Should I retake a 158 LSAT?
Asked by: Tom Weissnat | Last update: November 14, 2025Score: 5/5 (30 votes)
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 158 a bad LSAT score?
As mentioned above, the average LSAT score nationally is a 152. Generally speaking, a score of 160 and above is necessary to guarantee admission into top-100 schools like Tulane, UC Hastings, or Case Western Reserve.
Does retaking the LSAT look bad?
No, law schools don't really care if you retake the LSAT. However, if you have multiple LSAT scores (four or more) it may raise a few eyebrows and make the admissions committees question your time management, dedication, and academic potential a little more.
Should I retake the LSAT if I got a 157?
Comments Section Just hang in there for now, a 157 is a solid score. It's a good score! You absolutely deserve a break. If you have to study again, god forbid, you have plenty of time and can wait to hear back. Especially if you're happy to go to any of the schools which you applied to. A 157 LSAT is pretty decent!
Is 157 a bad LSAT score?
For example, those who got a 153 are in the 55th percentile, meaning they scored higher than 55% of the other test takers. Most people aim for a score of 157 so they can reach the 70th percentile and make a good impression on their chosen law school's admission board.
Should I Retake the LSAT?
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.
Does it look bad if you take the 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.
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 159 a bad LSAT score?
Average LSAT Score and Scores of Accepted Law Students. The typical LSAT score for 2022 law school enrollees was about 159, but top programs require scores in the 170-175 range.
What score should I retake the LSAT?
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 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.
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.
Should I keep a 155 LSAT score?
For example, to get into a top-ranking law school, you'll probably need an LSAT score of at least 160 or above, while a score in the mid-150s is often acceptable at many excellent law schools. A top 10 law school typically requires a 170 or above.
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.
Can I get into Harvard with a 155 LSAT?
So as you probably expect, most students at the top three law schools have LSAT scores somewhere in the stratosphere. But roughly 25% of the entering classes at Harvard, Yale, and Stanford have LSAT scores at or below 170. Every year some students with scores in the 150s and many in the 160s will be admitted.
Why do people cancel their LSAT score?
Some reasons people cancel LSAT scores include: Feeling sick or unwell the day of the test. Feeling or being unprepared for the test. Getting stumped on a section.
What is a common first LSAT score?
What is the average LSAT score for first-time takers? According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), first-time LSAT takers score an average of 151. Of course, if you're unhappy with your LSAT score, you can always take it again.
What percentage of people retake the LSAT?
Thus, when you go to the test center for the first time, the majority of people around you are also there for the first time. What about people repeating the test? The average percentage of second-time test takers is 26%, and the average percentage of third-time test takers is 5% (percentages rounded).
Is it worth retaking the 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.
Do law schools see all LSAT attempts?
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.
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 legally blonde realistic?
OVERALL (fairly accurate!)
After going through it myself - overall impression of Legally Blonde? Not too shabby! I'd say the class/school scenes are pretty accurate, as well as Elle's transition from totally uncomfortable to realizing that she deserves to be at Harvard Law.
What is a mediocre LSAT score?
The LSAT percentile score range demonstrates your score relative to other test-takers over the past three years. According to the Law School Admission Council, which administers the test, the median score for the 2021-24 testing years was 153, meaning 50% of test-takers scored below and 50% scored above that number.