June 2018 Update: With LSAC adding testing centers for the July and September 2018 LSATs, we thought we’d update our guide to LSAC’s test centers. Below, we have every information on every test center within a 40 mile radius of the locations where we hold our classroom courses.
The LSAT is supposed to be the great equalizer for law school applicants. It’s tough for admissions officers to compare a mechanical engineering major at MIT with a 3.6 GPA to a communications major with a 4.2 GPA at Central Nowhere University. But everyone, allegedly, takes the same LSAT. So it’s theoretically fair to compare someone who got a 160 to someone who got a 152. The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) takes great care to “equate” each LSAT, to ensure that, for example, a 160 on one LSAT administration means the same thing as a 160 on a different LSAT administration. So everyone takes the same LSAT, no matter which administration you take or where you take the exam.
But we know that not everyone takes the same LSAT. There are certain factors, generally outside of LSAC’s control, that can affect your LSAT experience. Chief among these factors is the testing center itself. Testing centers vary significantly in the size of your desk, the noise in your room, the zeal of your proctors, and many other factors. Some testing locations will give you, if not a great experience, at least as good an experience as can reasonably be expected. Some testing locations will leave you frustrated, irate, or even apoplectic.
So we want to help you out. You’re working so hard to improve your LSAT score, it would be a shame to have that not be reflected in your actual LSAT score, just because you were forced to work at a tiny desk, or there was construction outside the building, or because the proctors couldn’t keep their mouths shut when they were supposed to. We’ve done some sleuthing, and we’ve found as much information as we could for the testing centers where we offer our classroom courses.
We’ve also assigned a rating to each testing center. You can probably figure it out, but just in case, here’s the very complicated rating system we developed:
🙂 🙂 🙂 = Reports are uniformly positive; sign up ASAP, before this testing center fills up
🙂 = Reports are generally positive; you’ll probably have a fine time taking the LSAT here
¯_(ツ)_/¯ = We don’t have enough information to make a recommendation
🙁 = Reports are generally negative, or there’s such a major drawback to this location that you should think twice before signing up here
🙁 🙁 🙁 = Reports are uniformly negative; don’t take the LSAT here unless you absolutely have to
Jump directly to the location of your choice using the following links:
Arizona: Phoenix
California: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Fullerton, Los Angeles, Northridge, Pasadena, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco
District of Columbia: Washington, D.C.
Florida: Miami
Illinois: Chicago
Massachusetts: Boston
New York: Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Queens
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia
Washington: Seattle
ARIZONA
PHOENIX
Gateway Community College (Phoenix, Arizona)
Used for: February, June, September, and December
Notes: The rooms are big — over a 100 per room — but it sounds like the proctors do a good job of keeping things quiet and orderly. You’ll have just enough room on your desk — you’ll be sharing the desk with two other test takers — but the chairs are comfortable. Blessedly, they keep the AC flowing to battle that AZ heat. The parking is free and nearby.
Rating: 🙂
Arizona Summit Law School (Phoenix, Arizona)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: They’re weren’t kidding when they called this the Arizona Summit. They take you all the way up to the 17th and 18th floors of the building to take this exam. On the plus side, there won’t be any street noise. On the other hand, you’ll kind of be stuck up there for your break, so bring your own snack. Also, it sounds like they go hard with the AC, so bring a light sweater. There will be 25 students per room, the proctors will be way overqualified (admissions counselors and even the assistant dean have been known to proctor), and the chairs will be comfortable enough. You should be aware that you’ll be in downtown Phoenix, so finding the place and parking will be difficult. We recommend taking a practice run to the testing center before the exam.
Rating: 🙂
Arizona State University (Tempe, Arizona)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: One of the few large universities we can recommend. Instead of those tiny folding desks, you’ll get a long table and plenty of space. Instead of the typical, barely-padded, semi-torturous lecture hall chairs, the chairs are reportedly comfortable. Instead of the usual loud and raucous crowd, sounds like testing conditions are pretty quiet. Honestly, we’re a bit disappointed. We thought the Sun Devils partied harder than this. We expected impish co-eds to disrupt all corners of the campus, not leave a quiet and orderly testing center for aspiring lawyers. Reports indicate that parking is free on Saturdays at a few places on campus, so do some pre-exam research.
Rating: 🙂
Southwest College of Natropathic Medicine (Tempe, Arizona)
Offered in: September and December
Notes: We couldn’t find much on this testing center. We did learn that there’s enough of a market for “natropathic” medicine in Tempe to support an entire college, for what that’s worth.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Marriott Phoenix Airport (Phoenix, Arizona)
Offered in: July 2018
Notes: This is a new test center for the brand new July 2018 LSAT, but will stick to our old disclaimer about hotels: they’re risky. While hotels are pretty good at providing desk space, they can be really bad at keeping things quiet for test takers.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
CALIFORNIA
BERKELEY
Berkeley City College (Berkeley, California)
Offered in: July and September 2018
Notes: Not a lot of information on Berkeley City College, but it looks to appear to have modern facilities, which bode well for favorable test conditions.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Alameda County Training & Education Center (Oakland, California)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Seems like this is a new test center, but photos on Yelp suggest that the rooms will be small and the desks will be big. Looks like parking is off-site and a little expensive though.
Rating: 🙂
California Ballroom/Conference Center (Oakland, California)
Offered in: July 2018
Notes: Most conference and convention centers are nonstarter s– the massive amount of test takers these locations handle means the exams there can start hours after the check-in time. But apparently if the conference center is also a fancy ballroom, things can work in a more orderly fashion. Reviews are generally positive for this Oakland ballroom, where the proctors keep things moving on time and in step. Test takers also enjoy plenty desk space and the room is kept pretty quiet.
Rating: 🙂
Samuel Merritt University-Health Education Center (Oakland, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Despite being used for every LSAT administration, there’s not a lot of info regarding Samuel Merritt U on the internet. It is the largest source of nurses in the East Bay, so if you fall ill during the exam, you’ll have hundreds of nurses in training to help you out.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
College of Alameda (Alameda, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: You’ll be in a room with somewhere between 25 and 50 students, but you’ll have plenty of desk space — enough to spread out and really dig into the LSAT. The lighting is good, but the room will be a little cold — East Bay legend Mac Dre warned you about that, though. It sounds like the proctors can be a little capricious with how they follow LSAC policy, but as long as you follow the day of the test rules, you’ll be fine. Unfortunately, parking is $5 to $10.
