Do law schools care if you retake the LSAT?
Asked by: Abbie Schmitt II | Last update: January 25, 2026Score: 4.9/5 (68 votes)
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.
Does it look bad if you take the LSAT twice?
It won't look bad. :) Many students take the LSAT multiple times. Law schools really only care about the highest LSAT score that you receive, as this is the score they have to report to the ABA. So in their eyes, your score will be whatever higher score you end up receiving.
Do law schools see all LSAT attempts?
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.
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.
Do law schools care about previous LSAT scores?
"Even though the ABA requires that we report the highest LSAT score, the Committee considers the entire LSAT testing history when evaluating applications for admission."
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Should I retake a 165 LSAT?
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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.
Is taking the LSAT 3 times bad?
There is a lot more risk involved in taking the LSAT a third time as you don't have another chance to take it after that and many schools will look on a third LSAT score unfavorably if it's not a significant improvement over your previous two scores.
Should I cancel a 153 LSAT score?
If you don't have strong reason to believe you've done poorly, and retaking will delay your applications, you probably shouldn't cancel. Don't forget that rolling admissions rewards earlier applications.
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.
Is it common to retake the LSAT?
Can You Retake the LSAT? You can absolutely retake the LSAT if you are unsatisfied with your first score. In fact, a large majority of test-takers retake the LSAT. In particular, in 2022, only 51.4% of test-takers were first time writers.
Should I retake the LSAT if I got a 160?
If you're somewhere within the 25th to 75th percentile, then a retake may not even be necessary—especially when you consider the time and money it'll cost you. If you're one of the lucky few that scored a 170 or higher on the first try, then there's really no point in retaking it at all.
Do law schools know if you get extra time on LSAT?
How are accommodated scores reported to law schools? LSAC does not annotate the score reports of individuals with disabilities who take the LSAT with testing accommodations, including the accommodation of extended testing time. All accommodated scores are reported in the same manner as non-accommodated scores.
What is the average score on the LSAT first time?
LSAT scores range from 120 to 180. First-time LSAT test-takers score an average of 151 out of 180. The median LSAT score of first-year JD students is 158.5. Among first-year JD students, 160.9 is considered a high score (75th percentile), and 154.8 is considered a low score (25th percentile)
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).
Do law schools know how many times you took the LSAT?
Applicants may take the LSAT up to seven times overall, five times within the current and five past testing years, and three times in a single testing year from July to June. Remember that law schools will see the score of every uncanceled test you take.
Should I retake a 161 LSAT?
In short, no. Law Schools do not care how many times you take the LSAT; however, it is more about the improvement or lack-of improvement between the exams. Meaning, if you took the exam 4 times and received a 143, 152, 155, and then 161 then this looks amazing to the law schools and taking the exam 4 times is fine.
What was Obama's LSAT score?
The easiest to predict, by far, is Barack Obama's score, mostly because we have some data. Based on admissions records, we can deduce — somewhat reliably — that Barry-O scored between the 94th and 98th percentile on his LSAT. Using today's grading system, that would place him somewhere around a 170.
How rare is a 177 LSAT?
You would need to a top score across all LSAT attempts of a 177 to be in the top 1% of US and Canadian applicants. An applicant needs a top score of 169 to be in the top 10% of applicants.
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.
Does LSAT outweigh GPA?
Yes, many schools with holistic admissions prioritize LSAT scores and other qualities over strictly GPA. Check individual schools for their approach.
How bad is a 148 on the LSAT?
Typical LSAT score ranges include: 120-147 Low. 148-156 Mid. 157-164 High.
Does a bad LSAT score hurt you?
Meaning, a lower score on a LSAT retake should not hurt you. Now admissions officers are still humans, and there is most certainly some psychological negative impact of having multiple lower LSAT scores and then a high LSAT score when compared to someone who just scored high the first time.
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.
Is it bad to retake the LSAT?
Many test takers increase their score on the second test. However, some test takers' scores do not change, and some even experience a score decrease. Analyses indicate that, on average, test takers taking their second test in the same testing year increase their scores 2 to 3 points.
Do law schools see cancelled LSAT scores?
The cancellation will still be visible to any schools you apply to, but your score will never be released (not even to you). LSAT scores can be canceled through your LSAC online account or by contacting LSAC directly.