Only 2% get a 170+ on the LSAT Forum

[fenway]

I can understand the gripe someone with a 165+ has with the steep scale--1 or 2 points can often swing you 25 percentile spots at top schools. But the argument against the LSAT is nullified by its necessity--how else do you objectively distinguish between candidates? Moreover, GPA does not really measure your ability to do legal work. Work ethic and general competency no doubt, but the LSAT is tailored to specifically target the kind of mental processing and analytical skill required for law school. So although I can entertain that it does not measure pure intelligence, the LSAT unquestionably does a better job than GPA in both theory and practice at predicting academic success. I, like most others, consider myself to be intelligent. I have a strong GPA at my undergraduate institution. However, my diagnostic for the LSAT was a 145 (scored a 740V/670M on SAT). My response has not been to dismiss the viability of the LSAT as an effective measure--I have simply worked to improve my score. And in the end, I believe the official score I receive will accurately reflect what schools would be a good fit for me to pursue a legal education. Again, if looking at one criteria in isolation, LSAT is by far the most equitable tool to evaluate admission decisions. "Perfect" should not be confused to be synonymous with "fair" with respect to how the system works. With thousands of applications, the LSAT represents the unavoidable reality. A bad score does not indicate that you are dumb, it just means that you have to study harder

Summary:

Bad score---->Get over it---->Study more---->Repeat if necessary---->Embrace reality

[fenway]

Also, the idea of "peaking" is a complete cop out and effectively precluded by the inherent variability of chance involved with the test. The only existent, yet wholly temporary, peak per say is when you have exhausted your 3 test sittings (in 3 yrs I think it is?). That lasts 3 years though, which should give you plenty of time to continue your preparation for the test. Shit isn't always going to fall on one's desired timetable. If there is a certain score/school that someone "needs" to go to, the pursuit of his or her acceptance should not have such limited commitment conditions. That being said, there should be some consideration of what goals are within reason. Nonetheless, the personal choice to give up has nothing to do with how legitimate the use of the LSAT is as a measure.