Lsat scores what do they mean

This relatively small range of scores means that small improvements in performance can increase your score quite a bit. It also means that small improvements in your score can make a big difference in your percentile ranking sometimes, a one point increase in your score can boost your percentile ranking by as many as 5 points.

How is the LSAT scored? The test-taking world would be such an easier place to understand if every test was scored on a scale. However, the LSAT is on a scale that ranges from the lowest score possible- to a perfect score. The scoring on the LSAT might seem strange because there are not, in fact, questions on the test. Thus, getting one wrong answer does not equate to one lost point in your overall score. Rather, your raw score, the number you get correct out of the roughly questions on the test, is converted into a score based on a mathematical formula specific to that particular test.

On average, getting a raw score of 87 out of or above converts into an LSAT score of or above. While this scoring may seem complex at first, after you gain familiarity with the LSAT it will start to make more sense. For information on what the average LSAT scores are for students attending a particular law school you can visit that law schools website, or see a list of average scores here.

Keep in mind, however, that only about one percent of the population gets the highest LSAT score. So, for the rest of us, you can take a deep breath and focus on slightly more realistic goals.

If you score at or above , your chances for a top 25 school are fantastic. Once you know your raw score, you can determine your approximate scaled score by looking at a conversion table.

If you want to be really careful, look up a few different tables and average them. Luckily for you, Magoosh has already done this! You should also get an email notification from LSAC around this time.

The report will also have your score band for various skills. You can ask that it be sent to other schools , as well as to your prelaw advisor at your undergrad institution. Travis is in charge of helping students turn LSAT prep into an afternoon with this guy. With a JD from NYU and an English degree from Boston College, he's dedicated his career to fighting the forces of unnecessary legal jargon and faulty logic. When not geeking out on the LSAT, he can probably be found on skis, in water, or in the vicinity of a roller coaster.

View all posts. Magoosh blog comment policy : To create the best experience for our readers, we will only approve comments that are relevant to the article, general enough to be helpful to other students, concise, and well-written! We highly encourage students to help each other out and respond to other students' comments if you can! A scaled score of is around the percentile rank of 80 percent, meaning the test-taker performed better than all but twenty percent of individuals who took the exam.

Of course, a low score is anything below , and the percentile rank drops significantly with each point below In fact, a score of will likely fall around 25 percent. The important thing to remember is that poor performance on the LSAT does not mean you will never get into law school, but it does suggest that a significant improvement in preparation is required.

You can retake the LSAT essentially as many times as you like, although we recommend taking several weeks to fully prepare for the LSAT before the test if your score is not where you want or need it to be. As mentioned, an above-average score on the LSAT is considered by most to be or above. Of course, not all law programs are the same, and some may not require such a high score, whereas other top tier programs may require a score even higher. In general, however, the majority of top-tier schools consider applicants with above-average scores more strongly than those with average to slightly above average scores.

While it is possible to get into your desired school with a score under , we encourage students to retake an exam if it is not in this range or higher. You can also research your desired school to see what score might be ideal. You should not be discouraged if you do not score above , especially if it is on your first attempt.

Remember, a holds a percentile rank of approximately 80 percent, which means only 2 out of 10 test-takers get these results. Approximately half of all students fall below With that said, you should have the goal and intention of scoring above , and we know that you can do it! Although it may take lots of preparation, utilizing the right resources and putting in the effort, you can get into your desired law school and take the next step towards achieving your law aspirations.

Also, keep in mind that you are not limited to one attempt at the LSAT, and you are more than welcome to take the examination as many times as you want or need to. There is a correlation between time spent studying and how well the individual performs on the LSAT. Although this may seem obvious, all too many students do not spend enough time studying, either because they do not have the necessary resources to do so or they believe they are ready and no longer need to study.

However, it is essential to know where your current knowledge is and how you will most likely perform on the LSAT, and it is also important to have the necessary study resources available to help you improve your knowledge of information that is likely to show up on the LSAT.

We offer detailed practice exams — including some that are free — which give you a good indication of where you stand and whether or not you are ready to make an above-average scaled score on the LSAT.