 2026 cycle develops.There are also several indicators that suggest continued strong interest in law school across a broad applicant base. LSAT testing volumes continue to remain high. The August LSAT administration had approximately 26,000 test takers, up 18 percent compared to the same administration last year and up nearly 60 percent compared to August 2023. September saw approximately 23,000 test takers, an increase of 24 percent over last year. The October administration, just completed, had approximately 26,000 test takers, up 16 percent from last year. We don’t have first-time test taker data for the October LSAT yet, but we had nearly 27,500 first-time test takers in the August and September LSAT administrations alone, which represents a 13% increase in first-time test takers of those two tests combined in 2024. The Value of Legal EducationThere are several reasons why many people are interested in legal education right now. The especially dynamic political environment is cited as one reason – some people want to go to law school to advocate for the ideas and values they care about. The uncertain economic climate and the potential impact of AI and other trends on future employment is another factor – some people view law and advocacy as a field that will continue to grow. Every applicant has their own set of reasons. LSAC surveys people who have taken the LSAT to understand their motivations for going to law school, and the results support the notion that legal education offers a wide range of opportunities, particularly in the current political and economic environment. The top three reasons people give for wanting to go to law school are to be helpful to others, to advocate for social justice, and to gain valuable skills.What’s NextAs we are at the early stage of the 2026 admission cycle, and these preliminary numbers could shift significantly in the months ahead, we encourage people to regularly visit the volume summary data on LSAC.org, and not put too much weight on the early numbers we are seeing today.If these early numbers tell us anything, it is this: there continues to be substantial and sustained interest in law school among a broad and deep group of prospective students. For those of us committed to legal education, that is encouraging news.

