Do law schools only see your highest score?
Asked by: Breanne Gusikowski | Last update: May 11, 2025Score: 4.5/5 (52 votes)
It is true that the school will only count your highest score as part of the application, but the admissions committee may have a few questions if you have taken the LSAT several times and having greatly varying score (in situations like this, we recommend adding an addendum to explain any circumstances that may have ...
Do law schools only look at the highest score?
Standardized Test Scores
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.
Do law schools see all your scores?
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.
Do schools take your highest LSAT score?
The majority of applicants take the test only once. If you take the test more than once we will use the highest score unless the scores are grouped closely together, in which case we will use the average."
Does ranking matter in law school?
While law school rankings can influence career opportunities, they aren't the only factor that matters. With support for your application, you can highlight your strengths, tailor your materials to align with your target schools, and demonstrate why you're an exceptional candidate—regardless of ranking.
Getting Into Law School as a First Gen With Lower Stats | scholarships + application journey
Does going to a top 14 law school matter?
Graduates of T14 law schools have excellent employment prospects, often securing positions at top law firms, corporations, and government agencies. The strong job placement rates at T14 schools are a significant factor in their rankings and reputation.
Do law firms care where you went to law school?
Your Previous (On-the-Job) Training
Certain firms have the reputation for training people very well—and everyone knows that they have high expectations for the people there. If you get a good job right out of school or thereafter (with a major law firm), firms no longer really care about where you went to law school.
Should I retake a 165 LSAT?
Improve your Scores
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 common is a 170 on the LSAT?
170 score: Scoring a 170 on the LSAT is almost always considered a good score — that means you are in the 2-3% of test-takers.
Is your GPA or LSAT more important?
Most law schools tend to give LSAT scores a bit more weight, but some schools care more about grades. The admissions process is inevitably subjective, and some admissions officers might be more forgiving of a gap than others.
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.
What 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.
Which GPA do law schools look at?
When it comes to the primary GPA that law schools look at, it's your undergrad GPA. A grad GPA is nice, but it doesn't replace or get combined with the UGPA. A low UGPA will not be bolstered by a high grad GPA.
How hard is it to get a 174 on the LSAT?
So, a great score on the LSAT is a 172, but more than 100,000 people take the LSAT every year and only 1% score 172 or higher. For the top 50 law schools, the median LSAT score is between 164 and 174.
Should I cancel a lower second LSAT score?
Final Thoughts. Ultimately, canceling your LSAT score once is not the end of the world. Choosing to cancel your score may benefit you if you think you can perform significantly better on your second attempt.
What is a respectable law school GPA?
A good GPA for law school generally falls between 3.5 and 4.0. However, top-tier institutions like Harvard Law School, Stanford Law School, and Yale Law School often admit students with median GPAs closer to 3.9 or higher.
How rare is a 180 LSAT?
How Hard Is It To Get A Perfect Score On The LSAT? According to LSAC, only 119 test-takers out of nearly 60,000 achieved this in 2022. So when you ask, “How many people get a 180 on the LSAT?” the answer highlights the rarity and difficulty of this achievement.
Is 132 a bad LSAT score?
If your LSAT score is in the 130s or low 140s, it's very hard to find an ABA law school anywhere in the US that will offer you unrestricted acceptance (especially in the increasingly competitive environment).
How hard is it to get a 178 on the 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.
Should I cancel a 155 LSAT?
It is not, however, a reason to cancel your LSAT score. If you seriously studied and committed to preparing for the exam in the months leading up to it, then you should be in a good position to keep the score. Even if you didn't get a 180, it's likely that this score reflects your aptitude and abilities.
Is a 2.7 GPA good in law school?
A low GPA for law schools will entirely depend on your goals. If your GPA is at or below a school's 25th percentile, your GPA will be considered low for that school. So generally, if you're trying to get into the top schools, a GPA below 3.6 will be considered low.
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.
Is law school hard or just a lot of work?
Being prepared to work hard – Law school classes are part of a demanding program, and you need to be prepared to be a good student and put in the time and effort to succeed. That work includes doing all of the assigned reading, avoiding low grades, and preparing well for final exams.
What school do most lawyers go to?
- Yale University. ...
- Stanford University. ...
- Harvard University. ...
- Columbia University. ...
- University of Chicago. ...
- New York University. ...
- University of Pennsylvania. ...
- University of Virginia.
Do law firms pay off law school debt?
Many civil legal aid organizations and some other public interest employers provide loan repayment assistance to their attorneys. A centralized list of employer programs has not been compiled, so law students and attorneys need to discuss the possible availability of such assistance with individual potential employers.