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How Are Older LSAT Scores Reported?

How Are Older LSAT Scores Reported?

One point of confusion among test-takers is how LSAC reports older LSAT scores. Currently, LSAC reports any LSAT score from the past five years. They report an average score if two or more LSAT scores appear on your record. However, even though LSAC reports those scores, most schools want to see a score within the past three years.

Some test-takers applying to law school take advantage of this and wait to retake the LSAT until a past poor performance drops off their record. We don’t recommend this since law schools typically only care about the highest score. If your LSAT score record seems to be all over the place, consider submitting an explanation via an addendum to law schools.

But, what if you want law schools to see an older score? Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do. In the past, students could request that LSAC release scores up to ten years old. However, as of July 2015 LSAC only keeps score records for 5 years. So, even if you want to obtain a score for personal reasons, at this time there is no formal way to retrieve that information. LSAC states that “LSAT scores are the property of LSAC and are kept indefinitely,” but interpret that at your own will.

Comments

  1. Jan Hacke says

    Dave,

    Came across this blog while attempting to compare the LSAT score I had made with that of a friend’s child. I realize from what you share here that the scores can’t really be compared because of the changes in the test itself. However, I thought you might find the information available in the summary report I found in my records useful. By way of explanation, I did not take the first LSAT as my mother passed away the previous weekend. And I know my October score was affected still by the loss of my mother. By spring I was doing a bit better when I took it the second time and my score showed the dramatic improvement. Anyway, it gives you some solid information on scoring in 1980 and 1981 in case it it ever comes up.

    K

    Reply

  2. M. Sittnick says

    I saved my printout from my 1986 LSAT, and the impact printer ink has faded to almost nothing.

    http://www.sittnick.net/LSAT.pdf

    At the time, my 40 score was good for 90th percentile. Years ago I asked for fresh printout, and the requested fee was ridiculously high, so I declined.

    Reply

  3. BJ says

    How many times per year was the LSAT given back then?

    Also, how many people took the October 1983 test? Around 30K?

    Sorry for all the questions. I will leave you alone after these two!

    Reply

    • Dave Killoran says

      The LSAT was given 4 times a year back then, and I don’t have the numbers for any early 80s test immediately accessible–this was 40 years ago and that data is in a storage file somewhere around here but not digitized yet 🙂 It would have been similar in size to Oct 84 though, so 30K at least I’d think.

      Thanks!

      Reply

  4. BJ says

    I scored 46 in October 1984, which was reported as 99.6 percentile. Is there a way to find out the actual number of people who took the October 1984 LSAT?

    Reply

  5. Bob Langley says

    I was looking through old files and came across my LSAT results. I’ve always wondered what percentile those scores represented and wonder if you might know how to determine that. Thanks.

    LSAT score = 685
    WA score = 66
    Admin date = 12/71

    Reply

    • Dave Killoran says

      Hey Bob,

      Thanks for the question. The test was different back then, and I don’t have the percentile tables from that era handy. That said, my best guess is that you’d be somewhere in the 90-95th percentile or so. Today’s test is totally different though, so that does not translate into the similar percentile on today’s exam. e

      Thanks!

      Reply

    • Dave Killoran says

      Hi Chris,

      The comparison is not a direct one, and frankly the LSAT today is far harder than in the early 90s. So the “conversion” here does not mean that your percentile for a 42 now matches the percentile on today’s exam.

      That said, your 42 in 1991 represented about the 90.5%. On today’s LSAT, 90.5% is closest to a 164.

      Thanks!

      Reply

  7. Stan Ellis says

    Dave

    Here’s an oldie for you. I tool the exam in 1966. I have the number score but LASC claims no one there knows the formula for converting it to %ile. Is there a way to find the formula or a person who knows it?

    Thanks

    Stan

    Reply

    • Dave Killoran says

      Hi Stan,

      Great question, and we don’t often see scores from 55 years ago 🙂 In my years doing this, I’ve come across more than a few older score reports, and I can possibly give you a ballpark (it depends). If you can, can you send a screenshot of your report to lsat @ powerscore.com, and ask them to send it to me? I need to see the results in order to assess whether it matches others I have, and I’ll then post back here with an update.