Rating: 🙂
John F. Kennedy University School of Law (Pleasant Hill, California)
Offered in: February, June, and September
Notes: Mostly good, but somewhat dependent on the room you get put into. You could be put into a very small room and be given more than enough desk space. Or you could be put into a slightly larger room with just enough desk space. But the chairs are generally comfortable, the rooms are generally quiet, and the proctors are generally fair and orderly. Parking is generally free and easy to come by as well.
Rating: 🙂
Marriott Walnut Creek (Walnut Creek, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: No info on this one, but hotels can be extremely risky. You never know if you’ll be sharing space a particularly lit business conference, so sign up for this center at your own risk.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
DAVIS
McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific (Sacramento, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: A little Lady Bird told us that they really throw you into an enormous room at this testing center — like 100 to 150 test takers might be put into the same very large lecture hall. However, you will have enough room to work on a large desk, and the seats are comfortable and height-adjustable. Even with this many people, we haven’t really heard reports of the noise being overbearing. Parking is free and easy to find. Recommended, unless your extra-sensitive to the nervous energy generated by a hundred aspiring lawyers.
Rating: 🙂
Lincoln Law School of Sacramento (Sacramento, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Some good, some bad. You’ll be in a small room with plenty of desk space, which is great. But these rooms are also windowless and bound by extra thin walls, and sometimes the sounds from other rooms will seep into your room, which is not great.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
California Northern School of Law (Chico, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: For those of you in Davis, one is just within the 100 mile radius that LSAC uses for those on the waitlist. So you may end up taking a literal boy’s trip to Chico, California if you wind up on that waitlist. Other than that, we don’t have a lot of info on this one.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
California State University, Chico (Chico, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: We couldn’t find much information on this location. However, the same warnings that apply to other large public universities will apply to Chico State, a large public university. You’ll likely be put into large room with uncomfortable chairs and limited workspace. You’ll probably have to pay for parking, and it may be difficult to find the testing center. Plan ahead, and take a dry run-through to the testing center if placed here.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
IRVINE
Irvine Valley College (Irvine, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: You’ll sharing a large classroom with somewhere between 25 and 50 aspiring lawyers, giving you more than enough desk space to lay out your test book, answer sheet, pencils, and analog wrist watch. You’ll be comfortable, the lighting will be good, and the center will be very quiet. Parking will be easy to find, but some say you’ll have to fork up between $5 and $10 to get it. Also, there’s only one kiosk to get that parking pass, so you’ll be getting to the testing center early, if you know what’s up. You may have an overzealous proctor. You’ll finish the exam, remember that you’re in Irvine, and that you’ll have to drive 15-20 minutes to find a bar that’s not inside a chain restaurant.
Rating: 🙂
Western State University College of Law at Argosy University (Irvine, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: While the name of this testing center certainly tells you a lot of things about its location — did we really need two prepositions? — there isn’t as much info on the webs about the testing center itself. Reports generally indicate that it’s a comfortable, quiet testing center, with rooms accommodating between 22 and 50 test takers. You’ll pay between $5 and $10 for parking. Also, seems like the proctors enforce LSAC’s rules very strictly.
Rating: 🙂
Irvine Marriott (Irvine, California)
Offered in: June and December
Notes: Not a lot of information about the Irvine Marriott. What happens in the Irvine Marriott, stays in the Irvine Marriott, apparently. But our usual caveat for hotels applies: there will probably be activity at the hotel — it is a place for vacationers, traveling businesspeople, and, heaven forbid, bar mitzvahs, weddings, and quinceañeras, after all — so a quiet room is no guarantee. At least this location appears to have large desks.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
FULLERTON
Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law (Orange, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: You’ll be working in a law school classroom with long, shared desks, giving you plenty of room to work. The fixtures are modern and comfortable, and the volume is kept low. You’ll have to pay for parking ($5-$10), but the parking is conveniently located. Maybe the best testing site in Orange County.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
LOS ANGELES
University of Southern California (Los Angeles, California)
Offered in: February and December
Notes: A beautiful campus full of beautiful people. It will seem welcoming, hospitable. But, befitting the school’s mascot, this testing center is a Trojan horse, full of disappointments. You’ll be placed in a huge room with a ton of other test takers. You’ll be seated in an uncomfortable chair, and you probably won’t have much space to work. You’ll have to pay an arm and a leg for parking. There’s no guarantee your proctors will know what they’re doing. Avoid.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California)
Offered in: Currently not included on LSAC’s list of published testing centers
Notes: UCLA used to be a stalwart LSAT testing center, but was recently taken off the list of LSAC’s published testing centers. Maybe this was because all the recent reports suggested that taking the test here was a disaster. Large rooms, tiny desks, uncomfortable chairs, expensive parking — enough to Bruin your LSAT experience (sorry). Anyway, if they ever bring UCLA back, try to avoid it.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
California State University, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California)
Offered in: Currently not included on LSAC’s list of published testing centers
Notes: Another one no longer used for the LSAC, but this one was pretty good. It had some of the issues associated with large public universities — having to navigate a byzantine campus, the risk of being put into a huge classroom, getting a small desk — but otherwise, this location was pretty good. Reliably quite, according to reports, and comfortable seats. If LSAC brings CSULA back, we can give it a tentative endorsement.
Rating: 🙂
Loyola Law School (Los Angeles, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: The rooms have either large shared desks or, if you’re lucky, individual desks. Either way, you’ll have plenty of space to cook. The rooms are also kept dead silent.
