Can you get an A+ in law school?

Asked by: Mr. Wilson Bosco DDS  |  Last update: February 23, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (41 votes)

Yes, you can get an A in law school, but it's significantly harder than undergrad due to grading curves that limit A's (often 20-30% of the class) and the high caliber of your peers, requiring you to study smarter, focus on exams from day one, do extra reading, and master legal writing to stand out. It's challenging but achievable with strategic effort, often involving outlining, practice exams, and engaging with professors.

Is it hard to get a's in law school?

Approximately 10% of law students will complete their studies as the proud owner of a first-class degree, which makes it statistically the hardest degree to get top grades in. This is pretty daunting, but I think a lot of the problems stem from the generic advice offered by professors and peers. Their advice is often r.

Can you get A+ in law school?

An A+ is fun to get. Especially in law school, where A+'s are so rare. At my school (and I think at virtually every law school though I have not verified this) an A+ has no special effect on your GPA. So a plain old “A” is treated the same as an “A+” for GPA purposes.

How many people get an A in law school?

Beginning in the Fall of 2024, first-year courses on Grading Option A, other than Legal Profession I and II, shall be subject to the following grade distribution: 5-25% of the class shall receive A+, A, A−, or B+ grades; 35-65% of the class shall receive B, B-, C+, or C grades; 15-40% of the class shall receive C-, D+, ...

What is the hardest class in law school?

The hardest law school subjects vary, but Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, and Property are consistently cited as top contenders, especially in the first year, due to abstract concepts, complex rules, and interconnected details. Advanced courses like Federal Courts, Tax Law, and Evidence are also known for their difficulty, involving dense statutory interpretation, complex codes, and intricate rules.
 

How to Get Straight A's in Law School

17 related questions found

Has Kim Kardashian taken the LSAT?

Kim takes the California Bar Exam's “baby bar” without completing a bachelor's degree or taking the LSAT. Kim continues to balance her legal pursuits with media and business ventures, using her platform for criminal justice reform advocacy.

What percent of people fail law school?

How race and ethnicity play a role in law school attrition. The 2023 law school attrition rate was 3.8 percent, varying across demographics and institutions.

What was Barack Obama's LSAT score?

Barack Obama's specific LSAT score has never been officially released, but it's widely believed he scored very highly (likely above 170, potentially near perfect) to gain admission to Harvard Law School despite a lower undergraduate GPA, suggesting he was in the top few percentile of test-takers for his application year. While no official number exists, analyses point to a score in the top tier (e.g., 94th-98th percentile) to overcome his GPA for admission to a top-ranked program like Harvard.
 

Is law school harder than med school?

Medical school is generally considered harder due to its intense, fact-heavy curriculum requiring massive memorization and dealing with life-or-death stakes, while law school focuses more on reading, critical thinking, and analysis, though both are rigorous and demand significant commitment. Med school involves vast scientific knowledge and clinical rotations, whereas law school builds analytical "thinking like a lawyer" through heavy reading, writing, and case application, culminating in high-stakes final exams.
 

Did Michelle Obama pass the bar?

Yes, Michelle Obama did pass the Illinois bar exam, but she failed it on her first attempt after graduating from Harvard Law School before passing it on her second try, later becoming a licensed attorney in Illinois and having a successful legal career before becoming First Lady. She was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1989 and went on to work in intellectual property law at a firm where she met her husband, Barack Obama.
 

What disqualifies you from law school?

What disqualifies you from law school often involves dishonesty, serious criminal history (especially crimes of moral turpitude like fraud), significant financial irresponsibility, or academic misconduct, all falling under the "character and fitness" evaluation, though a single minor issue usually isn't a bar if disclosed honestly and explained well; failure to disclose, lying on the application, or misrepresenting facts is often a more significant reason for denial or later disbarment. 

What is the hardest year of law school?

Most law students agree the first year (1L) is the hardest due to the steep learning curve, new teaching methods (Socratic/Case Method), intense reading/writing, and high-pressure environment designed to build foundational skills, though 2L brings different stressors like career planning and internships. 1L is a "bootcamp" for thinking like a lawyer with unfamiliar concepts and high stakes for grades, making the transition from undergraduate studies particularly challenging. 

