LSAT Score Range: Here's What You Need to Get in!

Understanding What LSAT Score Range You Need

After hours of LSAT practice questions and LSAT practice problems, you may be ready to take on the real test. But before you even take the LSAT you need to understand how it is scored, and what those LSAT score ranges really mean. Why? Because you need to understand what type of scores are accepted in your desired schools. Law school acceptance rates vary widely, and so do the accepted LSAT score ranges. So, let’s start with the basics!

How the LSAT is Scored

Initially, you receive a raw score, which is simply the number of questions you answered correctly. The LSAT usually contains between 99 and 102 questions, so raw scores typically range from 0 to 101/102. There's no penalty for wrong answers, so it's to your advantage to guess on questions you're unsure about. Please note that you never actually get to see your raw score. You only get your scaled score and your percentile rank when the LSAT scores are released.

Your raw score is then converted to a scaled score, which ranges between 120 and 180. This conversion accounts for slight differences in difficulty between different LSAT test administrations. So, two test takers who demonstrate equivalent abilities on different test dates will get the same scaled score, even if one of them took a slightly harder version of the test.

Alongside your scaled score, you'll also receive a percentile rank, which indicates the percentage of test takers from the past three years who scored lower than you. For instance, if your percentile rank is 90%, it means you scored higher than 90% of test-takers.

LSAT Score Ranges

LSAT scaled scores can be roughly divided into the following four categories:

The administrators of the LSAT claim that the scoring system is designed to provide a fair and accurate assessment of a test-taker's abilities, regardless of when or where they take the test. Understanding your score in the context of the broader LSAT score range can help you gauge your standing and strategize your law school application process. Always aim for a score that aligns with the median scores of your target law schools. Not sure where you can apply? Let’s check out some of the top schools’ LSAT score ranges so you can get an idea of what to aim for!

Top 10 Law Schools in the US and Their LSAT Score Ranges

Now, let’s take a look at the accepted LSAT score ranges for the top 10 law schools in the U.S. Remember, these can vary from year to year based on the pool of applicants. However, here are the general LSAT score ranges for some of the top law schools:

It's essential to remember that these are general ranges, and the scores can fluctuate slightly based on the specific cohort of applicants in any given year.

Top 5 Law Schools in Canada and Their LSAT Score Ranges

Keep in mind that the exact LSAT score range can fluctuate from year to year based on the applicant pool. Here are the accepted LSAT score ranges for some of the top law schools in Canada:

*** McGill University Faculty of Law: While McGill does consider LSAT scores, it does not have a strict cut-off.

What is a Good LSAT Score?

A 'good' LSAT score is relative and can vary based on an individual's aspirations and the schools they're targeting. But, generally speaking, these are the guidelines you can use to understand what a good LSAT score would be:

Above 160: Scores in this range are generally considered good and can make candidates competitive for many law schools.

165-170: This score range is excellent and can open doors to top-tier law schools.

170-180: These are outstanding scores, making an applicant competitive for even the most elite law schools, including those in the T14.

What is a Bad LSAT Score?

While it's essential to approach this with your personal circumstances in mind (i.e., where you want to go to law school), scores on the lower end of the LSAT spectrum are as follows:

Below 145: Scores in this range are generally considered on the lower end. While not entirely closing the door to law school, they make admission to ABA-accredited schools challenging.

145-150: These scores are below the median but might still be acceptable for some regional or unranked law schools.

It's worth noting that many law schools have holistic admissions processes and will consider other strengths an applicant might bring to the table, even with a lower LSAT score.

What Score is Considered Competitive?

The term 'competitive' is a moving target, dependent upon the particular law school or tier of schools an applicant is considering. For instance:

In Canada, the competitive range can also vary by school. For instance, the University of Toronto, one of Canada's top law schools, often sees a competitive LSAT score in the mid to high 160s, while other schools may have slightly lower medians.

Determining what is a 'good' or 'bad' LSAT score is not black and white. It's contingent upon individual goals, targeted schools, and the broader context of your entire profile. While the LSAT is undeniably crucial in the admissions process, it's one piece of a multifaceted puzzle. Thus, while aiming for the highest score possible, you should also focus on crafting a well-rounded application that showcases their abilities, experiences, and potential contributions to the legal community.

