LSAT Scores for Law School 2026: Ranges, Prep, and Strategy

Good is relative to your target schools. Across the 196 ABA-accredited schools, the median school reports an LSAT median of 159. A 160 (71st percentile) opens roughly half of the ABA-accredited schools to scholarship consideration. A 165 (85th percentile) is the threshold for T26 to T50 schools at median. A 170 (94th percentile) is the T14 floor. A 175 (99th percentile) puts you in scholarship range at every school.

The LSAT scoring scale runs from 120 (lowest) to 180 (highest). Your raw score is the number of correct answers across the three scored sections: two logical reasoning sections and one reading comprehension section. An additional unscored variable section pretests future questions and does not count toward your score. The analytical reasoning (logic games) section was removed in August 2024. Raw scores are converted to scaled scores via an equating process that adjusts for difficulty differences between test administrations. Wrong answers are not penalized. Always answer every question.

LSAC allows three attempts in a single testing year (June through May), five attempts in a five-year period, and seven attempts total in a lifetime. Cancellations after the test administration count toward these limits. The score-preview policy lets first-time test takers see their score before deciding to keep or cancel; this counts as an attempt. Most law schools accept the highest score, not the average.

Take your first attempt in June 2026 (junior year June for traditional applicants). This gives you August 2026 and October 2026 retake options before the November 15 early-application window closes. Schools cannot review files until your LSAT score is reported (about 3 weeks after the test). Plan to have a satisfactory score in hand by October 2026 to apply during the rolling-admissions sweet spot.

LSAT carries more weight at almost every ABA school. Internal admissions formulas weight LSAT around 60 percent and GPA around 40 percent, with some adjustments for school. The reason: LSAT is harder to improve once you graduate, while GPA is fixed by definition. A late LSAT improvement of 5 points moves your school options more than a 0.2 point GPA shift would.

Yes if you scored 5 or more points below your average practice tests, or if your score sits below the 25th percentile of your top-three target schools. Most law schools accept the highest of multiple LSAT scores. Retaking is more common than not; roughly one third of test takers retake. Plan retakes carefully: schools see all scores, and a third score below the second can read poorly.

Cancellations are reported to schools as 'C' on your record. Most schools claim cancellations are neutral. In practice, multiple cancellations can read as risk aversion or test-taking instability. Use cancellation sparingly and only when something demonstrably went wrong (illness, exam disruption). The 'first score preview' option lets first-time takers see their first score before deciding; subsequent attempts do not have this option.

LSAC reviews accommodation requests for documented disabilities through the Accommodated Testing Program. Common accommodations include extra time (most often 1.5x), extra breaks, and large-print materials. Apply at least 8 weeks before your test date and prepare for documentation requests. Accommodated scores are reported the same way as standard scores: schools cannot tell from your score report that you tested with accommodations.