Correlation between LSAT and SAT, for those who asked Forum

[typical1L]

I saw a decline as well, but not as pronounced. Still, I was rejected frm two-thirds of the UG schools I applied to. Yes, my teachers hated me.

[YogaAddict]

Hmm. I remember when I got my 164 on the LSAT and thought I was the smartest person on earth. Then I joined TLS....

Anyways, LSAT: 164; SAT: 1250.

[FloridaGirl]

Yes, my teachers hated me.

What high school did you go to?

[the lsat hax0r]

1360/165

[capnjack]

SAT: taken at age 16, without studying: 1430

sorry, I just re-remembered, it was a 1460; that was a long time ago . . .

and then I proceeded to have an atrocious first 2 years of undergrad. So much for standardized tests predicting success!

[Catherine]

Seems like a case of apples vs. oranges to me.

The SAT is testing things you have committed to memory such as vocabulary and mathematical equations, and if I recall--has a wrong answer penalty.

The LSAT doesn't test learned knowledge like the SAT (though we all know a speedy and masterful grasp of the English language gives you a great edge). In this respect it is a test of aptitude or potential for what you can learn rather than a review of what you already have. Furthermore, you can only profit by shooting off a couple of "hail Mary" answers if you run out of time.

Certain individual traits will predispose us to do well on both tests (like speed reading), but others will serve to boost one score more than the other. For example: rote memorization skills will help you score very high on the SAT, and maybe a little on the LSAT because of the technical nature of the reading sections. On the other hand, people with mad logical reasoning skills may surprise you with high LSAT's because they didn't spend half the section trying to figure out if "pulchritude" is a form of capital punishment.

(PS first post...hi everyone!)

[serpentara]

1390 SAT 720 Verbal 670 Math
160 LSAT taken with no review courses

[AR75]

<-----------Didn't ask.

[magichat85]

i think they are completely different tests. the LSAT reminded me a lot more of the ACT b/c they are both logic based, whereas the SAT tends to be more "what do you know?" not "what can you figure out".

my SAT (if i remember correctly) was like a 1270.

My LSAT was a 172.

No correlation from what I can tell.....

[MLBrandow]

magichat85,

I think there's certainly a correlation between LSAT and SAT scores.

However, it's important to note that many people who have disparate scores (LSAT much higher than SAT), that likely implies discipline in studying.

How many of you spent months studying for and agonizing over the SAT?

[Matokah]

Ack, I'm on the lower end for both:

21 on ACT (although in my defense, my mother pushed me to take it when I was 14 and I ended up at university when I was 15, so my maths and science sections were incredibly weak). 63rd percentile, if I recall correctly.

158 on the LSAT with a bunch of studying. 75th percentile. At least I'm going up, right?

. . .right?

[seagull48]

right-o matokah! i couldn't imagine taking any kind of standardized anything at 14...

[Matokah]

Aw, seagull, thanks. I can't take standardized tests to save my life, so age really doesn't matter too much there. . .but I was a really ambitious 14 year old. Wonder what happened.

[sbjohnsn]

I wonder if there is a similar correlation between ACT and LSAT.

32/165 here.

[safado]

I didn't take the SAT/ACT, I already had a scholarship lined up to the local state school based on my class rank, so I didn't see much of a reason. I'm kinda curious what I would have scored.

[Alf14997]

did i mention that i got a 1040 on the sat?

haha, i am serious

[CityGirl]

Doesn't work for me....

1500 SAT
166 LSAT

[theotherken]

Me:

* 1470 SAT (740 V, 730 M)
* 32 ACT
* 1480 GRE (680 V, 800 Q)
* 173 LSAT

I would have to agree that the GRE was hardest, probably because I didn't have as much time to study as I would have liked, and if you didn't know the words on the verbal, well, you were screwed.

[theotherken]

I'm a student at FAMU, a historically black institution. I was accepted at Emory, Georgetown, UNC Chapel Hill, NYU, and (WL at Michigan), but FAMU and Hampton offered full rides. I knew that I would be going to graduate school going into UG, so I decided to go with the money and spare myself the worries of UG and grad school debt.

It's actually funny that you should mention Yale because right now I'm at the HLS ASW and when I mention my admission and interest in academia, most folks tell me that it's really a forgone conclusion. The exception is the BLSA crowd (I just got back from a party thrown for two girls celebrating their birthday), who make the point that the black population there is much lower. However, one guy who had paid his HLS deposit, heard from YLS, and then withdrew from HLS (he's now finished with the JD and at HBS working on another degree) pretty much gave me the same advice as you. His point was that only about 8 black males a year get the chance, so it would almost be a travesty to turn down such an opportunity. Their ASW is next week, so I'll definitely be checking them out firsthand.

[typical1L]

Ignore the BLSA, although I'm sure they mean well. YLS is obviously the leader for going into academia (although it's not exactly easy from there either). Enjoy your clerkship in a few years, etc.

I knew that I would be going to graduate school going into UG, so I decided to go with the money and spare myself the worries of UG and grad school debt.

Same... hey, I'm in Florida as well. What area are you from (if you are from Florida)?

[theotherken]

FAMU is in Tallahassee, but aside from that I'm not a Floridian. I was born (Chicago) and raised (Minnesota) in the Midwest, though I've lived in Georgia since junior year in HS.

Where are you from?

[Waterman47]

In my case (1360SAT, prop-175-178 LSAT), it isn't really a question of corrlation. I didn't study at all for the SAT. I bought one of those SAT prep books and skimmed it on a 4 hour road trip a week before.

It's more of a question of "how much did you try then" versus "how much are you trying now"...

Exactly.

I got a 1260 in HS because I took one of my siblings old prep books and looked through it whenever I got a chance.

I don't know what percentile 1260 is, but if I get a corresponding percentage on the LSAT, I'll be shocked and awed and upset.

I think a lot of people didn't really care in high school, and take the LSAT much more seriously.

[Slash2049]

correlation means all other things close to equal

[Waterman47]

If that's the case, I guess my case does not apply, as with anyone else that didn't invest equal time and effort in preparing for the tests.

[Slash2049]

for a true mathematical correlation not if they're not close to equal