How many times did you take the LSAT?

[abcdefg1234567]

I'm curious as to what the average number members of this forum attempted the LSAT. What were your numbers? and to what do you attribute those changes?

PS I could not find a thread like this already, so if there is please let me know.

[Bluex12]

3 times in a year. 158-->164-->172

[O.J.]

Hey Blue, Excellent progress, mind sharing what you did each time to increase those numbers? A brief summary is fine.

[beantheshadow]

Twice

First 150; Second 168

Six months of studying.

[Dcc617]

Twice, four years apart. I improved by 11 points on the second take.

[Maplesyrup]

.

[sox49]

Three times. 170-170-171

At least I got a point

[sublime]

..

[daisrt]

Three times- Sept 2014, Oct 2015 (cancel), Dec 2015. Improved 12 points. (Score should have been even higher for my last take but I had a death in the family a couple days before the test and spent the two weeks before the test in the hospital.) Point is, you should definitely use up your three takes if you aren't happy with your first and second scores because there are plenty of opportunities to improve within the two allotted years.

What changed? I think just letting the material sink in more and not being wildly obsessive about it. For my last take, I didn't study nearly as intensively as I had before, but I just had a better grip on the materials. Things just kind of became second nature to me. I studied ~7 months for the test collectively (took breaks in between my takes.)

[njkga]

Twice, Oct 15 and Dec 15 161 > 167

I PT'd 170+ consistently, so I was kinda disappointed, but 167 can get me into the schools I'm aiming for, so I don't think I'll take it again.

[Nagster5]

Once, scored a point over what I said would make me comfortable with not retaking.

[sjp200]

3 times. 151-163-166.

Studied the second time a lot better, but in the end my schedule and new lifestyle working night shift affected me to not reach my PT scores either of the last 2 takes.

[sesto elemento]

Twice. And I regret not taking it a 3rd time.

[railyard]

Do schools average the three scores or do they just look at the highest score? I've heard multiple answers.

[Nagster5]

Do schools average the three scores or do they just look at the highest score? I've heard multiple answers.

Every School not named Yale takes the highest score. Unless one score is a huge amount lower, they will probably not even think about your lower scores.

[njkga]

Do schools average the three scores or do they just look at the highest score? I've heard multiple answers.

Every School not named Yale takes the highest score. Unless one score is a huge amount lower, they will probably not even think about your lower scores.

False. The correct answer is "It depends on the school." You can usually find info about this on the FAQ part of their jd admissions page for a given school. Some schools take the highest - some schools consider the average.

[lymenheimer]

Do schools average the three scores or do they just look at the highest score? I've heard multiple answers.

Every School not named Yale takes the highest score. Unless one score is a huge amount lower, they will probably not even think about your lower scores.

False. The correct answer is "It depends on the school." You can usually find info about this on the FAQ part of their jd admissions page for a given school. Some schools take the highest - some schools consider the average.

False. The correct answer is basically what Nagster said. The schools have the option of considering the average, but they don't have to report it, so they rarely, if ever, do consider the average.

[FlowBro]

Three times.

Year 1: 158
Year 2: 165 --> 171

[pittsburghpirates]

Twice, four years apart. I improved by 11 points on the second take.

Pretty much the exact same boat except 3 years apart

[njkga]

Do schools average the three scores or do they just look at the highest score? I've heard multiple answers.

Every School not named Yale takes the highest score. Unless one score is a huge amount lower, they will probably not even think about your lower scores.

False. The correct answer is "It depends on the school." You can usually find info about this on the FAQ part of their jd admissions page for a given school. Some schools take the highest - some schools consider the average.

False. The correct answer is basically what Nagster said. The schools have the option of considering the average, but they don't have to report it, so they rarely, if ever, do consider the average.

Interesting theory, but in fact many schools explicitly state on their website that they consider the average, and not merely the highest score.

[Good Guy Gaud]

3

[lymenheimer]

Interesting theory, but in fact many schools explicitly state on their website that they consider the average, and not merely the highest score.

That's all well and good, but it's not accurate. For one point of anecdotal evidence. Averaging my scores (by a school that says they average scores) would not have awarded me acceptance to a school that I was in fact accepted to. corrected: search these forums and see what turns up.

[Nagster5]

Do schools average the three scores or do they just look at the highest score? I've heard multiple answers.

Every School not named Yale takes the highest score. Unless one score is a huge amount lower, they will probably not even think about your lower scores.

False. The correct answer is "It depends on the school." You can usually find info about this on the FAQ part of their jd admissions page for a given school. Some schools take the highest - some schools consider the average.

False. The correct answer is basically what Nagster said. The schools have the option of considering the average, but they don't have to report it, so they rarely, if ever, do consider the average.

Interesting theory, but in fact many schools explicitly state on their website that they consider the average, and not merely the highest score.

Sometimes people do this thing where they say one thing but do another.

Evidence in my corner:

The numbers say very, very convincingly that schools care only about the highest score. The incentive is to care only about the highest score (since that is the only thing that factors into relevent rankings). Every consultant who makes a living by knowing these things inside and out, almost all of whom are former Adcomms, agrees that this is the way things work.

Evidence in your corner:

Some admissions websites for law schools (a group notorious for intentionally obfuscating and outright lying to applicants on a scale rivaled only by military recruiters and used car salesmen) say they average.

[haus]

Two times. Score went up 10 points on second attempt.

First score was likely abnormally low due to simple screw-ups, but extra study/practice likely did not hurt.

[Dog]

Once. 174, had little incentive to retake.