Is a 3.8 GPA good for Harvard Law?

Asked by: Tess Gislason  |  Last update: January 1, 2026
Score: 4.9/5 (12 votes)

As you can see from these numbers, an LSAT score of 170 or higher and a GPA above 3.75 will give you a chance of gaining admission to Harvard Law School. If you have a GPA of 3.94 or higher and above a 175, you are pretty much a lock for admission, particularly given the class size of ~560.

Can I get into Harvard Law with a 3.8 GPA?

While the LSAT score and GPA are significant factors, Harvard Law considers applicants holistically, valuing diversity and unique perspectives. The LSAT score for Harvard Law School typically falls within the 169-175 range, while the average GPA for admitted students is between 3.8 and 4.0.

Is a 3.8 GPA good for Harvard?

The average GPA of an accepted Harvard applicant is 3.8. Unless your cumulative GPA is above 3.6, you probably don't have a good shot. You MCAT also needs to be more than just 30 or higher, especially to help out with that GPA. You need at least a 34, and that's if your GPA was good (3.8).

Is a 3.8 GPA ok for law school?

Most law schools require a minimum GPA of 3.5 for admission. However, top law schools typically require a GPA of 3.7 or higher to be considered a competitive applicant.

Can I get into Stanford Law with a 3.8 GPA?

If your sights are set on Stanford Law, your GPA should be as close to 3.9 or 4.0 as possible for your best shot at acceptance. Here is some more information regarding Stanford Law's entering class' GPA scores: 25th Percentile: 3.78. 50th Percentile: 3.92.

Can I get into Harvard with a 3.8 GPA?

17 related questions found

Can I get into an Ivy League with a 3.8 GPA?

None of the Ivy League schools have a minimum GPA requirement for applications, which means anyone can apply with any GPA.

What is the hardest law school in the USA?

1. Yale University. With an acceptance rate of just 6.9%, it's no wonder that Yale is the hardest law school to get into. Only around 1 in 15 of their highly qualified applicants makes it through.

What did Elle Woods get on the LSAT?

The trending post led to multiple stories, including one in Newsweek, that compares Boyle to the fictional character Elle Woods, who scored a nearly perfect 179 on her LSAT to gain entry to Harvard Law School.

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.

How rare is 3.8 GPA?

To elaborate, the national average for GPA is around a 3.0, so a 3.8 puts you above average nationally. Keep in mind the 3.0 national average represents all students, not just students applying to college, so the average GPA of students admitted to colleges is higher than the national average.

Can I get into Harvard Med with a 3.8 GPA?

Harvard Medical School obviously has the luxury of selecting students from an outstanding pool of applicants. If your MCAT and GPA are excellent (517 and 3.8 or higher) or there are other extenuating circumstances about your background that distinguish you, try applying.

Is a 3.8 GPA impressive?

A 3.8 GPA is considered to be a very good GPA and is often an indicator of strong academic performance.

Is 3.8 A good GPA for Harvard?

GPA Requirements

Harvard University does not have a strict minimum GPA requirement for undergraduate admissions. However, admitted students typically have very high GPAs, ranging from 3.8 to 4.0, with an average GPA of 3.9.

Is a 3.9 good for Harvard Law?

A good GPA for law school generally falls between 3.5 and 4.0. However, top-tier institutions like Harvard Law School, Stanford Law School, and Yale Law School often admit students with median GPAs closer to 3.9 or higher.

What is the lowest GPA Harvard law will accept?

A high GPA is 3.99 and the median is 3.92. There's no lowest GPA but you probably won't get into Harvard with a 2.5 GPA. Your GPA still needs to be somewhat competitive with the median GPA. That said, you can get into Harvard Law School even if your GPA is 3.82 or lower.

What was Obama's LSAT score?

The easiest to predict, by far, is Barack Obama's score, mostly because we have some data. Based on admissions records, we can deduce — somewhat reliably — that Barry-O scored between the 94th and 98th percentile on his LSAT. Using today's grading system, that would place him somewhere around a 170.

Will a 180 LSAT get you in anywhere?

Here is a breakdown of what counts as a good enough score for law schools based on the school's rank: Top-five law schools: 170 to 180. Schools like Harvard and Yale, which are the top two, rarely accept applicants with less than 172 on the LSAT. Law schools ranked between 5 and 10: 165 to 170.

Is a 149 LSAT bad?

You can get into law school with a low LSAT score if it is above 144-145. Scores in this range will get you into some lower-ranking schools, although the majority of law schools prefer scores above 150.

Who got a 179 on the LSAT?

Elle Woods, a fictional character portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in the movie Legally Blonde, is known for her remarkable LSAT score—179 out of 180.

Is it realistic for Elle Woods to get into Harvard?

Harvard Law likes a diverse range of law students. She also came from a wealthy background and went to a very prestigious college, UCLA, in the musical version, all of which played important factors in her chances of getting into Harvard Law. Senior Jo Kelly believes that it is realistic Elle got into Harvard Law.

How common is a 180 LSAT?

Percentiles vary slightly between tests, but generally around 25% of test-takers score 160 or higher, 5% score 170 or higher, and 1% score 175 or higher. Only one in 1,000 test-takers scores 180.

Is it harder to get into Yale law or Harvard law?

What Is the Hardest Law School to Get Into? The hardest law school to get into is Yale Law School, with an acceptance rate of 5.5%.

What is the hardest state to become a lawyer?

California is widely considered to have the hardest bar exam, due to its low pass rate and the difficulty of the content and constraints of the exam.