Do community college grades matter for law school?

Asked by: Prof. Anna Von  |  Last update: January 10, 2026
Score: 4.5/5 (70 votes)

Community college grades are evaluated alongside your bachelor's degree during the law school admissions process. The evaluation may look a touch different across law schools, but generally, law schools will have a few measures of your undergraduate academic performance.

Can you go to law school if you went to community college?

The Community College to Law School Path: Everything You Need to Know. Can you go to law school with a community college background? The answer is a resounding yes!

What is the lowest GPA a law school will accept?

What Is the Lowest GPA For Law School? Since the majority of law schools require a GPA of 3.0 or higher, anything below a 3.0 is considered very low. Some of the absolute lowest GPA requirements for schools are 2.80.

Is a 2.7 GPA bad for law school?

4) what your GPA actually means -- a 2.7 seems pretty low to be a competitive applicant for the top LLM programs like you want to apply for. but if you were in the top 25%, 15%, 10% of your class, etc. and/or have earned some sort of honors in law school, it may be enough.

Do universities look at community college grades?

Universities typically do not look at high school grades when considering transfer students for admissions. They typically only look at your community college grades.

Do law schools look down on community college? | LSAT Demon Daily, Ep. 104

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Is a 3.3 GPA good?

Is a 3.3 GPA Good? Because a 3.3 GPA is on the cusp of a B+ average, it indicates good performance in all classes with a consistently positive record on tests and homework assignments.

Should I retake a 165 LSAT?

Improve your Scores

Some people would say “yes”, and that is fine. But if you have an above-average score, say, between 165-170, retaking the LSAT seems like overkill at that point.

Is a 3.0 GPA too low for law school?

Considering students are generally advised to score a GPA of 3.5 in college to get into law school, a 3.0 is typically considered low. However, it all depends on the schools you're applying to! As discussed earlier, several schools consider a 3.0 to be within their competitive range.

What is the lowest GPA for Yale Law School?

Applicants must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.3 and be 18 years old by the time the program begins.

Is LSAT or GPA more important?

In general terms, it can be said that law schools value LSAT scores more than they do undergraduate GPA, but whether or not this statement applies to a given institution and how by much depends on the school.

Which lawyer is easiest to become?

  • Easiest law to practice.
  • Real estate law: the calm of contracts and closings.
  • Estate planning: beyond grave matters.
  • Transactional IP law: where creativity meets law.
  • Tax law: counting dollars, not hours.
  • Government agency roles: The legal life outside the courtroom.
  • Public-interest and nonprofit work: the happiness factor.

Can I become a lawyer with bad grades?

We're here with good news: You can absolutely get into law school with a low GPA! Though your application process might look a bit different than those of students who received a high GPA, it is still absolutely an option for you.

Do law schools look at community college grades?

Community college grades are evaluated alongside your bachelor's degree during the law school admissions process. The evaluation may look a touch different across law schools, but generally, law schools will have a few measures of your undergraduate academic performance. Other comparative data provided by LSAC.

Is an associate's degree enough for law school?

At minimum, a Law Student Applicant must have either a Bachelor's Degree (B.A./B.S.), or an Associate Degree (A.A./A.S.), or 60 units of college credit that are transferable toward a four-year degree, from a regionally or nationally accredited university.

Can you go to Harvard after community college?

Yet, many students ask, "Can I transfer to Harvard from a community college?" The answer is simply "yes," but it requires knowing how to succeed in community college.

Can a 2.5 GPA get you into law school?

So generally, if you're trying to get into the top schools, a GPA below 3.6 will be considered low. But to answer the question what GPA do you need to get into law school, any law school, then the answer is at least a 2.5. That is realistically the lowest GPA you can have to get into law school.

What is the easiest law school to get into?

16 Easiest Law Schools to Get Into Based on Acceptance Rate
  • Creighton University Law School – 79%
  • University of Wyoming Law School – 78%
  • Marquette University Law School – 77%
  • Loyola New Orleans Law School – 76%
  • Drake University Law School – 75%
  • Oklahoma City University School of Law – 72%

How hard is the LSAT?

This process is not only time-consuming but can be very expensive as well. So yes, the LSAT is hard, and it is designed that way. It's not so much a test that requires a student to remember random facts, but instead, it is a test that showcases a student's thought process.

How rare is a 170 LSAT?

170 score: Scoring a 170 on the LSAT is almost always considered a good score — that means you are in the 2-3% of test-takers.

Should I cancel a 155 LSAT?

It is not, however, a reason to cancel your LSAT score. If you seriously studied and committed to preparing for the exam in the months leading up to it, then you should be in a good position to keep the score. Even if you didn't get a 180, it's likely that this score reflects your aptitude and abilities.

Is a 145 on the LSAT bad?

LSAT scores span from 120 to 180, with higher scores boosting your likelihood of getting into top law schools. A score of 172 or above is excellent, while a score around 145 is considered below average. The average LSAT score is about 150, but competitive law schools typically require scores above 160.

Can I get into Harvard with a 3.3 GPA?

Can I Get into Harvard with a Low GPA? While it's certainly possible to get into Harvard with a low GPA, as the numbers bear out, it's improbable. For the Class of 2027, a mere 2.21% of admitted students to Harvard had GPAs below 3.5.

Can I get into NYU with a 3.3 GPA?

The recommended GPA requirements to get into NYU are between 3.5 and 4.0. You will need a very high GPA and will likely be graduating at the top half of your class in order to get into NYU.