How long should your LSAT writing sample be?
Asked by: Emie Cormier | Last update: December 6, 2025Score: 4.8/5 (47 votes)
How long should my LSAT writing sample be? While there's no strict word limit, most responses are between 300-500 words, so 1-2 pages long. Your LSAT writing sample should be as longs as necessary to present a clear and persuasive argument in response to the prompt, typically spanning a few well-organized paragraphs.
How long is a LSAT writing sample?
While your writing sample has no word limit, you should aim to be as clear and concise as possible. Most writing samples on the LSAT are between two and four paragraphs long. Ensure you prioritize quality over quantity.
How long should a writing sample be in law?
The legal writing sample is an integral part of the hiring process for lawyers. Here are tips for preparing the best sample of your legal writing skills. The writing sample should be five to ten pages in length, unless otherwise indicated by a particular employer.
How many paragraphs should the LSAT writing be?
Your outline should include your introduction paragraph, at least three body paragraphs, and your conclusion paragraph. The introduction paragraph should include a clear thesis statement. Each paragraph should have a clear main topic with 2-3 supporting details or examples.
Do law schools look at your LSAT writing sample?
To a busy admissions officer, your LSAT writing sample is worth little more than a glance. It will go unnoticed unless it is so incoherent, inappropriate or incompetent that it casts doubt on the authenticity of your application or your suitability for law school.
What is LSAT Argumentative Writing? | How To Complete the LSAT Writing Sample
What should a law school writing sample look like?
Examples could include: moot court brief; upper year seminar paper or research project; memo, letter, administrative comments, or advocacy piece from an internship or externship; clinic work sample; or journal note. o Remember that your sample should (usually!) be only 5-10 pages.
Can I see my LSAT score without writing sample?
Test takers must have a complete writing sample in their file in order to see their score or have their score released to schools.
How long should each LSAT passage take?
You will have a total of 35 minutes to read the four passages and answer the questions about them. That works about to about 8-9 minutes per passage, for both reading and answering the questions.
Does the writing portion of the LSAT affect your score?
LSAT Argumentative Writing samples are not scored, but LSAT Argumentative Writing is a required part of the LSAT. Your LSAT score cannot be released to law schools if you do not have a completed and approved LSAT Argumentative Writing sample on file (or an LSAT Writing sample from a previous test administration).
What is the new format for the LSAT writing?
Candidates will now be presented with a debatable issue accompanied by multiple perspectives. They will have 15 minutes to review these viewpoints and 35 minutes to craft an argumentative essay, stating their position while addressing the strengths and weaknesses of the contrasting arguments.
What is a good length for a writing sample?
Writing samples should be five to ten double-spaced pages in length, excluding any cover page. A cover page (see example below) explaining the assignment is always recommended rather than providing the entirety of an assignment that is longer than 10 pages.
What if my writing sample is too long?
If you want to use a paper that is longer than five pages, provide an excerpt with a notation at the top that tells the employer that it is an excerpt from a _(number)-page paper on ___(topic)___ and where in the paper this excerpt is from.
How long is a legal sample?
Unless an employer specifies a page limit, five to ten pages is an appropriate length. If your potential sample is too long, you may excerpt a part - the Discussion section of an office memo, for example.
Can I take the LSAT writing in my bedroom?
You can take LSAT Argumentative Writing at home, or in another quiet, well-lit, private space. and supervised by Meazure Learning (ProctorU). This portion of the LSAT can be taken on-demand and is only administered online using secure proctoring software that you'll install on your computer.
Do I need to redo LSAT writing?
If you have already completed an LSAT Writing or LSAT Argumentative Writing sample, you do not need to complete LSAT Argumentative Writing again. However, if you would like to retake LSAT Argumentative Writing as well, please contact LSAC's Candidate Services team at LSACinfo@LSAC.org or 1.800. 336.3982.
Does Khan Academy have LSAT prep?
Preparing for the LSAT? Khan Academy's free video and article lessons are here to help you hone your critical thinking skills and perform your best on Test Day. Want to become a lawyer who can change the world? You've come to the right place!
Does LSAT outweigh GPA?
Yes, many schools with holistic admissions prioritize LSAT scores and other qualities over strictly GPA. Check individual schools for their approach.
How many points can you miss on the LSAT?
So, you don't have to be perfect to do well. Every LSAT throughout the year is different, but on a typical LSAT, can still get around 18–19 questions wrong and still end up in the 160s—or about 12 wrong and get a 166, a 90th percentile score. Even a perfect score of 180 often allows for a question or two to be missed.
Do law schools actually look at LSAT writing?
LSAT Writing is not scored. Your writing sample is sent along with your application to the law schools you've chosen, but no score or evaluation is attached. The essay is a supplemental tool that law schools use to evaluate your candidacy if they so choose. A few schools may never look at it, but most do.
Does taking the LSAT 3 times look bad?
Additionally, if you take the LSAT more than three times, or if you have a significant difference in scores (typically more than five points), an admissions committee will want to see an addendum explaining why you kept taking the exam, or explaining the reason for the higher score—essentially, to explain why the high ...
What is the hardest portion of the LSAT?
Analytical Reasoning
You'll need various skills to do well here. You'll have to figure out relationships between complex concepts and apply logic even when things seem unclear. The situations presented can be ambiguous and complex, making this section notorious among LSAT takers.
How many questions wrong is a 170 LSAT?
How many questions can be answered incorrectly for a score of 170? The most questions you can answer wrong on the LSAT if your objective is to achieve a score of 170 is 11. You should achieve your goal score of 170 by correctly answering 90 out of the 101 questions.
What LSAT score did Elle Woods get?
When she applied to this school, she had a 4.0 GPA with a 179 on the LSAT, the two most important things when applying to law school. The average LSAT score for students applying to Harvard is 174, meaning she got above the average.
How many questions can you miss on LSAT to get 160?
You don't have to be perfect to do well on the LSAT. On a typical LSAT, you can still get around 18–19 questions wrong and still end up in the 160s—or around 10–12 wrong and get a 167, which is a 90th percentile score. Even a perfect score of 180 often allows you to miss a question or two.
How many people get a 180 on the LSAT?
The LSAT is scored on a bell curve, ranging from 120 to 180. On recent tests, the hump of the curve has centered around 153. Percentiles vary slightly between tests, but generally around 25% of test-takers score 160 or higher, 5% score 170 or higher, and 1% score 175 or higher. Only one in 1,000 test-takers scores 180.