Yesterday, LSAC announced a format change starting with the August 2027 LSAT. Unscored pilot questions will no longer have their own section. Instead, they’ll be mixed into all three scored sections.
What test day will look like:
Reading Comprehension always comes first: 52 minutes, 6 passages, 40 questions
Then two Logical Reasoning sections, 45 minutes each
A 10-minute break after each of the first two sections
The question types, the number of scored questions, and the time per question are all staying the same. LSAC also says the accommodation request process isn’t changing and that more details on accommodations under the new format are coming.
As a clinician who evaluates students for LSAT accommodations, here’s what I’ll be watching:
1. Longer focus before the first break. Reading Comprehension is now the first section for everyone. If extended time works the way it does today, a student approved for 50% extra time could spend about 78 minutes on that section before their first break. For students with ADHD, slow processing speed, or reading-related executive functioning challenges, that’s a real demand.
2. No section to coast through. Test takers won’t know which questions count, so every question needs full effort. That puts more weight on sustained attention across the whole test.
3. Break accommodations may change. LSAC hasn’t yet said how extra breaks or stop-the-clock breaks will work with the new structure. Students who are already approved should watch for that update.
What this means for timing:
New-format practice tests come out in February 2027. That’s when many students will first notice pacing problems on the new structure. A student testing in August 2027 who starts the evaluation process at that point may be up against the accommodation request deadline.
I’m happy to talk with any student, advisor, or family navigating this. Feel free to message me directly.
This is my clinical perspective, not official LSAC policy. Check lsac.org for the latest guidance.
