Quick answer: the best law schools for a 170 LSAT are the ones where 170 is at or above the median. That is 179 of the 196 ABA schools. Another 13 are reach schools, where a 170 is between the 25th percentile and the median. A 170 is at or above the median at most ABA schools and near the median at some T14 schools. It can bring major scholarship offers outside the very top. For how many questions you can miss at the top, see the highest LSAT score guide.
The lists below use each school’s LSAT numbers from its ABA 509 disclosure, sorted by median LSAT. A higher median does not always mean a better fit for you, so also weigh location, cost and job results. Want your GPA included? Use the law school admissions calculator.
How to Use a 170 LSAT Score
| Where a 170 falls at a school | How to treat it | Schools |
|---|---|---|
| Below the 25th percentile | Long shot | 4 |
| Between the 25th and median | Reach | 13 |
| Between the median and 75th | Target | 7 |
| At or above the 75th | Likely, and a scholarship target | 172 |
Reach Schools for a 170 LSAT
Possible, especially with a GPA above the school’s median.
| Law school | 25th | Median | 75th | Median GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WashU Law | 165 | 175 | 176 | 3.96 |
| UVA Law | 168 | 173 | 175 | 3.99 |
| Northwestern Law | 167 | 173 | 175 | 3.96 |
| Penn Carey Law | 167 | 173 | 174 | 3.95 |
| Columbia Law | 169 | 173 | 175 | 3.92 |
| Cornell Law | 168 | 173 | 175 | 3.92 |
| NYU Law | 169 | 172 | 174 | 3.92 |
| UT Austin Law | 166 | 172 | 173 | 3.89 |
| UCLA Law | 166 | 171 | 172 | 3.95 |
| Georgetown Law | 166 | 171 | 173 | 3.93 |
| Duke Law | 169 | 171 | 172 | 3.91 |
| Michigan Law | 168 | 171 | 173 | 3.88 |
Target Schools for a 170 LSAT
A 170 is at or above the median here.
| Law school | 25th | Median | 75th | Median GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BYU Law | 168 | 170 | 172 | 3.95 |
| Berkeley Law | 167 | 170 | 172 | 3.92 |
| Vanderbilt Law | 167 | 170 | 171 | 3.91 |
| Notre Dame Law | 166 | 170 | 171 | 3.89 |
| Boston University Law | 164 | 170 | 171 | 3.88 |
| George Mason Law (Scalia Law) | 162 | 169 | 171 | 3.93 |
| University of Georgia Law | 159 | 169 | 171 | 3.92 |
Scholarship Schools for a 170 LSAT
A 170 is at or above the 75th percentile here, which is where merit money is most likely. Check your odds with the law school scholarship calculator.
| Law school | 25th | Median | 75th | Median GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M Law | 161 | 169 | 170 | 4.00 |
| USC Gould | 165 | 169 | 170 | 3.91 |
| University of Florida Law | 165 | 169 | 170 | 3.91 |
| UC Irvine Law | 166 | 169 | 170 | 3.80 |
| Ohio State Law | 163 | 168 | 169 | 3.91 |
| UNC Law | 165 | 168 | 169 | 3.89 |
| George Washington Law | 162 | 168 | 170 | 3.86 |
| Boston College Law | 162 | 168 | 169 | 3.83 |
| Fordham Law | 165 | 168 | 170 | 3.79 |
| Alabama Law | 161 | 167 | 168 | 3.97 |
| SMU Dedman Law | 163 | 167 | 168 | 3.81 |
| Wisconsin Law | 161 | 167 | 169 | 3.81 |
| Washington and Lee Law | 161 | 167 | 168 | 3.75 |
| Florida State Law | 158 | 166 | 167 | 3.93 |
| Utah Law | 162 | 166 | 168 | 3.87 |
How to Build Your School List
- Pick 2 to 4 reach schools, 3 to 5 targets and 2 to 3 scholarship schools.
- Check your GPA against each school’s median. If it is lower, you may need a higher LSAT to stay competitive.
- Think about where you want to work. Many schools place most graduates close to home.
- Compare debt and job results, not just rank. Each school’s ABA disclosures show them.
See the full 170 LSAT score guide, should I retake the LSAT and LSAT medians for the top 100 law schools.