Are you aiming for a 165 or higher on the LSAT? Would you like to know if it is a good score? This article will tell you everything you need to know about getting a 165 on the LSAT.
First off, you should know that a 165 is agoodLSAT score. In fact, it isverygood. The median LSAT score is a 151. That means 50% of people score higher than 151, and 50% score lower. Whereas a 165 is in the 89th percentile! That means if 1,000 people took the LSAT, only 110 would score a 165 or higher.
What Percent of Law School Applicants have an LSAT score of 165 or higher?
Roughly 20% of applicants have a 165 or higher. So a 165 is about an 80th percentile score amongst applicants.
The percentile rank of a 165 LSAT among applicants is lower than the percentile rank amongst test takers. This is because people may take the LSAT more than once, and further people with higher LSAT scores are more likely to apply. But a 165 is still a good score amongst applicants.
Can I get admitted to law school with a 165 on the LSAT?
Absolutely, yes. And you can get into good law schools too. If your LSAT score is above a school’s median LSAT, that school is more likely to admit you. Schools with median LSATs of 165 are ranked roughly #40 nationally. Review the table below to see some examples of law schools with a median LSAT of 165 and their other admissions stats.
School | Location | Acceptance Rate | Rank | Median LSAT | Median GPA |
University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 31.0% | 35 | 165 | 3.94 |
Boston College | Boston, MA | 23.5% | 29 | 165 | 3.81 |
University of California, Davis | Davis, CA | 28.3% | 60 | 165 | 3.70 |
Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL | 44.0% | 56 | 165 | 3.83 |
Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem, NC | 56.0% | 22 | 165 | 3.72 |
University of Wisconsin | Madison, WI | 49.0% | 40 | 165 | 3.73 |
University of Victoria | Victoria, BC | 11.0% | 7 (Canada) | 165 | 3.84 |
Can I get admitted to a top law school with a score of 165?
A 165 is not high enough to get admitted to a top law school in most cases. However, it is important to remember that half of a law school’s entering class is below the median LSAT. At the bottom end of T14 law schools, roughly 25% of the entering class has an LSAT score below 165.
To have the best odds of admission to a top law school, however, you should aim to get your LSAT score higher than a 165.
How many questions do I need to get right to get a 165 on an LSAT preptest?
The answer to this depends on which LSAT test you are taking, but you can get a rough idea by examining past LSAT preptests. Note that there are two scoring scales: the 4 section LSAT scale and the three section LSAT score. LSAT preptests 1-89 use four sections. LSAT preptests 90+ have three sections. You will take a three section LSAT on test day.
On a four section LSAT, you can miss roughly 18 questions and get a 165.
On a three section LSAT, you can miss roughly 13 questions and get a 165.
LSAT 165: How long will it take me to get there?
This depends on your starting score and your current score. Most people experience beginner gains when they first start studying. These take 1-3 months on average, and typically you might see a 10 point increase. Though if you start with a score below 140, you might instead expect a 15 point increase.
These beginner gains are not guaranteed, but when they occur they come from learning the basics and from getting used to the LSAT.
Past this point, success depends upon being able to assess your weak points in order to make continued progress.
So, how long does it take to get a 165 or higher? If you are within ten points of 165 and just starting, you might pass 165 within 1-3 months.
Likewise, if you have achieved your beginners gains and are within a few points of 165, you can likely raise your score higher within a reasonable period.
However, if you have already studied for a while and are far from a 165, it may take quite some time to reach this goal. After all, only 11% of people reach a 165 or higher.
So if you are far from the goal, you should plan on a longer study period, and think carefully about how to keep finding weak areas and improving them.
Hi, I'mGraeme Blake
I created LSATHacks, and scored a 177 on the LSAT.
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