What is the average LSAT score over the years?
Asked by: Gertrude Heidenreich | Last update: September 24, 2025Score: 4.4/5 (55 votes)
Mean LSAT scores by year are as follows: 156.63 in 2008, 156.44 in 2009, 156.55 in 2010, 156.71 in 2011, 156.76 in 2012, 156.45 in 2013, 155.81 in 2014, 155.30 in 2015, 154.60 in 2016, and 154.18 in 2017.
What was the old LSAT score range?
The first administration of the LSAT followed and occurred in 1948. From the test's inception until 1981, scores were reported on a scale of 200 to 800; from 1981 to 1991, a 48-point scale was used. In 1991, the scale was changed again, so that reported scores range from 120 to 180.
Are LSAT scores increasing?
We saw a significant increase in the proportion of 160-180 LSAT Scores in the 2020-2021 cycle following the introduction of the LSAT-Flex, and while that proportion came down somewhat the following cycle, that decrease has not continued, as you can see below—the proportion of high LSAT scores remains extremely high.
How common is a 180 LSAT?
Percentiles vary slightly between tests, but generally around 25% of test-takers score 160 or higher, 5% score 170 or higher, and 1% score 175 or higher. Only one in 1,000 test-takers scores 180.
How bad is a 135 on the LSAT?
As previously stated, the score range for any LSAT exam is 120 to 180, but the average score is about 150. However, most of the top ten law schools require a candidate to have scored at least 165 on the LSAT.
What is a good average LSAT score
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.
What LSAT score do I need for 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.
What score did Elle Woods get on her LSAT?
Elle Woods, a fictional character portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in the movie Legally Blonde, is known for her remarkable LSAT score—179 out of 180. Portrayed as a stereotypical "valley girl," she embarks on a journey to Harvard Law School in the movie that has since become a cult favorite.
What is a respectable LSAT score?
What do 150, 160 and 170 scores mean? According to U.S. News, law school admissions experts recommend striving for at least a 150; however, for a top-ranking law school, you should aim for a 160 or better. For a Top 10 law school, a 170 or more is desired.
Are law schools getting rid of LSAT?
In November 2022, the American Bar Association voted to eliminate the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) requirement for law schools, effective 2025.
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.
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 LSAT score did Obama get?
During his time, the median LSAT scores for Harvard Law were generally between 170 and 175. This suggests that the Obama LSAT scores were within this range, placing him in the top percentiles of test-takers.
Do law schools care about old LSAT scores?
According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), LSAT scores typically have a five-year shelf life, but some schools prefer scores from the last three to four years.
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.
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.
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.
What is the hardest law school to get into?
- Yale University: 6.9%
- Stanford University: 9.72%
- University of Pennsylvania: 14.6%
- University of Virginia: 15.3%
- Harvard University: 15.6%
- Columbia University: 16.8%
- University of Chicago: 17.5%
- Duke University: 20.2%
Has anyone gotten a 180 on the LSAT?
He worked his way up to a perfect 180 LSAT score on a mock LSAT exam, 18 points higher than his diagnostic exam prior to ScoreItUp's course! Even more importantly, Spencer's actual LSAT score was better than 99 percent of test-takers sitting for the exam!
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.
Will a 180 LSAT get you in anywhere?
LSAT takers can score anywhere from 120 to 180. With that big of a range, what kind of score should you aim for? Realistically, you should try to get a score of at least 150. That's the score that will get you into any accredited law school.
How bad is a 149 on the LSAT?
You can get into law school with a low LSAT score if it is above 144-145. Scores in this range will get you into some lower-ranking schools, although the majority of law schools prefer scores above 150. For expert prep on increasing your score and chances of accetpance, speak with a counselor at Juris Education.
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.