How many times on average do people take the LSAT?
Asked by: Shana Grimes | Last update: September 3, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (60 votes)
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 many times do most people take LSAT?
Many candidates choose to apply to law school after taking the LSAT just one time.
Is taking the LSAT 3 times too many?
If you score above your target schools' medians, no need to take it again. The median is all schools care about. They don't have to report 25th or 75th percentiles to USNWR. If you take the exam more than three times, or have a serious score discrepancy between exams (5+ points), then consider writing an addendum.
What percent of people take the LSAT twice?
The primary results covered in this report are summarized below. The average percentages of first-, second-, and third-time test takers over these 7 testing years were about 71%, 25%, and 4%, respectively.
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.
How many times can you take the LSAT?
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.
Is 170 LSAT enough for Harvard?
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. If you have a GPA of 3.94 or higher and above a 175, you are pretty much a lock for admission, particularly given the class size of ~560.
Can schools see 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. (Note that LSAT results include scores, cancellations, and absences.
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)
Do law schools only look at your highest LSAT?
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.
Should I cancel a 153 LSAT score?
If you don't have strong reason to believe you've done poorly, and retaking will delay your applications, you probably shouldn't cancel. Don't forget that rolling admissions rewards earlier applications.
Does it look bad to take LSAT 5 times?
Fortunately, there is no longer a penalty for taking the LSAT more than once. Law schools typically take an applicant's highest score. Still, there are downsides to retaking the test, like lost time and the risk of a lower score that could make your highest score look like a fluke.
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.
How long does the average person study for the LSAT?
Nonetheless, 250 to 300 hours of LSAT preparation over a period of a few months is a good benchmark. Most students who dedicate significantly less time won't maximize their LSAT scores.
How common is a 180 LSAT?
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.
How rare is 172 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. A good LSAT score for top tier(defined by T14 schools for this article) law schools is between 171 and 174.
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.
What score 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.
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 LSAT score do I need for Harvard?
Your odds of getting into any of the T14 Law Schools, Harvard included, will be much higher if you score over 170 (out of 180) on the LSATs. Harvard's median LSAT score of entering students is 174, with the lower 25th percentile being 170 and upper 75th percentile being 176.
How many times does the average student 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.
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).
Is a 3.9 GPA bad for law school?
But at the 20 highest-ranked law schools, the average median GPA is much higher – 3.86. Nineteen of those 20 schools had a median GPA that was at least 3.8, and of those, seven had a median GPA that was 3.9 or above.