Does it matter how many times you take the LSAT?
Asked by: Melba Shanahan | Last update: January 12, 2026Score: 4.8/5 (58 votes)
This is because law schools used to average LSAT scores for students who took the test more than once. That is no longer the case. This changed in 2006, and now law schools simply accept your highest test score, so students won't have to worry about scores being averaged out.
Can law schools see how many times you take the LSAT?
How Many Times Have You Taken the LSAT Before? 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.
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 LSAT attempts are too many?
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.
How many times can you take the LSAT?
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.
Does it look bad to take LSAT 4 times?
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 ...
Is 163 a good LSAT score?
A good LSAT score is anything above 160.
Should I retake the LSAT if I got a 165?
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 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.
How do law schools look at multiple LSAT scores?
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."
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)
Do law schools see if you withdraw from the LSAT?
Law schools will not see if you withdraw online from the LSAT prior to the official administration. Law schools will, however, see if you cancel a score after you take the test.
Is 172 a good LSAT score?
On the other end of the spectrum we can consider an LSAT score of 172. An LSAT score of 172 means the student scored better than about 99% of applicants.
What LSAT score did Elle Woods get?
When she applied to this school, she had a 4.0 GPA with a 179 on the LSAT, the two most important things when applying to law school. The average LSAT score for students applying to Harvard is 174, meaning she got above the average.
How many questions can you get wrong on the LSAT to get a 170?
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 170 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 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.
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 136 a bad LSAT score?
What a Low LSAT Score Means. 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 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.
Do schools know 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.
Has the LSAT gotten harder?
Short answer: No. The only difference across practice tests over time is that early Logic Games are harder, so if anything, the LSAT has gotten easier.
Is the LSAT becoming less important?
In November 2022, the American Bar Association voted to eliminate the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) requirement for law schools, effective 2025.