Is LSAT scored on a curve?

Asked by: Eve Kuhn  |  Last update: October 17, 2023
Score: 4.7/5 (24 votes)

The LSAT is graded on a “curve” so that even if a test was relatively easy or difficult, a 160 on any given test is equivalent to a 160 on any other test. This means that not all tests are exactly the same level of difficulty.

What is the range of LSAT scores on a bell curve?

The LSAT score range is 120–180, and the median score is approximately 152. You need to get about 60 questions right (out of 99–102 questions) to get that median score of 152, which means you need to bat about 60 percent.

Is the LSAT Flex curved?

However, the LSAT Flex is also scored on a relatively steeper curve than the traditional LSAT, which means that you could score 73 questions correct and still receive a 180 depending on the circumstances.

What is the LSAT curve?

The curve is usually spoken about in terms of -9, -10, -11, or -12. This number represents how many you can miss and still score a 170. A test that has a -12 curve is more forgiving than a test that has a -9 curve.

Which LSAT has the best curve?

You'll look at my LSAT PrepTest Raw Score Conversion Charts and calculations of what it takes to get an LSAT score of 160 or 170. Using that data, you'll find that the December exam consistently has the easiest "curve," and the June exam consistently has the hardest.

LSAT score curve

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How realistic is it to get a 170 on LSAT?

However, it is possible. Despite what many people believe, there is no trick or shortcut to getting a 170 or more on an LSAT score. Very few people can walk into the room on test day with very little or no practice and be able to score that highly. It takes a lot of hard work to be able to score up to 170 or higher.

Is a 170 LSAT realistic?

An LSAT score of 170 pretty much guarantees you're getting into law school. You've outscored 98% of all other LSAT test takers, so you're automatically elevated as a desirable applicant. With this score, you're not just “getting in” to “any” law school; you have the potential to be admitted to a top-tier law school.

What LSAT score does Harvard look for?

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.

What is the LSAT score for Harvard University?

The 1L class at Harvard University has a median LSAT of 174. The 25th percentile LSAT is 170 and the 75th percentile LSAT is 176. The median GPA is 3.92. The 25th percentile GPA is 3.82 and the 75th percentile GPA is 3.99.

How many can you get wrong on the LSAT to get a 170?

How Many Questions Can You Get Wrong to Score 170? If your goal is to reach a score of 170 on the LSAT, the maximum number of questions you can answer incorrectly is 11. Correctly answering 90 out of the 101 total questions should give you your desired score of 170.

How many questions can you get wrong on the LSAT-Flex to get a 170?

In the upper ranges, it's very forgiving—you could theoretically miss up to 11 questions and still get a 170. This would be the equivalent of missing about 14-15 questions on an LSAT with 4 scored sections.

How many wrong questions is 175 on the LSAT?

Scoring a 175 means you missed 5 questions on the test, which can be the equivalent of an entire logic game. Scoring a 170 means you missed 10 or 11 questions, which is nearly half of an entire section. The point of all this is that there is room to make mistakes.

What is a realistic LSAT score?

The LSAT is scored on a 120-180 scale.

There's also a writing sample included in the exam which is not scored. From our independent research, we've found that students who take the LSAT without studying achieve scores between 145 and 153.

How is 120 the lowest LSAT score?

After arriving at the raw score, a unique Score Conversion Chart is used for each LSAT to convert the raw score into a scaled LSAT score. Since June 1991, the LSAT has utilized a 120 to 180 scoring scale, with 120 being the lowest possible score and 180 being the highest possible score.

What is the average LSAT score without studying?

The average LSAT score without studying ranges from 135 to 145, well below the median at 151 in the 50th percentile. Preparing with practice tests and learning the skills you need for each exam section is the key to boosting your LSAT scores.

What LSAT score do you need for Ivy League?

LSAT Score Ranges for Ivy League Law Schools

To gain admittance to an Ivy League law school, you should score in the 172-175 range.

What LSAT score do I need for Yale?

To get into Yale Law School, you should spend your undergraduate years working as hard as you can to earn top grades. You should also invest plenty of time in studying for the LSAT in order to aim for a score of at least 175, and preferably 176 or above.

What is the LSAT score for Yale?

Yale University

The median GPA score of a student enrolled at Yale University is 3.92, while the median LSAT score is 173. These stats are based on students who seek admission successfully and later enroll as full-time students.

What is a poor LSAT score?

Typical LSAT score ranges include: 120-147 Low. 148-156 Mid. 157-164 High. 165-180 Exceptional.

Has anyone ever gotten a 180 on the LSAT?

Getting an LSAT score of 180 or a “perfect score” is extremely rare. According to data published by the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), from 2006-2009 of all LSATs administered, approximately 144,000 per year, only 0.1% received a 180.

Can I get into Harvard Law with a low LSAT?

As of the most recent application cycle, Harvard Law's median LSAT score is 174. Assuming the rest of your application is perfectly “average” for Harvard Law, if your LSAT score is below 174, your chances of getting in are below average. If it's above 174, your chances are above average.

Should I keep a 145 LSAT score?

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 bad is a 140 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 is the 99th percentile on the LSAT?

An exceptional LSAT score will be somewhere around a 173, which is the 99th percentile, according to the Law School Admissions Council—if you received a 173, you scored better than 99 percent of all test takers.