171 Should I Retake?

Canadian Looking to the USA

Hey 7Sagers!

I am reaching out through this forum to ask for some advice. I am a Canadian student and I wrote the LSAT-Flex in July 2020. I scored a 171, but now I am wondering if I should rewrite.

Here are some facts about my case:
1. I'm aiming to apply for top 7 American law schools.
2. I have two undergraduate degrees (GPA 3.96 and 3.7 respectively) and now I am working on my master degree (will finish in Spring 2022).
3. I would not apply until Fall 2021 to attend in 2022.

So my question is essentially should I rewrite the LSAT to get a better score? Am I being unrealistic with my target schools with this score?

Thanks so much for any help you can provide!

Russ Sob-1

If I were you, I wouldn't waste my time. As long as you're not a criminal, you shouldn't have any problem getting into a top 7 school with those numbers.

noonawoon

What is your LSAC gpa? If you are aiming for any top 7 school, a 171 is good enough. If you think you are capable of getting to 175 or above and have the time to study and retake, then you would greatly increase your chances at HYS.

chsc3555

The advice I have seen often is: if you would likely score higher on a retake, then you should retake. For instance, if most of your recent PTs are 175+, then you would have a pretty strong case for retaking.

If LR is your strongest section, it might be a good idea to retake once the flex tests stop. In that case, the weighting of the normal LSAT would suit your skills more so than the flex does.

Of course, the downside of a retake is that you may score lower -- which wouldn't be a great look.

Regardless, congratulations on the 171, and good luck with any future retakes!

jIbooker

If you practice test average is higher than what you scored on test day, then definitely retake. A few points higher makes a big difference when competing for the top schools. It sounds like you have lots of time before you apply. Maybe study more and get consistently in the mid to high 170s and then retake.