What Scores Law Schools Receive
Law schools can choose whether or not to see all of an applicant’s LSAT scores. When a law school requests scores, the LSAC (Law School Admission Council) provides a single "most recent prep test" LSAT score for each LSAT prep test taken by the applicant along with any "LSAT writing sample" the applicant has submitted, such as the LSAT Writing Sample or the LSAT-flex Writing Sample (when offered), and applies its LSAT Writing Sample Policy. For law schools that opt-in to view all LSAT scores , the LSAC provides all LSAT multiple-choice prep tests taken and LSAT writing samples submitted.
The "most recent prep test" is the LSAT prep test sitting that is nearest in time to the admission application deadline to which the applicant is applying. If multiple LSAT prep tests were taken closest to the priority (or final) application deadline, it will be the LSAT prep test with the highest score. For most law school admission deadlines, this will be the October LSAT prep test for the following year (e.g., the October 2023 LSAT will be the most recent for February 1, 2024 application deadlines). However, applicants can absolutely submit applications before the October LSAT scores are released.
Do Law Committees Review All LSAT Scores?
The LSAC will report all of your LSAT scores to law schools if you take the LSAT more than once.
It used to be that the LSAC would only report just the highest score of all the LSATs you had taken. This changed in 2012. Now the LSAC will report all scores taken within the last 5 years to law schools at the time that you apply to law school. (from the Law School Admissions Decision Tool Kit.)
It’s important for the undergraduate institution and the law school to have the best information possible to help you succeed. Students who have taken the LSAT multiple times have been able to see if there is an upward or downward trend and what that means to them in their applications. This has led to better application decisions with fewer students facing unnecessary disappointment. Our research shows that for many, taking the test a second time yields stronger results, which can improve their chances of admission to a law school. Research indicates that 95 percent of individuals register for the LSAT only one time. However, of the 5 percent that register multiple times, on average, scores will increase from their initial test. The majority of individuals may see increases when taking the test a second time. This positive upward pattern can provide a law school with important insights into how an applicant is likely to succeed in law school.
However, a law school does not have to count all of your LSAT scores when it reviews your application. These institutions have authorized to choose how they consider your LSAT scores. Importantly, it is against ABA regulations for a law school to set a minimum LSAT score for admission. If you have taken the LSAT three times or twice within one admissions cycle, a law school need only count the highest score from a single admissions cycle.
Impact of Multiple LSAT Scores
So what does it all mean once you have multiple LSAT scores? Law schools will absolutely see all LSAT scores. The only exception to that is if the LSAC does not send a score to the school. Most of the time this is in cases in which a test taker has an LSAT score flagged because of a potential security issue. In those cases, a law school may not receive the flagged score. With that said, it is a very minor fraction of the test takers who have tested under those circumstances.
As you might expect, the LSAT law schools will most often use the highest LSAT score. Academic analysts tend to believe that a majority of law schools use the highest score as a predictive of one’s possible success in the first year. On the other hand, they do realize LSATs come with a lot of other information. For instance, your highest LSAT score may have come from a time when you had more time to prepare to take the test. Or perhaps you were more dedicated to academics when you took your highest test, allowing for a better performance on the LSAT.
A law school may see the pattern of when you scored well and when you did not. They could, conceivably, use factors from those multiple LSAT admissions trends to draw conclusions about your likelihood of performing well in law school. This might mean they are able to justify greater weight on your highest LSAT score if they feel the trend points toward you being able to maintain that score. However, they might not see your high score as legitimate if they know you have not been commonly achieving that type of score on other tests for the LSAT.
There are two other possibilities to keep in mind concerning those multiple LSAT scores. If you test more than two times, some law schools may look at only the highest two scores. They may ignore additional scores. On the other hand, some law schools do use the LSAC data to try to predict the average LSAT score over time. Therefore, they will use all LSAT admissions trends available in order to give you the best possible score for evaluation.
One of the biggest tips you should know when it comes to multiple LSAT scores is that you should not take the test just to see what you would score at a certain time. It doesn’t matter if you have taken the LSAT before and received a good score, you should never take the LSAT again as a practice test to see if you would do well the second time around. Some may think this could increase their chances of being accepted, but it actually has a negative impact. You should test only when you are prepared and ready to get the best possible score.
The Importance of Highest LSAT Score
Law schools have become increasingly focused on the highest LSAT score a candidate earns when screening applicants. In this sense, the LSAC policy of averaging multiple LSAT scores, rather than considering only the highest score, is of particular importance to law schools. Law schools are essentially free to determine which LSAT score they will consider in reviewing applicants, so long as they use one of the three policies described in LSAC’s LSAT-CAS policy excerpt.
