LSAT Passing Score: What You Need to Get Into Law School

Ever wondered if there’s a magical LSAT passing score that guarantees you a spot in law school?

Here’s some good news for you, or maybe bad, depending on your point of view. There is no official passing score for the LSAT.

But here’s something wild. In the Class of 2024, less than half a percent of American Bar Association (ABA) applicants scored a perfect 180. That means the majority of future lawyers aren’t pulling off some kind of miracle on their test days. So, unless you’re aiming for perfection right out of the gate, don’t stress yourself.

Seriously, I mean it. Don’t do it. The test will be stressful enough.

Key Takeaways

• There is no Pass/Fail: The LSAT is not a pass/fail exam. Law schools set their own standards for a competitive score.
• LSAT Score Range: Scores go from the lowest, 120, to a high of 180, which is a perfect score. The median score for most schools is above the national average.
• Competitive Scores Matter: What’s considered a good score depends on the school. A lower score will limit your options, while a higher score opens more doors.
• Scaled Scores & Percentiles: Your raw score—correct answers—is converted to a scaled score. The scaled score is converted into a percentile rank.
• LSAT Scoring is Unique: The LSAT score compares you to thousands of law school applicants each cycle. It’s not just about how many questions you get right, but how you did compared to everyone else.

What Does LSAT Passing Score Even Mean?

Let me just get this out of the way. There’s no such thing as an LSAT passing score. You won’t get a score report stamped with a giant “PASS” or “FAIL.” Instead, law schools look for a competitive score, which is usually something above their median score for admitted students.

The LSAT score range is from 120 to 180, with 120 being the lowest possible score you can get, and 180 being a perfect LSAT score. 120 or 180, it’s still a passing score. But here’s something to keep in mind: the average LSAT hovers around 150 to 152, so if you can score higher than that, you’re already beating most other test takers with your higher passing score.

How LSAT Scoring Works

I’ll try to do this without frying your brain, so you’ll still have all the cells you need for test day. In plain English, this is how LSAT scoring works:

• Raw Score: This number represents the number of questions you answered right, nothing more. And there’s no penalty for wrong answers, so if you need to, guess!
• Score Conversion Chart: Your raw score isn’t what law schools see. It’s converted using a score conversion chart that changes a bit each test date, depending on how difficult it was.
• Scaled Score: This is the official score you see on your LSAT score report, between 120 and 180.
• Percentile Ranking: Wondering how your score compares? So are law schools! They receive your percentile score so they can see at a glance how you compare to everyone else and whether your application warrants a deeper look. Here’s an example: a 75th percentile score means you did better than 75% of other test takers.
• Score Band: Your score report includes a range, such as 165 to 169, to show where your score might fall if you took the LSAT again.

What Counts as a Good LSAT Score?

Whether your score is “good” depends on you and your goals. Here’s what I mean:

• Good Score: For most ABA-accredited law schools, a score around 160 would be considered good.
• Competitive LSAT Score: A competitive LSAT score varies by law school. For top-tier law schools like Harvard and Yale, a competitive or “elite” score is usually above 170. But at many other schools, a competitive score is one that’s at or above the school’s median LSAT score, which could be in the 150s or 160s..
• Median Score: Each school posts its admissions statistics, including the median LSAT for its incoming class. Scoring at or above their median puts you in the running for that school.
• Low LSAT Scores: Scores below the average LSAT, which is about 150 across the board, are considered low and may limit your options for admission to law school. However, if you have a great personal statement or a strong undergraduate GPA, it might be enough to boost your law school application.
• Higher Score: The higher your scaled LSAT score, the more schools you can apply to. Think top-tier schools like the Sanford or the University of Chicago Law School.

How Does the LSAT Score Compare to Other College Admissions Tests?

Unlike SATs or ACTs, there isn’t a minimum LSAT score needed to “pass.” It’s all about where you fall on the LSAT scale and how your score compares to the median scores at your target schools.

For college law school admissions, the LSAT is just one part of the process. Your undergraduate GPA and personal statement are important factors, too.

LSAT Sections: Logical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and More

If you’re getting ready to sit for the LSAT, knowing what you’ll face on test day can be a huge advantage. So here you go.

The LSAT consists of several sections, with Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension being the main events. In the LR section, your goal is to analyze short arguments and spot the flaws in their reasoning. It’s kind of like a workout for your lawyer brain.

On the other hand, the Reading Comprehension section has you deep diving into dense walls of academic text, and then you have to answer questions that show your level of understanding of the main points and details. If you find the LR section tricky, don’t worry. Lots of test takers do. Putting in some extra practice here can pay off!

The test also includes an unscored section, sometimes referred to as the variable or experimental section. You can’t tell what section it is, so the fact that it’s unscored is kind of moot. You still need to try your best to answer the questions correctly. The scored sections are added to your raw score, which is the number of questions you answered correctly. That score is then converted into your official scaled score.

Perfect Score Dreams (and Realistic Goals)

I’m not going to stop you from dreaming about a perfect LSAT score, but less than 1% of test-takers a year manage to pull it off. Remember, for most law school applicants, a good score is something that meets or beats your target school’s median score. And you can take the test more than once, so don’t sweat it if you’re not happy with the score you got on your first try. Many successful lawyers didn’t ace the test their first time up to bat.

If you’re the competitive type—even if you’re just competing with yourself—there’s something else to remember. A higher score can lead to scholarship money.

Final Thoughts

So, about the LSAT passing score? There’s really no such thing. What matters most is how your score compares to other test takers and how it stacks up at the law schools on your wishlist. Whether you’re aiming for a perfect score or just a good score, know that your LSAT is just one step in your admissions journey. Keep prepping, stay confident, and maybe reward yourself with a pizza after every practice test.

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