Should I retake a 166 LSAT?

Asked by: Norberto Keebler  |  Last update: November 1, 2023
Score: 4.7/5 (16 votes)

Are you looking to crash the gates at Yale? If so, 166 won't do it, and you've got to take it again. But for most schools, 166 makes you a shoo-in, and it's a competitive score at most top-20 schools, although that also depends on your GPA, too. I'd suggest taking a look at our Law School Compass .

Is 166 a bad LSAT score?

On average, T-14 schools require an LSAT that is in the range between 166 (25th percentile) and 172 (75th percentile score). The 25th percentile numbers suggest that there some wiggle room within T-14 schools. However, keep in mind that if you're boasting a 25th percentile score, your GPA will have to be stellar.

Can I get into NYU with 166 LSAT?

If you want to get into a T6 law school, you need to aim for a 170+ LSAT score to feel confident about getting accepted to a T6 law school. Though UChicago, Stanford, Columbia, and NYU all have 25th percentile LSAT scores just below 170, most students at T6 law schools got in with a 170 or better.

Is it worth taking the LSAT again?

If your score is much lower than your target and you are willing to put effort into adjusting and reassessing your study tactics, then it is absolutely worth it to take the LSAT twice. The LSAT is an essential component of your application, so getting a good score will maximize your chances of acceptance.

Does it look bad if you take the LSAT twice?

Due to the difficulty of the test, law schools generally understand that students may not receive their ideal score the first time around. As a rule, schools look for score improvements overall, and do not necessarily view multiple attempts at the LSAT as a negative factor on an application.

Should you retake a 167 LSAT score? It depends.

39 related questions found

Do most people do better on their second LSAT?

From a scoring standpoint, test takers who repeat the LSAT increase their scores by an average of 2.6 points the second time they take the test, and increase by another 2.3 points the third time they take the test (as compared to the second time).

What is the average LSAT score for first-time takers?

Data Summary. The average LSAT score for first-time takers was 151, according to scores tracked from 2006-2013. During this period, second-time test takers had the highest LSAT average score of about 152. The average national LSAT score for full-time, first-year JD enrollees for fall 2022 was about 159.

Should I cancel my LSAT score if I did worse?

Should You Actually Cancel Your LSAT Score? In the final analysis, if you have strong reason to believe you've done poorly, and if you have time to take the test again (and to further your preparation), there's nothing wrong with canceling one LSAT score (but only one).

Is the LSAT harder now than it used to be?

Short answer: No. The only difference across practice tests over time is that early Logic Games are harder, so if anything, the LSAT has gotten easier. Don't worry about subtle changes based on a few data points. Focus on understanding the test, one question at a time.

Should I keep a low LSAT score?

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.

Can you get into Harvard Law with a 166?

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.

Can I get into Harvard Law with a 165 LSAT?

Top-five law schools: 170 to 180. Schools like Harvard and Yale, which are the top two, rarely accept applicants with less than 172 on the LSAT.

Can you get into UCLA with a 165 LSAT?

There is no “required” LSAT score to gain admission at UCLA Law, but higher scores can boost your application. Consider the LSAT score percentiles of incoming J.D. students: 25th percentile LSAT: 166. Median LSAT: 170.

What LSAT score did Elle Woods get?

LSAT Lessons from Legally Blonde (really!)

As you probably know, the LSAT is scored from 120 to 180. Elle Woods was able to raise her score from a 143 to a 179 just by diligently preparing.

How hard is a 165 on the LSAT?

We've already developed a general sense of LSAT score percentiles from some of the common score thresholds above (160: 80th percentile; 165: 90th percentile; 170: 97-98th percentile, and 174: 99th percentile).

What is a mediocre LSAT score?

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.

Does it look bad to take the LSAT 3 times?

Taking the LSAT multiple times is often less of a problem for law schools if each score shows improved results; otherwise, it is spending money trying to yield different results. If you plan to retake the test, strategize and prepare adequately.

Do most people finish the LSAT?

Many people don't finish. The score comes from getting questions right, not just from getting them answered, and a correct guess is as good as a right answer, whether you like it or not. Don't waver about guessing. Decide quickly, once you recognize the possibility, then do it and forget about it.

Do law schools look at every LSAT?

You will find that most law schools look at the higher or highest LSAT test score for applicants with multiple scores. However, applicants should keep in mind that Admissions Committee members will see all scores and may be negatively influenced by a large number of tests or a downward trend in scores.

How many times can I fail the LSAT?

Three times in a single testing year (the next testing cycle begins with the August 2022 test). Five times within the current and five past testing years (the period in which LSAC reports scores to law schools). A total of seven times over a lifetime.

Does it matter how many times you take the LSAT?

This is because law schools used to average LSAT scores for students who took the test more than once. That is no longer the case. This changed in 2006, and now law schools simply accept your highest test score, so students won't have to worry about scores being averaged out.

Does withdrawing from LSAT look bad?

The withdrawal doesn't even show up on your LSAT Score Report. So, if you're not feeling like you'll score your best on test day, know that you have right up until midnight of the night before to decide if you want to take it.

How hard is it to get a 160 on the LSAT?

You don't have to be perfect to do well. On a typical LSAT, you can still get around 18–19 questions wrong and still end up in the 160s—or about 14 wrong and get a 164, a 90th percentile score. Even a perfect score of 180 often allows you to miss a question or two.

What is the lowest LSAT score accepted by Harvard?

So let's take a look at what it actually takes to have a chance of being admitted to the most prestigious and preeminent law school in the world. 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.

How many people get a 160 on the LSAT?

A student scoring a 160 is in the 80.4 percentile because the student scored better than 80.4% of test-takers. You can hover over the blue outline to see a tooltip for all each LSAT/percentile combinations.