Law schools’ preference for the highest LSAT score as compared to an LSAT cumulative average appears to stem from several factors . Law school admissions committees typically (1) have considerable difficulty weighing LSAT scores from different LSAT administrations and (2) do not adequately understand what the LSAC cumulative average represents. Further, unimpeachable research from LSAC suggests that the highest LSAT score is the only useful predictor of law school performance of the LSAT exams available to law school applicants. As a result, it does not benefit you to take the LSAT multiple times unless you expect that you will do substantially better after your first sitting.
Approach to Disclosure & Retake
Applicants must decide which scores they wish to report to law schools in their application process. It’s only natural that if your highest score is at least 2-3 points above your applicants median (the median score is the middle score of all test takers and is usually reported by LSAC for the most recent annual sample of law school applicants), then you will want to report that score. If your median is very close to the median score of applicants to schools to which you are applying, you may want to report it anyway, as it can provide useful clarifying information to admissions offices. Law schools look at the highest score primarily to give each applicant a fair chance, to see a standardized version of your academic ability. They also see the differences in the applicant’s scores as an indication of your performance under pressure or just as a way of providing the admissions committee with more information and options for making decisions. From a purely statistical standpoint, the tests measures a range of aptitudes, and if results vary, then that applicant’s lowest score may not be indicative of his or her abilities. However, retaking is no guarantee of future score improvement. Most test takers who retake the exam score lower on the second attempt, and the vast majority of applicants do not actually take the test more than once (only 15% take the test more than once). In addition, law schools will consider whether you have used any kind of extra preparation. If you took a test preparation course, then that is seen as an advantage to your application. But test takers who score very high or very low after a first attempt are urged to take the test again, to determine whether the results were a true reflection of their abilities. If the same score occurs for the second time despite retaking, then the admission office can make a decision without fear that they are making a mistake based on inflated scores (or lower scores) or mistaken impressions by the applicant, the test itself, etc. If you are considering retaking the test, it’s also important to remember that nearly all law school applicants today are retaking the test. So, if it’s an area of concern for you, then it’s likely something being weighed by law school admissions committees, too. Finally, applicants can consider when they are applying when they are considering retaking, as well as their own personal attempt history.
Tips from Admissions Committee
Lisa Youngberg, Director of Admissions, Gonzaga University School of Law: "Most law schools will see all of your LSAT scores if you take it more than once. You should only report the scores that you want them to consider and, if you have more than one test, most of us will use the highest score. That said, I typically advise students to explain any test prep strategy they have employed in a personal statement or addendum. And if you feel that you haven’t performed well on a particular test day, please note in your personal statement that you would like to retake the exam and provide us with a test date on which you will be able to take the LSAT. It is ok to let schools know we are your top choice and that you hope to apply."
Diana Owen, Assistant Dean for Admissions, Southwestern Law School: "The LSAT score report is quite detailed and contains the test taker’s score for each test date, and for other test dates as well. Most law schools will see all LSAT test scores. A good rule of thumb is that law schools will typically look at the highest LSAT score, and strongly encourage you to add a LSAT addendum if your performance on the LSAT is not indicative of your abilities."
Alice Kleeman, Prelaw Advisor, Dartmouth College: "Generally speaking law schools take the highest LSAT score. They will see all of your scores. There are some schools where they have a preference on how to handle multiple scores. One woman I worked with explained her situation very well and she was accepted at her school of choice. So, it depends on the law school, could probably call the admissions office at your target law schools and ask."
Jesse Freeman, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions, Albany Law School: "For a variety of reasons, I would encourage prospective students to take the LSAT no more than once. Obviously, this is not practical for all and so I would certainly expect to see a range of scores be reported on any LSAT testing track. Many law schools report that they are more likely to use the highest score submitted in their review process. However , I think it’s also important to understand that Albany Law School understands that standardized tests are not always a true reflection of a student’s potential to be successful in law school, and we usually take that into consideration and use a variety of other factors to make that determination. When applying to Albany Law School, we want to hear your story and to see if we think you would be happy and successful at Albany Law School. Part of that story might be the LSAT, but certainly not all of it. We want to get to know you and be able to make an admission decision that you would want to accept."
Elle Schuster, Assistant Dean for Law School Admission, Seton Hall University Law School: "At Seton Hall Law School, we do see all LSAT scores from all administrations. That said, the majority of our applicants have taken the test at least two times—sometimes three. When applicants apply to Seton Hall Law School, they can submit all of the test scores of four or fewer LSAT test dates. We accept the highest score; never average. If an applicant has taken the LSAT five or more times, we ask them to list all of the test dates and we will evaluatetheir results and make a decision regarding the best approach for reviewing the application for admission.
We do not require that an applicant retake the test prior to applying to Seton Hall Law School. In fact, we encourage applicants to think long and hard before deciding to sit for the LSAT again—knowing that the Law School Admission Council will send us all of the results. We want applicants to get the highest score that they can; perhaps with light study or no study. Too many applicants take the test one too many times and we see that it is not good for their results, nor for their stress level. We also encourage applicants to take the LSAT at least once before they apply for admission."