The October Moment: Understanding and Building Belonging in Law School

Victor D. Quintanilla — 2025-10-06

By Victor QuintanillaIf you’re reading this in early October of your first year in law school, and your experiences are anything like my own in my first year of law school, then you might be experiencing something unexpected right now. Your initial excitement about making it to law school is waning, leaving a nagging question: This is not what I expected — do I really belong here? You sit in your 1L classes watching classmates who seem effortlessly confident and eloquent, while you’re still decoding legal terminology, learning how to read a case and a rule, and second-guessing every answer. Was that Latin? When the professor calls on you, despite putting in hours before class, you struggle, and your mind goes blank. Ack! This leads to even more nagging doubts. You wonder whether everyone else “gets it” in a way you don’t. You brought a whole world with you to law school — your experiences, your perspectives, your passion for becoming a lawyer. But right now, these feel like evidence that maybe you’re different from everyone else in a way that matters, and you don’t belong. If any of this rings true to you, here’s what you need to know: What you’re experiencing is common, it’s measurable, it matters, and it can be changed. You have more power than you realize to shape your own sense of belonging and to help others shape theirs. And we faculty and administrators across the country also share responsibility. Why Belonging Matters — And Why It Can GrowResearch from LSAC found that students who thought about leaving law school in their first year reported feeling uncertain about their belonging in law school at a rate 24% higher than their peers who never considered leaving. Belonging isn’t just about feeling comfortable — it has a concrete impact on whether students persist and succeed in law school. But here’s more to the story. In our ongoing research with over 18,000 law students across three national studies, and in research recently published by the Equity Accelerator , we discovered a clear pathway: The quality of your relationships with your peers and faculty predicts your sense of belonging, which in turn predicts both your satisfaction with law school and your law school grades. Minoritized and first-generation students often report weaker relationships with their law school peers and faculty, which contributes to a lower sense of belonging, and this can lead to a self-fulfilling cycle. And here’s the critical finding: These patterns persist even after controlling for LSAT scores, meaning this isn’t about ability. It’s about relationships and Ģ��ý culture we co-create together.The hopeful news is that belonging responds to the meaning we create and the actions we take together. At a diverse, broad-access undergraduate university, researchers designed a one-hour intervention for first-year students. The intervention helped students understand that struggles during the transition to college are normal and temporary, not signs of permanent unfitness. Two years later, persistence rates for students of color and first-generation students increased by nine percentage points — from 64% to 73%. That intervention was effective because it changed how students understood their daily experiences. The same kind of change is possible in law school.What’s Actually Happening Right NowYou’re experiencing a form of something social psychologists call pluralistic ignorance: privately feeling uncertain about your abilities and belonging while assuming everyone else is confident about their own. I experienced it too. It’s a paradox — everybody feels different from everybody else, when really we’re all navigating the same challenging transition. Unfortunately, law school amplifies this pluralistic ignorance in specific ways. You’re learning an entirely new language filled with specialized terms and concepts: what exactly is a res judicata? You’re developing a fundamentally different form of reasoning — learning to “think like a lawyer.” The Socratic method is so performative and exposes your individual struggles publicly while hiding everyone else’s private doubts. Unless interrupted, the competitive culture of law school discourages admitting uncertainty about fitting in, let alone fallibility or human emotions. Everyone is adjusting simultaneously, but mostly silently.Your doubts are NOT evidence that you don’t belong. They are evidence that you’re in the middle of a genuinely difficult transition that everyone else is going through too, including your classmates who appear most confident. The student who answered brilliantly in Contracts today probably went blank in Torts last week. The person who seems to have found their study group effortlessly this week might have felt completely alone last week. These feelings of belonging uncertainty are common to all, yet we all too often put on a good face and hide our true feelings and concerns below the surface. What You Can Do — Starting Today First, it will be helpful to reframe how you think about your struggles. Think back to your first semester of college. You probably felt overwhelmed then, too — a new environment, new expectations, new people. Over time, what felt foreign became familiar. The same process is happening now in law school, just with more specialized language and what feels like higher stakes in the classroom. What feels overwhelming today will become familiar with practice and time. Your story will follow the same arc you’d hear from any second- or third-year student: “When I first got to law school, I felt completely lost. Now, looking back, I realize everyone felt that way.” Difficult transitions highlight your determination and growth, not inadequacy.Second, and most importantly, you’ll nourish your own sense of belonging by serving as the co-counsel for your classmates. Check in with people around you that you don’t know well. When someone struggles during a cold call, help them out — volunteer a supportive point, help clarify their answer, or continue their line of reasoning. Here’s what most people (and even some professors) don’t realize: classroom struggles often have nothing to do with understanding the material. They often stem from exhaustion, family emergencies, health issues, anxiety, and the life circumstances that affect all of us. When you step in to help another, you’re being their co-counsel in a moment when life made it hard for them to reveal what they know. And here’s the powerful and ironic, reciprocal benefit: Supporting others’ sense of belonging strengthens your own. When you reach out, you break the silence and discover shared experiences. You build exactly the kinds of relationships that our research shows predict a sense of belonging. What you give is what you receive. Beyond supporting your peers, intentionally build your own network of support. Find 3-4 students and form a study group — this will help you create the supportive connections that will carry you through law school. Go to office hours and talk with professors with your study group (and ask for advice on how to outline and set up exam answers). Join student organizations, especially if you’re from a group that’s been historically marginalized in law. Talk with second- and third-year students about their first-year experiences and what worked for them. Use academic support services and counseling resources. Practice reframing daily adversities: one difficult cold call doesn’t mean you’re not law school material, just as not immediately finding your people doesn’t mean you’ll never belong here. We’re all human, with our frailties and all, and we’re doing our best to grow. It takes time. What Law Schools Must DoWhile you work to build a sense of belonging for yourself and others, law schools bear a responsibility too. They should cultivate cultures of growth that affirm every student’s potential to develop. Students can’t take risks and learn from mistakes when they’re defending against identity threat in the classroom. Law schools must clearly communicate that legal ability develops through effort, practice, and learning, rather than being fixed and innate. Everyone must feel valued, respected, and included.Faculty mindsets matter enormously. Research with over 15,000 students found that courses taught by faculty with fixed mindsets — who believe legal ability is innate — showed twice the racial achievement gap as courses taught by growth-minded faculty. Growth-oriented professors engage in student-centered teaching, offer process praise that complements learning and problem-solving strategies, and frame mistakes as opportunities for growth. The burden of creating growth cultures shouldn’t fall solely on students. Faculty and institutions are better positioned to make these changes.Schools must also address structural barriers. Students balancing work, family obligations, and long commutes face different challenges in building community. Law schools should create flexible opportunities for community building and embed belonging interventions into their curricula. They must pay particular attention to students with multiple marginalized identities who face intersectional challenges.You Have Power Right NowIf you’re reading this in October, you’re in the thick of the transition — and that’s precisely where you should be. You have more power than you realize right now to shape your trajectory and that of others around you. One conversation. One moment of checking in with a struggling classmate. One study group meeting. One visit to office hours. These small acts create the relationships that foster a sense of belonging and create the culture around you that will help you and others thrive. Someday soon, you’ll be the 2L or 3L telling a struggling 1L that what they’re feeling is normal and temporary. May you also be someone else’s co-counsel in class, helping them navigate their October moment. Belonging isn’t something you find — it’s something you build, for yourself and for others. You’re building it right now. Grab a pen and paper and jot down three things that you can do today for yourself and others. Then take one step today. Reach out to one person. Support one classmate. Check in with someone you don’t know well. You belong in law school, and together, you’re co-creating a law school culture where everyone can grow and thrive.

