Using LSAT Scores for Admissions

5 Reasons why Law Schools Use LSAT Scores

The LSAT refers to the Law School Admission Test and it is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) to gauge the ability, suitability and knowledge of an applicant aiming for law school education. This test is conducted mainly for the law schools in the United States and Canada but it has an increasing demand in other English speaking countries also. It can be confidently stated therefore, that LSAT is a global test for all law school candidates and entering into law schools worldwide are directed by the scores of this test.

Following are five primary reasons why law schools prefer the LSAT:

1. The LSAT scores are relative scores:

The scores of this test are expressed in an average which is derived through comparing the scores of all the candidates who have taken the test. The averages range between 120 and 180. For example, if your score is 165 then it implies that your average score in comparison to the others' scores is 165. This is not the actual or total score of your test. Many other candidates may have the same average as yours. Now, the answer to the question of why the law schools of the world would prefer these scores over others is that, through these comparative scores they can determine the position of a candidate with respect to his/her counterparts and that would help them select the best of the lot. From the relative scores of the test, high rankers get the first preference.

2. Reflection of future performance:

A lot of recent studies show that the results of LSAT are a strong indication of the ability of the student and therefore reflect his/her future performance in law school. These scores not only affect the admission possibilities of the candidate but also make a framework of his/her future in law school. The official website of the LSAT (www.lsac.org) has a few of these reports that state that many inferences about a student's future performance, mainly in his/her initial phase in law school, are made from their performance in LSAT. A good performer ends up being a good law student and vice-versa; therefore through the scores getting through law schools not only becomes easier for you, the future foundation of your performance in these schools is set.

3. Skill-set determination:

The LSAT has three sections. All of these sections aim at evaluating the skills required for a successful law school student. The first section evaluates how well the student can read and gauge the details of what he/she is reading, in a short span of time. The second section evaluates how well a student can decipher the material and draw conclusions from it. It also measures the ability to map the links between one statement and another. The third section evaluates the ability of a student to draw logical inferences. It gives an idea about how well the student can finish the statements and respond to the connected questions after in-depth understanding of the statements. Good performance in LSAT proves that you are suitably skilled for law schools against other tests that only reflect your general capacities. Therefore, law schools prefer prioritizing this test for admissions.

4. LSAT scores are fairly non-controversial...

The law school test is conducted worldwide. People from all walks of life take this exam to determine their acceptability to law schools. If their individual results from various tests were to be considered for admissions, then the comparison would be biased. For example, you may have only completed graduation in India while another candidate from the U.S. may be a high school student. If both of you were to apply for admissions to law schools, then the school will be unable to rank your abilities based on any equal parameter. Your graduation marks have no correlation whatsoever with the achievements of the other candidate in high school. To remove this irregularity of qualifications of different candidates, the LSAT was devised and due to primary consideration, the scores of the entrance exam to law schools can be impartial and non controversial.

5. To help students apply to many schools at a time:

The Law School Admission Council is a body that undertakes the LSAT. Most law schools come under this council. To help students apply to various schools without appearing for separate entrance tests for each of them, the LSAC devised a common law school eligibility test and higher priority to LSAT are a norm with most of the popular schools encouraging a student to apply for as many schools as he/she can and increase his/her chances of studying in law schools.