LSAT Update – July 17, 2024
Welcome to the LSAT Update, your source for the latest news you can use about the LSAT!
August Scheduling Opens July 23
August LSAT test takers will begin to schedule their sessions on July 23, except for test takers who have an approved accommodation for a pencil-and-paper format, who will start their scheduling process on July 22 at 12 noon ET.
Due to a high volume of test takers, and to minimize wait times, scheduling for the August 2024 LSAT will again be offered on a staggered schedule starting Tuesday, July 23 at 3 p.m. ET.
July 23 and July 24 are designated as “center-only” scheduling days. On these days, those who wish to test in a test center will find their desired day’s opening in the Prometric ProScheduler tool. Scheduling for those interested in remote testing will not be available on these two dates.
July 25 and July 26 are designated as “remote-only” scheduling days. On these days, individuals who wish to test remotely will find their desired day’s opening. Scheduling for in-person testing will be closed during these two days of “remote-only” scheduling.
Test takers will be able to reschedule once an initial appointment has been made, but not before Friday, July 26 at 6 p.m. ET. On that date and time, test takers who were not able to schedule, or want to change their appointment, will be able to do so for both modalities and all test dates.
If you want to test in person at a test center, please note that scheduling for in-person testing will close on Wednesday, July 31 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Scheduling for remote testing will close on Sunday, August 4 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
To experience shorter wait times in the queue, we urge you to plan your test date and time before accessing Prometric’s ProScheduler tool and follow the instructions closely to schedule your test.
Get Ready for LSAT Argumentative Writing!
As noted in our previous installment of this blog, LSAT Argumentative Writing will replace the LSAT Writing prompt that has been part of the LSAT since 1982.
LSAT Argumentative Writing for the August LSAT opens on July 30. For the 2024-2025 testing cycle, LSAT Argumentative Writing will remain an unscored section of the LSAT and will be administered exclusively in an online proctored, on-demand environment using secure proctoring software that is installed on the test taker’s computer. Remember that you must have an approved writing sample on file to get your score when those are released.
This new approach to the writing assessment aims to assess a test taker’s ability to construct a cogent argument based on a variety of evidentiary sources. Test takers will be presented with a debatable issue, along with three or four perspectives that provide additional context for the issue. These perspectives, each of which is conveyed in a few sentences, are representative of a system of beliefs or values. Together, the perspectives illustrate competing ideologies and arguments around a particular issue. The test taker will then draft an argumentative essay in which they take a position on the issue, while addressing some of the arguments and ideas presented by the other perspectives.
As a result of the transition to LSAT Argumentative Writing, after July 30, test takers with a completed writing sample will no longer have access to a PDF copy of their essay through their LSAC JD Account. This is true both for LSAT Writing samples completed prior to July 30 and for LSAT Argumentative Writing samples completed on or after that date. If you expect to have a completed writing sample on file before July 30, and want to download a copy for your records, we urge you to do so prior to this date.
Essays completed both before and after July 30 will continue to be part of your LSAC record, just as they are now, and will still be submitted to law schools as part of your application.