Have your sights set on a 170 LSAT score (or higher)? You’re not alone. Scoring in the 170s puts you in the top 2–3% of test-takers—a level that can transform your law school application and open doors to the most competitive programs and scholarships.
But let’s be real, getting a 170+ LSAT score isn’t about luck or even superhuman intelligence. It’s about strategy, precision, and practice—the kind that comes from knowing how the LSAT really works. We asked our Blueprint LSAT instructors, who’ve all scored 170+ themselves, to share their best tips for breaking into that elite score range.
Below, you’ll find their real-world advice on everything from time management to mindset straight from the people who’ve helped thousands of students just like you reach and crush their LSAT goals.
LSAT Scoring Overview
But first, let’s quickly go through the basics of LSAT scoring and LSAT score range.
The LSAT is scored on a 120–180 scale, with the average score hovering around 150. Once you cross into the 170+ range, you’re officially among the top test-takers.
A 170 LSAT percentile typically lands around the 96th percentile, meaning you’ve outperformed most people who took the test. That level of performance can dramatically strengthen your law school applications, increasing your chances of admission to T14 schools (like Harvard, Columbia, or NYU) and even unlocking scholarship opportunities at highly ranked programs.
So, how hard is it to get a 170 on the LSAT? You don’t have to be perfect to get there. Most 170+ scorers still miss a handful of questions, but they’ve mastered consistency, time management, and a deep understanding of LSAT logic.
Further Reading
📈 What Is a Good LSAT Score Anyway?
🎓 What Are the T14 Law Schools and Why Should You Know About Them?
Tips for Scoring a 170 LSAT Score
“Like improving with any skill, scoring 170+ on the LSAT comes down to the twin pillars of ‘effort’ and ‘attitude.’ There will be moments when the test feels frustrating or progress seems slow, but don’t conflate struggling with ‘failing.’ Focus on the process and treat every mistake as a learning opportunity. Stay consistent, stay curious, and trust that every misstep today prepares you to be a stronger test-taker.”
– Gene, LSAT Score: 176
Join Gene in his 2026 February LSAT Live Course. Explore the complete schedule.
“For RC, read slow but analyze fast! Many students want to rush through the passage, but the best way to save time is to read carefully while constantly asking yourself, ‘Has the author’s voice appeared yet? What is this sentence ACTUALLY saying?’ When confused, don’t just re-read. Instead, break it down like a grammar practice by separating the filler information from the keywords (ex. main noun, verb, subject).”
– Miriam, LSAT Score: 173
“Remember that the goal isn’t to learn the subject matter, but instead to become an expert argument analyzer. Don’t get caught up in the details and forget your purpose. Instead, keep your head on straight and recall your preparation about the patterns and strategies for the question or passage type. Also, answering the questions is only half the battle! Make sure to also dedicate time to reviewing the sets you complete because that’s just as important.”
– Leslie, LSAT Score: 174
“My favorite question to ask when taking the LSAT is, ‘How could this answer choice be wrong?’ This is especially helpful on the Logical Reasoning portion, when you’ve narrowed your options to two, but they both sound tempting. The right answer will ALWAYS be 1000% correct. There will never be a case where it is wrong. On the flip side, there will always be a scenario (no matter how obscure or unlikely!) in which the incorrect answer doesn’t work.”
– Andrew, LSAT Score: 178
“Be brutally honest with yourself anytime you feel confused by language in a passage, whether it’s a word you don’t know or a phrase that doesn’t make sense. Our instinct in those moments can be to zone out and lose focus, but try to pinpoint exactly what part is confusing you and then turn that moment into a question for yourself. Revisit that question as you continue reading and see if you find any clarity.”
– Owen, LSAT Score: 177
“Try to trust yourself and not talk yourself out of a right answer! You already put the time and effort into studying, and you have mastered all the strategies. On test day, you have to trust that all that work will all pay off and have confidence in yourself and in your abilty to succeed on the test!”
– Camryn, LSAT Score: 175
“If you’re in the very beginning of your LSAT journey, give yourself plenty of time to prep (probably more than you think) and be realistic about how much time you can dedicate to LSAT practice every day without burning out or losing focus. Knowing your learning style and how much structure and accountability you need is crucial to setting yourself up for success. And don’t lose sight of why this is important to you! I highly recommend picturing yourself as Elle Woods in one of her montages.”
– Lily, LSAT Score: 178
Join Lily in her February 2026 LSAT Live Course. Explore the complete schedule.
