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This is a major "good problem to have" situation, and I hope it doesn't come off as a humble brag, because I'm really hoping for input and advice:

I just got my May LSAT-Flex score: I scored a 176. On most of my practice tests (and almost all of the recent ones), I've scored in the 177-180 range. I think I wasn't quite as well-suited for the LSAT-Flex as for the regular LSAT, since I'm much stronger at LR than RC (not that I'm complaining - I'm thrilled to have been able to put up a 176).

The argument in my mind for retaking:
- It can't hurt
- I've been scoring higher (even if only slightly), so there's a solid chance I'll be able to improve by a point or two, especially if I can take a regular LSAT instead of the Flex
- Higher LSAT = better admissions results

The argument against retaking:
- I've already scored high enough that another point isn't going to alter my chances. According to the data I looked at, 176 is already above every 75th percentile from the last five years except for Yale's 2015 and 2018 numbers, where 176 was the 75th percentile LSAT.
- Taking and prepping for the LSAT is stressful, and not worth doing if the reason is neurotic perfectionism and not a real improvement in likely outcomes or in likelihood of achieving certain outcomes
- The time would be better spent polishing the rest of my application and making sure I can submit early in order to have the highest number of seats/$ available when I apply

So far, I'm definitely leaning towards not retaking. I told myself before the test and before receiving my score that anything 177+ would be a no-brainer, and that I'd think about anything 176 or below. But looking at the 509 and the myLSN data (which, ironically, shows that a 176 would actually be *better* for most of the tippity-top schools, but I'm sure that's anomalous), I'm thinking that the difference between 176 and 177 (or 176 and 179, for that matter) is going to be negligible - especially since my GPA will also be above the 75th percentile.

Background:
- Undergrad in History & Psychology (double-major) from no-name undergrad (started out at CC)
- 4.0 GPA (but a lot of CLEP credits, so that doesn't cover as many classes as it would if I hadn't done those - not sure if that matters)
- Not K-JD, but won't have a ton of work experience or a terribly impressive resume, as I'm still pretty young
- Non-URM


Thoughts? I'm particularly interested to hear how you think the decision whether or not to retake will impact my chances at YHS (especially Y/S), or for the cream of the crop scholarships (i.e. Ruby/Hamilton/etc.)

Thanks in advance

I really don’t think retaking is worth it, although people better acquainted with actually getting into those schools should weigh in.

I agree that a retake is going to be pointless for the reasons you've identified. After you break into the mid-170s, there are diminishing returns for retakes, since you've already surpassed every school's 75th.

You are practically guaranteed Harvard admission, and you have as good a chance at Y/S as anyone (they tend to put more weight on softs once you have the numbers). And I think you're in an excellent position to get one of the full scholarships from CCN.

If you retake, you could completely bomb it, too.

Also, even if you do not get into HYS, you have an amazing shot at getting a full ride to a smaller school.
Either way, with your current score you are guaranteed admissions and a great scholarship.

Do not stress yourself for no reason. The world right now is stressful enough.

Don't retake. You have very little control of performance over 175, and you're more likely to lower your score than raise it (which for most schools wouldn't make a difference, but certain schools care about every score).

I don't think it is worth a retake. Even if you are sure you are very likely to score higher under normal circumstances, you cannot predict what will happen on test day with 100% confidence. Maybe you'll get a migraine headache halfway through the test, maybe there will be noisy construction outside your test center, etc. Your upside of a retake is very small, your potential downside is larger. 176 is a great score. Spend your time making your applications flawless, instead of studying for a retake. Then just sit back and enjoy the amazing admissions cycle you are almost certainly going to have.

Echoing everyone else — don’t retake. Even if you could guarantee the outcome you expect, the extra point or two isn’t going to make a difference. You’ve cracked the 75th, and paired with your GPA you’re in an ideal position. Congratulations on your numbers.

Thank you all for the input, and for the kind words. At this point, I'd say I'm about 95% certain I will not be retaking, but I'm going to set myself a deadline of about a week from now to make a final decision.