The LSAT Will Be Online Through April

From LSAC:

Important announcement: All January, February, and April 2021 LSAT administrations will be moving to the online, remotely proctored LSAT-Flex format. More info here. ...

As you know, the LSAT-Flex gives candidates the opportunity to earn an LSAT score and continue their law school journeys despite COVID-19 restrictions on travel or public gatherings. Over the past six months, we have taken an incremental approach to canceling the in-person LSATs one by one and replacing them with LSAT-Flex administrations, based on public health guidance. Given the ongoing disruption and uncertainty over how the COVID-19 situation will evolve, and feedback from candidates, we want to provide clarity for the next six months, so that everyone can plan accordingly.

The January, February, and April 2021 LSAT-Flex administrations will begin on the same date as the previously announced in-person tests, with scores released less than three weeks later.

As with previous administrations of the LSAT-Flex, LSAC is working to help every test taker in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and Canada have the equipment and other resources they need to take the online, remotely proctored exam and do their best work. For the first five administrations of the LSAT-Flex, we have shipped more than 1,500 free loaner devices to candidates who did not have a computer to take the online test, and guaranteed hotel reimbursements to hundreds more who needed reliable internet or a quiet place to test. We are committed to ensuring that COVID-19 does not create new barriers for students who want to pursue legal education.

To date, nearly 79,000 LSAT-Flex tests have been successfully delivered, and we expect another 30,000 candidates to take the November LSAT-Flex during the week of November 7. We will continue to do everything we can to help candidates and schools overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 emergency. 

As you know, in response to requests from test takers, we’ve created a new score preview option for first-time test takers who wish to see their score before deciding whether or not to keep it. First-time test takers who have an approved LSAT fee waiver will receive score preview free of charge. You can learn more about the score preview option here.

From Jeff Thomas, executive director of legal programs, Kaplan:

Given the current trajectory of COVID-19 cases, it seems more than likely that the pandemic will continue to impact our lives for the foreseeable future. The Law School Admission Council’s decision to extend administrations of the LSAT-Flex through April 2021 adds a degree of certainty to an unprecedented admissions cycle and that’s good news for pre-law students who were wondering about which version of the test they would have to take. While the LSAT-Flex and regular LSAT are relatively similar in content and format, the LSAT-Flex is significantly shorter, so knowing exactly what you will face months in advance should have a calming effect on test takers. Additionally, law schools are telling us that test takers who take the LSAT-Flex—the only version of the exam being offered since May—will be at no admissions disadvantage compared to those who submit scores from the regular LSAT. Just prepare for the exam, get a great score to accompany a strong application, and that will go a long way in helping you get into your top choices.