How do you get into a top law school with a low LSAT score?
Asked by: Aletha Murray Jr. | Last update: October 14, 2025Score: 4.2/5 (53 votes)
The higher your GPA, the better, and if you have a low LSAT score, law schools will sometimes overlook this in favor of your higher GPA. If you are still in undergraduate school when you receive your LSAT score, try and focus on bringing your GPA up by summer classes or putting in extra study time on your final exams.
What's the lowest LSAT score to get into law school?
What Is The Lowest Acceptable Score? A 144-145 is generally considered to be the lowest acceptable score to attend law school. The median LSAT score is around 151-152, so 144-145 is significantly lower than this. As such, the majority of law schools will not accept scores below this.
Can you get into law school with a low LSAT but high GPA?
Popular to contrary belief, the LSAT is not more important than the GPA. And in my experience, law schools are often more forgiving of a low LSAT if the applicant has a proven record of academic success. A strong GPA would be above a school's median, or at the very least within the school's median.
Is 148 a bad LSAT score?
Typical LSAT score ranges include: 120-147 Low. 148-156 Mid. 157-164 High.
Can I get into law school with a 143 LSAT score?
Appalachian School of Law, Virginia
With an acceptance rate of 63 percent, this school is slightly more competitive than some of the easiest on our list, but your chances of getting in are good if you have at least an LSAT score of 143 and a GPA of 2.80.
LOW LSAT SCORE | How to Get Accepted to a TOP LAW SCHOOL
Should I cancel my 143 LSAT score?
Some people may come out of the test feeling nervous or unhappy with how they did but end up scoring very well. You should only seriously consider canceling an LSAT score if you feel like you completely flunked the exam.
What is the easiest law school to get into?
- Creighton University Law School – 79%
- University of Wyoming Law School – 78%
- Marquette University Law School – 77%
- Loyola New Orleans Law School – 76%
- Drake University Law School – 75%
- Oklahoma City University School of Law – 72%
What is a failing LSAT score?
Understanding Your LSAT Scores. The LSAT scores range from 120-180, with 120 being the lowest possible score. If you are wondering what a good LSAT Score is, there is no failing or passing score on the LSAT.
Will a 180 LSAT get you in anywhere?
Here is a breakdown of what counts as a good enough score for law schools based on the school's rank: Top-five law schools: 170 to 180. Schools like Harvard and Yale, which are the top two, rarely accept applicants with less than 172 on the LSAT. Law schools ranked between 5 and 10: 165 to 170.
Is GPA or LSAT 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 LSAT score accepted at Harvard?
What is the lowest LSAT score accepted by Harvard? Although Harvard Law School does not technically have a minimum LSAT score requirement, our team estimates the lowest score the school will accept is around 165 for candidates that excel in other areas of their application.
What LSAT score do I need for Berkeley?
What are the median LSAT score and GPA of admitted applicants? See our Entering Class Profile for the exact number for the prior year. For the past several years the median GPA and LSAT score of admitted applicants have ranged from 3.79-3.87 and 169-170, respectively. The ranges are broad.
What is the easiest state to become a lawyer in?
Going by the 2021 bar exam passing rates, Wyoming has the easiest bar exam to pass. However, we don't really get the full picture by just looking at the passing rates. Each state's bar exam can differ in difficulty and content.
What is a mediocre LSAT score?
The LSAT percentile score range demonstrates your score relative to other test-takers over the past three years. According to the Law School Admission Council, which administers the test, the median score for the 2021-24 testing years was 153, meaning 50% of test-takers scored below and 50% scored above that number.
What was Elle Woods' LSAT score?
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.
What is a respectable LSAT score?
What do 150, 160 and 170 scores mean? According to U.S. News, law school admissions experts recommend striving for at least a 150; however, for a top-ranking law school, you should aim for a 160 or better. For a Top 10 law school, a 170 or more is desired.
How many people get 180s on the 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.
How rare is a 177 LSAT?
You would need to a top score across all LSAT attempts of a 177 to be in the top 1% of US and Canadian applicants. An applicant needs a top score of 169 to be in the top 10% of applicants.
What was Obama's LSAT score?
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.
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)
Is the bar exam harder than the LSAT?
Generally, the bar exam is considered harder than the LSAT. The LSAT tests logical reasoning and reading comprehension for law school admission, while the bar exam requires extensive legal knowledge and practical skills to obtain a license to practice law.
What is the hardest law degree to get?
The hardest law school to get into is Yale Law School, with an acceptance rate of 5.5%. Followed by: Stanford Law School: 7% acceptance rate. The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School: 3.8% acceptance rate.
How many times can I take the LSAT?
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.
Which lawyer is easiest to become?
- Easiest law to practice.
- Real estate law: the calm of contracts and closings.
- Estate planning: beyond grave matters.
- Transactional IP law: where creativity meets law.
- Tax law: counting dollars, not hours.
- Government agency roles: The legal life outside the courtroom.
- Public-interest and nonprofit work: the happiness factor.