The Belonging Imperative in Legal Education

Meera E. Deo — 2025-10-06

By Meera E. DeoBelonging is a human imperative, a facilitator of positive mental health, and a critical feature for success in law school. Scholars researching student belonging, including Terrell Strayhorn and Elizabeth Bodamer, describe it as “a feeling of connectedness ” and “a dimension of perceived cohesion .” In my own presentations and conversations about belonging, I characterize it as the “glue” that bonds students to their institution, often through close connections with others on campus. Research has shown that a strong sense of belonging can result in better academic outcomes (higher grades) and personal benefits (lower levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness). Conversely, those who express a lower sense of belonging are at higher risk of leaving law school altogether. The new LSAC report, Persistence in the First Year of Law School, examines connections between belonging and attrition. Using original national data from first year law students, the report concludes that a lack of belonging and even “belonging uncertainty” (being unsure about whether one belongs) contributes to students from vulnerable populations leaving law school at higher rates than their peers. For instance, Pell Grant recipients feel valued in law school at a rate 10% lower than classmates who do not receive Pell Grants (p. 16); they are also much more uncertain about their sense of belonging — 15% more than those without Pell Grants (p. 17). Similarly, women of color are 10% less likely than the average first-year law student and 15% less likely than white men to feel accepted for who they are on campus (p. 12). Furthermore, women of color are less likely than men of color, white men, or white women to feel comfortable being themselves in law school (p. 15). Given these belonging statistics, it is perhaps unsurprising that women of color not only consider leaving law school at higher rates than even men of color and white women (p. 2), but that they are more likely than their counterparts leave after the first year (p. 5).These findings are deeply disturbing though not surprising to researchers who study connections between belonging and student success. But they are not etched in stone. Because belonging represents a student’s malleable sense of their connection to campus, individual and institutional efforts can successfully enhance belonging, thereby improving student retention and even wellbeing. My own scholarship on Building Belonging uses data from the Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE ) to reach similar results about belonging and suggest interventions. Like the LSAC report, I also find that students from traditionally excluded and marginalized populations tend to have a lower sense of belonging as measured by various metrics. For example, while one-quarter (25%) of students who plan to graduate law school without any educational debt “strongly agree” that they are valued by their institution, only 14% of students owing over $200,000 feel similarly (p. 801). Furthermore, LSSSE data show that 20% of Black students and 17% of Latinx and Native American students see their schools as doing “very little” to foster community on campus, compared to just 11% of white students (p. 802). This signals lower levels of belonging which translate into lower retention rates for these groups. Luckily, through purposeful belonging interventions, law schools can improve these statistics. Building Belonging provides data-informed strategies for faculty, administrators, and even classmates who seek to cultivate belonging on campus. For one, faculty should adopt a growth mindset in the classroom — helping students achieve the correct answer, even if not on the first attempt. Doing so helps students see they can make mistakes and still succeed, that they do belong even if they are not perfect. Additionally, professors who incorporate inclusive pedagogy in the classroom help students see that their opinion and perspective matter in legal education and the legal profession. For instance, faculty can encourage students of color and others with belonging uncertainty to share their own experiences and reflections on course material; greater engagement and participation results in greater belonging and better learning outcomes too.Additional forthcoming research I conducted with LSSSE Research Analyst Jak Petzold reveals how “cultural navigators ” also can be key to improving belonging for law students from all backgrounds. In the first year of law school, students undergo a rigorous and sometimes traumatic professional socialization process that demands assimilation into the norms of the legal profession; students must navigate new legal terminology, learn how to “think like a lawyer ,” and pretend to be objective arbiters of supposedly neutral values. Particularly when traditional law school values — such as emphasizing competition over cooperation, or individual efforts over community success — conflict with personal values, students may feel unease throughout the transition; their difficulty managing this conflict translates into belonging uncertainty or even a lack of belonging. Cultural navigators can assist, as individuals already familiar with law school life who are available to help ease the transition for others. Ideally, we will continue to transform legal education to be more inclusive, cooperative, and community based. As we work toward those goals, institutions can also boost belonging by supporting cultural navigators to work with different populations — and they should do so in a targeted way. What are some targeted efforts? Because those who do not have a parent with a college degree, often called first-gen students, are more likely to work (PDF) while in school, resources should support both their employment and academic efforts. Additionally, women students tend to balance greater caregiving responsibilities (PDF) along with their academic obligations; cultural navigators can help bridge the divide between home and campus. Through these and other similar targeted efforts, institutions should work to enhance belonging and increase retention.Law schools must encourage all members of their community to engage in behaviors to increase students’ sense of belonging. Especially during this time of uncertainty in higher education, it is particularly important to engage in these endeavors. Belonging efforts represent a legal, effective, and vital means to support students . All institutions should work to reap the benefits of belonging.

