Two questions get asked constantly and answered vaguely: “how does the curve work” and “does every question matter the same amount.” The honest answer to the second one is no — and understanding why changes how you should allocate study time across the score range.
Each LSAT administration has its own conversion table mapping raw score (questions answered correctly, out of roughly 99-102 depending on the form) to the 120–180 scaled score. The table is set based on that specific form's difficulty, calibrated so a given scaled score represents the same ability level across different test dates — that's the entire point of scaling.
Here's the part that surprises people: near the top of the score range, missing one additional question can cost 1 full scaled point, sometimes more. In the middle of the range, that same single missed question often costs less than half a point. The curve is steeper at the extremes and flatter in the middle.
| Raw score band | Approx. scaled impact per missed question |
|---|---|
| Near-perfect (0–2 missed) | ~1 point per miss — very steep |
| Strong (miss 3–8) | ~0.5–0.7 points per miss |
| Mid-range (miss 15–25) | ~0.3–0.4 points per miss — flattest part |
| Lower range (miss 30+) | Steepens again toward the bottom |
If you're currently missing 25+ questions and aiming for the 150s, the highest-leverage move is closing your most common error patterns broadly — you're in the flattest part of the curve, where consistent improvement across many questions matters more than perfecting any single question type.
If you're already missing fewer than 8 questions and pushing toward the high 160s or 170s, the calculus flips: at this point, individual careless errors and your rarest, hardest question types carry disproportionate weight, because you're in the steep part of the curve where each additional question matters much more.
Don't apply the same study strategy at every score level. Below roughly 155, prioritize breadth — fixing whatever error pattern shows up most often, since the curve rewards broad consistency there. Above roughly 165, prioritize precision — hunting down your specific remaining error types and eliminating careless mistakes, since each remaining miss now costs disproportionately more.