Rating: 🙂
Southwestern Law School (Los Angeles, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: At the Southwestern Law School, centrally located in Koreatown, you’ll be put into a large classroom with around 25 other students. You’ll have plenty of desk space. The lighting will be bright, the temperature comfortable, the proctors efficient. It’s in a busy neighborhood, but the rooms are almost always kept quiet. Parking at the law school will cost you $8, though. Oh, and the art deco architecture of campus is stunning ¬¬- not that you’ll notice on test day. And the test center is located next to OB Bear, a bar that has perfected the art of Korean fried chicken and would make the perfect post-exam meet-up spot.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
University of West Los Angeles (Inglewood, California)
Offered in: Currently not included on LSAC’s list of published testing centers
Notes: Here’s a location that LSAC took out of its rotation for reasons that are unclear. Large classrooms, but comfortable seats, large desks to work, and a quiet environment made for one of LA’s more consistently good testing centers. Here’s to hoping they bring it back.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
NORTHRIDGE
California State University, Northridge (Northridge, California)
Offered in: June and September
Notes: The forecast for CSUN is, ironically, quite gloomy. There are large classrooms with tiny desks — never a good combo. Also, if you’re left-handed, you’re CSOL. The seats are uncomfortable. There might be something noisy going down on campus. Oh and you’ll have to pay for parking. You should CRUN away from this one.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
University of California, Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: If you’re willing to make the picturesque drive up the 101 to UCSB, well, you’ll get an OK testing center. But at least the drive was good? As with most large universities, expect large classrooms, tiny fold-out desks, and expensive parking (here, between $5 and $10). Everyone also claims the rooms are dark. Go figure. I suppose this is all a tax on the fact that you can literally walk from the test center to the beach after completing the exam. And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention that one time, in December 2015, LSAC lost every UCSB test taker’s answer sheet. So no one got a score back. Hopefully they’ve since learned their lesson.
Rating: 🙁
University of West Los Angeles (Chatsworth, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: You’ll be crammed into a medium sized room with 50 other students, but no one complains about a lack of desk space. We hear the seats are comfortable and the rooms are quiet. Plus, there’s a free parking lot in the front of the building. This is the Valley’s best testing center, other than all the testing centers that service the region’s adult film industry.
Rating: 🙂
PASADENA
Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, California)
Offered in: June and September
Notes: Not a lot has turned up in our search for this testing center. However, Azusa is a short drive away from the iconic Donut Man in Glendora, California, who serves some of the best donuts in America. So celebrate your LSAT with a donut with a veritable mountain of fresh strawberries and a tiger tail?
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
DOV Educational Services (Burbank, California)
Offered in: June
Notes: So this location is a small building with no signs. Apparently the staff isn’t super helpful. People are actually roasting the place over an open flame on Yelp. One of the two rooms you can take the exam in is next to a busy street, and you will be able to hear the hustle and bustle of the boulevard. The other room is next to a Crossfit gym, and you will be able to hear those meatheads slam their weights, jump on their boxes, and brag about their PRs. On the plus side, parking is easy?
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
RIVERSIDE
La Sierra University (Riverside, California)
Offered in: June
Notes: Suicide. Homicide. Genocide. Riverside. That’s what they say about Riverside, anyway. But La Sierra University, at least, is a reliable testing center. You’ll be placed in a large room, but you’ll have comfortable seats and a large, shared desk to work at. It’ll be cold, but that’s probably a good thing, considering that June in Riverside is … warm, to say the least. It’ll also be a quiet room, and the parking will be ample and free.
Rating: 🙂
La Verne University (Ontario, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Feel the Verne. No literally, you’ll feel it. It will be very hot if you take the LSAT here in June or September. Fortunately, they do a good job of creating a hospitable testing center at La Verne. You’ll be in a classroom with 25 other students and you’ll have a big, shared desk to work on. The seats are comfortable, the temp and lighting are on point, and the environs are quiet. And, the icing on this proverbial sundae: the parking is free and plentiful.
Rating: 🙂
California State University, San Bernadino (San Bernadino, California)
Offered in: Currently not included on LSAC’s list of published testing centers
Notes: CSUSB was taken out of the LSAC’s current rotation of published testing centers, which is a bit of a shame, because it was generally recommended by test takers. There were small, well-lit, quiet rooms, seating 10-20 students. The desks were apparently small. And the parking cost a bit of money. If this testing location is brought back, it’s wouldn’t be a bad spot to take the LSAT.
Rating: 🙂
University of Redlands (Redlands, California)
Offered in: Currently not included on LSAC’s list of published testing centers
Notes: Also not in LSAC’s current line-up of testing centers, but if it comes back, you can expect small classrooms and plenty of desk space. However, the classrooms would apparently get very sunny and hot (as everything does in the I.E.).
Rating: 🙂
SAN DIEGO
California Western School of Law (San Diego, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: One of the countless SoCal law schools that use some variation of California and/or a direction in its name. Don’t confuse it with Southwestern, Western State, Western State at Argosy, California Northern State, or Southern California, because this one’s a good testing center. You’ll be given a larger table to work at, and the room will be quiet. The proctors will follow the rules but will be undisruptive. Parking is $5, but easy to find. You’ll finish, and you’ll be in downtown San Diego. You can celebrate with a California Burrito and beers from one of the eighteen trillion breweries in the greater San Diego area. There are worse things in life.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
San Diego State University (San Diego, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Save this location for the after party; don’t do the actual test here. Reports indicate that that you’ll be put in an old building with a small desk and bad lighting. For whatever reason, the proctors tend to strictly enforce the rules … until they begin to talk amongst themselves during the test. You’ll also have to pay for parking and navigate a large campus to find your check-in spot.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
Thomas Jefferson School of Law (San Diego, California)
Offered in: February, June, and September
Notes: This location may not exist for much longer, if recent reports are to be believed. The ABA hates TJ’s performance as a law school, but test takers are quite a bit more positive on its merits as an LSAT testing location. You’ll be put into a quiet room with a comfy chair and plenty of workspace. Plus, law students will be your proctor, and reports say they are organized, quiet, and, presumably, empathetic to your struggle. If this one survives financial woes and the ABA’s wrath, it’ll make for a fine LSAT experience.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Junipero Serra High School (San Diego, California)
Offered in: July and Sptember 2018
Notes: Surprisingly, San Diego’s newest test center is a high school. Not much info on this center yet, but it is … you know … a high school. You might end up taking this test in a location that’s far too reminiscent of the place you took your sophomore chemistry final. But this particular high school, known colloquially as just “Serra,” has the problematically-named mascot “The Conquistador,” which — if you can ignore all the bad stuff the conquistadors did — might give you some motivation to vanquish the LSAT.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
SAN FRANCISCO
University of San Francisco (San Francisco, California)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: So the rooms are pretty big — potentially between 50 and 75 students. The desk size seems to vary based on which room you get assigned to. On the plus side, the chairs are comfortable, the temp is on point, and the lighting is good. Parking — this being San Francisco, of course — is outrageously expensive ($15-$20), so maybe take MUNI or BART?
