Do law schools care if you take the LSAT three times?
Asked by: Delphia Swift | Last update: November 2, 2025Score: 4.2/5 (37 votes)
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.
Does taking LSAT 3 times look bad?
Additionally, if you take the LSAT more than three times, or if you have a significant difference in scores (typically more than five points), an admissions committee will want to see an addendum explaining why you kept taking the exam, or explaining the reason for the higher score—essentially, to explain why the high ...
Do law schools care if you take the LSAT multiple times?
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.
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 if you retake the LSAT?
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 times can you take the LSAT?
Can schools see how many times you took the LSAT?
All of your LSAT (or LSAT-Flex) results will be reported to the law schools to which you apply if earned in the current testing year or if earned in the prior five testing years. (Note that LSAT results include scores, cancellations, and absences.
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.
Can you only take the LSAT 3 times?
Students can only take the LSAT three times during a testing period. The testing period is from June 1st to May 31st every year. There is a five-year period where LSAT scores are valid, and during those five years, students may only take the test five times.
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 times does the average person 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.
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.
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.
Does cancelled LSAT score look bad?
Do Law Schools See if You Cancel Your LSAT Score? Yes. While law schools can't see your LSAT score, admissions officers will see that you took the test and canceled your score.
Is a 145 on the LSAT bad?
LSAT scores span from 120 to 180, with higher scores boosting your likelihood of getting into top law schools. A score of 172 or above is excellent, while a score around 145 is considered below average. The average LSAT score is about 150, but competitive law schools typically require scores above 160.
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 many questions wrong is a 170 LSAT?
How many questions can be answered incorrectly for a score of 170? The most questions you can answer wrong on the LSAT if your objective is to achieve a score of 170 is 11. You should achieve your goal score of 170 by correctly answering 90 out of the 101 questions.
How rare is a 160 on the LSAT?
A student scoring a 180 is in the 99.9 percentile because the student scored better than 99.9% of test-takers. A student scoring a 160 is in the 74.8 percentile because the student scored better than 74.8% of test-takers. You can hover over the blue outline to see a tooltip for all each LSAT/percentile combinations.
How bad is a 148 on the LSAT?
Typical LSAT score ranges include: 120-147 Low. 148-156 Mid. 157-164 High.
How bad is a 149 on the LSAT?
You can get into law school with a low LSAT score if it is above 144-145. Scores in this range will get you into some lower-ranking schools, although the majority of law schools prefer scores above 150. For expert prep on increasing your score and chances of accetpance, speak with a counselor at Juris Education.
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.
Do 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.
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.
How bad is a 155 on the LSAT?
From your raw scores, the test is graded on an LSAT score scale from 120-180. The average LSAT score is about 150. To get into a top 14 law school, you need to score above 166, and to get into a top 50 law school, you need 153 or above.