November LSAT Scheduling

2025-10-01

Due to the high volume of test takers for the November LSAT, and to minimize wait times in the scheduling queue, scheduling will be offered on a staggered schedule.You can find the time scheduling will open for your preferred test date and modality using the table below. Scheduling will open exclusively for in-person test centers on Tuesday, 10/21, and Wednesday, 10/22 (see specific times below). Scheduling will then open exclusively for remote testing on Thursday, 10/23, and Friday, 10/24, until 6 p.m. ET. Please note that when scheduling is dedicated to in-person testing, you will not be able to schedule for remote testing, and vice versa.On November 4, testing will only be offered in test centers. Remote testing will not be available on this date.All dates/times are listed in Eastern Time (ET).Your Preferred Test Date *In-Person / Test CenterSchedulingRemoteSchedulingOpensCloses (Temporary.)ReopensCloses (Final)OpensClosesTUE., 11/4Tue., 10/21, 3 p.m. ETThu., 10/2312 p.m. ETFri., 10/246 p.m. ETTue., 10/2811:59 p.m. ETN/AN/AWED., 11/5Tue., 10/21, 3 p.m. ETThu., 10/2312 p.m. ETFri., 10/246 p.m. ETTue., 10/2811:59 p.m. ETThu., 10/23, 3 p.m. ETSun., 11/211:59 p.m. ETTHU., 11/6Tue., 10/21, 6 p.m. ETThu., 10/2312 p.m. ETFri., 10/246 p.m. ETTue., 10/2811:59 p.m. ETThu., 10/23, 6 p.m. ETSun., 11/211:59 p.m. ETFRI., 11/7Wed., 10/22, 3 p.m. ETThu., 10/2312 p.m. ETFri., 10/246 p.m. ETTue., 10/2811:59 p.m. ETFri., 10/24, 3 p.m. ETSun., 11/211:59 p.m. ETSAT., 11/8Wed., 10/22, 6 p.m. ETThu., 10/2312 p.m. ETFri., 10/246 p.m. ETTue., 10/2811:59 p.m. ETFri., 10/24, 6 p.m. ETSun., 11/211:59 p.m. ET* Test takers with approved testing accommodations that include a pencil-and-paper format will receive scheduling instructions via email.This is important.

Do not try to schedule for a testing date until scheduling for that date opens. If you try to schedule for a date that is not yet open, you will wait in the queue but will not be able to schedule a time.
Once you have scheduled a testing time, no rescheduling changes can be made until Friday, October 24, starting at 6 p.m.

Questions?For questions or assistance with scheduling your LSAT, please contact Prometric:

U.S./Canada/LATAM: 1.800.350.5517

LSAT Inbox – October 1, 2025

2025-10-01

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.I would like to add Score Preview for my October 2025 LSAT. Can I still do that?Yes, Score Preview for the October 2025 LSAT can be added until October 22, 2025. Please review Score Preview fees and deadlines for the October 2025 LSAT here. If you haven’t purchased Score Preview for the October 2025 LSAT, you can do so through JD Services. Please log in and select the LSAT/The LSAT/LSAT Status: View All LSAT information link on the right-hand side. Scroll down to the LSAT Score Preview Status section to purchase. I received an email with final instructions for the October 2025 LSAT. I am unable to find the LSAT option tab in my account. The email stated I should see it on the left-hand menu of my account. You may not be looking in the correct place. Please be sure to log in to LawHub. If you are logged in to JD Services, please select the My Account/My LawHub. Ensure your browser is maximized to see the lefthand menu. You must be registered for the October 2025 LSAT to see the LSAT option. This option will be available within 24 hours of your testing session. Is MacOS Tahoe 26 compatible with ProProctor secure browser?Yes, MacOS Tahoe 26 is compatible. Other compatible operating systems are Windows 8.1, MacOS 10.13 to 12.6.5, MacOS Ventura 13.3.1 and above, MacOS Sonoma, or MacOS Sequoia.Can I use the bathroom during my test? We encourage all test takers to use the restroom prior to beginning the test or during the intermission. Candidates can utilize the restroom if needed. Should you need to leave the camera view for an unauthorized break during a test section, please let your proctor know, and be advised that the test timer will continue to run. When you return, please be prepared to show your valid photo ID and complete the room security scan again, just as you did at the beginning of the test. If you need additional bathroom breaks for medical reasons, you can apply for an accommodation before the accommodation deadline for your test administration. What happens if my proctor does not acknowledge me quickly enough after I return from my intermission?Please make sure there are no connection issues that occurred during your intermission, then click the “Continue to Step 2” button. This will indicate to the proctor you are ready to continue. If you experience any issues, please utilize the chat function for further assistance. When will my October 2025 LSAT score be released? October 2025 LSAT score release is on Friday, October 24, 2025. Please note that you must have an approved LSAT Argumentative Writing sample on file, and there cannot be any holds on your account for your score to be released. LSAT Argumentative Writing for the October 2025 LSAT opened on Thursday, September 25, 2025. If you have an LSAT Argumentative Writing or LSAT Writing sample on file from a previous administration, you are not required to complete another writing sample. How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, you can contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

