Is the LSAT writing sample timed?
Asked by: Dr. Hertha Wilkinson Sr. | Last update: September 6, 2025Score: 4.7/5 (60 votes)
Under standard testing conditions, you will have 50 minutes to complete your LSAT Argumentative Writing sample — 15 minutes for prewriting analysis and 35 minutes for essay writing. If you complete your essay before the time limit, make sure to click Submit.
Is the LSAT writing portion timed?
Most test takers will have a total of 50 minutes — 15 minutes for prewriting analysis and 35 minutes for essay writing. If you do not have a writing sample on file, we encourage you to complete LSAT Argumentative Writing as soon as you can.
How does the LSAT writing sample work?
The LSAT writing sample is not scored and does not affect your overall LSAT writing score. However, it is still considered an integral part of the admissions process as it provides a window into your aptitude for a career as a lawyer.
Is the LSAT writing sample proctored?
Likewise, the LSAT Argumentative Writing section has now replaced the LSAT Writing section. This shift is not radical. The section is still required, taken online separately from the LSAT, with a remote proctor.
Can you retake the LSAT writing sample?
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.
All About LSAT's New Writing Portion with LSAT Logic Pro (2024) | Break Into Law School®
Is the LSAT going away in 2025?
The ABA's House of Delegates will vote on the Council's proposed change in February 2023. If the House votes to nix Standard 503, the standardized-test requirement won't go away until 2025. So, the LSAT isn't definitely going away, and it's definitely not going away until 2025.
Should I retake LSAT writing on Reddit?
No. Per the LSAC website: "Candidates are only required to have one writing sample on file for their LSAT to be considered complete.
Is cheating on the LSAT illegal?
The Law School Admission Council has established procedures for dealing with instances of possible candidate misconduct or irregularities on the LSAT or in the law school admission process. Misconduct or irregularity in the admission process is a serious offense with serious consequences.
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 you get scratch paper on LSAT writing?
Scratch paper and writing utensils are not permitted during the LSAT Argumentative Writing exam. They do, however, provide you with a digital note-taking section available within the LSAT Writing module. You can use this to digitally type rough notes and an outline during the pre-writing time.
How much should I study for LSAT writing?
While it shouldn't be the main focus of your study time, devoting an hour or so a week to this will pay off. Use the 5% rule. If your current LSAT study schedule is 20 hours a week, spend maybe one hour of that time on the writing section. If you're only studying 10 hours a week, spend about half an hour on writing.
What does an LSAT writing prompt look like?
The LSAT Writing prompt will always center on a debatable issue. You'll be provided with a Key Question that highlights this issue, along with different perspectives that offer various claims and arguments within the debate. Your task is to write an argumentative essay taking a clear position on the issue.
How many times can I take the LSAT?
How many times may I take the LSAT? Five times within the current reportable score period (i.e., since June 2019). A total of seven times over a lifetime.
How many hours of LSAT prep a day?
The second tip is to aim for 250–300 hours of LSAT preparation. They say that 20 hours per week over a three-month period is a great goal for most students. Ben and Nathan both respond that 20 hours per week is too much—that's 3 hours per day, every day of the week, with no days off for three months.
Are there breaks as needed for the LSAT?
Breaks are available as accommodations on the LSAT. If breaks are approved as an accommodation (for any reason), they may be used to leave the camera view and go to the restroom. Scratch paper or other materials must remain on the desk and test takers are not permitted to work on the test during breaks.
What items are prohibited on the LSAT?
Devices that cannot be in the room during the LSAT include timers of any kind, watches of any kind, electronic cigarettes, fitness-tracking devices, beepers, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), calculators, cameras, recording devices, listening devices (including, but not limited to, headphones, ear buds, air ...
How long should my LSAT writing sample be?
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.
Is it better to take the LSAT remote or in person?
For most people, taking the LSAT at home is more convenient than driving to a test center. Ask anyone who had to take the LSAT before 2020 whether driving to a testing center and a lengthy check-in process contributed to their test-day stress. The at-home test eliminates these annoyances.
Can you wear headphones while taking the LSAT?
Don't use your own wired or wireless headsets or earbuds.
In-person LSAT test takers will be assigned noise-reducing earmuffs as part of their equipment and materials. In-person test takers can only use the earmuffs assigned to them.
How rare is a 160 on the LSAT?
A student scoring a 180 is in the 99.9 percentile because the student scored better than 99.9% of test-takers. A student scoring a 160 is in the 74.8 percentile because the student scored better than 74.8% of test-takers. You can hover over the blue outline to see a tooltip for all each LSAT/percentile combinations.
How bad is a 145 on the LSAT?
A 144-145 is generally considered to be the lowest acceptable score to attend law school. The median LSAT score is around 151-152, so 144-145 is significantly lower than this. As such, the majority of law schools will not accept scores below this.
How rare is 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.
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 serious is LSAT writing?
LSAT writing samples are rarely used to evaluate law school candidates, so no matter how well or poorly you did, this exercise will most likely not affect your admissions chances.
Does LSAT matter more than GPA?
The Importance of the LSAT to Law School Applications
In general terms, it can be said that law schools value LSAT scores more than they do undergraduate GPA, but whether or not this statement applies to a given institution and how by much depends on the school.