“I highly recommend putting yourself into the world of the LSAT when taking the test. Act as if the author of an RC passage is speaking right to you—this makes it easier to understand the message they are trying to convey and how. Identify flaws in arguments by picturing your least favorite person as the one making the argument—this makes it much easier (and more fun) to find gaps in the logic. This strategy also helps to make boring questions/passages interesting.”
– Emma, LSAT Score: 176
“Hold off on looking at explanations right away! Do everything you can to try to figure out why the right answer is wrong and why the right answer is right first. Only look at explanations when you are truly stuck in your review. This is because we remember the things we discover MUCH better than the things we simply read. If you read an explanation, 9 out of 10 times, you will go, ‘Ohhh’ and then promptly forget it. If you work hard to make your own explanation, it will stick with you and save you on your actual test.”
– Nick, LSAT Score: 178
“When reviewing a practice test, ask yourself, ‘What are the 3-5 easiest questions I’m getting wrong, and how can I get them right?’ Improving your score is about finding more points. To use a basketball analogy, find your ‘missed layups.’ Don’t worry about the three-pointers and half-court shots for now. What are the simple, correctable mistakes? Find those weaknesses and attack them relentlessly.”
– Patrick, LSAT Score: 172
Join Patrick in his upcoming 2026 April LSAT 170+ Course. Explore the full schedule.
“Take the time to review the questions you get wrong. Walk through each step you took to answer the question, and find where you took a wrong turn. Whether you forgot to anticipate or incorrectly evaluated the logical force of an answer choice, identifying your common mistakes will help guide your studying and stop you from making the same mistakes in the future.”
– Ellery, LSAT Score: 174
“Prepping for the LSAT is a marathon, not a sprint. The key to score growth is change. The way someone does the test after they have improved is a lot different from how they were doing it at the outset. That change involves learning patterns, growing skills, and training yourself to ask and answer the right questions in your head. Students who recognize that it is a process and immerse themselves in that process are the ones who tend to realize the largest score gains.”
– Bobby, LSAT Score: 176
Join Bobby in his upcoming 2026 January LSAT 170+ Course or 2026 April LSAT Live Course.
“Studying for the LSAT is like learning a language: the most consistent students see the most growth. It is better to do five questions a day for six days of the week than 30 questions once a week. So, treat your study times like appointments you need to attend. Once you start being disciplined with consistency, you can start truly unlocking the language of the LSAT.”
– Madelyn, LSAT Score: 172
Join Madelyn in her upcoming 2026 April LSAT 170+ Course. Explore the full schedule.
“Spend some time getting very familiar with common flaws. Not only is this helpful for Flaw questions, but being able to spot the flaw in an argument is often critical for other types of LR questions, and there are cases where it can help you rule out wrong answer choices that commit these flaws. In other words, this is a versatile skill, and mastering it can help both your accuracy and timing on LR!”
– Charlotte, LSAT Score: 176
Join Charlotte in her upcoming 2026 February LSAT Live Course. Explore the full schedule.
“Stay curious and experimental with your application of strategies and focus on consistency of easier questions. If you can get a near perfect score on lowest through medium questions and comfortable with the underlying strategies, you’ll give yourself more time and margin for error on those tougher questions. On tougher questions, try to focus on what the LSAT is relying to separate right from wrong answers and identify what they are testing on a given question. There are often multiple tempting answers on tougher questions because they all are doing something, but if you zoom in and don’t talk yourself into or out of answers, there will be something objectively wrong with all but one answer that makes only one answer truly plausible.”
– Steve, LSAT Score: 173
Join Steve in his upcoming 2026 January LSAT 170+ Course. Explore the full schedule.
Final Thoughts
Scoring a 170 on the LSAT isn’t just about mastering logic or memorizing question types. It’s about thinking like the test makers, refining your process, and staying calm under pressure. Every 170+ scorer has their own path, but they all share one thing in common: a consistent, strategic approach to studying.
Take these Blueprint LSAT instructor tips as your roadmap, adapt them to your own study style, and keep your eye on progress, not perfection. With the right LSAT prep plan, you can make that 170 LSAT goal your reality.
If you’re ready to start your journey, explore the Blueprint 170+ LSAT Course, designed and taught by real 170+ scorers who know exactly how to get you into the top LSAT score percentiles—guaranteed.* Or work towards your own score goals in the Blueprint LSAT Live Course.