LSAT Update – September 18, 2025

2025-09-18

Welcome to the LSAT Update, your source for the latest news you can use about the LSAT®!Test day added for the November 2025 LSAT To accommodate an increased number of test takers for the November 2025 LSAT administration, November 4 has been added as a fifth primary test day. However, on November 4 testing will be limited to in-person testing at Prometric test centers.The extra day will be available for in-person testing when scheduling opens on October 20 for test takers with an approved accommodation for a paper-and-pencil format and on October 21 for other test takers interested in testing in person.Keep in mind that because there’s a new testing day, scheduling for testing in person will close a day earlier, on October 28. Scheduling for the online, live remote-proctored format will remain open until November 2.MacOS 26 Tahoe is compatible!Good news for macOS users! The recently-released macOS 26 Tahoe, released by Apple on September 15, is compatible with the ProProctor software. If you plan to use a macOS system while testing remotely be sure to check the technical requirements on the Prometric support site.All remote test takers should take a look at the remote testing checklist to ensure the best possible experience on test day.Pro Tip: Turn off any background applications when testing remotelyIf you’re testing remotely, it is important to turn off any background applications. This way, you can optimize your computer setup and avoid any technical issues during the test.Instructions for Turning Off Background Applications on Windows:1. Open Task Manager

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager directly.
Alternatively, right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager.

2. Go to the Processes Tab

Once Task Manager is open, go to the Processes tab. This will display a list of running applications and background processes.

3. End Unnecessary Background Applications

Under the Processes tab, look for applications that are running in the background.
Select the application or process you want to end.
Click on End Task at the bottom right. Be cautious not to end critical system processes.

4. Disable Startup Programs (Optional)

Click on the Startup tab within Task Manager.
Right-click on any program listed that you don’t need running at startup and select Disable.
This will prevent these programs from running automatically when your computer starts.

5. Adjust Background Apps Settings (Optional)

Open Settings by pressing Windows + I.
Navigate to Privacy > Background apps.
Toggle off any apps you don’t need running in the background.

Instructions for Turning Off Background Applications on macOS1. Open Activity Monitor

Click on the Finder icon in the Dock.
Go to Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.

2. View Running Processes

In Activity Monitor, you’ll see a list of all active processes.
You can sort by CPU, Memory, or Energy to identify resource-heavy applications.

3. Quit Unnecessary Processes

To stop a process, click on the process you want to quit.
Click the X button in the top-left corner of the Activity Monitor window.
Select Quit to stop the process. If prompted, confirm that you want to quit the process.

4. Disable Startup Programs

Open System Preferences by clicking the Apple logo in the top-left corner and selecting System Preferences.
Go to Users & Groups.
Select your user account, then click on the Login Items tab.
Select the application(s) you don’t want to start automatically and click the minus (-) button.

5. Adjust Background App Settings (Optional)

Open System Preferences and go to Battery (for laptops) or Energy Saver (for desktops).
Uncheck any options that allow apps to run in the background, such as Enable Power Nap.

LSAT Inbox – September 17, 2025

2025-09-17

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.I would like to change my October 2025 LSAT to a future administration. Can I do this?If you need to change from the October test to a future administration through June 2026, you can do so until Thursday, October 2 at 11:59 p.m. ET, through JD Services (fees apply). You can learn more about test dates, deadlines, date changes, and score release dates on our website. Is my October 2025 LSAT scheduled with the information I provided during my registration? During your registration you were asked to provide your preference; this is used for planning purposes and does not schedule your test. Please be aware that registration and scheduling are two different processes. Once scheduling opens, you will need to schedule your test appointment, and that is when you will choose the modality, date, and time for your test. Scheduling for the October 2025 LSAT began on September 16, 2025. You may review more information about the October 2025 LSAT scheduling dates through October LSAT Scheduling.How do I schedule my test? What do I need to complete this process? You will need your eligibility number to schedule your test. Your eligibility number can be found directly in JD Services under LSAT/The LSAT/LSAT Status: View All LSAT Information. You may also review How to Schedule Your LSAT Testing Time for helpful steps during the scheduling process. How can I check if I purchased Score Preview for my current administration? Log in to JD Services and Navigate to LSAT/The LSAT/LSAT Status: View All LSAT Information. You can scroll down to see your LSAT Score Preview Status in the “Status” column on the far right. Please note that the "Not activated" notation does not mean that Score Preview has not been purchased. It means that scores have not been released yet for the LSAT administration for which you purchased Score Preview. Will Score Preview be removed if I withdraw my test? No, Score Preview will be automatically assigned to your next LSAT registration. Will I be able to see my score before the score release day if I purchase Score Preview? No, Score Preview does not allow candidates to see their score before the score release day. This service provides an option to review your score after it is released and gives you the opportunity to make a decision to keep it or cancel it within six (6) calendar days. How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, you can contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

