LSAT Score Conversion Chart: How Raw Scores Become Your 120-180 Score

How LSAT Raw Score Conversion Works

From Correct Answers to Raw Score

Your raw score is the total number of questions you answered correctly across the scored sections — there's no deduction for wrong answers, no partial credit, and every question is weighted equally. On the current LSAT, you have three scored sections (two Logical Reasoning and one Reading Comprehension) totaling roughly 75-78 questions.

Because there's no guessing penalty, every answer counts as either right or wrong regardless of whether you read the question. That has a practical consequence for test-day strategy: you should never leave a question blank. Even a random guess has a 20-25% chance of being correct, and across several unanswered questions, the expected gains add up to real scaled-score points.

The Equating Process Explained

LSAC doesn't convert raw scores to scaled scores with a fixed formula. Instead, every test form goes through a process called equating, which adjusts for the specific difficulty of the questions that appeared on your administration. If your form was slightly harder than average, the curve compensates — you need fewer correct answers to hit a given scaled score.

This is why different test dates use different charts. A raw score of 65 might map to a 163 on one form and a 161 on another, and both conversions are "correct" for their respective tests. Published conversion charts like the one in this guide show the typical range you can expect, not an exact formula for any single administration.

LSAT Score Conversion Table (Current Format)

Approximate Conversion Ranges

The table below shows approximate raw-to-scaled conversions for the current three-scored-section LSAT. Use it to translate a practice-test raw score into an estimated scaled score on the 120-180 range. The ranges reflect the variation introduced by equating — on an easier test, a given raw score falls at the lower end of its scaled range; on a harder test, the upper end.

Notice how the curve steepens at the top. Near a 180, each additional question missed drops you multiple scaled points, while near a 155, you can miss one or two more questions without your scaled score changing at all. That asymmetry reflects how far above the mean each score sits, not how much harder the questions get.

Why Conversions Vary by Test Date

Each LSAT administration has its own curve, tailored to the specific mix of questions on that form. LSAC generates these curves from pretesting — the experimental section on your test contains unscored questions used to calibrate future forms — so by the time a question counts toward your score, its difficulty is already well understood.

In practice, the scaled-score variation at any given raw score is usually within 1-3 points. That's enough to matter at the high end (a 170 vs. 167 is a meaningful admissions difference) but not enough to change your overall score tier. If you consistently hit a raw score of 62 on practice tests, you can reliably expect a scaled score in the 165-167 range on test day.

Conversion Changes After Logic Games Removal

Fewer Questions, Same Scale

When LSAC removed Logic Games in August 2024, the scored section count dropped from four to three, and the total number of scored questions went from about 100-101 to roughly 75-78. The scale itself still runs 120-180 — LSAC recalibrated the conversion curves so that percentile ranks and scaled scores remain comparable to the pre-change era.

The implication for test takers is subtle but important: each individual question now counts for more of your scaled score than it used to. On the old format, missing one question might move you half a scaled point; on the current format, it can move you a full point or more. Small accuracy improvements now translate more directly into scaled-score gains.

Using the Right Conversion Data

If you're using older practice tests or study materials, be careful about which conversion chart you apply. Pre-August 2024 charts were built for 100-101 scored questions and will understate your current scaled score if you apply them to a three-section practice test — because 58 correct out of 76 is very different from 58 correct out of 101.

When scoring official PrepTests, use the curve LSAC published for that specific test. When scoring third-party or mixed-format practice tests, use the post-2024 conversion table in the previous section. Applying an old curve to a new-format practice test is one of the most common ways students accidentally mis-estimate their readiness — and the errors always run in the direction of false pessimism.

Estimating Your Score from Practice Tests

Scoring Your Practice Tests

To score a practice test, count your correct answers across the three scored sections, then look up the resulting raw score on the conversion table. The output is an estimated scaled score — not an exact one — because you don't know which curve your practice form maps to. Treat the estimate as a range (e.g., "160-162") rather than a single number.

Score every practice test the same way every time, even if you're aiming for a specific target. Don't skip sections, don't extend your timing, and don't give yourself credit for questions you "would have gotten" with more time. Only tests taken under realistic conditions produce scaled-score estimates that match what you'll actually see on test day.

Tracking Progress Over Time

Keep a simple log of each practice test: date, raw score, estimated scaled score, and which question types gave you trouble. Over 5-10 tests, you'll see whether your scores are trending up, plateauing, or oscillating — and each pattern calls for a different response.

Steady improvement means your current study plan is working; stick with it. A plateau means you're consolidating skills and may need to introduce harder content to push forward. Oscillation — scores bouncing 5+ points between tests — usually points to test-day consistency issues like timing, stamina, or stress rather than gaps in your knowledge.

Using Conversion Data for Goal Setting

Questions Needed for Target Scores

The conversion chart turns an abstract scaled-score goal into a concrete daily target. If you're aiming for a 170, you need to answer roughly 67-68 of ~76 scored questions correctly — or, looked at the other way, you can afford to miss 8 or 9. For a 165, your margin widens to 13-14 misses; for a 160, to 18-20.

Knowing the accuracy target gives you a useful lens on every practice problem. If your goal is 165, an accuracy below 82% on a section is a warning sign, not noise. Conversely, if you're hitting 89%+ consistently, you're already working at a 170 level and should start timing yourself more aggressively or moving on to harder question sets.

Building a Score Improvement Plan

Work backwards from your target. Start with your current average scaled score, look up the corresponding raw-score range, and figure out how many additional questions you need to answer correctly to reach your target. That delta — say, "seven more questions right per test" — is the concrete thing your study plan has to produce.

From there, attribute the delta to specific question types. If you're losing most of your points to Logical Reasoning flaw questions or to Reading Comprehension inference questions, your study time should concentrate there rather than on broad review. Reviewing every missed question with that attribution in mind turns the conversion chart into a diagnostic tool, not just a reference.

Frequently Asked Questions