Rating: 🙁
San Francisco Law School (San Francisco, California)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: This testing center has large tables, giving you plenty of space to do your thing. Also, Pat Brown, father of current California governor Jerry Brown, went here. So if public service is your thing, you could do worse than this testing center.
Rating: 🙂
Skyline College (San Bruno, California)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Very little information on Skyline College, or what a skyline is supposed to be, or whether the college has anything to do with the the forgotten 2010 science fiction movie. However, a little internet sleuthing into the classrooms suggest that the desks will give September test takers enough space to work.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Sonoma State University (Rohnert Park, California)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Apparently, Sonoma State will put you in a room with really small folding desks that can barely fit a test booklet and answer sheet. Plus there are reports of the proctors being a little lax for their task. More like So-NO-ma.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
Santa Rosa Junior College (Santa Rosa, California)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: The little information out there on Santa Rosa Junior College suggests that it’s a pretty good test center, well-run and comfortable. However, a reconnaissance mission before test day is recommended, because figuring out where to park and check-in is apparently challenging.
Rating: 🙂
Empire College School of Law (Santa Rosa, California)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Unlike the Fox television show with which this law school shares its name, Empire College keeps things pretty quiet and orderly. Reports indicate that test takers are given plenty of space to work, although proctors can be a little overzealous, according to some.
Rating: 🙂
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON, D.C.
American University (Washington, D.C.)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: This university shows national pride with how it runs an LSAT. Long tables give you plenty of space to lay out your test book and answer sheet. The chairs are comfortable and height-adjustable. The rooms are bathed in natural light. Bathrooms are conveniently located right outside of the classroom. The rooms are quiet and the proctors are good.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: You’ll be in a large classroom with 25 to 50 other test takers, but your desk will be small — not large enough to fit both your test book and answer sheet. There have been reports that it may get a little noisy. Parking is apparently free, if a bit hard to find. In all, not the best, but not the worst either.
Rating: 🙁
Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, D.C.)
Offered in: June
Notes: The discriminating LSAT taker knows to forgo Georgetown’s main campus and instead take the exam at Georgetown’s Law Center, which hosts the June exam. You’ll have much more desk space, the chairs will be fit for the most regal J.D. student, the environs will be quiet. The one drawback is parking — it’s apparently difficult to find, and it’ll cost over $10. Other than that, this is recommended.
Rating: 🙂
Howard University (Washington, D.C.)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: This location features large auditoriums (between 75-100 test takers), tiny desks, uncomfortable chairs, cold rooms during the fall and winter, noisy conditions, inconsistent proctoring, and limited parking. It may be conveniently located to D.C. residents, but it’s a good idea to avoid this one.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
Trinity Washington University (Washington, D.C.)
Offered in: June
Notes: Not must information on this university, and we’re not sure if any of the info we did find was TWU (sorry).
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
International Trade Center (Washington, D.C.)
Offered in: September and July 2018
Notes: We couldn’t find any information on the testing rooms inside the building itself, but there was some online chatter about getting to the building. The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Building is the second-largest government building in the nation, and as such is sprawling, heavily secured, and host to a ton of activity. You’ll have to pass through security to get in, and walk some distance to find the check-in point. If you’re taking the exam here, budget extra time for all of that. You can’t, of course, count on Reagan-ing your way to the center.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Marriott Washington Wardman Park (Washington, D.C.)
Offered in: July 2018
Notes: There isn’t really any information on this testing on this testing center yet. But hotels, especially major metropolitan hotels, can be very risky. While hotels can keep things pretty comfortable (a task that is solidly in their wheelhouse), they have a lot more trouble keeping things quiet (a task that is not really in their wheelhouse).
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Marymount University (Arlington, Virginia)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Limited information on Marymount University, but it looks the part of a good testing center. It’s a small-ish, private university, which means you have a better shot at getting placed in a small room with big desks and minimal noise.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Northern Virginia Community College – Annandale (Annandale, Virginia)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Not very sterling reports. It sounds like test takers are placed into a large auditorium with over a hundred other people, the desks are those middle school-style combination hard plastic chair/wooden desk contraptions, the lighting is dark, and the proctors can be daffy. At least parking is free?
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
Northern Virginia Community College – Springfield (Springfield, Virginia)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: The only reports online about this testing center are all the way back when they used to fingerprint test takers when checking them in, but those reports were generally positive. They noted that there was plenty of desk space and quiet rooms.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
University of Maryland, College Park (College Park, Maryland)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: This is the only year-round test center in the DMV, but reports are negative. Tiny, tiny desks are chief among the complaints here, but uncomfortable chairs are often mentioned as well.
Rating: 🙁
FLORIDA
MIAMI
Florida International University (Miami, Florida)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: FIU comes correct as an LSAT testing center. The rooms aren’t too crowded — you’ll have 3 or 4 feet of desk space to cook. The chairs are comfortable, the temperature will keep you cool, and the proctors keep things quiet and orderly. Parking comes with a small fee, but is easy to find.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: The small desks at Florida Memorial University had many test takers saying, “That FMU.” Aside from that, the reports are mostly positive, with quiet rooms, free parking, and good proctors. But your desk is your temple during the LSAT, so small desks are a no go for most.
Rating: 🙁
St. Thomas University School of Law (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Offered in: February, June, and September
Notes: St. Thomas is apparently the patron saint of well-run testing centers, because his namesake law school features everything you could want for the LSAT. Ample desk space, comfortable seating, good temp and lighting, low volume, and free parking.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Miami Dade College – North Campus (Miami, Florida)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: Limited reports on Miami Dade’s North Campus, but it appears that test takers are put into a quiet room with efficient proctors and … small desks. Ah, small desks … the Achilles heel of so many otherwise good testing centers.
Rating: 🙁
Miami Dade College – Medical Center Campus (Miami, Florida)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: Like its North Campus counterpart, the reports on Miami Dade’s Medical Center are limited. Unlike its North Campus counterpart, the reports on the Medical Center are more positive. Large desks, efficient proctors, quiet rooms, and free parking give the Medical Center the winning edge in this Dade off.
