Can I keep my LSAT score and take it again?
Asked by: Ana Rempel | Last update: August 9, 2025Score: 4.8/5 (28 votes)
How many times may I take the LSAT? Five times within the current reportable score period (i.e., since June 2019). A total of seven times over a lifetime.
Do law schools care if you take the LSAT twice?
Fortunately, there is no longer a penalty for taking the LSAT more than once. Law schools typically take an applicant's highest score. Still, there are downsides to retaking the test, like lost time and the risk of a lower score that could make your highest score look like a fluke.
Does retaking the LSAT look bad?
No, law schools don't really care if you retake the LSAT. However, if you have multiple LSAT scores (four or more) it may raise a few eyebrows and make the admissions committees question your time management, dedication, and academic potential a little more.
How many LSAT scores can you keep?
You can only take the exam five times within the past five years (since 2018). You are limited to a total of seven exams over your lifetime. You can take the LSAT three times in a single testing year, with LSAC's “year” being August to June.
Do colleges care how many times you take the LSAT?
Beyond that, there are no hard rules on what is and isn't an “acceptable” number of times to take the LSAT. Admissions committees know that everyone has off days, and that people have to retake the LSAT for a variety of reasons, especially when they're relying on their home WiFi to be perfect for 3+ hours straight.
Should I Keep My Score or Retake the LSAT?
Can law schools see how many times you took the LSAT?
Law schools will see every time an applicant takes the LSAT. Law schools will see if you cancel a score for whatever reason. Law schools do not average the scores for admission, but we always look at performance if you've taken the test more than once.
Does it look bad to cancel an LSAT score?
Canceling your LSAT score once is not a big deal. Most law schools understand that there are many reasons that students might have for canceling an LSAT score. However, canceling your LSAT score more than once might not be the best look for your overall application.
Should I keep a 155 LSAT score?
For example, to get into a top-ranking law school, you'll probably need an LSAT score of at least 160 or above, while a score in the mid-150s is often acceptable at many excellent law schools. A top 10 law school typically requires a 170 or above.
Can you keep retaking the LSAT?
How many times may I take the LSAT? Five times within the current reportable score period (i.e., since June 2019). A total of seven times over a lifetime.
Is the LSAT going away in 2025?
The ABA's House of Delegates will vote on the Council's proposed change in February 2023. If the House votes to nix Standard 503, the standardized-test requirement won't go away until 2025. So, the LSAT isn't definitely going away, and it's definitely not going away until 2025.
Should I retake the LSAT if I got a 165?
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Some people would say “yes”, and that is fine. But if you have an above-average score, say, between 165-170, retaking the LSAT seems like overkill at that point.
How many times do most people take the LSAT?
Pretty much any LSAT score will get you into law school, it just might not be the school you want. Most people only take it one or two times. And it has nothing to do with luck, it has to do with your ability to read and make deductions from what your read.
Is 163 a good LSAT score?
A good LSAT score is anything above 160.
How many people get a 180 LSAT?
The LSAT is scored on a bell curve, ranging from 120 to 180. On recent tests, the hump of the curve has centered around 153. Percentiles vary slightly between tests, but generally around 25% of test-takers score 160 or higher, 5% score 170 or higher, and 1% score 175 or higher. Only one in 1,000 test-takers scores 180.
Does a cancelled LSAT count towards limit?
Canceled LSAT scores, including those canceled with the Score Preview option, will be counted against these numerical limits, whereas absences and withdrawals will not.
Do law schools only look at your highest LSAT?
If you have taken the LSAT multiple times, law schools will generally consider your highest LSAT score. Each law school combines your cumulative GPA with your LSAT score to come up with an index score.
What LSAT score do I need for Harvard?
So let's take a look at what it actually takes to have a chance of being admitted to the most prestigious and preeminent law school in the world. As you can see from these numbers, an LSAT score of 170 or higher and a GPA above 3.75 will give you a chance of gaining admission to Harvard Law School.
Should I retake the LSAT if I got a 157?
An LSAT score of 157 is a decent score (approximately at the 74th percentile) and will not make a law school applicant unwanted and retaking the LSAT is certainly a viable option.
What percentage of people retake the LSAT?
Thus, when you go to the test center for the first time, the majority of people around you are also there for the first time. What about people repeating the test? The average percentage of second-time test takers is 26%, and the average percentage of third-time test takers is 5% (percentages rounded).
Is 138 a bad LSAT score?
“In general, it's unwise to attend law school with an LSAT score below 160,” said Keith Syska, LSAT curriculum designer at Magoosh. “Surely there are exceptions, but scoring below 160 will foreclose many attractive opportunities.
Will a 180 LSAT get you in anywhere?
Here is a breakdown of what counts as a good enough score for law schools based on the school's rank: Top-five law schools: 170 to 180. Schools like Harvard and Yale, which are the top two, rarely accept applicants with less than 172 on the LSAT. Law schools ranked between 5 and 10: 165 to 170.
What score did Elle Woods get on her LSAT?
Elle Woods, a fictional character portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in the movie Legally Blonde, is known for her remarkable LSAT score—179 out of 180. Portrayed as a stereotypical "valley girl," she embarks on a journey to Harvard Law School in the movie that has since become a cult favorite.
What LSAT score is worth cancelling?
If your score is 157 or lower (3 points below the median of your least selective school), there's no value in the score, and you should cancel it. If your score is at least 164 (above the median of multiple schools on your list), it's a useful score and you should keep it. The tricky area is in the middle.
Is the LSAT becoming obsolete?
Beginning in the fall of 2025, law school applicants may be able to skip the formidable task of studying for and taking the LSAT. That is when the American Bar Association will no longer obligate applicants to their accredited law schools to take this or any other standardized admissions test.