What is the curve in law school?
Asked by: Joshuah Hyatt | Last update: February 9, 2026Score: 4.6/5 (52 votes)
The law school curve is a grading system that forces professors to rank students' exam performances relative to each other, typically following a bell curve, ensuring a specific distribution of grades (e.g., some As, many Bs, few Cs) rather than everyone potentially getting an A, creating intense competition and standardized ranking for employers. It normalizes grades across classes, curbs inflation, and distinguishes top performers, often making the first year (1L) especially stressful as it relies heavily on a single exam's relative outcome.
What is the hardest year of law school?
Most law students agree the first year (1L) is the hardest due to the steep learning curve, new teaching methods (Socratic/Case Method), intense reading/writing, and high-pressure environment designed to build foundational skills, though 2L brings different stressors like career planning and internships. 1L is a "bootcamp" for thinking like a lawyer with unfamiliar concepts and high stakes for grades, making the transition from undergraduate studies particularly challenging.
What does 20% curve mean?
Grading on a curve refers to the process of adjusting student grades in order to ensure that a test or assignment has the proper distribution throughout the class (for example, only 20% of students receive As, 30% receive Bs, and so on), as well as a desired total average (for example, a C grade average for a given ...
What is a law curve?
"The curve" is the permitted range of each letter grade that can be awarded, for example, 0–3% A+, 3–7% A, etc.
Can you fail because of a curve?
It depends how the curve is set up. In traditional curves that are made to fit a Gaussian distribution with some standard deviation, usually some percent of students will fail (although there's ways to avoid that if you design the distribution differently).
Law School Grading Curve & Pain
Does an 89.5 round up to a 90?
Yes, 89.5 is often considered a 90 in many grading systems because standard rounding rules round .5 and up to the next whole number, but it depends on the specific instructor's or institution's policy, as some might set the A- cutoff at 89.5 (making it an A-), while others might have specific policies, but generally, an 89.5 is at the cusp and frequently rounded to an A or 90.
Can grading on a curve hurt you?
In this case, it's obvious that grading on a curve hurts many students: four students who earned 90-91 points are now earning a C instead of an A! And all of the students who earned 80-89 points (typically a B) are now earning a C.
What is the hardest class in law school?
The hardest law school subjects vary, but Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, and Property are consistently cited as top contenders, especially in the first year, due to abstract concepts, complex rules, and interconnected details. Advanced courses like Federal Courts, Tax Law, and Evidence are also known for their difficulty, involving dense statutory interpretation, complex codes, and intricate rules.
Do most law schools grade on a curve?
While the curve system is the most common method of grading in law schools, there are many variations to this model. Some schools may use a strict forced curve, which directly limits the number of students who can achieve an A grade. Others may use a relative curve, which adjusts grades based on the overall mean.
What does 1L, 2L, and 3L mean in law school?
In law school, 1L, 2L, and 3L refer to a student's year: 1L is the first year (first-year law student), 2L is the second year, and 3L is the third and final year, replacing typical undergraduate terms like freshman or sophomore. These abbreviations help identify a student's level of experience, with 1Ls focusing on foundational subjects like Torts and Contracts, 2Ls gaining more course freedom, and 3Ls preparing for graduation and the bar exam.
Is it better to be graded on a curve?
Professors use different curve methods, such as adding points or removing difficult questions, although smaller classes may avoid curving altogether. Curved grading can benefit students but may feel arbitrary since grades depend on the class performance rather than individual mastery.
Is a 93% an A or B?
A 93% is usually an A- (A minus) in many US schools, falling just below a straight 'A' (94-100%), but it can sometimes be a straight 'A', depending on the specific grading scale used by the institution, as some use wider ranges or round up, so checking the syllabus is key.
What does a 30% curve mean?
Having a 30-degree scoliosis curve means the spine bends to the side more than most people. This level of spinal curvature is called moderate. To say someone has scoliosis, the curve need to be at least 10 degrees with the spine twisting.
What kind of person excels in law school?
The personal qualities that law schools value include maturity or life experience, emotional intelligence, an ability to get along with different kinds of people and communication skills, she says.
What percent of people fail law school?
How race and ethnicity play a role in law school attrition. The 2023 law school attrition rate was 3.8 percent, varying across demographics and institutions.
Has Kim Kardashian taken the LSAT?
Kim takes the California Bar Exam's “baby bar” without completing a bachelor's degree or taking the LSAT. Kim continues to balance her legal pursuits with media and business ventures, using her platform for criminal justice reform advocacy.
Did Michelle Obama pass the bar?
Yes, Michelle Obama did pass the Illinois bar exam, but she failed it on her first attempt after graduating from Harvard Law School before passing it on her second try, later becoming a licensed attorney in Illinois and having a successful legal career before becoming First Lady. She was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1989 and went on to work in intellectual property law at a firm where she met her husband, Barack Obama.
What disqualifies you from law school?
What disqualifies you from law school often involves dishonesty, serious criminal history (especially crimes of moral turpitude like fraud), significant financial irresponsibility, or academic misconduct, all falling under the "character and fitness" evaluation, though a single minor issue usually isn't a bar if disclosed honestly and explained well; failure to disclose, lying on the application, or misrepresenting facts is often a more significant reason for denial or later disbarment.
What was Obama's LSAT score?
Barack Obama's specific LSAT score has never been officially released, but it's widely believed he scored very highly (likely above 170, potentially near perfect) to gain admission to Harvard Law School despite a lower undergraduate GPA, suggesting he was in the top few percentile of test-takers for his application year. While no official number exists, analyses point to a score in the top tier (e.g., 94th-98th percentile) to overcome his GPA for admission to a top-ranked program like Harvard.
What is the easiest law degree to get?
The easiest law degree programs, such as the Master of Legal Studies (MLS), are typically less demanding than traditional law degrees like the Juris Doctor (JD). MLS programs are designed for professionals who want a foundational understanding of law without the need to become licensed attorneys.
Is law school harder than med school?
Medical school is generally considered harder due to its intense, fact-heavy curriculum requiring massive memorization and dealing with life-or-death stakes, while law school focuses more on reading, critical thinking, and analysis, though both are rigorous and demand significant commitment. Med school involves vast scientific knowledge and clinical rotations, whereas law school builds analytical "thinking like a lawyer" through heavy reading, writing, and case application, culminating in high-stakes final exams.
What are the big 3 law schools?
The "Big Three" law schools in the U.S. are consistently considered to be Yale, Stanford, and Harvard, renowned for their prestige, selectivity, and top placement in Big Law and federal clerkships, often leading the highly ranked T14 schools alongside others like UChicago, Columbia, and NYU. While specific rankings fluctuate, these three are the perennial leaders in overall reputation and career outcomes for aspiring BigLaw attorneys, though other elite schools like UChicago, Columbia, NYU, and Penn are right behind them.
What grade is 70% out of 100?
A score of 70 out of 100 is typically a C, but can be a C-, depending on the specific grading scale used by the school or instructor, with most scales placing 70-79% in the C range, and 70-72% often being a C- and 73-79% a C or C+. It generally represents a passing grade, indicating average or satisfactory performance.
Does an 89.5 get rounded up?
I round up at . 5. So, 89.5 = 90. 88.5 = 89.
Do professors drop the lowest grade?
The low grades of a footloose first year can haunt students later as they try to raise their GPAs. Some professors can find ways to build in a little forgiveness—allowing students to drop their lowest quiz grade, rewrite a paper, or make first attempts (exams, speeches, etc.) worth fewer points.