Rating: 🙂
Talmudic College of Florida (Miami Beach, Florida)
Offered in: June
Notes: The Talmud is notoriously difficult to decipher and understand, so much so that the word “Talmudic” has become synonymous with “overly detailed.” It’s ironic, then, that we can’t find any details on Talmudic College of Florida as a testing center. However, if you’re willing to risk a possible dud of a testing center, this location is right on Miami Beach, which, as we all know, is bringing the heat.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Barry University (Miami Shores, Florida)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Details are Barry scarce for this center, which is Barry frustrating, because usually year-round testing centers have tons of Barry informative reviews.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Miami International University of Art & Design (Miami, Florida)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: We couldn’t find any information on this testing center yet …You could say that this info about MIU are MIA.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Miami Dade College – Hialeah Campus (Hialeah, Florida)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: A new testing center, and as such there’s not a ton of information. However, photos of the classroom online reveal new, if spartan, classrooms with long desks and plastic chairs. So you’ll have room to work, but they won’t be the most comfortable environs.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Miami Dade College – West Campus (Doral, Florida)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: We couldn’t find any information on this testing center yet. Not even a picture of a classroom. This center may or may not exist.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Florida Atlantic University – Davie Campus (Davie, Florida
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: You should approach this one with caution. The reports regarding the main Jupitor campus of FAU are wanting, so it’s reasonable to expect more of the same at the Davie campus.
Rating: 🙁
Broward College – Central Testing (Coconut Creek, Florida)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: The good news: All reports show that this test center has comfortable chairs, ample desk space, and free and plentiful parking. The bad news: reports on the proctors are all over the place. Some people claim that the proctors were disorganized, miscalled the time, and allowed alarms to go off at random times. Others claim that the proctors were so chill that they let students keep working for a few moments after time was called. On balance, reports are positive, but you’re rolling the dice with proctors at this one.
Rating: 🙂
Miami Dade College – Homestead Campus (Homestead, Florida)
Offered in: July and September 2018
Notes: There aren’t any online reports of this testing center that we could find. However, it’s a smaller campus that looks easily navigable.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, Florida)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: There’s not a lot of information about FAU’s main campus, but the usual caveats for large public universities apply: parking can be expensive, the campus can be sprawling, the path to your check-in point may be tough to follow, the rooms may be loud, and the desks may be small. On the other hand, I don’t want to be the one who keeps you out of Del Boca Vista.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
ILLINOIS
CHICAGO
John Marshall Law School (Chicago, Illinois)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: John Marshall’s most famous decisions as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court involved striking a balance between federal and state sovereignty. His law school, which serves as a year-round testing center, strikes a balance between good and bad features. You’ll have ample desk space, but you’ll be in a huge classroom with many other students. The room will usually be quiet inside, but there seems to be a lot of noise outside that sometimes seeps in. The proctors are good, but the price of parking is literally criminal ($20). Not a bad testing center, and you’ll probably be fine taking it here, but there are definitely drawbacks you should factor in.
Rating: 🙂
Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Illinois)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: Kenwood Academy sounds like it produces nothing but cookie-cutter fancy boys who go on to become doctors and bankers and GOP politicians. As a testing center, though, it’s not cookie-cutter at all. It seems like experiences vary quiet a bit. You can be in a large classroom, or a small classroom. You might get some noise, you might not. Fortunately, everyone seems to have just enough desk space to work and the parking is free. A qualified endorsement from us.
Rating: 🙂
Loyola University – Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)
Offered in: June and September
Notes: The 1984 census revealed that Los Angeles ended Chicago’s nearly 100 year run as the U.S.’s second most populous city, turning Chicago’s long-time moniker, “the Second City,” into a misnomer. LA’s wresting away of Chicago’s “Second City” status has had innumerable effects on the public’s perception of the Midwest and the coastal-heartland socio-political dichotomy in this county. One unremarked-upon effect, however, is how the Loyola school in Chicago is now a significantly less desirable testing location than the Loyola school in Los Angeles. Unlike the LA-based law school, Loyola University has small desks, which really make a difference on the LSAT. The rooms do tend to stay quiet, according to reports, but the parking will set you back somewhere between $5 and $15.
Rating: 🙁
University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)
Offered in: June
Notes: The main drawback of taking the exam at UIC is the size of the classrooms. They’ll be filled with 50 to 100 other anxious test takers. If you are highly sensitive to the nervous energy created by this many type A aspiring lawyers when taking the most important test of their lives, this might not be the testing location for you. Oh, and the rooms tend to be a little cold, but that shouldn’t bother your hearty, Chicago stock. That said, you will have quite a bit of space to work, and the proceedings tend to be quiet. Parking will cost between $5 and $15.
Rating: 🙁
DePaul University (Chicago, Illinois)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: A nice temperate environment, with long tables to work at, and the room stays pretty quiet. Some reports say the proctors can be a little shaky, but overall, a quality testing center.
Rating: 🙂
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place (Chicago, Illinois)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Looks like this is new for 2018, given the dearth of online accounts for this. But be careful with hotels, since a quiet testing room is no guarantee in a place full of hustle and bustle. Parking can also be astronomically expensive.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: The size of the room will vary here, but most people report that the rooms feature large shared desks with one or more seat in between each test takers. That means you’ll probably have enough room to fit your test book and answer sheet on your desk. The lighting is bright, the temperature is good, and apparently the seats are very comfortable. The noise can vary a bit — as it is at larger universities — and parking is rough, unless you’re already at NWU. Not Northbestern, but not Nortworstern, either.
Rating: 🙂
Moraine Valley Community College (Palos Hills, Illinois)
Offered in: July & September 2018
Notes: Judging from the online photos of classrooms at Moraine Valley Community College, this testing center features the standard-issue long desks/plastic chairs/fluorescent lighting. It won’t be the most thrilling place, but it seems like you’ll have enough space for a test booklet, answer sheet, and watch.
Rating: 🙂
College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn, Illinois)
Offered in: July & September 2018
Notes: DuPage is a huge community college, and should be approached with the same trepidation that one would approach a large public four-year institution. These institutions can be big, hard to navigate, and noisy. And it looks like many of the classroom feature tiny desks that won’t accommodate both a test booklet and answer sheet. Meaning you’ll have rearrange your whole test booklet set-up every time you turn to a new page at DuPage.