LSAT Inbox – September 3, 2025

2025-09-03

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.How can I confirm I scheduled my test correctly?Please log into JD Services. Your scheduling details will be listed under My Status: View All LSAT Information. You will also receive a confirmation email from Prometric.I received an email with the final instructions for September 2025 LSAT. I am unable to find the LSAT option/tab in my account. The email stated I should see it in the left-hand menu of my account.You may not be in the correct account! Please make sure to log into your LawHub account, not JD Services. Make sure your browser is maximized to see the lefthand menu. If you’re registered for the September LSAT, the LSAT option will become available 24 hours before your testing session begins. Do I need an external webcam for my desktop?Yes, an external webcam is required for desktop computers even if your computer has a built-in camera. If you do not have a webcam for your desktop computer, you will not be able to complete a room scan and start your test. Can I access a system check before my test to ensure my device meets all system requirements?Yes, please visit the Prometric Candidate Portal to complete a system check of your device. Please be aware this system check tests your connection; however, you have to shut down your background applications and disable any firewalls. Your notifications must also be turned off. Please review the Remote LSAT Checklist for other helpful tips for your remote session.What identification is accepted to take the LSAT?To take the remote and in-person LSAT, you must present a physical, valid international passport or a physical, valid government-issued photo ID issued by the United States of America, U.S. Territories, or Canada. The ID must sufficiently authenticate your identity to your proctor and LSAC. Please review the Identification Accepted for LSAT Admission page on our website for more information. What do I need to bring to the testing center?Please bring your valid government-issued photo ID, your confirmation number, and your LawHub account username and password.If I’m testing at a test center, can I use my cell phone or leave the test center during the intermission?Your cell phone must be stored in the locker during the testing session and the intermission. You are prohibited from accessing your phone during any point of your test, including the intermission. Please do not leave the test center during the intermission as this is not permitted, and it may result in the cancellation of your score. What OS system is compatible with Prometric ProProctor live proctoring system? ProProctor live software is only compatible with Microsoft or macOS (excluding macOS Ventura and macOS Sequoia) on laptops or desktops. We strongly urge you to wait until after the test to install the macOS Sequoia upgrade as it is currently not supported by ProProctor application. You may also find an alternative device to take the LSAT remotely. We encourage you to complete a system check on the Prometric Candidate Portal to ensure your device and operating system meet the requirements.  How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, you can contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

Persistence in the First Year Is Fueled by Support Systems and Intrinsic Commitments

Elizabeth Bodamer — 2025-09-03

By Elizabeth BodamerThis post is part of a series related to The 2024 1L Class: Persistence in the First Year of Law School report.Straighten the spineSmile for the neighborsEverything's fine, everything's coolThe standard reply, "Lots of tests, lots of papers"Smile, wave goodbyeAnd pray to the sky, oh GodAnd what will my parents say? (Nina)Can I go in there and say (Nina)"I know that I'm letting you down"?NinaJust breathe“Breathe” Written by Lin-Manuel MirandaI saw Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical In the Heights in my first year of law school. Nina’s storyline resonated with me down to my core. In the musical, Nina returns home from college for the summer agonizing over how she will tell her family that she left school. Like her, the thought of leaving school is real for many law students. In fact, LSAC’s new research found that more than two out of five 1Ls think about leaving in their first year. The first year of law school is notoriously known as a challenging transitionary year academically, mentally, emotionally, and sometimes physically. I remember staring at my studio apartment wall the night before my big legal research and writing assignment was due, crying and asking myself, “Is law school for me? Can I really do this?” I was like the women of color in the LSAC survey who disproportionally thought about leaving law school in the first year at a rate 18% (or 8 percentage points) higher than all 1L respondents. In the end, I persisted and graduated from law school. But how?Law school attrition tracked by the American Bar Association is broadly categorized into either “academic” or “other.” These categories do not say much about what is happening to students in law school and how schools can intervene to improve retention, especially of racially and ethnically minoritized 1Ls who are overrepresented in academic attrition.[1] LSAC’s new “The 2024 1L Class: Persistence in the First Year of Law School” report sheds light on who, when, and why first year law students think about leaving and more importantly, why they persist. For students who thought about leaving law school in their first year, the research found that they persisted because:

they turned to their support networks outside of law school,
they are driven by the commitments they made to themselves, and
they are fueled by the deeply felt acknowledgment that it is a privilege to be in law school.

