How to Address a Low LSAT Score in Law School Applications

There are options to earn admission to law school if you have weak LSAT scores.

The LSAT is a key factor in law school admissions, along with undergraduate grades. Many applicants find the test to be the hardest hurdle on their path to law school.

With the right LSAT study strategy you can improve your performance on this difficult test, but test day may still present unpredictable challenges.

Fortunately, doing poorly on the LSAT is not the end of the road for your law school candidacy. There are ways to compensate for a weak LSAT score.

If taking the LSAT is your worst nightmare, consider these five tips:

Try a different standardized test.
Look for ways to apply without test scores.
Retake the LSAT.
Consider an addendum.
Emphasize other strengths.

Try a Different Standardized Test

The LSAT is no longer the only game in town. Roughly half of law schools accept the GRE and some accept the GMAT, as well.

A growing number of schools accept JD-Next, a rising alternative to the LSAT that is based on a condensed online course in contract law.

If you take one of these tests in addition to the LSAT, then law schools will likely focus on your LSAT scores since the LSAT is a benchmark for law applicants. LSAT scores are automatically submitted to law schools, and schools publicly report the median LSAT score of their incoming students.

So while it may be helpful to submit a high score on another standardized test alongside weaker LSAT scores, it would be better to choose the best test for you before taking the LSAT.

Look for Ways to Apply Without Test Scores

New test-optional pathways to law school are opening up now that the American Bar Association has waived requirements for accredited law schools to use the LSAT in law admissions.

Many law schools have direct admission programs, which typically allow qualified students from within the same university system to gain admission to law school without taking the LSAT.

Some law schools have other options to apply without an LSAT score or to withhold your LSAT scores from consideration.

Retake the LSAT

If you have already taken the LSAT, the best way to make up for a low score is to simply retake the test until you achieve a score that is in line with your practice test results. You can take the test up to five times within five years, seven times in total.

Law schools will see each time you take the test in your score report. If you cancel your score, using score preview, for example, they will see this cancellation but not the score itself.

Since admissions officers put the most emphasis on an applicant's highest LSAT score, there is little penalty for retaking the test, particularly if your scores increase over time.

If you retake the LSAT, don’t use the same approach to studying. Consider practicing in a more methodical and focused way. Access new books, online resources or personal tutors for new perspectives on particular trouble spots.

And if you have a cognitive or physical impairment, be sure to request accommodation. There will be no indication in your score report of any accommodation received.

Consider an Addendum

You could write an addendum to explain underperformance on the test. It can be difficult to justify giving up on the test when retaking it is an option, however.

If there's a specific reason for your underperformance on the LSAT and inability to retake it, write an addendum to explain your situation. For example, you might mention factors like unresolved personal hardships, persistent emergencies or a documented history of underperformance on standardized tests.

Emphasize Other Strengths

Ultimately, the LSAT is just one piece of evidence for your academic potential as a law student. High grades can help offset a low LSAT score, as can strong recommendation letters from professors, professional experience and a well-structured personal statement.

Use other elements of your application, like your resume, to bring out skills tested by the LSAT, such as logical reasoning and close reading.

Underscore any academic, extracurricular or professional work that required careful analysis and argumentation under time pressure.

Above all, keep perspective. Once you’re in law school, the LSAT will no longer matter.

Before a low LSAT score prompts you to change your life plans, think about better ways to invest your time and energy. Finding ways to volunteer in your community may restore your confidence and impress law admissions officers while paying lifelong dividends.

This article is featured on US News & World Report's website linked here.