Rating: 🙁
College of Lake County – Southlake Campus (Vernon Hills, Illinois)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: It sounds like this test centers puts two students to a desk, giving each just enough space to work. The rooms are smaller, with about 20 per room. However, there were complaints about power-tripping proctors that affected some students’ experiences.
Rating: 🙁
MASSACHUSETTS
BOSTON
Northeastern University (Boston, Massachusetts)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Northeastern puts around 50 test takers into large lecture halls, which gives the test takers just enough space for a test booklet and answer sheet. If you want space for 50 additional pencils, we suppose you’re out of luck. The seats are somewhat comfortable and things are mostly kept quiet. There’s been the occasional proctor complaint, but that’s to be expected at a testing center as busy as this one. Parking will cost $5-$10.
Rating: 🙂
Suffolk University Law School (Boston, Massachusetts)
Offered in: February, June, and September
Notes: Suffolk will stuff folks — about 15 to 20 of them — into a large classroom. And that’ll give everyone more than enough space to work. The seats are allegedly comfortable and the testing center is reportedly quiet. Parking’s pretty expensive — $10 to $15 dollars — but is located in a lot at the school.
Rating: 🙂
Suffolk University (Boston, Massachusetts)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: According to reports, the main campus’s testing center at Suffolk features slightly larger classrooms than the law school, with 25-50 students to a room on the main campus. But otherwise, the two testing centers are comparable. Plenty of space and a quiet working environment.
Rating: 🙂
Boston University School of Law (Boston, Massachusetts)
Offered in: Currently not included on LSAC’s list of published testing centers
Notes: LSAC recently took away BU from its list of published testing centers. The reviews were mostly positive though. Apparently some rooms had small fold-out desks, but most gave test takers plenty of space to work. If LSAC brings this center back, it’s worth a look.
Rating: 🙂
Boston Convention and Exhibition (Boston, Massachusetts)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Sometimes LSAC will use a convention center for a September test, and these should be avoided at all costs. These convention centers usually handle a huge volume of test takers, and they typically put all the test takers into one room. Which means the process of checking in can take hours. It’s not uncommon for the actual LSAT to get started two hours after check-in time at these locations.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
Boston College Law School (Newton, Massachusetts)
Offered in: February, June, and December
Notes: The reports on BC are pretty dated, but unless the law school has done a full on renovation in the last few years, it sounds like you’ll be in a large classroom with plenty of workspace. Things are kept quiet, and the proctors are efficient and orderly.
Rating: 🙂
Brandeis University (Waltham, Massachusetts)
Offered in: September and December
Notes: We couldn’t find anything on Brandeis University. Some would say its online … brand is wanting.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Salem State University (Salem, Massachusetts)
Offered in: September and December
Notes: Authority figures have chilled the hell out in Salem since the witch trials of yore. The proctors at Salem State are reportedly very lax, in a good way. They keep things orderly, but let you drink water throughout the exam. This, plus the ample space to work, makes this a desirable testing center, if you can make the trip up from Boston.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Bridgewater State University (Bridgewater, Massachusetts)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: The small desks and consistently slow proctors were definitely not water under the bridge to the many test takers who took to the internet to complain about these things.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
Rhode Island College (Providence, Rhode Island)
Offered in: July & September 2018
Notes: Boston-area test takers willing to cross state lines will find a test center with quiet rooms, efficient proctors, free parking, and desks with just enough space to work. And lots of clams, presumably.
Rating: 🙂
Community College of Rhode Island (Warwick, Rhode Island)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: The more recent reports suggest that this testing center features a lot of desk space and quiet rooms.
Rating: 🙂
NEW YORK
BROOKLYN
Brooklyn College (Brooklyn, New York)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Uhh, there’s a reason people have been calling this “Broke-lyn College.” Apparently you’ll be stuffed into a big lecture hall and given tiny little desks that can’t fit both a test book and an answer sheet. The room fluctuates between sweltering heat and hypothermic cold. They make you pay a king’s ransom for parking, between $15 and $20. And the proctors they recruit are disorganized and distracting.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
Medgar Evers College (Brooklyn, New York)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: This is the Cadillac of testing centers. You’re given a private, full-sized desk, partitioned into a little cubicle. Think about that, you don’t even have to look at the dumb faces of the test takers next to you! The chairs are comfortable, you’ll hear nary a peep from another test taker, and proctors are courteous and professional.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
South Shore High School (Brooklyn, New York)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: One of the few high schools utilized as an LSAT testing center. And with good reason. You might be at one of those half desks you sat at in high school, which can barely fit the answer sheet and test book. You might have flashbacks to high school. The reportedly distracting and discourteous proctors might remind you of your worst high school teacher. There will only be 20 students in the room, though, and the parking is easy.
Rating: 🙁
Touro College (Brooklyn, New York)
Offered in: June
Notes: No info on the Touro College testing center online. Quick, guess what its mascot is. You thought it was the Bulls, right? Me too. We’re both dead wrong. They don’t have a mascot.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
LONG ISLAND
Hofstra University (Hempstead, New York)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Free parking, organized proctors, a ton of desk space to work, very little to complain about at Hofstra.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
C.W. Post – Long Island University (Brookville, New York)
Offered in: June, September, and December
Notes: Parking is free, the chairs are comfortable, the rooms stay quiet, and you have plenty of deskspace to work. There’s a horror story involving marching band practice outside the testing room, but that’s probably an anomaly for an otherwise sterling testing center.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
MANHATTAN
Eleanor Roosevelt High School (New York, New York)
Offered in: February
Notes: This high school has small individual desks, which have just enough space to fit your test book and answer sheet. Proctors mostly keep the show running smoothly. You can expect all the normal janky-ness you remember from your high school though: incorrect clocks, small amount of outside noise, probably a chemistry lab with broken Bunsen somewhere.