I persisted because I could not let my family, community, and myself down. I persisted because I had an opportunity that no one before in my family could have ever attained. I persisted because of my mentors and my friends. Self-reflection, relationships, and the powerful reality of being in law school are reasons that echo with many lawyers when reflecting on their journey through law school. These insights are critical for law schools to understand so they can leverage them when building or strengthening support systems for students and their intrinsically held motivation and beliefs. Improved support resources can cultivate a more effective learning environment and increase sense of belonging for students.[2] Contributing to the growing literature on belonging in legal education, this new research reveals that first year law students who thought about leaving law school report belonging uncertainty—wavering between feeling like they belong and do not belong—at a rate 24% higher than their peers who report never thinking about leaving law school. Using Law School Survey of Students Engagement (LSSSE ) data, research established that belonging is predictive of law school satisfaction and academic performance.[3] Therefore, focusing on factors that impact belonging, like student, faculty, and staff relationships, or experiences in law school are critical not just for academic performance in law school, but also retention.[4] The insights in this new report combined with research in belonging in law school speak directly to the question of how can institutions address the attrition disparity in the first year of law school. Dig Deeper Into This ResearchThe 2024 1L Class: Persistence in the First Year of Law School provides deeper insights into why first year law students persist despite academic pressures, financial pressures, and mental health stressors.View the Report Listen to the podcastTo learn more about the snapshot moments along the prelaw to law school journey, check out any of LSAC’s Applied Research reports.[1] The term “marginalized” refers to populations that historically have been excluded, disempowered, disenfranchised, or otherwise treated as being insignificant, unimportant, or peripheral. Marginalized can be used to describe various populations and is not synonymous with or limited to racially/ethnically underrepresented populations. This term is used interchangeably with minoritized in the report.[2] Refer to Deo, M. E. (2024). Building Belonging. Denv. L. Rev., 102, 771 to learn more about what schools can do to cultivate belonging.[3] To learn more, refer to Quintanilla, V. D., & Erman, S. (2020). Mindsets in legal education. Journal of Legal Education, 69(2), 412-444. [4] To learn more, refer to refer to Quintanilla, V. D., & Erman, S. (2020). Mindsets in legal education. Journal of Legal Education, 69(2), 412-444 and Bodamer, E. (2020). Do I belong here? Examining perceived experiences of bias, stereotype concerns, and sense of belonging in US law schools. Journal of Legal Education, 69(2), 455-490.

October LSAT Scheduling

2025-09-02

Due to the high volume of test takers for the October LSAT, and to minimize wait times in the scheduling queue, scheduling will be offered on a staggered schedule.You can find the time scheduling will open for your preferred test date and modality using the table below. Scheduling will open exclusively for in-person test centers on Tuesday, 9/16, and Wednesday, 9/17 (see specific times below). Scheduling will then open exclusively for remote testing on Thursday, 9/18, and Friday, 9/19, until 6 p.m. ET. Please note that when scheduling is dedicated to in-person testing, you will not be able to schedule for remote testing, and vice versa.All dates/times are listed in Eastern Time (ET).Your Preferred Test Date *In-Person / Test CenterSchedulingRemoteSchedulingOpensCloses (Temporary.)ReopensCloses (Final)OpensClosesFRI., 10/3Tue., 9/16, 3 p.m. ETThu., 9/1812 p.m. ETFri., 9/196 p.m. ETFri., 9/2611:59 p.m. ETThu., 9/18, 3 p.m. ETTue., 9/3011:59 p.m. ETSAT., 10/4 Tue., 9/16, 6 p.m. ETThu., 9/1812 p.m. ETFri., 9/196 p.m. ETFri., 9/2611:59 p.m. ETThu., 9/18, 6 p.m. ETTue., 9/3011:59 p.m. ETMON., 10/6 Wed., 9/17, 3 p.m. ETThu., 9/1812 p.m. ETFri., 9/196 p.m. ETFri., 9/2611:59 p.m. ETFri., 9/19, 3 p.m. ETTue., 9/3011:59 p.m. ETTUE., 10/7(International)Wed., 9/17, 5 a.m. ETThu., 9/1812 p.m. ETFri., 9/196 p.m. ETFri., 9/2611:59 p.m. ETFri., 9/19, 5 a.m. ETTue., 9/3011:59 p.m. ETTUE., 10/7(U.S./Canada)Wed., 9/17, 6 p.m. ETThu., 9/1812 p.m. ETFri., 9/196 p.m. ETFri., 9/2611:59 p.m. ETFri., 9/19, 6 p.m. ETTue., 9/3011:59 p.m. ET* Test takers with approved testing accommodations that include a pencil-and-paper format will receive scheduling instructions via email.This is important.

Do not try to schedule for a testing date until scheduling for that date opens. If you try to schedule for a date that is not yet open, you will wait in the queue but will not be able to schedule a time.
Once you have scheduled a testing time, no rescheduling changes can be made until Friday, September 19, starting at 6 p.m.

Questions?For questions or assistance with scheduling your LSAT, please contact Prometric:

U.S./Canada/LATAM: 1.800.350.5517
Asia: +60.3.2781.7762
EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa): +31.320.239.522

LSAT Inbox – August 20, 2025

2025-08-20

Welcome to the LSAT Inbox! This is a blog series that answers frequently asked questions about the LSAT®. We encourage you to check back often for answers to more questions you may have as you prepare for the test.I want to schedule for a specific test date and can’t do so. Can you help me?Scheduling is offered on a staggered schedule. If you’re scheduling for the September 2025 LSAT, consult the email sent to you on August 19. Ensure you are selecting a date and time that is available based on the staggered schedule. The scheduling windows are also available on our website. You may also review scheduling steps on our website for step-by-step assistance.Can LSAC open additional testing dates and times?No, the test dates and times for each LSAT administration have already been approved and finalized for the 2025-2026 testing year, which ends in June 2026. Please visit our website to view all the primary test days. Can LSAC assist with scheduling? I am unable to complete the steps.All scheduling must be completed directly with Prometric. If you’re having problems completing your scheduling process, contact Prometric at 1.800.350.5517 for assistance. If you have testing accommodations, contact Prometric at 1.800.967.1139 and use Option 4.Please make sure you are selecting a date and time that is available based on the staggered schedule. If you have approved accommodations that require a specific modality, you must schedule in that modality. You can begin this process directly from JD Services by following these steps:

Visit the LSAT status page of JD Services.
Follow the links to schedule within your eligible testing modality and window.
You will be redirected to Prometric’s ProScheduler tool.
Agree to Prometric’s Personal Data Privacy Disclosure & Consent form.
If you’re scheduling to take the LSAT in the online, remotely proctored environment, select your testing location time zone and preferred test date. If you’re scheduling to take the LSAT in person at a Prometric test center, enter your physical address and preferred test date.
Select your desired appointment time, validate your demographics, and confirm your appointment.
You will receive a confirmation email. Additionally, you can confirm the details of your testing appointment on the LSAT status page of JD Services. (Please note: Your testing appointment may not appear in JD Services immediately.)

If you see a message that there is no availability, please make sure the test date and modality is available for scheduling.How can LawHub help me prepare for the LSAT?The LSAT is administered through LawHub. When you practice with official LawHub resources, you’re preparing for test day using the authentic test interface. All of LawHub’s Official PrepTests are created from official LSAT test forms that were previously administered. Drill sets focusing on specific types of Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning questions are now available for free on LawHub. Test takers receive personalized reports on their practice set performance, helping them to identify areas for improvement and providing the most relevant instructional materials for those areas.How do I access Official PrepTests?You can access Official PrepTests by logging in to LawHub and using the navigation menu on the left-hand side.How can I view and print my PrepTest Score Report?You can view and print your PrepTest score report by following these simple steps:

After signing into JD Services, click on the PrepTest for the report you would like to view.
Click on View History.
Click on the Report Tab.

You will then be able to view the report with an overview of each section. If you choose to print the report, click on the Print Report (PDF) tab. Your score report will open in a new window as a printable PDF document.How can I contact LSAC if I have additional questions?If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, you can contact us using our “Chat” feature by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner of the LSAT pages on our website, via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org, or by phone at 1.800.336.3982.

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Law School Enrollment Strategy in a Slowing Job Market

LSAT Inbox - April 2026 LSAT Prep and General Information

Learning Outcomes Are a Promise

April LSAT Scheduling

What 200 Prelaw Advisors Taught Us About Their Profession

Complying with ABA Standards 315 and 204: Questions and Answers

LSAT Inbox: LSAT–Puerto Rico 2026

Collaboration with Phi Alpha Delta Helps Further LSAC’s Mission

Evolving How We Deliver the LSAT to Increase Test Security and Test Taker Success

LSAT Inbox – General LSAT Prep

NALP: Accelerating Recruiting Trends Amidst Market Slowdown

Doing Good with Law: VIISTA As a Path for Immigration and Public Interest Lawyers

LSAT Inbox – February 2026 LSAT Scheduling

February LSAT Scheduling

Who Do You Turn to for Help? It Depends

LSAT Inbox – January 2026 LSAT Test Day and Troubleshooting

The Hook: Time Spent Fine-Tuning the Personal Statement

From Application to Graduation: What LSAC and LSSSE Data Reveal About Students With Disabilities

Beyond the Numbers: Forum Attendance Highlights Value of In-Person Connections

LSAT Inbox — Test Day Prep

What Can We Learn from the ABA’s Draft Template for a Standard 315 Report?

LSAT Update – December 5

2024-25 Applicants: What Motivates Them? How Do They Decide?

LSAT Inbox — January 2026 LSAT

January LSAT Scheduling

LSAT Inbox — November 19, 2025

LSAT Inbox – November 5, 2025

American History Reflected in U.S. Law School Graduate Employment Outcomes

“I Want to Be the Good.” Introducing the 2024-25 LSAT Test Taker Voices About Motivation, Plans, and Financial Feasibility

JD Portability: One Reason Why ABA Accreditation Probably Isn’t Going Anywhere

LSAT Inbox – October 15, 2025

Too Soon for Predictions, but the 2026 Admission Cycle Is Starting Strong

The October Moment: Understanding and Building Belonging in Law School

The Belonging Imperative in Legal Education

November LSAT Scheduling

LSAT Inbox – October 1, 2025

LSAT Update – September 18, 2025

LSAT Inbox – September 17, 2025

LSAT Inbox – September 3, 2025

Persistence in the First Year Is Fueled by Support Systems and Intrinsic Commitments

October LSAT Scheduling

LSAT Inbox – August 20, 2025

LSAT Inbox – LSAT Argumentative Writing and LSAT Deadlines

2025 1L Class Was Largest in Recent Years, but First-Gen College Grad Representation Declines Again

Evolving How We Deliver the LSAT to Increase Test Security and Test Taker Success

Who Do You Turn to for Help? It Depends