What GPA do you need to go to Harvard Law School?

Asked by: Aliya Denesik  |  Last update: December 20, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (55 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 3.5 GPA?

The most recent Harvard Law entering class had a median GPA of 3.92; the lowest GPA accepted was 3.82. As such, Harvard does not consider a 3.0 GPA competitive, so it's very unlikely you will get into it if you have this GPA.

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.

Is 3.8 GPA good for Harvard Law?

  • LSAT - While I've had plenty of students get into HLS with a score in the 160s (both URM and non-URM), you ideally want to be 170+.
  • GPA - You want to be above a 3.8, no matter what your major is.
  • Personal Statement - This needs to shine.
  • Diversity Statement (if you're writing one) - This also needs to shine.

Is a 172 LSAT good enough for Harvard?

172 LSAT is average for Harvard law. So, that's excellent already. Even with a 3.4 GPA, if he can get that LSAT up to, say, 175+ (which then begins the luck zone even for most top scorers), he's looking at probably admission into at least one of Harvard, Yale, or Stanford (the top 3).

Former Harvard Law School Admission Officer on Low LSAT + GPA

44 related questions found

Is 3.7 a bad GPA for law school?

Among the 191 ranked law schools that submitted grade data to U.S. News in an annual survey, the average median GPA of entering law school students in 2021 was 3.55. But at the 20 highest-ranked law schools, the average median GPA is much higher – 3.86.

Is a 135 on the LSAT bad?

Average LSAT Score

LSAT passing score of at least 165 on the LSAT. In recent years, the average LSAT score has stayed at around 151-152. Correspondingly, applicants should aim to score 151 at a minimum to get into an accredited law school because of how competitive and challenging admissions are.

Is 4.7 GPA enough for Harvard?

GPA requirements for Harvard

We consider the school's current students' average GPA for this. At Harvard, the standard GPA is 4.18. (While some schools publish an unweighted GPA, most utilize a weighted GPA out of 4.0.) Harvard needs you to be at the top of your class with a GPA of 4.18.

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.

Is 174 a good LSAT?

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.

What GPA is too low for Harvard?

What GPA should I have? Applicants should be between 3.9 and 4.0 to be strong candidates for admission to this school. Having less than this will require compensating by increasing your SAT or ACT score.

What's the lowest GPA Yale accepted?

We do not set a minimum GPA, nor do we attempt to re-weight GPA's to any standard other than what a school provides.

How hard is Harvard Law?

Applicants need a median LSAT score of 174 out of 180 to be competitive. The acceptance rate is low, at 9.5%, meaning out of the 8,393 applications received in 2022, only 798 were accepted. This means that applicants must have very good grades and test scores, especially on the LSAT.

How much is Harvard Law School tuition?

Harvard University Law School Overview

The full-time program application fee at the law school at Harvard University is $85. Its tuition is full-time: $75,008. The student-faculty ratio is 6.8:1.

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.

Is 3.5 enough for Harvard?

In summary, while a GPA of 3.5 is less than average for Harvard admits, you shouldn't count yourself out automatically. Focus on strengthening the other components of your application, demonstrating dedication through your extracurriculars, and showing your unique perspective through your essays.

What did Obama make on the LSAT?

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.

How rare is a 180 LSAT?

How Hard Is It To Get A Perfect Score On The LSAT? According to LSAC, only 119 test-takers out of nearly 60,000 achieved this in 2022. So when you ask, “How many people get a 180 on the LSAT?” the answer highlights the rarity and difficulty of this achievement.

Is it realistic that Elle Woods got 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.

Can a 5.0 GPA get me into Harvard?

To have the best shot of getting in, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1580 SAT or a 36 ACT. You should also have a 4.2 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score.

What is the hardest college to get into?

Harvard University

The Harvard acceptance rate is 3%, tied with Caltech for the #1 spot on our list of hardest colleges to get into. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard is a quintessential New England school globally recognized for its rigorous academic programs and influential alumni.

How rare is a 4.7 GPA?

The national average GPA is around 3.0, so a 4.7 GPA is well above the national average. However, keep in mind that the 3.0 national average represents the average GPA of all students, not just those applying to universities.

What score is 12 wrong on LSAT?

Every LSAT throughout the year is different, but on a typical LSAT, can still get around 18–19 questions wrong and still end up in the 160s—or about 12 wrong and get a 166, a 90th percentile score. Even a perfect score of 180 often allows for a question or two to be missed.

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.