Rating: 🙂
New York Law School (New York, New York)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Fewer than 50 test takers will be placed in a large lecture hall that seats more than 100, giving everyone plenty of space to stretch out and get to work. The seats are comfortable, the lighting is warm and inviting, and the rooms are sound proof. Even the restrooms are large enough to accommodate the test takers during the break. A++++ would do testing again.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Pace University – New York City (New York, New York)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Everyone says the desks are way too small and a lot of people say the proctors are distracting and erratic. The room is often too warm, except when it’s too cold. The chairs are uncomfortable. People are so upset about this Financial District testing center that they’re saying “Never again” in the reviews without even realizing how tone-deaf that is.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
Wagner College (Staten Island, New York)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: A highly recommended test center, despite being Staten Island. So it must be good. You’ll be in a small room with no more than twenty test takers. Peace and quiet. You’ll have a huge desk to work on. Solid proctors. The option to party on a ferry afterwards. Plenty to recommend.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Rutgers the State University – Newark (Newark, New Jersey)
Offered in: July & September 2018
Notes: Uniformly positive reports from the Newark, the city, campus of Rutgers, the State University. Most note the large desks, an orderly process, comfortable chairs.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hilton Newark Penn Station (Newark, New Jersey)
Offered in: July & September 2018
Notes: There isn’t much online information on Hilton Newark Penn Station, but you should try to avoid hotels if possible. You never know if your hotel is going to also be hosting a particularly loud rowdy bunch of tourists or businesspeople, so a quiet testing environment isn’t guaranteed.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Seton Hall University (South Orange, New Jersey)
Offered in: July & September 2018
Notes: Seton is, ironically, not very good at seating its test takers. Everyone complains about the length of time it took for proctors to check in test takers, and the small fold-out desks that won’t accommodate both a answer sheet and test booklet.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
Bergen Community College (Paramus, New Jersey)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Complimentary parking, rooms with fewer than twenty other test takers, desks that are just large enough to fit both booklets, and quiet conditions. This is a new but quickly Bergen-ing test center.
Rating: 🙂
William Paterson University (Wayne, New Jersey)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: William Paterson may have signed off on the U.S. Constitution, but we cannot sign off on you taking the exam here. The desks are far too small, which sinks an otherwise solid test center.
Rating: 🙁
QUEENS
St. John’s University (Jamaica, New York)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: St. John wrote the Book of Revelations according to most theologians, but there’s at least one revelation his namesake school failed to make: people like big desks. Reports on St. John’s are positive across the board, except for the tiny, pull-out desks test takers are forced to use.
Rating: 🙁
LaGuardia Community College (Long Island City, New York)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: Not many reports on this Queens testing center. Don’t worry though, it’s not so close to the airport that we’d expect plane noise to be a huge issue.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
City University of New York School of Law (Long Island City, New York)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Not a lot to go off of for this Queens law school. But let’s take a moment to discuss how having both CUNY schools and SUNY schools is confusing as hell, New York.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Queens College (Flushing, New York)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: You’ll take this in a large auditorium, which means that it takes quit a bit of time to get everyone seated. But you’ll have a large desk to work on. The site is well-managed and clean, and the parking is pricy ($10-$15), but plentiful and onsite. Not fit for royalty, but it’ll do.
Rating: 🙂
PENNSYLVANIA
PHILADELPHIA
Drexel University (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: They may call them the Drexel Dragons, but fortunately the LSATs given here don’t drag on … reports indicate that the proctors are efficient and follow the rules. Drexel uses large auditoriums to fit between 22 and 50 test takers, so you’ll have plenty of room. Many indicate the room is a little dark, however. Drexel University is in the heart of Philly, so most test takers take advantage of the many public transportation options to get there, but parking seems to be, miraculously, free and easy to find, at least according to some reports. Overall, great reports, especially for a sizable university. The liberty bell may be nearby, but this testing center won’t make you crack under pressure.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Holy Family College (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: The name of this university sounds like someone doing a last minute course correction before bleating out an explicative in front of a child. Holy fu … uh … amily? Anyway, this small college in northeastern Philly features small classrooms, desks that give you just enough space, rule-abiding proctors, and free parking.
Rating: 🙂
La Salle University (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: You’ll be in a small classroom with only a handful of other students, so noise won’t be a factor. However, you’ll have very little desk space in most of the testing rooms, and the room will be very cold. Parking is free, but about a 5 minute walk from the classroom. These drawbacks didn’t quite La Salle-y this testing center, but the reviews didn’t exactly La Salle me on this location either.
Rating: 🙁
Temple University (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: You’ll have to contend with all the typical issues that affect larger universities. It can be hard to find the location amidst the hustle and bustle of Philadelphia, making this test site the second most hidden Temple. You’ll eventually be placed in a sizable room with quite a few other test takers. You’ll have a tiny fold-up desk, so you won’t have enough space for both your test book and answer sheet. Your seat will be from the Mesozoic era, before we had the technology to make comfortable seats. Most test takers report that the rooms are quiet, but that’s no guarantee.
Rating: 🙁
Rutgers the State University – Camden (Camden, New Jersey)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Like Washington crossing the Delaware to surprise Hessian forces in Jersey, some Philly test takers may consider making the trip across I-676 into Camden to attack the LSAT at Rutgers’s Camden campus. Reports are uniformly positive, with many noting the large desks, efficient proctors, and free parking.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
University of Pennsylvania Law School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Offered in: July & September 2018
Notes: UPenn’s law school gets rave reviews, with most reviewers noting the comfortable testing environment, spacious desks, and laid-back-in-a-good-way proctors.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Villanova University (Villanova, Pennsylvania)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Nova is literally Spanish for “Don’t go,” but reviews are mixed for this test location. Most agree you’ll be in a small room and that the proctors can be a little anal. Other than that … it seems like people have wild(cat)ly different experiences depending on the test day. Roll the dice with this one only if you’re feeling lucky.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Cheyney Univeristy (Cheyney, Pennsylvania)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Reviews are a little outdated, and the old write-ups are decidedly mixed.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
The College of New Jersey (Ewing Township, New Jersey)
Offered in: July & September 2018
Notes: The online write-ups are pretty old, but all note that the desks are very small. You should probably try to avoid this one, which is a shame for Jersey-area test takers, because the name of this school clearly suggests that this is the only college in New Jersey.
Rating: 🙁
TEXAS
AUSTIN
Austin Community College (Austin, Texas)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: You’ll be at the Highland campus. Mixed reviews for this location. In all likelihood, you’ll be put in a large auditorium with somewhere between 25 and 75 other test takers. It seems like the size of your desk may change based on which room you’re assigned to. Some complained about small desks, but other claimed they had enough space to work. Rooms are generally quiet, and parking is free.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Huston – Tillotson University (Austin, Texas)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: Small desks, noisy conditions, stuffy rooms, overly lax proctors. Reports of people actually eating during the exam. Avoid.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
University of Texas at Austin (Austin, Texas)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: You will placed in a large — some will call it normal Texas-sized — room with 50 to 75 other test takers. But as far as large, public universities go, reports here are fairly positive. You’ll have comfortable chairs and plenty of desk space. Things are kept quiet. Parking will cost you though, if you have to drive.
