Test, Experimental, and Scale Help

LSAT vs. Future Salary: The Importance of Test Preparation

LSAT Questions and Answers

When to Take the LSAT

Accommodated Testing

Test Day Preparations

The Experimental Section Explained

The LSAT Scoring Scale Explained

Historical Range of Correct Answers for Targeted Scores

Comprehensive Law Services LSAT Publication Identifier List

Historical Range of Correct Answers for Targeted Scores

Students preparing for the LSAT often wonder exactly how many correct answers are required to obtain a particular score. The chart below lists the number of correct answers needed to achieve scores from 150 to 180 (in five-point increments) on every released LSAT test over the last thirteen years. Numbers are drawn from the scoring scales used for each exam.

LSAT	150	155	160	165	170	175	180
December 1996	55	64	72	80	87	93	98
February 1997	54	62	70	79	86	93	98
June 1997	56	65	74	82	89	94	99
October 1997	55	63	71	78	84	90	96
December 1997	56	64	72	80	87	93	99
June 1998	56	65	73	82	89	94	99
September 1998	56	64	72	80	87	93	98
December 1998	54	62	70	78	85	91	97
June 1999	54	63	71	80	88	94	99
October 1999	56	65	73	82	89	94	99
December 1999	55	63	72	79	87	93	98
June 2000	56	65	73	81	87	93	98
October 2000	55	64	72	80	87	93	98
December 2000	54	63	72	80	87	93	98
June 2001	57	66	74	81	88	93	98
October 2001	57	66	74	82	89	***	99
December 2001	57	66	74	82	89	95	99
June 2002	57	67	76	84	91	96	100
October 2002	57	66	74	82	88	93	98
December 2002	55	63	71	80	88	94	99
June 2003	58	67	76	84	91	***	99
October 2003	58	67	75	83	89	94	99
December 2003	56	66	75	83	90	95	99
June 2004	58	67	75	82	89	94	99
October 2004	60	68	76	84	90	***	98
December 2004	56	65	73	81	87	92	97
June 2005	61	69	77	84	90	94	98
October 2005	59	68	77	84	90	95	99
December 2005	58	68	78	86	93	97	100
June 2006	60	67	76	84	90	95	99
September 2006	59	68	77	84	90	94	98
December 2006	56	65	74	82	89	***	98
June 2007	59	69	78	86	92	96	99
September 2007	57	66	75	83	89	***	97
December 2007	57	66	75	83	89	94	98
June 2008	60	69	78	85	91	95	99
September 2008	59	69	77	85	91	95	99
December 2008	57	66	74	82	89	94	98
June 2009	57	66	75	83	90	95	99
Averages	56.85	65.69	74.13	82.05	88.74	93.85	98.44

One of the more noticeable trends in the above chart is that, depending on the test year, different raw scores translate into equivalent scaled scores. The reason for this apparent discrepancy is that the LSAT varies slightly in difficulty each administration. To account for these variances in test "toughness," the test makers adjust the Scoring Conversion Chart for each LSAT in order to make similar LSAT scores from different tests mean the same thing. For example, the LSAT offered in June of a given year may be logically more difficult than the LSAT offered in December, but by making the June LSAT scale "looser" than the December scale, a 160 on each test would represent the same level of performance.

Test takers can draw important conclusions about their own performance from both the average raw scores and the standard deviations. For instance, though the average raw score corresponding to a scaled 160 is 74.13, the standard deviation shows that a majority of the scores are within ± 2.25 of this number, or from roughly 72 to 76. A student wishing to score 160 on an upcoming test should then expect, with a reasonable degree of confidence, that correctly answering somewhere between 72 and 76 questions correctly would result in that score. Similar conditions apply for a score of 170, where, with the standard deviation adjustment, a raw score between roughly 87 and 90 is likely needed.

Perhaps most important of all for the potential test taker is to realize that achieving a desired score does not require perfect performance. Each of the raw scores above is the number correct out of 99, 100, or 101 questions, so it is clear that missed questions, within reason, are acceptable regardless of the desired score. Even perfect scores usually allow for two or three incorrect answer choices. Again, the averages and standard deviations listed are useful tools in determining an acceptable number of missed questions, whether setting pre-test objectives or evaluating your performance in the week following the LSAT when scores may still be cancelled.

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