Is a 3.86 GPA good for law school?

Asked by: Meta Flatley  |  Last update: September 1, 2023
Score: 4.4/5 (2 votes)

Among the U.S. News top 20 law schools, the median GPA for accepted students in 2021 was 3.86. Jan. 27, 2023, at 9:22 a.m.

Is 3.8 A good GPA for law school?

DO raise that GPA, if it's not too late. You'll need a 3.8 or better to be above the median for a top 14 law school, and a 3.6 or better to be above the median for the top 50.

Can I get into Harvard Law with a 3.9 GPA?

A 4.0 GPA (and above) means you have a stronger chance of acceptance. A GPA between 3.75-3.99 GPA means you have a decent chance of success. A GPA between 3.50-3.74 makes Harvard a “reach” school.

How good of a GPA do you need for law school?

Obtain High GPA & LSAT Scores

It's also worth remembering that getting into a top law school requires outstanding grades, not just good ones. According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), students need a GPA of at least 3.59 and an LSAT of 162 or more to get into any top 10 law schools.

What is considered a bad GPA in law school?

What is considered a low GPA for law school? Typically, a low GPA for law school would be below 3.0.

Law School Splitter | High LSAT + Low GPA | why GPA "doesn't matter"

36 related questions found

Is 3.8 GPA too low for law school?

Among the U.S. News top 20 law schools, the median GPA for accepted students in 2021 was 3.86.

Is a 3.83 GPA good for law school?

By most standards, a law school applicant with a 3.7 GPA and a 176 LSAT is significantly above average. By the standards of the four law schools you mentioned, a law school applicant with those numbers is below-average to average.

What matters more GPA or LSAT?

Keep in mind that just because the LSAT gets more weight in the decision-making process, a GPA well below a school's typical range is still likely to keep you from being admitted to that school. While LSAT is the most important factor, GPA is still significant.

Is a 3.6 GPA good enough for 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.

Do law schools look at grades or GPA?

Next to your LSAT score, your GPA is the most important thing on your law school application. Like it or not, those numbers hold the greatest weight in your likelihood of getting into a particular school. Unlike your LSAT score, though, your GPA has another facet to it: your transcript.

Is 3.8 GPA too low for Harvard?

At Harvard GPA is Not Important Unless it is Very High or Very Low. As you can see, the acceptance rate between 3.0 and 3.79 is relatively flat. GPA only seems to have any impact if you are above 3.8 or below 3.0. The acceptance rate for Harvard is higher in the 3.0 to 3.39 range than 3.4 to 3.79.

Can I get into Harvard Law with a 3.85 GPA?

Although no GPA cutoffs are listed on Harvard Law's website, students have the best chance of admission with higher GPAs. The GPA percentiles of incoming Harvard Law students are: 25th percentile GPA: 3.82. 50th percentile GPA: 3.92.

Is it possible to get into Harvard with a 3.8 GPA?

If you achieve a 3.8 GPA, your grades are likely above many of your peers. However, classing a 3.8 GPA as “good” depends on your chosen colleges and the difficulty of your courses. For example, Harvard's average GPA is 4.18, so you'll have to get straight As in nearly all of your classes to be a competitive applicant.

What percentile is a 165 LSAT score?

We've already developed a general sense of LSAT score percentiles from some of the common score thresholds above (160: 80th percentile; 165: 90th percentile; 170: 97-98th percentile, and 174: 99th percentile).

How do you get a 170 on the LSAT?

Despite what many people believe, there is no trick or shortcut to getting a 170 or more on an LSAT score. Very few people can walk into the room on test day with very little or no practice and be able to score that highly. It takes a lot of hard work to be able to score up to 170 or higher.

How hard is it to get a 164 on the LSAT?

On a typical LSAT, you can still get around 18–19 questions wrong and still end up in the 160s—or about 14 wrong and get a 164, a 90th percentile score. Even a perfect score of 180 often allows you to miss a question or two.

Are B's in law school good?

Bs are perfectly acceptable grades in law school. What does a B grade represent? That a student has adequate mastery of the subject. Not great mastery.

What is the easiest law school to get into with a low GPA?

15 Easiest Law Schools to Get Into Based on GPA
  • DePaul University College of Law – 3.20.
  • Howard University Law School – 3.24.
  • University of Baltimore – 3.25.
  • Vermont Law School – 3.25.
  • University of Idaho College of Law – 3.25.
  • Akron Law School – 3.28.
  • Creighton University Law School – 3.29.

Is the LSAT harder now than it used to be?

Short answer: No. The only difference across practice tests over time is that early Logic Games are harder, so if anything, the LSAT has gotten easier. Don't worry about subtle changes based on a few data points. Focus on understanding the test, one question at a time.

What if your GPA is high but low LSAT scores?

High grades can help offset a low LSAT score, as can strong recommendation letters from professors, professional experience and a well-structured personal statement. Use other elements of your application like your resume to bring out skills tested by the LSAT, like logical reasoning and close reading.

Do law schools care more about major GPA?

Some people do well in their major GPA but have a low overall GPA because they performed poorly in their required general education courses. Unfortunately, law schools largely care about your overall GPA.

Is a GPA of 3.96 good for law school?

Longer answer: With a 3.9 GPA and a 153 LSAT, you're what law schools call a “super-reverse-splitter” — very high GPA, low LSAT score. You have the GPA of a student who is a viable candidate for a T6, but an LSAT score that indicates you belong in a third- or fourth-tier law school.

Can I get into Harvard Law with a 165 LSAT?

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.

What is the average LSAT score?

Data Summary. The average LSAT score for first-time takers was 151, according to scores tracked from 2006-2013. During this period, second-time test takers had the highest LSAT average score of about 152. The average national LSAT score for full-time, first-year JD enrollees for fall 2022 was about 159.