LSAT Accommodations 101

Disability accommodations and the Law School Admissions Test

Many students find elleSAT because traditional LSAT tutoring programs, classes, and advice are designed for neurotypical students. We’ve always prided ourselves on providing accessible, inclusive tutoring services. This mission has helped disabled students find us. We don’t keep track, but we are pretty sure that 50% of our students at any given time have a disability or qualify for accommodations due to a temporary medical condition (yes - you can get accommodations for pregnancy!).

Other tutoring companies reject tutors who received accommodations on the LSAT. At elleSAT, we are proud to give students the opportunity to work with disabled tutors who have succeeded on this exam through persistence, hard work, and self-advocacy. We pride ourselves on providing advice and strategy to students receiving extended time and other accommodations. If you are an accommodated test-taker, or have questions about whether you qualify for accommodations, we are here to help: we provide accommodations information on our blog and Instagram and offer free accommodations consultations to discuss your needs.

Below, please find information about disability accommodations on the Law School Admissions Test.

The LSAT is traditionally administered as a series of strictly proctored 35-minute sections students sit in place and silently look at a screen for the duration of the exam. This consistency puts the “standardized” in “standardized testing.” However, the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) offers accommodations to students with accessibility needs, and we hope to simplify the process of obtaining the right accommodations.

The following are just a few accommodations offered by LSAC:

  • Extended time

  • Extended breaks

  • Stop-the-clock breaks

  • UEB (Braille)

  • Screen readers

  • Amanuensis assistance (scribing)

  • Paper tests

  • Larger font size

  • Standing, pacing, leaving camera view

  • Permission to speak aloud

  • Private or distraction-reduced room (not applicable during LSAT-Flex)

  • Permission to eat and drink

  • Medications including insulin injections

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but other accommodations follow the same basic guidelines: they provide extra resources to students with sensory, processing, or physical differences so that they are measured fairly against neurotypical and physically able test-takers.  

ADHD is the most commonly-cited cause for accommodations, and the most frequently granted accommodation is time-and-a-half (53 minutes per section). However, a number of conditions can warrant accommodations, and LSAC approves thousands of applications each year. There is no list of diagnoses that are automatically granted accommodations. Cases are reviewed individually, and LSAC attempts to approve or deny your request within 14 business days.  

This is probably where you’re wondering how you get accommodations. First, register for an LSAT. If this is your first time taking a standardized test with accommodations, you’ll need to fill out the following forms. All forms must be typed. 

  • Candidate Form: This is where you tell LSAC who you are and which accommodations you need. You are most likely to be successful if your requests align with your doctor’s recommendations.

  • Evidence of Disability: Get your paperwork in order. You will need a diagnosis or statement from a qualified professional. According to LSAC, “a qualified professional is a person who is licensed or otherwise properly credentialed and possesses expertise in the disability for which modifications or accommodations are sought.” This doesn’t need to be a specialist; your general practitioner is perfectly able to diagnose you with anxiety, for example.

    • Prior documentation of disability: The first and best way you can establish evidence of your additional needs is prior documentation. For mental and cognitive issues, the diagnosis must be fewer than 5 years old. For other disabilities, the documentation must be dated after your 13th birthday.

    • Current evidence of disability: If you don’t have a prior diagnosis or any history of test-taking accommodations, you’ll need a qualified professional to fill out the second page of the Evidence of Disability form for you. They will help explain your needs, perhaps including why you do not have any prior documentation. If you broke your writing wrist a month before your LSAT, this is the section to have your doctor fill out.

    • Accommodation(s) recommended: Have your qualified professional fill out page three of the Evidence of Disability form, where they will recommend that LSAC allow you specific accommodations.

  • Statement of Need: Here, both you and your qualified professional must provide written statements regarding your needs. Consider this the personal statement version of the Evidence of Disability form. 

If you have taken other major standardized tests (namely, the SAT, ACT, GED, GRE, GMAT, DAT, and/or MCAT) with accommodations before, you are guaranteed equivalent accommodations when taking the LSAT. You are only required to submit the Candidate Form and written verification of your prior accommodations from the organization that administered the prior test.

You must submit all forms and documentation through LSAC before the registration deadline for your test administration. You will find this under LSAT > Request Accommodations when you’re logged into LSAC.org. In an ideal world, you should submit the documentation at least a month before the registration deadline to allow for administrative delays and other bureaucratic hiccups. You will also need to know which category your request falls under. The categories are as follows:

  • Category 1: accommodations that do not request extra time.

    • Example 1: you are diabetic and have requested permission to measure your blood sugar, take insulin, and have a snack during the test administration.

    • Example 2: you have a congenital hand deformity and wish to dictate your answers to a scribe.

  • Category 2: accommodations that request up to 50% extended time for sighted people or up to 100% extra time for visually impaired people.

    • Example 1: you have ADHD and have requested time-and-a-half (53-minute sections) and bathroom breaks.

    • Example 2: you are visually impaired and have requested a Braille paper test and a scribe for transcription. The usual speed of this process means you have requested 100% extra time (70-minute sections).

  • Category 3: accommodations that request over 50% extended time for sighted people or over 100% extra time for visually impaired people.

    • Example 1: due to frequent panic attacks and dissociation, you require extra time to process each section and have requested 100% extra time (70-minute sections).

    • Example 2: you are visually impaired and are requesting a screen reader for the exam. Due to your ADHD, you often replay passages to fully understand their content, and have therefore requested 150% extra time (88-minute sections).

Getting accommodations is a multi-step process that can be extremely overwhelming, especially if your disability interferes with your ability to jump through all the administrative hoops. If you have any questions, reach out to us at contact@ellesat.com, and we can connect you with a tutor who is knowledgeable about the accommodations process!