LSAT Percentiles: How Your Score Stacks Up Against Others

According to the 2021 to 2024 LSAT percentile table, just over 4% of test-takers scored between 170 and 180, which would place them in the top tier for law school admissions.

If you have a dream school or you’re aiming for a top law school, understanding LSAT percentiles and where you land can make all the difference.

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) — that’s the group behind the LSAT—doesn’t just hand out scores. They also assign you a percentile rank that shows how your performance compares to other test takers. And that percentile is a pretty big deal to law school admissions committees, since it provides some context to each applicant’s performance. Let me lay it all out for you.

Key Takeaways

• Top Scores Are Rare: Only a small percentage of test takers reach the highest LSAT scores each year.
• Percentiles Matter: Your percentile rank compares your score to thousands of other test takers.
• Not Just About Raw Scores: It’s a combination of your score and LSAT percentile that gives law schools the whole picture, something your raw score won’t do.
• Percentile Ranks Are Not the Only Factor: Law school admissions also consider your undergraduate GPA, personal statement, and other aspects of your application.
• Law School Admissions Are Competitive: Okay, it’s not like you don’t already know that, but percentiles help admissions teams quickly spot top applicants.

What Are LSAT Percentiles?

First, let me get one thing straight. Your LSAT score is more than just a number that’s somewhere between 120 and 180. Once you’ve finished your law school admission test, the LSAC gives you a scaled score and your percentile rank. And it’s your rank that tells you the percentage of other LSAT test takers you outperformed or were outperformed by.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you get an LSAT score of 170. That will land you at around the 96th percentile, meaning you scored higher than 96% of other test takers in the last few years.

Here’s how the process works:

• Raw score: The number of questions you get right.
• Scaled score: Since each test is different, there’s always the chance someone gets a test that’s harder or easier than someone else. Since that wouldn’t be fair, scores are scaled or adjusted slightly to allow for the difference.
• Percentile rank: Finally, your rank compares your scaled score to the scores of everyone else in a recent three-year period.

Why Do LSAT Percentiles Matter for Law School Admission?

Your LSAT percentile matters because it gives law school admissions offices a quick and efficient way to see your rank, and rank matters. Your percentile rank especially matters if you’re aiming for a top college or the Ivy League. They’ll be looking to admit students who have a better chance at success, which will boost their own rankings. The higher you rank, the better chance of that happening.

Let’s say you have your sights set on Harvard Law School or another ABA-accredited law school. If you score in the top 10% of test takers, maybe a scaled score between 166 and 170, there’s a good chance your application will make it past their first few rounds of vetting based on score alone. But if you have a median LSAT score or below, then you’ll need something to balance that out. Something like a killer personal statement or really high undergraduate GPA.

LSAT Score Range, Average LSAT Score, and Good LSAT Scores

If you’ve been paying attention, you know the LSAT score range is 120 to 180. But what’s a good LSAT score? Ultimately, that will depend on the law school you’re hoping to get into.

Here’s a bit of a guideline to shoot for, depending on where you’re aiming:

• Average LSAT score: This is also called the median LSAT score, and it usually hovers a bit over 150, and anywhere from 151 to 153 is considered the 50th percentile. Meaning about half of the people taking the test did better than you, and half did worse. You won’t get into the top schools like the Ivy League, but you won’t get relegated to the bottom schools either.
• Good LSAT score: For a lot of the upper middle of the road schools, a score in the 160s is strong. But if you’re interested in a more competitive school, you’ll want to hit scores in the 170s.
• Highest LSAT score: The highest is 180, and only about 0.1% of all test takers get this score. If you manage 180, chances are you’ll have your pick of any school you want.

How to Land in a High LSAT Percentile

While not written in stone, most law school experts and admissions counselors point to the 90th percentile, or top 10, as a good benchmark for a high LSAT percentile. But hitting that rank isn’t just about working or studying hard. It’s also about working and studying smart.

Here are a few tips that can help you improve your percentile score:

• Give yourself about three to six months to study before the test, and not just once or twice a week. If possible, aim for 10 to 20 hours a week.
• Do practice tests over and over again to get yourself used to the format and timing.
• Every time you get an answer wrong, review it closely to spot the weak spots in your reasoning.
• Make sure you comprehend what you’re reading and focus on both logical reasoning and analytical skills.
• Use a score conversion chart to track your progress and set goals for future test sessions.

You know that saying, “practice makes perfect.” I’m not going to say all the practice I’ve just suggested will lead to a perfect score, but there’s a very, very good chance it will boost your scaled LSAT score and, with it, your LSAT percentile rank.

What Does Your LSAT Percentile Mean for Your Law School Application?

When it’s all said and done, your LSAT percentile will show schools how you stack up against other applicants. As mentioned above, many schools, not the top tier, but not the bottom either, use the median LSAT percentile as a benchmark for their incoming class. But you need to be aware that your percentile is just one factor in the admissions process.

If you have a dream law school you want to get into, then you need to focus on pushing your test scores as high as possible. The higher your percentile rank, the better your chances.

Final Thoughts

Understanding LSAT percentiles is probably one of the smartest moves you can make as you start your prep. Your percentage gives admission teams a snapshot of how you did and shows how you compare with other LSAT takers. And if your application lands in the ‘nope’ pile or the ‘this deserves further investigation’ pile. My advice? Keep practicing, aim high, and don’t stress if your first or your second, for that matter, isn’t perfect.

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