Landing In The High LSAT Score Range

Do you remember how in Legally Blonde, Elle Woods scored a nearly perfect 179 on the LSAT, leaving her on the high end of the LSAT score range and earning admission to Harvard? Remember how inspiring that was to watch? Remember how it made a 179 seem possible? 

Yeah… those were the good old days, weren’t they? Unfortunately, a 179 is the kind of score that only 0.02% of people achieve. The rest of us will need to grow comfortable earning something else. 

Of course, scoring below a 179 is not the end of the world. It should absolutely not hold you back from your law school dreams. Because after all, basically everybody is worse at the LSAT than Elle Woods. In case you didn’t realize it, she is really smart.

So take a deep breath, and let’s set some LSAT score goals together. The world needs you!

In this blog, we’ll cover some common questions regarding the LSAT score range, such as LSAT score percentiles and what the LSAT score average really is. 

 “This feels like a dumb question… But what is the LSAT Score Range?”

Not a dumb question at all. Standardized tests have all sorts of wacky sounding scores–1600, 35, 528, 800–and the LSAT is no exception. On the LSAT, your score will range between 120 and 180. You get a 120 for signing on, and every question you get right will move you closer to a 180. 

The latter end of that range may seem impossible, but with the right amounts of hard work, careful thought, time management and tears (yes, there will be tears) you can totally move your LSAT score into a range that makes you happy. 

Fun fact: if you pick at random, you’ll actually gain a few points and score a 123. But of course, you’re looking for a little more than that, and I don’t blame you. So if you’re going to take this test, study hard. Don’t pick at random.

“Okay, so what LSAT score would make me average? “

Ultimately, the LSAT is about doing your own personal best, and not about comparing to others. Yet at the same time, I understand the concern to compare yourself. After all, that’s what the admissions staff will be doing. 

In recent years, the LSAT score average has been a 152. And yes, there’s a reason that the average is almost the exact middle of the range we talked about in the previous section. The LSAT is a scaled test, which means it is designed to pump out the same averages year after year. Every single test is designed so roughly the same percent of test-takers achieve each score as they did on all the previous tests. If 33% of test takers achieved a 160 on one test, it’s likely that 33% of test takers will achieve the same LSAT score next time, on average.

”Okay, so I’m starting to see percentages here… what are LSAT score percentiles?” 

Great question. An LSAT score percentile tells you the percentage of people who scored below a certain score. So let’s say you scored a 165, which usually sits around the 90th percentile. That means 90 percent of the people taking that LSAT scored lower than you. Which means you did a pretty great job!

But you didn’t take the LSAT to enter a competition. It’s nice to know where you rank, but mostly because it reflects on your hard earned skills. 

Ultimately, you took the LSAT to get into law school. So to honor that goal, here’s a rough idea of where each LSAT score will get you:

152: In the US, only 40 Law Schools admit students with a score of 152 or below.

160-164: Admission to the top 100 schools is possible.

165-168: Admission to the top 50 schools is possible.

166-170: Admission to the top 14 Law Schools is possible.

170-180: Admission to elite schools is possible! (Think Harvard, Stanford, and Yale.)


Data based on 2022 LSAT scores as reported by Shemassian Academic Consulting.


And if you want to see how your scores can turn into scholarships, you can use LSAT Demon’s incredibly useful scholarship calculator.

So how do you feel about your LSAT score? 

Now that you know where your LSAT score puts you, how do you feel about it? Was your LSAT score below average? If it is, that’s not a reason to panic. Seriously, it’s okay!  Every high-scoring LSAT test taker started out with a lower score than they wanted. I sure did, at least.

When looking to improve your score, make sure to find study tactics that work for you. If you’re working towards aiming higher in the LSAT score range but feel you’ve hit a plateau self-studying, it may be time to consider a new book, class, or tutor. 

If you’re interested in learning more about improving your score, click here to sign up for a free 1:1 consultation. Let’s beat this test together! 

Keep in mind: self-study resources are typically designed to help the most people possible. That means they’re designed for those who have never seen the LSAT, or those who start with average diagnostic scores (in the 130s-140s). Therefore, the “max score” of self-study resources tends to cap out at 155-160.   

If you’re looking for help surpassing these scores, and moving into the top 10%, you will have to push your understanding beyond what mainstream self-study methods have to offer. Many students can push into the 170s via careful self-study. If you think you’d like a guide along the way, take a look at how I can help you.