      Thanks!

      Reply

    • Dave Killoran says

      Hey Marty,

      Thanks for the message! No, there really isn’t. The two tests are very different (for example, today’s LSAT doesn’t have a math section) and so LSAC says the two forms are incompatible as comparison tools, and hence no score conversion. Having looked at both fairly extensively, I’d agree that they can’t be compared well.

      Thanks!

      Reply

  10. K B says

    I would be interested in your thoughts on the following scenario –

    A person took the LSAT once in 1999 (well before everything was digitized), but due to life circumstances never attended law school. It is now 21 years later, this person has married, changed their name and is signed up to take the LSAT. Would LSAC show me as taking my second LSAT exam?

    Reply

    • Dave Killoran says

      Hi KB,

      Thanks for the questions! We don’t quite know yet, although I’ve already inquired with them about this specific scenario. Our belief, though, is that since you have taken the LSAT before–and their records go WAY back so we think they’d link your SS#s–that you will not be able to use score preview. Is that ridiculous when your first score is from 1999? Yes, which is why I’m hoping there’s some sort of cutoff exemption (any test older than 5 years would be my preference).

      If you get an update before we do, please let us know. Thanks and good luck!

      Reply

  11. ML says

    Hi. I got a 38 in 1991. What percentile was that and that would the score be according to today’s scale?

    Reply

    • Dave Killoran says

      Hi ML,

      If you got that score in 1991, that must be from the February 1991 LSAT 🙂 A 138 was around the 76th percentile, and strictly from a percentile standpoint that would be about a 159.

      I hope that helps. Thanks!

      Reply

  12. Martin Heilweil says

    Dear Dave,

    2019 oct 3

    I found some LSAT scores from Feb 1966, rummaging thru the archives.

    This showed 676 LSAT which I gather crudely converts, by dropping the last digit and adding 1 as prefix, converts to 167, of 180, what percentile would that be, ignoring that scores are not comparable.

    Since there are 61 discrete scores, is it the case that each score is not quite TWO percentiles, so that the diff between 180 and 167 is 13, which multiplied by two is not quite 26, places me in the 74th percentile? or maybe 75th?

    I also found Afternoon:
    Writing Ability W 68
    General Background B 67

    What do these mean? are these also percentile values?

    Thanks

    Reply

  13. deb says

    In 1991 I got a 30 on the LSAT (I know, pathetic!). Can you tell what that would translate to by today’s scoring?

    Reply

  14. Peter Hairston says

    Dear Dave, Your blog is very helpful and interesting. I made a perfect 800 on the LSAT in 1981 ; my previous SAT (1975)and GMAT (1981)scores were 99th percentile.
    Recently I’ve been asked to consider tutoring, and I believe I could be helpful to students preparing for these tests. I have retained my original LSAT score, but the others have gone missing. I hoped to get proper validation of all of these scores, thinking they might be relevant to my future tutoring activities. But, based upon this article and the comments, I sense that this will not be possible. Am I correct in understanding that the older scores are no longer available. So I should be glad to have saved the LSAT score and be reconciled to the fact that the other records have been lost? Thank you and kind regards, Peter Hairston

    Reply

    • Dave Killoran says

      LSAC will tell you the two are not comparable, and they have a point as today’s LSAT is harder and contains some different question types than the 1984 version did (no Dispute Characterization, for example!). That said, using just percentiles, the comparison is about to the 170-180 range, although the emphasis is more towards the 170 side. Today’s test has more scores, so it allows for finer differentiation than the old test, hence the range.

      Thanks!

      Reply

  16. Jayme says

    Even if it’s not for a school, there’s no way to see what your score was if it was more than 5 years ago? I took it in 2012 and don’t remember what I got and just want to know for myself.

    Reply

    • Dave Killoran says

      Correct, they simply stopped releasing old scores. We’ve asked in seven different ways if there’s any possibility, and the response has always been a solid No. I’m sorry!

      Reply

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