We split schools up by Job Outcomes in 2014, and then show the change in the 25th percentile LSAT for each school's entering class between 2010 and 2014. For example, the first chart shows 25th percentile LSAT score changes at the 10 schools with ≥ 90% LT, FT BPR. The purple marker shows the 25th percentile LSAT score in 2010. These charts demonstrate that not all changes in LSAT score are the same. "LT, FT BPR" means the job is long term (a job with an indefinite duration or fixed duration of 1 year or more), full time (at least 35 hours per week) bar passage required (job requires a law license). Explain More About These Charts
| Risk Band | LSAT | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | Percentile | |
| Minimal Risk | 156-180 | ≥ 67.4 |
| Low Risk | 153-155 | 55.6 - 63.9 |
| Modest Risk | 150-152 | 44.3 - 52.5 |
| High Risk | 147-149 | 33 - 40.3 |
| Very High Risk | 145-146 | 26.1 - 29.5 |
| Extreme Risk | 120-144 | ≤ 22.9 |
These charts (one chart for each group) have three parts:
1. LSAT Distribution: The shaded blue area shows the distribution of LSAT scores for all people who took the LSAT during the last three years. LSAT scores range from 120 to 180. A student scoring 120 is in the 0 percentile because the student scored better than 0% of test-takers. A student scoring a 180 is in the 99.9 percentile because the student scored better than 99.9% of test-takers. A student scoring a 160 is in the 80.4 percentile because the student scored better than 80.4% of test-takers. You can hover over the blue outline to see a tooltip for all each LSAT/percentile combinations.
2. Black and Green Bars: Each school has a bar. The start point for each bar, a purple marker, is the school's 25th percentile LSAT score for students who entered in 2010. The end point is the 25th percentile LSAT score for students who entered in 2014. If the 25th percentile went up, the bar is green. If it went down, the bar is black. If the score is the same, there is only a purple marker (no bar). You can hover over the bar (or marker) to see the school and how its 25th percentile LSAT score has changed.
3. Risk Overlays: We highlight the three highest risk areas, from high to extreme. Using these indicators, you can see which schools' bottom quartile students are most likely to struggle on the bar exam.
This table shows the total number of schools at each Risk Level, which is based on students who entered in 2014, grouped by Job Outcomes in 2014. "LT, FT BPR" means the job is long term (a job with an indefinite duration or fixed duration of 1 year or more), full time (at least 35 hours per week) bar passage required (job requires a law license).
| Grouped by Job Outcomes in 2014 | Risk Level by 25th Percentile LSAT Scores, 2014 Entering Class | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme Risk | Very High Risk | High Risk | Serious Risk | Other Schools | Modest Risk | Low Risk | Minimal Risk | |
| ≥ 90% LT, FT BPR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 75% - 89.9% LT, FT BPR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| 60% - 74.9% LT, FT BPR | 2 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 52 | 15 | 15 | 22 |
| 50% - 59.9% LT, FT BPR | 4 | 5 | 12 | 21 | 29 | 15 | 12 | 2 |
| 40% - 49.9% LT, FT BPR | 9 | 7 | 6 | 22 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| 30% - 39.9% LT, FT BPR | 8 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| < 30% LT, FT BPR | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Read this chart across each row. For example, the 10 schools in the ≥ 90% LT, FT BPR group, 0 schools are "Serious Risk" and 10 schools are not (based on students who entered in 2014).
Because LSAT scores follow a roughly normal distribution, it's difficult to compare raw score changes. On the following table, we show decline by percentile to illustrate how some declines were steeper than they first appear. The charts on the "Group-Component Charts" tab show how the meaning of the drop also depends on where a school started when assessing school admissions decisions.
| Grouped by Job Outcomes in 2014 | Average Decline Between 2010 and 2014 |
LSAT - 25th 2010 |
LSAT - 25th 2014 |
LSAT Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≥ 90% LT, FT BPR 10 schools |
-0.8 percentile | 167 | 166.3 | -0.7 points |
| 75% - 89.9% LT, FT BPR 18 schools |
-7.3 percentile | 162.7 | 159.8 | -2.9 points |
| 60% - 74.9% LT, FT BPR 66 schools |
-11.2 percentile | 156.4 | 153.2 | -3.2 points |
| 50% - 59.9% LT, FT BPR 50 schools |
-12.3 percentile | 153.6 | 150.3 | -3.3 points |
| 40% - 49.9% LT, FT BPR 34 schools |
-14.7 percentile | 151.5 | 147.4 | -4.1 points |
| 30% - 39.9% LT, FT BPR 14 schools |
-13.9 percentile | 149.1 | 144.7 | -4.4 points |
| < 30% LT, FT BPR 6 schools |
-8.2 percentile | 123.8 | 144.2 | 20.4 points |
Read this chart across each row. For example, the 10 schools in the ≥ 90% LT, FT BPR group had a decline of 0.8 percentile for the 25th Percentile LSAT from 2010 to 2014.
The top half of both charts — in purple — shows how law schools grouped by Job Outcomes in 2014 are concentrated within a risk category based on students who entered in 2010. The bottom half of both charts — in black — reflect today, the students who entered in 2014.
Hover over a risk category (x-axis) to see the full breakdown. Looking at the first chart, for example, hover over the "High Risk" column. In 2010 there were 22 schools that qualified as "High Risk" based on 25th Percentile LSAT. However, in 2014 there are 30 schools that qualify as "High Risk." The tooltip will show how each of those two groups (of 22 and 30 schools, respectively) break down based on Job Outcomes in 2014.
Note the schools that reduced class size to keep admissions credentials steady, as well as the schools that drastically (and dangerously) cut standards in order to ensure enrollment did not drop so far that the school could not operate.