Should I Retake the LSAT?

Short answer: Probably

Long answer:

As of June 2006, the American Bar Association (ABA) only requires law schools to report an incoming student's highest score. Law schools care a lot about what they report to the ABA, since these are the numbers that are publically reported and used in determining their US News rankings.

This means that if you took the LSAT three times and got a 157, then a 161, then a 154, the law school will only report your 161 to the ABA and US News. As far as everyone but the admissions committee knows, you are an applicant with one score: 161.

So what does this mean for whether or not you should retake the test? It means that as long as you think that you can get a better score, it's probably worth retaking the test, since a higher score will effectively "replace" any previous lower scores. Now, we have to emphasize that law school admissions committees still see all of your scores (other than the ones you cancel), and are entitled to consider all of them when making an admissions decision. Whether they actually will is entirely school-dependent (just keep in mind that for the aforementioned reasons, they don't have an incentive to).

3 questions to consider when making this decision:

1. Do I think I can score better?

   This is by far the most important thing to consider, since even a 2 or 3 point improvement can pay massive dividends. There are a few indicators that you have room for improvement:

   • Your test score was significantly lower (3+ points) than your recent practice scores.

   • You’ve taken less than 15 practice tests. Many of our students take 30+ practice tests, and their scores improve up to the 30th test. Don’t leave points on the table.

   • You’ve studied for less than 150 hours total.

   • Your practice test scores are still improving. If you haven’t plateaued, then more study time will likely lead to a higher score.

2. What score do I need?

   Consider 3 numbers: the 25th percentile, 50th percentile, and 75th percentile LSAT scores at your target school. If you're already above the 75th percentile, a retake may not benefit you all that much.

3. How many times have I already taken the test?

   The LSAC has limits on how many times you can take the test in a certain period. Beyond that, however, it may start to raise red flags to some admissions committees if you've taken the test 4/5+ times without major improvements between attempts. To avoid this issue, make sure you're prepared to do your absolute best on each attempt.

Need help answering these questions for yourself? Book a free call to get personalized advice for your specific situation.