Since 2020, all examinees have taken the LSAT online from the comfort of their homes. However, as we get back to in-person events (like Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, sporting events, and even your cousin’s Bar Mitzvah), the LSAT will once again be in-person, starting in August 2023. 

You remember in-person exams, right? The smell of fresh number-two pencils in the air, maybe a snack in your pocket for break time, and probably a few nerves mixed in too. 

With the in-person exam LSAT, test takers have a big decision to make—should you take the LSAT in person or virtually? You can count on the same digital testing format through LawHub no matter how you’re taking it. Ultimately, only you can determine your best testing strategy. But to help you out, we analyzed some pros and cons.

Pros of the Virtual LSAT

Choosing Your Testing Environment

Taking the LSAT at home means that you can take the actual test from the same space you’ve taken all your practice exams. This is what I did, and it made me feel much calmer on exam day. Because I was so familiar with the space, it almost felt like another LSAT practice test, which really helped to ease my test-day nerves.

Saving Commuting Time

Not having to travel to a testing site means you can roll out of bed right into your testing space if you want. I actually recommend waking up earlier than your test time to warm up your brain and get ready, but the point still stands. It also means that you don’t have test-day traffic stress.

Solo Time

Taking the LSAT in your own space means you won’t be in a room surrounded by other nervous test-takers. For some, this isolation might increase test-day anxiety. Others claim it helps you to focus without hearing other people sneeze, breathe too loud, or do anything else mildly distracting while taking one of the biggest exams of your life—thus far.

Cons of the Virtual LSAT

Technical Difficulties

When taking the test from home, you are using your own wifi and must download specific software for both the LSAT itself and the online proctor. If your internet connection ever feels a little spotty or your computer can’t support the necessary testing software, you may run into technical issues before or during the test.

Ghosts of Practice Past

As I mentioned in the “pros” section, having a familiar testing environment can be really helpful by making you feel like it’s just another practice run. But what if you’ve had some practice tests that didn’t go so well, and now your home testing environment feels tainted with your past testing mistakes and anxieties? If this sounds like you, you might be better off taking the LSAT in a new environment where you have a fresh start.

Virtual Proctors

When taking the LSAT in person, you have a proctor in the room with you. They can see you in person, and you can see them. When you take the LSAT at home, a virtual proctor is watching you, but you can’t see them. Not only does this feel like something out of “1984,” but they’re also allowed to pause your exam at any time if your head leaves the desired camera frame, you mumble to yourself, or they need you to make some other adjustment—none of which you have to worry about in person.

Pros of Taking the LSAT In Person

Controlled Testing Environment

Over the past three years, a big concern for test takers has always been not having a quiet or private testing room available. The LSAT is stressful enough without worrying about whether your test will be voided because your roommate walked in. Then there’s the unreliable wifi or incompatible equipment to think about too.

If you choose to take the exam in person, you won’t have to worry about any of that. All in-person LSAT exams will now be taken at Prometric test centers across the country. These test centers are designed to administer standardized tests and provide all the materials you’ll need. This also means LSAC will no longer need to loan devices or provide hotel accommodations for remote test takers. 

Scheduling for each LSAT administration opens 37 days prior to the first testing date and you’ll have seven days to schedule your test at your chosen testing center. Note that this is different from registering for the LSAT, which typically closes six weeks before a given test date. 

Cons of Taking the LSAT In Person

Unfamiliar Testing Environment

Let’s face it, there are so many things that can happen from the moment you leave your house all the way to the moment you complete your exam. If you’re unfortunate enough to have to take your test at a center far from your house, the commute could add to your test day stress. 

If you never took practice exams in public settings, testing around other people might get distracting. This is why it’s so important to take your practice tests in test-like conditions, even if it means going to a library to complete them. If you’ve never taken an LSAT practice test before, get a free one here. 

So Should You Take the LSAT In-Person or Remotely?

If you’re the kind of person who is motivated by being around other people, enjoys a fresh testing environment, wants reliable wifi, and prefers LSAC-sanctioned testing resources, the in-person LSAT is probably the better choice for you, especially if you don’t mind a little extra commuting time and don’t have a secure space to take the exam. 

Feel like your LSAT practice scores aren’t where they need to be? Check out Blueprint’s LSAT prep options to improve your score by 15+ points, regardless of whether you’re taking the LSAT in person or online!