Law schools will know if you retake the LSAT, but they are unlikely to care.
There are more than enough reasons to stress out about your law school applications. Retaking the LSAT is not one of them.
Confusion about this topic is widespread because policies have changed. Before 2006, law schools generally averaged each applicant’s LSAT scores in their admissions decisions since this average was publicly disclosed and factored into law school rankings.
In 2006, reporting changed from an incoming student’s average LSAT score to their highest LSAT score, and law schools followed suit. With the proliferation of test preparation options, discouraging applicants from retaking the test made little sense.
A change several years ago in the methodology of U.S. News law school rankings diminished the weight of LSAT scores.
Now, most law schools consider an applicant’s highest score only. Others claim to look at all scores, and some say that an applicant’s scores will be averaged if they are roughly similar.
Law schools may find an applicant’s overall LSAT record useful in making an admissions decision since LSAT scores are statistically correlated with law school grades.
[Read: Weighing LSAT Test Prep Options]
Retaking the LSAT with mixed results can look a little unprofessional, but score improvement can also show positive qualities like perseverance and good study habits.
If you feel you can improve your score by at least a few points, retaking the LSAT is worthwhile.
To leave room to retake the test, try to schedule your first test for August or September if you plan to apply in the fall. That way, you can retake the test in October and November if needed and still apply early enough in the admissions cycle that you won’t be at a disadvantage.
Is There a Limit on Retaking the LSAT?
Currently, the LSAT is offered eight times per year, and each test-taker is allowed to take the LSAT up to five times within five years and seven times overall. Previously, one could only take the test three times in a single testing year, but that limit is currently suspended.
Retaking the test can get expensive, since the LSAT costs $238 per test. Need-based fee waivers cover only two tests over two years.
What if Your Score Drops?
Although frustrating, it’s not unusual for your LSAT score to drop even if you felt confident on test day. Rather than spiral into resignation, look for opportunities to improve.
[6 Questions to Consider Before Taking the LSAT More Than Once]
Schedule another test and sharpen your skills through diligent and methodical practice.
A minor score fluctuation is no cause for alarm. The test is not designed to be precise. If your score drop is steep, consider canceling if you can.
Test Cancellation
Normally, test-takers must decide whether to cancel their score within six days of the test, before they know their score. However, purchasing LSAT Score Preview allows you to cancel your score up to six days after seeing the score. This costs $45 before the test or $80 after the test.
Law schools will see every time an applicant cancels a score, and those cancellations still count against the limits on retaking the test. However, if you cancel the test before taking it, it will not appear on your record or count against the test limit.
Law schools won’t hold a score cancellation against an applicant, but they may grow wary of applicants with multiple score cancellations. Still, a canceled score is better than a low score, and the availability of LSAT Score Preview lowers the stakes for applicants seeking to retake the test.
How to Explain Multiple LSAT Scores
Multiple LSAT scores or cancellations are not unusual and do not require explanation. However, there are a few circumstances that warrant an LSAT addendum.
First, if extenuating circumstances either prevent you from retaking the LSAT or cause you to retake it several times, it’s wise to include an addendum to contextualize your scores. If you have a persistent hardship or a documented history of underperformance on standardized tests, be sure to explain that.
[READ: How to Set an LSAT Study Plan Months in Advance.]
Likewise, schools appreciate an addendum if your score changes significantly. Generally, this means a 10-point difference unless a school specifies another threshold.
What About Other Standardized Tests?
Although the LSAT is still the dominant test for law school applicants, roughly half of law schools accept GRE scores as an LSAT alternative.
JD Next has recently emerged as an option as well, and a few law schools also accept the GMAT.
While LSAT scores are automatically reported to you and to the law schools to which you have applied, other tests require you to select recipients. Law schools that accept the Graduate Record Examination typically require applicants to report all GRE scores and will look at this full record.
If an applicant takes another test alongside the LSAT, law schools will primarily focus on the LSAT scores. So if you feel disappointed by your LSAT score, it’s better to retake it than switch to a different test.
More from U.S. News
What to Know About Flagging Questions on the Digital LSAT
19 Law Schools With the Highest LSAT Scores
How to Choose Apps That Support LSAT Prep
How Law Schools Look at Applicants With Multiple LSAT Scores originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 04/21/25: This article was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