What are LSAT Percentiles?

When we speak about LSAT score ranges and what score you need to get into law school, we should also mention LSAT percentiles since these can have an effect on your competitiveness as a candidate. The LSAT percentile is a metric that provides insight into how a test taker's score compares to others who took the same test. Essentially, it denotes the percentage of test takers that an individual outperformed. For example, if a student's LSAT score is in the 90th percentile, it indicates that they scored higher than 90% of the other test takers.

LSAT percentiles are crucial for a few reasons. Firstly, they offer a more contextual understanding of a raw score. An LSAT score, in isolation, might not convey much about an applicant's standing. However, the associated percentile offers a clearer picture of how that score measures up in a broader pool. A score of 160, for instance, might seem impressive, but knowing it corresponds to the 80th percentile provides a deeper understanding of its relative strength.

For law school admissions, percentiles can be especially informative. Law schools often publicize the 25th, 50th (median), and 75th percentiles of the LSAT scores of their incoming classes. This data offers prospective students a clearer sense of the score range that the school typically admits. For example, if a law school's 25th percentile LSAT score is 155 and the 75th percentile is 165, applicants can infer that the majority of admitted students scored within that range.

The utility of percentiles extends beyond just helping prospective students gauge their chances of admission. Law schools themselves use these percentiles for various purposes, including marketing and ranking considerations. High LSAT percentiles can enhance a school's reputation and perceived selectivity, which can influence its ranking in various publications.

In conclusion, LSAT percentiles serve as a vital reference point in the law school admissions landscape. They help demystify raw scores, offering both applicants and schools a clearer, relative understanding of where a score stands in the broader context. For prospective law students, understanding these percentiles can aid in setting realistic goals and strategizing their application process.

How are LSAT Score Ranges Used in Law School Admissions?

The LSAT claims to assess reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and analytical thinking abilities, which are vital skills for any aspiring lawyer. Law schools place significant emphasis on LSAT scores because they are said to correlate with a student's potential to perform well in law school and, subsequently, on bar exams. Because undergraduate GPA can vary in significance based on the rigor of the institution or the chosen major, the LSAT is believed to serve as a leveling tool, ensuring that every applicant is evaluated on the same metric. That’s certainly debatable, but this is how the test is currently used in law school admissions.

Admissions committees use LSAT scores in conjunction with other application materials, such as law school personal statements, letters of recommendation, and academic transcripts, to get a holistic view of an applicant. However, due to its standardized nature, the LSAT often carries more weight than any single other component of the application. A strong LSAT score can compensate for a lower GPA or bolster an already competitive application.

You might have noticed that many law schools list an "average" or "median" LSAT score for their admitted students, few will explicitly state an "official" cutoff. However, that doesn't mean unofficial cutoffs don't exist.

An "official" cutoff would mean the law school openly declares that they will not consider any applicant below a certain LSAT score. In practice, very few, if any, law schools have such stringent, explicit policies. However, "unofficial" cutoffs are a different matter. An unofficial cutoff refers to a general LSAT score below which an applicant's chances of admission are significantly reduced, even if the school doesn't openly state such a policy. These unofficial thresholds can often be inferred from the 25th percentile LSAT score of a law school's entering class. While it's not impossible to gain admission with a score below this percentile, it does become increasingly challenging. Applicants with scores below these unofficial cutoffs often need to present exceptionally strong other components in their application to balance out their lower LSAT score.

For those who find themselves below the unofficial cutoff, it's essential not to be disheartened. Every year, students with scores below the median for their desired school gain admission by leveraging other strengths in their application. This could mean highlighting a strong GPA, crafting a compelling personal statement, or presenting persuasive letters of recommendation. Additionally, if there were extenuating circumstances that affected one's performance on the LSAT, many schools provide an option for applicants to write an addendum explaining such situations.

While it's important to note that no single score guarantees admission, the LSAT remains a significant determinant in the decision-making process. Given this, prospective law students are advised to invest substantial time and effort into preparing for the exam to maximize their chances of gaining admission to their desired institutions.

FAQs