What Are LSAT Score Bands?
LSAT scores are estimates of your actual proficiency in the skills tested. LSAT scores aren’t an indication of your capacity to learn or build additional proficiency.
LSAT scores are reported to law schools along with a score band because the estimate of proficiency provided by a given LSAT score is not perfect. The score band indicates a range of scores, including scores slightly higher and slightly lower than the score received, because your actual proficiency in the skills tested on the LSAT may be slightly higher or slightly lower than what’s reflected by the score you received on an officially administered LSAT.
The value used to determine the score range is based on a psychometric statistic called the standard error of measurement (SEM). This statistic provides an estimate of the average deviation present in test scores because of the imperfect nature of tests.