Good depends on the school.
The score that opens your target.
The 25th-75th percentile bands at every LSAT score, what they mean for admissions, and the threshold scores for T14, T20, and T50 schools.
On this page
A good LSAT score depends entirely on which schools you are applying to. There is no abstract "good." There is only "good enough for the schools on your list." This guide gives you the numbers, the tradeoffs, and the score-by-score reality of where you currently stand.
What counts as good, three honest answers
There are three answers depending on who is asking. We give all three because students hear different versions and end up confused.
- For T14 admissions. 170+ is at or above the median at most programs. Below 165 makes T14 a stretch and below 160 makes it a long shot.
- For T50 admissions. 160 to 165 is the working range. The 25th-percentile at most T50 schools sits in the high 150s.
- For "good enough for law school anywhere". 153 (the national median per LSAC) gets you into a JD program. Whether that program is one you want is a separate question.
sits at approximately the 50th percentile per LSAC 2021-2024 data. Score 152 is the 46th percentile; 153 is the median.
A score is good when it gets you into the school you want. Not before, not after.
Percentile bands, score by score
Below is the LSAT 25th-75th percentile band at each scaled score, based on LSAC published data for the most recent admissions cycle. Use this to locate yourself; do not use it to argue with admissions committees.
| Scaled score | Percentile | School band typically reachable |
|---|---|---|
| 180 | 99.9th | Any school in the country, full scholarship range |
| 175 | 99th | T14 at median or near-median admission |
| 170 | 97th | T14 reach to match; T20 at median |
| 165 | 91st-92nd | T20 reach; T50 at strong median |
| 160 | 79th | T50 reach; regional flagships at median |
| 155 | 62nd | Regional schools at median; T50 long shot |
| 150 | 44th | JD programs available; T100 reach |
| 145 | 25th | Limited JD options; consider retake |
| 140 | 11th | Very limited; almost always retake |
School tier thresholds
Most students think in terms of school tiers (T14, T20, T50). Here are the working LSAT thresholds at each tier, expressed as median (50th percentile of admitted students) and 25th-percentile (the band below which acceptance gets meaningfully harder).
| Tier | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| T14 | 169 | 171 | 174 |
| T20 | 165 | 168 | 171 |
| T50 | 159 | 162 | 165 |
| T100 | 152 | 156 | 160 |
Source: ABA 509 disclosures
Should I retake?
The retake decision turns on three questions: have you been studying the right way, do you have time before your application deadline, and is your current score below the 25th-percentile median at your target schools. If two of the three answers are yes, retake. If one or none, sit tight.
- If your score is at or above the 75th-percentile at your target school, do not retake. The marginal upside is small; the risk of a lower score is real.
- If your score is at or above the median, retake only if you genuinely undershot a practice average. Otherwise sit tight.
- If your score is at the 25th-percentile or below, retake. The expected gain typically outweighs the risk, especially with diagnostic-driven prep.
- If you have not been studying diagnostically (skill-map-driven), retake regardless of current score. Generic prep often plateaus below ceiling without a diagnostic step.
Setting a Pinaka target
A Pinaka target is a specific scaled score with an attached date. "168 by July" is a target. "Higher" is a wish. The skill map shows which subskills are costing you the points between current and target. That is where the work goes.
Take a Pinaka mock. The readout will show your scaled mock score and your top three weaknesses. The drill set built from your weakest node is free.
Common questions
Is the LSAT scored out of 180?
Yes. The LSAT is scored on a 120 to 180 scaled-score scale. Raw correct count is converted to scaled score through equating, which adjusts for the difficulty of the specific form you took.
How many questions can I miss and still get 170?
Depends on the form. On a typical scored LSAT, missing about 11 to 14 of the roughly 75 scored questions yields a 170. Easier forms allow fewer misses; harder forms allow more. Equating handles the variance.
Is a 165 LSAT score good?
A 165 is the 92nd percentile of all LSAT test-takers, which is strong. It is competitive for T20 schools including UCLA, Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt. For T14 schools, 165 falls below the 25th percentile at most programs, which means competitive admission typically requires additional strong credentials such as GPA, work experience, or underrepresented status.
Is a 170 LSAT score good?
A 170 is the 97th to 98th percentile. It is competitive at all T14 schools. At most T6 schools, 170 is at or below the class median, meaning it is sufficient but not exceptional for Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Chicago, or NYU. A 170 typically qualifies for meaningful scholarship offers at most T14 programs outside the top 6.
What LSAT score do I need for Harvard Law School?
Harvard Law School reported a median LSAT of 174 for its 2024 entering class, per ABA 509 disclosures. The 25th percentile was 171 and the 75th percentile was 176. Applicants scoring below 170 are rarely admitted without extraordinary credentials elsewhere in the application.
Can I get into a T14 law school with a 165?
Admission to a T14 school with a 165 is possible but uncommon at most programs. Georgetown has the widest 25th-to-75th LSAT range among T14 programs. A 165 with an exceptional GPA, significant work experience, or underrepresented applicant status has been admitted historically. The realistic expectation is that T14 admission with a 165 is an outlier, not a baseline.
What is the lowest "good" LSAT score?
For T14: 165 is the floor. For T20: 160. For T50: 155. For any JD program: 145. These are working thresholds, not guarantees.
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