What does 1L, 2L, and 3L mean in law school?

In law school, 1L, 2L, and 3L refer to a student's year: 1L is the first year (first-year law student), 2L is the second year, and 3L is the third and final year, replacing typical undergraduate terms like freshman or sophomore. These abbreviations help identify a student's level of experience, with 1Ls focusing on foundational subjects like Torts and Contracts, 2Ls gaining more course freedom, and 3Ls preparing for graduation and the bar exam. 

Do lawyers make $500,000 a year?

Yes, many lawyers earn $500,000 or more annually, especially Big Law partners, senior corporate counsel, specialized litigators, and successful solo practitioners in high-value fields like IP or medical malpractice, though this is not the norm for all attorneys, with median salaries being much lower. Reaching this income level requires specialization, strategic business growth, marketing, and often working in major markets, with top-tier law firms (Big Law) offering high starting salaries and significant bonuses that can push senior associates past the $500K mark.
 

What kind of person excels in law school?

The personal qualities that law schools value include maturity or life experience, emotional intelligence, an ability to get along with different kinds of people and communication skills, she says.

Is $400 an hour a lot for a lawyer?

Yes, $400 an hour is a significant rate for a lawyer, often reflecting experience, specialization, and location, falling at the higher end of average rates ($100-$400+) but can be standard or even considered a "deal" for highly specialized work in major cities, while being quite expensive in other areas or for less complex cases. Factors like the firm's size, location (big city vs. rural), the lawyer's expertise (e.g., corporate, IP vs. family law), and case complexity greatly influence this rate. 

What pays more, law or medical?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics gives median salaries for both doctors and lawyers, so it's clear that the doctors' number is higher. But median salaries are the midpoint in a list of salaries for one occupation, meaning that half of the list makes more and half makes less.

What is the hardest subject in a law degree?

The hardest law school subjects vary, but Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, and Property are consistently cited as top contenders, especially in the first year, due to abstract concepts, complex rules, and interconnected details. Advanced courses like Federal Courts, Tax Law, and Evidence are also known for their difficulty, involving dense statutory interpretation, complex codes, and intricate rules.
 

Is law school or PhD easier?

  • A PhD in most fields is more time consuming and requires a person make an actual original contribution to the body of “what is known.”
  • Law on the other hand requires mastery of a huge body of knowledge over a period of three years. ...
  • In three years you cover thousands of pages of material. ...
  • A bar exam covers everything.

Did Kim Kardashian pass the LSAT?

Indeed, Kim revealed on Nov. 8 that she sadly did not pass the all-important exam, but she wasn't calling it quits, either. "Six years into this law journey, and I'm still all in until I pass the bar," she wrote in a post on her Instagram Stories.

What did Ben Affleck get on his SAT?

Ben Affleck reportedly had a "near-perfect" or "almost perfect" SAT score, rumored to be 1600, on the old 1600-point scale, though the exact score isn't officially confirmed, with sources citing sources like the New York Times on his high aptitude despite poor high school attendance.
 

Did Michelle Obama finish law school?

Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Born in Chicago and raised on the South Side of the city, Obama is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School. In her early legal career, she worked at the law firm Sidley Austin where she met her future husband.

How many times has Kim Kardashian failed the bar?

Kim Kardashian failed the California "baby bar" (First-Year Law Students' Exam) three times before passing it in December 2021, and has failed the main California Bar Exam once as of November 2025, vowing to retake it again in 2026. Her failures, particularly with the baby bar, were public, but she persevered to pass that first hurdle on her fourth attempt. 

What do the top 1% of lawyers make?

The top 1% of lawyers earn well into the high six figures to millions annually, with top "Big Law" associates hitting $400k+ quickly, and partners/specialists (like patent attorneys) exceeding $500k-$1M+, depending heavily on location, firm size (Big Law pays most), and specialization (corporate, IP, tax). Entry-level salaries at top firms can start around $215k+, while partners in successful firms can earn $500k to over $1M. 

What percentage of people regret law school?

Law School Regret by the Numbers

Only 37 percent strongly agreed that they would attend law school again. Only 35 percent said law school prepared them well for practicing. Only 20 percent strongly agreed that their law school was worth the cost.