Is it normal to feel bad after LSAT?
Asked by: Daija Grimes | Last update: November 29, 2025Score: 4.8/5 (41 votes)
While we hear this after every administration of the test, that's probably small comfort to you. Now that it's over, if you still have LSAT results anxiety based on your experience, that's normal! Most people feel terrible when they come out of the test.
Is it normal to feel like you did bad on the LSAT?
It's totally normal to experience some fluctuations in your scores, especially when you're studying intensively. The LSAT is a demanding exam, and even small factors like a lack of focus, stress, or a simple misunderstanding can impact your performance. Here are a few things to consider:
How do you deal with LSAT burnout?
The LSAT is about skills and a particular mindset, not facts. So take a day or two off and exercise, watch a TV show or two, whatever you like to do to unwind. Then rebuild your confidence by redoing your favorite Logic Games, Logical Reasoning questions, or Reading Comprehension passages.
Which LSAT month is the hardest?
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!
How do I recover from a bad LSAT score?
If you scored below 150, you do not have to throw away your law school dreams. Instead, take steps to strengthen your application package, especially your essays, consider waiting to apply, and change up your LSAT study methods for a retake.
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Does a bad LSAT score hurt you?
Meaning, a lower score on a LSAT retake should not hurt you. Now admissions officers are still humans, and there is most certainly some psychological negative impact of having multiple lower LSAT scores and then a high LSAT score when compared to someone who just scored high the first time.
Should I keep a 145 LSAT 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.
How hard is it to get a 172 on the 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.
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 lowest LSAT score ever?
This is the score you receive in your score report. The LSAT scale ranges from 120 to 180, with 120 being the lowest possible score and 180 being the highest possible score.
Why is the LSAT so frustrating?
The LSAT is known as a difficult test. It requires strong reasoning skills, critical thinking, and the ability to manage time effectively. The questions are designed to challenge even the most prepared test-takers. Analytical Reasoning (Logic Games): Many find this section to be the most difficult.
Can you control F during LSAT?
Am I allowed to use CTRL+F on the LSAT? Yes! Definitively, yes. When the LSAT became an at-home test in May 2020, LSAC announced that it would not disable the CTRL/Command+F function on its testing software.
How does the LSAT change your brain?
It showed that students activated the prefrontal cortex less strongly and performed the tasks more quickly and accurately after LSAT preparation, suggesting that they had less difficulty with the reasoning problems.
What is the most common flaw on the LSAT?
Confusing sufficient and necessary conditions is hands-down the most common flaw on the LSAT. It's also the flaw that tends to trip up novices the most. But understanding the difference between sufficient and necessary is a lot simpler than you might think.
How do I get over my LSAT anxiety?
There are two effective ways to help reduce the stress and anxiety of outcome-based thinking on the LSAT that can directly improve your score. First, by understanding the differences between setting goals and hyper-focusing on outcomes. Second, by focusing on the preparation itself, rather than any future performance.
Is a 138 LSAT bad?
“If you have a 2.3 GPA and a 138 LSAT, you — unfortunately — are very unlikely to be able to make it through law school and pass the bar exam after graduation.
Is a 170 LSAT attainable?
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.
Did Harvard get rid of LSAT?
Harvard Law School accepts either the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). We do not have a preference for either exam. Similarly, a candidate is not considered more committed by taking both exams or disadvantaged by taking the same exam multiple times.
Has the LSAT gotten harder over time?
No. The LSAT changes for each session that it is offered. While it may change in difficulty, that does not affect a student's ability to get a high mark.
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.
How bad is a 139 LSAT score?
The below table shows the schools that accept the lowest LSAT scores. This shows that the lowest acceptable LSAT score is 139. Typically, a good rule of thumb is that you want to at least break 140 to make taking on the cost of law school economically feasible. You can get into a law school with a 140 LSAT score.
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.
Should I cancel a 155 LSAT?
It is not, however, a reason to cancel your LSAT score. If you seriously studied and committed to preparing for the exam in the months leading up to it, then you should be in a good position to keep the score. Even if you didn't get a 180, it's likely that this score reflects your aptitude and abilities.
Is a 135 on the LSAT bad?
Average LSAT Score
LSAT passing score of at least 165 on the LSAT. In recent years, the average LSAT score has stayed at around 151-152. Correspondingly, applicants should aim to score 151 at a minimum to get into an accredited law school because of how competitive and challenging admissions are.
Do law schools see how many times you took the LSAT?
How Many Times Have You Taken the LSAT Before? Applicants may take the LSAT up to seven times overall, five times within the current and five past testing years, and three times in a single testing year from July to June. Remember that law schools will see the score of every uncanceled test you take.