Is 169 a bad LSAT score?

Asked by: Mrs. Elmira Gibson IV  |  Last update: January 2, 2026
Score: 4.7/5 (3 votes)

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)

How good is a 169 on the LSAT?

To take an example from Clayborne's backyard, the middle 50% at our beloved UVA Law School (currently tied for 9th place in US News' rankings) is an LSAT score of 163 to 170. But the actual median (50th percentile) nestles way at the high end of that range: 169.

Can I get into Harvard with 169 LSAT?

The range of LSAT scores accepted at Harvard Law varies from year to year, reflecting the diversity of its applicant pool. Generally, successful applicants have LSAT scores ranging from the mid-160s to the high 170s, i.e. 168 to 175.

Should I retake a 169 LSAT?

One good thing here is that with a 169 already on your record, there is no pressure on you to do well on your next LSAT. If things didn't go well you could cancel, and if you score about the same there's no harm done.

What schools can I get into with a 160 LSAT?

Mid-tier law schools have average scores ranging from 155 to 165. For example, the University of Maryland and the University of Oklahoma, which both tie for the 51st-best law school in the country, have average LSAT scores of 163 and 160.

Should you retake a 167 LSAT score? It depends.

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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.

What is the lowest LSAT score accepted?

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.

Should I cancel a 160 LSAT?

Remember, just because you feel you did poorly on the test does not necessarily mean you did. 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.

Does taking the LSAT 3 times look bad?

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 ...

How hard is it to get 170 on 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.

How hard is it to get a 167 on the LSAT?

You don't have to be perfect to do well on the LSAT. On a typical LSAT, you can still get around 18–19 questions wrong and still end up in the 160s—or around 10–12 wrong and get a 167, which is a 90th percentile score. Even a perfect score of 180 often allows you to miss a question or two.

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.

What is the average LSAT score?

The highest LSAT score is 180. The average LSAT score is about 152. A "good" LSAT score depends on the law schools you are considering. Compare your LSAT scores to the score ranges for admitted students at law schools on your list.

What is a bad LSAT score?

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.

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.

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.

Should I retake the LSAT if I got a 168?

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.

Does LSAT outweigh GPA?

Yes, many schools with holistic admissions prioritize LSAT scores and other qualities over strictly GPA. Check individual schools for their approach.

Should I retake a 165 LSAT?

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.

Can I get into Harvard Law with a 160 LSAT?

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.

Why do people cancel their LSAT score?

Most applicants who consider canceling their LSAT score do so because they think that having the lower score on their record will hurt them, even once they have a higher score. This is, for the most part, not the case.

How many can you get wrong on the LSAT to get a 160?

Every LSAT throughout the year is different, but on a typical LSAT, can still get around 18–19 questions wrong and still end up in the 160s—or about 12 wrong and get a 166, a 90th percentile score.

Is 168 a good LSAT score?

If you want to put yourself in the best position to be admitted to a school, you want to be at or above their LSAT median,” Hicks-Jaco says. For example, at Duke University School of Law in North Carolina, 2024 scores in the 25th-75th percentile ranged from 168-171, with 170 as the median score.

What is the easiest law degree to get?

The easiest law degree to earn is a Master of Legal Studies degree. For more information about earning a Master of Legal Studies or for help finding a program, reach out to Learn.org today.

What is the hardest law school in the USA?

1. Yale University. With an acceptance rate of just 6.9%, it's no wonder that Yale is the hardest law school to get into. Only around 1 in 15 of their highly qualified applicants makes it through.