Does the LSAT determine how well you will do in law school?
Asked by: Dr. Leopoldo Moen DDS | Last update: December 11, 2025Score: 5/5 (21 votes)
THE LSAT IS PREDICTIVE, BUT NOT RELEVANT To its credit, the LSAT is meant to predict how well a student will perform during their first year in law school. And perhaps more than any other available metric, the LSAT is best at doing this. In fact, according to its creators, the LSAT has a predictive validity of 60%.
Does the LSAT determine if you get into law school?
Law schools base their admission decisions primarily on two factors: the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) and the student's GPA (grade point average). Obviously, then, you need to make these scores as high as possible.
Do law schools value LSAT or GPA more?
Those rankings unquestionably value median LSAT score more highly than they do UGPA; in fact, a peek at the full details of the rankings (only available to those willing to pony up $29.95 for inside access) shows the LSAT score placed front and center, whereas it takes several clicks and some scrolling to discover the ...
Is a 172 LSAT good enough for Harvard?
172 LSAT is average for Harvard law. So, that's excellent already. Even with a 3.4 GPA, if he can get that LSAT up to, say, 175+ (which then begins the luck zone even for most top scorers), he's looking at probably admission into at least one of Harvard, Yale, or Stanford (the top 3).
How important is the LSAT score for law school?
LSAT scores are often considered the most important factor in law school admissions. Typically, in law school admissions, LSAT scores and undergraduate GPA are used to create an “index formula” — your objective strength. The LSAT score is weighted more, accounting for greater than half of the admissions decision.
What is the LSAT? Everything You Need to Know
Does LSAT predict law school success?
To its credit, the LSAT is meant to predict how well a student will perform during their first year in law school. And perhaps more than any other available metric, the LSAT is best at doing this. In fact, according to its creators, the LSAT has a predictive validity of 60%.
How rare is a 175 LSAT?
For a top five law school, an LSAT score of 175 and above increases your chances of being admitted and being awarded a full scholarship by the school. Such a score also puts you in the 99th percentile of LSAT takers, making you a rare and highly coveted law school candidate.
Is 3.7 a bad GPA for law school?
Among the 191 ranked law schools that submitted grade data to U.S. News in an annual survey, the average median GPA of entering law school students in 2021 was 3.55. But at the 20 highest-ranked law schools, the average median GPA is much higher – 3.86.
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.
How hard is it to get a 175 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.
Is the LSAT a good measure of intelligence?
The LSAT is not an IQ test. It does not measure intelligence the way IQ tests are designed to measure innate ability. A person who is very smart can receive a low LSAT score. A person who is very creative can receive a low LSAT score.
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.
Do law schools only see your highest LSAT score?
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.
What is the hardest month to take the LSAT?
There isn't one specific month that is the easiest or hardest to write the LSAT, and if there was, it would change each year since the students writing the LSAT change each year! The hardest test will be the one you haven't fully prepared for, regardless of the month!
Is the LSAT going away in 2025?
The ABA's House of Delegates will vote on the Council's proposed change in February 2023. If the House votes to nix Standard 503, the standardized-test requirement won't go away until 2025. So, the LSAT isn't definitely going away, and it's definitely not going away until 2025.
What is the average LSAT score for first time takers?
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 did Obama make on the LSAT?
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 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 Legally Blonde realistic?
OVERALL (fairly accurate!)
After going through it myself - overall impression of Legally Blonde? Not too shabby! I'd say the class/school scenes are pretty accurate, as well as Elle's transition from totally uncomfortable to realizing that she deserves to be at Harvard Law.
How rare is a 176 LSAT?
Less than 1% of test takers score a 176. It's a very hard thing to do. Don't let this sub skew your perception of what's realistic.
Is LSAT or GPA more important?
In general terms, it can be said that law schools value LSAT scores more than they do undergraduate GPA, but whether or not this statement applies to a given institution and how by much depends on the school.
What is the lowest GPA to get into Harvard Law School?
A high GPA is 3.99 and the median is 3.92. There's no lowest GPA but you probably won't get into Harvard with a 2.5 GPA. Your GPA still needs to be somewhat competitive with the median GPA. That said, you can get into Harvard Law School even if your GPA is 3.82 or lower.
Will a 180 LSAT get you in anywhere?
You can apply to pretty much anywhere with confidence.
The following table shows the schools with a median LSAT score in the 173-180 range for admitted full-time student populations as of Fall 2024. These programs are at the very top of the law school world, hence their LSAT scores being so high.
How expensive is the LSAT?
What fees are associated with the LSAT? It costs $222 to take the LSAT and receive one free score report. In addition, subscription to the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) is required for application for most law schools. This subscription costs $200 and includes on score report for $45.
Is a 2.9 GPA too low for law school?
Law Schools With GPA Medians of 2.9 and Below
Well, admissions statistics say you can! There is quite a large range of acceptable GPAs across all of the nation's law schools and our quiz is here to help you find out which schools to apply to if you have a low GPA!