Is it worth it to take the LSAT twice?
Asked by: Howard Littel | Last update: January 25, 2026Score: 4.9/5 (25 votes)
If you feel you can improve your score by at least a few points, retaking the LSAT is worthwhile. Law schools will know if you retake the LSAT, but they are unlikely to care. There are more than enough reasons to stress out about your law school applications. Retaking the LSAT is not one of them.
Does it look bad to take LSAT twice?
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.
What percentage of people take the LSAT twice?
LSAC Data on LSAT Retakes
About 57% of those test attempts (70,547) were completed by first-time test-takers. An LSAC report covering 2010-11 through 2017-18 indicates that the average annual percentage of first-time test-takers was 68%; the average annual percentage was 26% for second-timers and 5% for third-timers.
Is it worth it to retake the LSAT?
While you'll be retaking your LSAT in hopes of getting a higher score, statistics show you shouldn't expect to improve by a drastic amount on your second LSAT attempt. According to LSAT retake scores, the majority of students only increase their score by two or three points.
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.
law school decision reactions!! yale, nyu, harvard, cornell, columbia, & more
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.
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.
How many times do most people take the LSAT?
This is not to say that retaking the LSAT is rare – not at all! In fact, according to the latest data, about 25% of LSAT takers retake it for the second time, and about 4% take it three times.
Should I retake the LSAT if I score 170?
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.
Is the LSAT becoming obsolete?
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.
Do most people do better on their second LSAT?
Many test takers increase their score on the second test. However, some test takers' scores do not change, and some even experience a score decrease. Analyses indicate that, on average, test takers taking their second test in the same testing year increase their scores 2 to 3 points.
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 care if you take the LSAT more than once?
Students who take the LSAT just once with a high score may have a slight edge over those who take it multiple times. However, it does not hurt your chances of getting into law school if you take the LSAT more than once.
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.
How long should I 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
What happens if my second LSAT score is lower?
So your highest score is really all law schools care about. Meaning, a lower score on a LSAT retake should not hurt you.
Do schools see how many times you take the LSAT?
Law schools will see every time an applicant takes the LSAT. Law schools will see if you cancel a score for whatever reason. Law schools do not average the scores for admission, but we always look at performance if you've taken the test more than once.
Does a bad LSAT score hurt you?
These schools, however, are mostly high-ranking and selective, meaning lower scorers are unlikely to be admitted at all. Students with lower LSAT scores are left in a vicious double-bind, rejected from higher-ranking law schools and overcharged at lower-ranking 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.
Does it look bad if I cancel an LSAT score?
Canceling your LSAT score once is not a big deal. Most law schools understand that there are many reasons that students might have for canceling an LSAT score. However, canceling your LSAT score more than once might not be the best look for your overall application.