LSAT Score Estimator
Enter your correct and total answers for each scored section to get a rough estimate of your LSAT score on the 120 to 180 scale.
Last updated: October 2026
Your practice test
How LSAT scoring works
The LSAT is scored on a 120 to 180 scale. Your raw score, the number of questions you answer correctly across the scored sections, is converted to this scaled score. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so on test day you should answer every question, even with a guess. The modern LSAT has three scored sections (two Logical Reasoning and one Reading Comprehension) plus one unscored experimental section used to test future questions. Only enter your three scored sections above.
A perfect paper maps to 180 and a zero maps to 120. Real LSAT scoring uses equating: each test form’s raw-to-scaled table is adjusted for difficulty, so the same raw score can mean a slightly different scaled score on different test dates. The linear estimate here usually lands within a couple of points of the official conversion, which makes it excellent for tracking practice-test progress.
What the sections test
Logical Reasoning (two scored sections) tests short arguments: find the flaw, strengthen or weaken the claim, identify the assumption. It rewards a small toolkit of argument patterns applied fast. Reading Comprehension (one scored section) tests long passages on law, science, arts, and social science, plus a comparative reading set. Speed matters as much as comprehension: most test-takers’ biggest gains come from finishing the section rather than from deeper understanding. The unscored experimental section can be any of these types, which is why you cannot identify it during the test. Treat every section as scored.
What scores law schools want
LSAT medians are the single most published admissions number in legal education, and they cluster tightly. A few points move you across tiers.
| Score range | Percentile roughly | What it opens |
|---|---|---|
| 173 - 180 | 99th | Competitive anywhere, including Yale and Stanford |
| 168 - 172 | 96th - 98th | Strong at top-14 law schools |
| 163 - 167 | 87th - 94th | Competitive at top-50 schools |
| 158 - 162 | 74th - 85th | Solid at many regional schools |
| 152 - 157 | 53rd - 71st | Around the national median |
| Below 152 | Below 53rd | Consider retaking for scholarship leverage |
Worked example
Three scored sections with 25 of 33, 25 of 33, and 25 of 34 correct:
- Total correct: 25 + 25 + 25 = 75; total questions: 33 + 33 + 34 = 100
- Accuracy: 75 / 100 = 75%
- Estimated score: 120 + 0.75 x 60 = 165
A 165 sits around the 92nd percentile, competitive at many top-50 law schools and strong enough for merit scholarships at regional ones. These are the numbers pre-filled in the calculator above. Push accuracy to 85% and the estimate jumps to 171, which shows how brutally the scale rewards the last few questions.
How to raise the estimate
Because the scale is linear in accuracy, every question counts equally, but your study time should not be spread equally. Find your section gap first. If Reading Comprehension trails Logical Reasoning by a wide margin, reading practice is your highest-return activity. Master the common flaw patterns in Logical Reasoning: necessary versus sufficient assumptions, correlation versus causation, and scope shifts cover a huge share of questions. Practice at speed from the start. Untutored accuracy means little if it takes twice the allotted time; always practice with the real section timing. And review every miss twice: once to understand the right answer, once a week later to confirm the pattern stuck.
Retake strategy
Law schools see all your LSAT scores but overwhelmingly care about the highest, and many applicants improve 3 to 5 points on a retake with focused study. The score is also scholarship currency: at regional schools, a few extra points can mean tens of thousands in merit aid, which makes retaking one of the highest-paid activities available to a prospective law student. If your practice estimates have plateaued below your target for a month, change the study method before scheduling the retake, not after.
LSAT Score Estimator FAQs
How accurate is this LSAT score estimator?
It is a close estimate, not an official score. Real LSAT scoring uses equating tables that adjust for each test form’s difficulty, so the same raw count can map to a slightly different scaled score on different dates. The linear formula here (120 plus accuracy times 60) usually lands within a couple of points of the official conversion.
What is a good LSAT score?
The median is about 152. A 160 or higher is strong at many schools, 165-plus is competitive at top-50 programs, and 170-plus opens top-14 doors. Because medians cluster tightly, even two or three points can change your options and scholarship offers significantly.
Do all LSAT sections count equally?
Yes. Every correct answer across the three scored sections counts the same toward your raw score, and there is no penalty for wrong answers. That is why the calculator simply totals your correct answers across sections.
What about the experimental section?
One unscored experimental section appears on every LSAT to test future questions. You cannot reliably identify it during the test, so treat every section as scored and do not enter experimental results here.
How does LSAT equating work?
LSAC adjusts each test form’s raw-to-scaled conversion for difficulty, so a harder form needs fewer correct answers for the same scaled score. This keeps scores comparable across test dates. The linear estimate here skips that adjustment, which is why it is labeled a rough estimate.
What LSAT score do top law schools want?
Top-14 schools typically report medians between about 168 and 175. Yale and Stanford sit at the very top of that range. Hitting a school’s median makes you competitive; beating its 75th percentile makes you attractive for merit scholarships.