What GPA do you need to get into top law school?

Asked by: Douglas Bins  |  Last update: June 8, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (52 votes)

Obtain High GPA & LSAT Scores 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. However, that is the bare minimum, and you should aim higher if you want to increase your chances of getting into the top 3.

What is a good GPA for top law schools?

Undergraduate GPA: - A competitive GPA for law school applicants is usually around 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. - Top-tier law schools often look for GPAs in the range of 3.7 to 4.0.

Can you get into a top law school with a 3.5 GPA?

These statistics reveal how important the LSAT is to law-school admissions. Earning a high GPA isn't enough. As the Fordham Law School statistics indicate, even those with a 3.5 GPA or better who don't do well on the LSAT have only about a four- percent chance of admission.

Is a 3.7 a good GPA for law school?

A good GPA for law school typically falls around 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. However, what constitutes a ``good'' GPA can vary depending on the law school you're applying to. Top-tier law schools (like Harvard, Yale, or Stanford) generally look for GPAs of 3.7 or above.

Is a 3.8 GPA good enough for Harvard Law?

Your gpa will be fine, but for the very very top schools, it is a noticeable difference. There is no exact LSAT you need to have, but to be competitive, minimum low 170s. I had a client with a 3.75 get into Harvard with a 172/173 (can't remember precisely), and another get into Columbia with high 3.8 and 171.

yes, where you go to law school matters.

28 related questions found

Can I get into Yale law with a 3.8 GPA?

We do not utilize a GPA or standardized test score cutoff of any kind in our review process. Every year applicants from all backgrounds and with scores in all ranges are admitted to Yale Law School.

What did Elle Woods get on her 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. Portrayed as a stereotypical "valley girl," she embarks on a journey to Harvard Law School in the movie that has since become a cult favorite.

How rare is a 176 LSAT?

Less than 1% of test takers score a 176. It's a very hard thing to do. Don't let this sub skew your perception of what's realistic.

Is a 3.6 GPA too low for law school?

A low GPA for law schools will entirely depend on your goals. If your GPA is at or below a school's 25th percentile, your GPA will be considered low for that school. So generally, if you're trying to get into the top schools, a GPA below 3.6 will be considered low.

What GPA do you need for big law?

What Is a Good GPA for Big Law? It depends on what firms you're hoping to work with. Many firms require lawyers to have a GPA of 3.5 from a top school, while many others consider a 3.0 from the same institution to be acceptable.

Is a 174 LSAT good?

So, a great score on the LSAT is a 172, but more than 100,000 people take the LSAT every year and only 1% score 172 or higher. For the top 50 law schools, the median LSAT score is between 164 and 174. A good LSAT score for top tier(defined by T14 schools for this article) law schools is between 171 and 174.

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.

Is GPA or LSAT more important?

Those rankings unquestionably value median LSAT score more highly than they do UGPA; in fact, a peek at the full details of the rankings (only available to those willing to pony up $29.95 for inside access) shows the LSAT score placed front and center, whereas it takes several clicks and some scrolling to discover the ...

How hard is a 170 LSAT?

The LSAT is scored on a bell curve, ranging from 120 to 180. On recent tests, the hump of the curve has centered around 153. 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.

What are softs for law school?

Softs refer to everything in your application that isn't "hard" data.

Is 3.7 too low 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 Harvard law with a 3.6 GPA?

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.

Is a 3.6 GPA bad for grad school?

MS in the US – What's a good GPA for graduate school

If you're planning to apply to the elite top tier programs or the Ivy League programs, you'd need to have a competitive GPA of 3.5 or above whereas for other schools, with a GPA between 3.0 and 3.5, you'd still have a good chance of getting in.

Has anyone gotten a 180 on the LSAT?

He worked his way up to a perfect 180 LSAT score on a mock LSAT exam, 18 points higher than his diagnostic exam prior to ScoreItUp's course! Even more importantly, Spencer's actual LSAT score was better than 99 percent of test-takers sitting for the exam!

What LSAT score do I need for Harvard?

So let's take a look at what it actually takes to have a chance of being admitted to the most prestigious and preeminent law school in the world. 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.

What score is 75% on LSAT?

For example if your LSAT Scaled Score is 157 you will have a percentile rank of approximately 75% meaning that your Scaled Score of 157 is better than 75% of the LSAT Scaled Scores for the last three years.

What did Obama make on the LSAT?

During his time, the median LSAT scores for Harvard Law were generally between 170 and 175. This suggests that the Obama LSAT scores were within this range, placing him in the top percentiles of test-takers.

Is Legally Blonde realistic?

OVERALL (fairly accurate!)

After going through it myself - overall impression of Legally Blonde? Not too shabby! I'd say the class/school scenes are pretty accurate, as well as Elle's transition from totally uncomfortable to realizing that she deserves to be at Harvard Law.