Rating: 🙂
Southwestern University (Georgetown, Texas)
Offered in: September
Notes: There aren’t many reports on this location, but the ones we did find were uniformly positive. Quiet, plenty of desk space, comfortable, efficient proctors, free parking. Might be worth the drive from Austin.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Texas State University (San Marcos, TX)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: There isn’t much info concerning LBJ’s alma matter’s test center mettle. But its motto is “The noblest search is the search for excellence,” which I guess means that my failure to find reviews attesting to the school’s excellence is just a sign that I am not the noblest of people.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
University of Texas at San Antonio (San Antonio, Texas)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: This one’s within 100 miles from Austin, so you may end up here if you’re placed on the waitlist. Reviews are uniformly positive here, however. You’ll be in a comfortable chair and have more than enough workspace on your desk. The lighting and temperature of the room will be on point. It’ll be quiet. These may not be enough to (ahem) spur you to make the 80-mile drive from Austin, but if you end up here, it’ll at least be a good test center.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
University of Incarnate Word (San Antonio, Texas)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: Another good testing center in San Antonio. The (incarnate) word on this one is very comfortable chairs, very quiet testing conditions, ample desk space. Oh and free parking.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Saint Mary’s University (San Antonio, Texas)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Yet another great test center from reliably Lovable San Antonio Texas. Everyone says this is a good place to take the exam, with more than enough space to work, very comfortable chairs, and very quiet surroundings.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Our Lady of the Lake University (San Antonio, Texas)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: We haven’t heard anything, from the lake lady or anyone else, about this location.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
HOUSTON
South Texas College of Law (Houston, Texas)
Offered in: February, June, and September
Notes: Pretty standard law school testing center. You’ll have a good amount of desk space and the facilities will be quiet. It seems like the room size varies quite a bit at this location; reports indicate you could be put in a small room with fewer than 25 other test takers, or you could be put into a huge auditorium with almost 100. Parking is easy to find, but will cost you $5-$10.
Rating: 🙂
Texas Southern University (Houston, Texas)
Offered in: September and December
Notes: If you’re taking the September or December LSATs, you could do worse than TSU. You’ll be in an auditorium with 20-50 other test takers, but you’ll be using at a large shared desk with enough room to work. The chairs are the attached-to-the-desk type that can squeak a bit, but the room is otherwise kept quiet. There will be good proctors and free and easy parking.
Rating: 🙂
University of Houston (Houston, Texas)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: There are several testing centers at the University of Houston. This is the main, year-round location (Test Center Code 12561, f.k.a. University of Houston – University Park). You should know this, because you probably want to avoid this particular location. A Hous-ton of complaints about this center: big auditorium, small desks, cramped quarters, stuffy rooms, overly lax proctors, long waits for the restroom.
Rating: 🙁 🙁 🙁
University of Houston – Downtown (Houston, Texas)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: Reviews are more mixed to negative at the downtown location of the University of Houston. Most of the complaints focus on the small wooden desks — which won’t give you enough space to lay your test booklet and answer sheet side-by-side — and the uncomfortable seats. On the other hand, the rooms are small and will be kept quiet.
Rating: 🙁
University of Houston – Clear Lake (Houston, Texas)
Offered in: February and December
Notes: We couldn’t find any reviews of the Clear Lake location of the University of Houston. But its proximity to the Houston Space Center could lead one to deduce that it is out of this world.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Prairie View A & M University (Prairie View, Texas)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: You won’t be in a little house at Prairie View, you’ll be in a huge auditorium with nearly 100 other test takers. You’ll have large shared desks to work at least. The rooms are reportedly colder than Bun B’s verse on UGK’s legendary South Texas slapper “Murder.”
Rating: 🙂
Sam Houston State University (Hunstville, Texas)
Offered in: February
Notes: A February-only location, which is pretty rare. Maybe because of that, we couldn’t find many reviews online. The real Sam Houston spoke out against the federal government’s fraudulent dealings with the Cherokee and opposed secession, so history judges him kindly on those counts. Maybe you’ll judge this test location kindly as well?
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
WASHINGTON
SEATTLE
Seattle University School of Law (Seattle, Washington)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Aside from one year in which they jammed everyone into a giant ballroom on the main campus, this is a pretty reliable testing center. Big tables to work at, quiet rooms, orderly and efficient proctors. As with any urban testing location, we recommend that you figure out parking before the day of the test.
Rating: 🙂
University of Washington School of Law (Seattle, Washington)
Offered in: September 2018
Notes: Most of the reviews we could turn up on UW were of the main campus, not the law school. The main complaints for the main campus involved the size of the desks, and that’s typically not a concern at law schools, nearly all of which provide ample desk space
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Shoreline Community College (Shoreline, Washington)
Offered in: July and September 2018
Notes: There aren’t any reviews we could find of this testing center, but photos of the classrooms make it look like your prototypical community college classroom: long desks with two plastic chairs to a table, fluorescent lighting, drab carpet, etc. In all likelihood, this is an adequate testing center.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Central Washington University (Ellensburg, Washington)
Offered in: February, September, and December
Notes: The rooms are on the larger side — about 70 students per room — but the proctors manage to keep them quiet and secure, according to reports.
Rating: 🙂
Everett Community College (Everett, Washington)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: If the testing centers could get an LSAT score, Everett Community College would score in the 170s, easily. The desks have more than enough space, and there are even accommodations for the left-handed folks. The rooms are quiet, the chairs are comfy, the lighting is on point, and the temperature is regulated with precision (not that a little cold would bother a Washingtonian).
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂
Gonzaga University (Spokane, Washington)
Offered in: February, June, September, and December
Notes: Scouting reports on Gonzaga are a little thin. If the testing center is anything like the school’s basketball team, it will start out promising, there will be a bunch of tall white people, and then it will make a critical mistake in the end.
Rating: ¯_(ツ)_/¯
