Does taking the LSAT twice hurt you?

Asked by: Linwood Corkery  |  Last update: July 22, 2022
Score: 4.9/5 (14 votes)

As a rule, schools look for score improvements overall, and do not view multiple attempts at the LSAT as a negative factor on an application. An exception to this would be any major score discrepancies in the past five years.

Do law schools care if you take the LSAT twice?

Unless there are glaring disparities between LSAT scores, most law schools will not balk at multiple LSAT scores, especially when the score increases. Applicants with multiple LSAT scores with huge score disparities can be harder to review.

Does retaking the LSAT hurt you?

If it's your first time taking the LSAT, no pressure. Taking the LSAT twice or even three times is totally fine. If, come the week before LSAT test day, you're not scoring something that would put you in contention for the schools you want to go to, well, you can withdraw if you like.

What happens if you take the LSAT multiple times?

If you have taken the LSAT twice, we will consider the highest score. If you take the test more than twice we will use the average score.”

What happens if you do worse on your second LSAT?

The downside of retaking is largely gone as well! Even if you do worse on a retake, law schools still have the ability and the incentive just to consider your higher score. That said, law schools generally don't view a 1 or 2 point score bump as a significant improvement.

Is taking the LSAT 3 times bad?

36 related questions found

How hard 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. Still, it won't guarantee you admission at a top law school. Other parts of your application are still a factor.

Is a 157 a good LSAT score?

Among the 192 law schools ranked by U.S. News & World Report in 2019, the average median LSAT score was 156. If we were to speak about a good LSAT score in very broad terms, 157 or above would be a reasonable place to start. Anything above 160 is not a bad LSAT score.

Can I get into Harvard with a 168 LSAT?

The T-6 are Harvard, Yale, Stanford, University of Chicago, Columbia, NYU, and the University of Pennsylvania (there are currently seven schools in the T-6 due to ties). A good LSAT score for the T-6, and what one should aim for in order to get in, is a 172 or higher.

Do law schools care how many times you take LSAT?

Need-based fee waivers cover only two tests over two years. Applicants looking for practice tests can find much cheaper options, even for proctored practice tests in live settings. Second, law schools will see each time applicants take the LSAT, even if an applicant cancels the score.

Is a 167 LSAT score good?

The average LSAT score for law schools at the top of the rankings ranges from 167-172. On the other hand, scores of 145-155 are generally good enough to be accepted into less prestigious law schools.

Is 154 a good LSAT score?

The traditional LSAT test has approximately 94-106 questions, with each correct answer counting for one point of your raw score. The average LSAT score is about 150. To get into a top 14 law school, you need to score above 162, and to get into a top 50 law school, you need 154 or above.

Should I retake a 166 LSAT?

If you get your official LSAT score back and it is significantly lower than your practice test average, you should retake. For example, if your last 3 practice test scores were a 165, 167, and 166, but on test day you scored a 158, you should definitely retake the LSAT.

Should I retake the LSAT a 3rd time?

“This raises an important question: Should you take the LSAT 3+ times? The standard advice is to thoroughly prepare for your first LSAT and, ideally, to only take it once. Unfortunately, this isn't an ideal world, and oftentimes applicants will find that they did not perform to their full potential on their first take.

Do law schools See if you cancel your LSAT score?

Canceling Your LSAT Score

Before you walk out of your LSAT test, and (as of this writing) for six calendar days afterward, you have the option of canceling your score. While that score won't be reported to law schools, admissions officers will get to see that you took the test and canceled your score.

Is 152 a good LSAT score?

Having a score of 152 means that you ranked in the 50th percentile and that you did better than 50 percent of all test-takers. If your goal is to get into one of the top 25 law schools in the country, you'll need to achieve a score of 160 or better.

How are multiple LSAT scores viewed?

Candidates with multiple LSAT scores will be evaluated using all reported scores. However, the Law School will no longer solely consider an applicant's average score in the admissions review process.

Is LSAT harder than SAT?

Both the LSAT and the SAT are timed exams, and each of them clock in at about three hours (not including the essays), but the time limits on the LSAT are much more challenging than those on the SAT.

What was Obama's LSAT score?

Unraveling the secret behind Obama's LSAT Score

Only two of them scored over the 63% mark; and in fact scored between 94-98%, which would be equivalent to a score of 166 – 171 in today's grading system.

Is a 3.8 good for law school?

However, among the highest-ranked law schools, the norm is to admit people with near-perfect college grades. All of the top-10 law schools had median GPAs of 3.7 or higher. Seven of these 10 schools had a median GPA that was at least a 3.8, and among those three had a median GPA that was a 3.9 or above.

Is LSAT more important than GPA?

While LSAT is the most important factor, GPA is still significant. When you get down into schools lower in the rankings (outside the top 10 schools), numbers alone become an even better predictor of how likely you are to get into a specific school. LSAT is still the more important number than GPA.

Is 148 a good LSAT score?

Typical LSAT score ranges include: 120-147 Low. 148-156 Mid.

What is the lowest LSAT score accepted?

While you may be able to apply and even be accepted into a law school with a lower LSAT score, there is a cut-off for acceptable application scores. If you are consistently scoring lower than 145, you may need to consider significant studying and a retake before applying to law schools.